Plans to legalise assisted suicide will be brought forward again at Westminster in the form of a Private Member’s Bill. Labour MP Lauren Edwards came second in the Private Members’ Ballot last month, and says she will bring forward legislation that is identical to Kim Leadbeater’s Bill, which narrowly passed in the House of Commons one year ago. By using identical legislation, Edwards could invoke the Parliament Acts. This would mean that if the Bill is voted through the House of Commons in an unchanged manner, the House of Lords – where the Leadbeater Bill stalled – could table amendments, but would be unable to reject it outright. The Parliament Acts have only been used seven times in the last century, and never for a Private Member’s Bill.
