How every Welsh MP voted as assisted dying law moves a step closer

MPs have voted in favour of a historic Bill which means assisted dying in England and Wales could be legal in the near future. In a vote in the House of Commons on Friday which followed an intense debate, a majority of MPs supported a proposal that would allow terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of less than six months to end their lives.

There were emotional scenes in the Commons as politicians from different parties and different sides of the debate made their cases both for and against such an important and controversial topic. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.

Under current law, encouraging or assisting suicide is illegal in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. Friday’s vote does not mean the law has changed as of now, but it does mean the matter will be scrutinised further by Parliament with the backing of the majority. Discussions could take months and nobody is expected to legally use the Bill for at least two years.

MPs voted 330 in favour of the Bill and 275 against, creating a majority of 55. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer voted in favour, parliamentary voting data shows. Kim Leadbeater MP, who put forward the Bill, said it has strict safeguards against coercion and that a new law would give society “a much better approach towards end of life”. But Conservative MP Danny Kruger, lead MP for opponents of the Bill, said he believed Parliament can do “better” for terminally ill people than a “state suicide service”, adding that the Bill is “too flawed”.

The Bill will next go to a committee stage where MPs can table amendments before it will face further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until next year at the earliest.

The level of contention in the House of Commons can be seen by how different Welsh MPs voted, with MPs from the same party and from neighbouring constituencies voting differently from each other. Alex Barros-Curtis, Anna McMorrin, and Jo Stevens, the MPs for Cardiff West, Cardiff North, and Cardiff East respectively all voted in favour. Meanwhile, Stephen Doughty, the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, voted against.

In Swansea, Torsten Bell, representing Swansea West, voted in favour, while Carolyn Harris, the MP for Neath and Swansea East, did not record a vote. In Newport, Ruth Jones, the MP for Newport West and Islwyn, and Jessica Morden, the MP for Newport East, both voted against the Bill.

Bridgend MP Chris Emore voted in favour, as did Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake. Caerfyrddin’s Ann Davies voted against, while in north Wales Wrexham’s Andrew Ranger, Bangor Aberconwy’s Claire Hughes, and Alyn and Deeside’s Mark Tami all voted in favour.

You can see exactly how your MP voted in Friday’s historic vote using our interactive tool below. Just type in the name of your MP or constituency.

This interactive requires javascript to work.

Interactive