Supporters blame ‘procedural wrangling’ for the legislation running out of parliamentary time
Assisted dying will not become law in England and Wales after proposed legislation branded “hopelessly flawed” by opponents ran out of time amid claims of a “denial of democracy” from supporters.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which had been making its way through parliament for the past year and a half, fell on Friday with peers speaking passionately on both sides of the argument.
While the bill had successfully passed two votes in the House of Commons, albeit with a narrower majority on the second occasion, it did not face a vote in the Lords.
It instead ran out of time, with Charlie Falconer, who had steered it through the upper chamber, saying he felt “despondent” that a piece of legislation which he said was “so important to so many, has not failed on its merits, but failed as a result of procedural wrangling”.
