Overview
- The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill fell after an 18‑month run when the Prime Minister said the government would not grant it more parliamentary time.
- Peers proposed about 1,200 changes, including conscience protections for doctors and opt‑outs for care homes, saying the draft was not fit for purpose.
- Supporters blamed a small group in the unelected House of Lords, noting that seven peers tabled over half the amendments and arguing the process thwarted the Commons.
- Talk of using the Parliament Acts to bypass the Lords faces long odds, with the Hansard Society calling such a route unprecedented for a private member’s bill and the bill’s Commons majority shrinking to 23 at third reading.
- Signs of weak momentum include a similar measure failing in Scotland by 69–57 and polling that shows only soft, low‑priority public support for legal change.