UK Assisted Suicide Bill Losing Momentum Amid MP Doubts and Safeguard Concerns

08.04.2025

Momentum behind Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide Bill appears to be faltering, as doubts grow among MPs and the atmosphere around the campaign becomes increasingly uneasy.

At a recent press conference held to mark the end of the Committee Stage, Sky News political correspondent Ali Fortescue noted a shift in tone. Where previous appearances had been marked by upbeat confidence, the mood this time was markedly more tense. Fortescue described an atmosphere of “charged nervousness” among campaigners, in stark contrast to the earlier “cheerful optimism.”

This unease seems well-founded. Fortescue reported that many MPs who had initially supported the Bill are now expressing second thoughts—particularly due to concerns about the weakening of legal safeguards. “There are real jitters among MPs,” she noted, “especially around the removal of judicial oversight.”

One of the most significant changes drawing criticism is the scrapping of the High Court judge safeguard—originally a central pillar of the Bill that had given many MPs the confidence to support it at Second Reading. During that earlier debate, as many as 60 MPs highlighted the importance of the High Court’s role, with an additional 20 referencing the need for some form of judicial oversight.

Now, with the safeguard removed and replaced by what Leadbeater described as a “Judge Plus” model, MPs are not convinced. Many see the new term as misleading. Labour MP Naz Shah dismissed the replacement entirely, describing it as “a story for the birds” and arguing that the Bill has been fundamentally weakened by the change. “There’s no real judicial oversight anymore,” she said.

Other MPs who previously supported the Bill, such as Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael and Labour’s Paul Foster, have also expressed serious reservations. Carmichael admitted he is no longer sure how he will vote, while Foster called the removal of the safeguard a “game changer” that has prompted him to reconsider his position.

Labour’s James Frith went further, describing the current form of the legislation as “a mess.” He criticised the way the Committee Stage had been handled, calling it a missed opportunity for meaningful scrutiny and improvement.

Adding to the controversy, Leadbeater’s recent comments suggesting that trying to dissuade a loved one from ending their life could be considered a form of coercion have drawn backlash. She argued that coercion more often comes from family members who want the individual to live—a view that many find troubling and deeply out of touch with the lived realities of vulnerable individuals.

With the Third Reading of the Bill approaching, it is clear that confidence in the proposal is waning. As support weakens and scrutiny increases, the serious implications of legalising assisted suicide are becoming harder for MPs—and the public—to ignore.