The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed with a majority of 23 today (Friday), as 314 MPs voted in favour and 291 voted against.
The bill allows terminally ill adults in England and Wales but not in Scotland with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, pictured left, has backed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at third reading, the Commons division list shows.
It also shows Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch cast her vote in the “no” lobby, voting against plans to roll out assisted dying in the UK.
It will now move to the House of Lords, where it will be scrutinised further.
MPs were given a free vote on the bill, meaning they were allowed to vote on their on beliefs rather than with a party line.
Douglas McAllister, the Labour MP for West Dunbartonshire, voted against the Bill while Brendan O’Hara, who represent Helensburgh and Garelochside, did not vote at all.
SNP MP for Helensburgh and South Argyll, Brendan O’Hara, and Douglas McAllister, MP for Dumbarton constituency, which includes Clydebank and Vale of Leven.
Outside parliament, protesters from both sides have rallied since this morning to make their final cases.
Supporters of the assisted dying Bill wept, jumped and hugged each other outside Parliament as the news came through that it had been passed by MPs.
Opposition campaigners Right To Life UK said the Bill “still faces an uphill battle” to get through the House of Lords.
Spokeswoman Catherine Robinson said: “Although the Bill passed the Commons today, momentum remains with its opponents, with support consistently falling every time MPs have considered it.
“The Bill leaves the Commons lacking a majority, with fewer than half of all MPs voting for it at its final stage.
“The Bill still faces an uphill battle to reach Royal Assent. We will be fighting it at every stage in the House of Lords.”
The Bill remains “deeply flawed and dangerous”, opposition campaigners said after the vote.
Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of Care Not Killing said: “This is a deeply flawed and dangerous Bill that since November has been made considerably worse with important safeguards watered down or scrapped.”
He added: “The current Bill fails to protect vulnerable and disabled people from coercion.”
Campaign groups in favour of assisted dying have welcomed today’s vote in the Commons.
Scottish Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur MSP said: “I am delighted that the House of Commons have voted to pass Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill at Third Reading – it’s a milestone moment for choice and compassion at the end of life.
“MPs have listened to dying people, to bereaved families and the public – and have voted decisively for safe and compassionate law change.
“Last month, MSPs backed the principles of assisted dying in recognition that under the current law, terminally ill people can suffer despite the best care, take drastic action to end their own lives, or travel at huge cost to die in a foreign country.
“With this vote, MPs have sent a clear message that the worst outcome of all would be to allow the status quo to continue and that a better, safer and fairer law is possible.
“I’ll be making this case to colleagues in the Scottish Parliament as my bill moves through its following stages. I look forward to working with them to ensure that in Scotland too we have an assisted dying law that gives dying people the choice they need and puts vital protections in place for all. Undoubtedly today’s vote adds to the momentum behind this work.
“I’d also like to personally congratulate Kim Leadbeater and acknowledge not only the work that she has done to bring about this result today but also the compassion, care and respect with which she has led the debate.”
Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, said: “MPs have finally recognised the fact that assisted dying is already happening in this country.
“People are travelling to Switzerland if they have the money and mobility to do so. Others are dying in traumatic circumstances by suicide.
“Many more are suffering greatly, even while receiving the best possible care.
“Today, we are a significant step closer to ending that unnecessary and cruel suffering and MPs should be commended for taking this step.”