Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd & Anglesey MPs back assisted dying bill

Rhyl Journal

23-06-2025

MPs voted 314 in favour, to 291 against, during the third reading of Labour's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) in Parliament on Friday (June 20).
This does not mean the bill has become law, but it allows it to now progress to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.
The majority almost halved since the last vote in November, during the bill's second reading.
If successful, the bill would make assisted suicide legal for terminally ill adults expected to die within six months, and with the mental capacity to make a choice about how to end their life.
Below are comments from MPs Llinos Medi, Liz Saville Roberts, Claire Hughes, Gill German and Becky Gittins on why they all backed the bill.
Llinos Medi (Image: Submitted) "I am assured that the bill has been strengthened during the scrutiny process. For example, I voted in favour of an amendment to prevent health professionals such as doctors from initiating conversations with under-18s about assisted dying, which passed.
"Regardless of today's vote, scrutiny does not end here. As MPs, we have a duty and I remain committed to listening to all voices, including those who oppose the bill.
"Whatever your opinion on today's outcome, I believe that we should show respect to both sides of the debate. Days like today are not easy and we must show compassion to all."
Liz Saville Roberts (Image: Submitted) "I believe that adults who are terminally ill, with a prognosis of six months or less to live, and who have full mental capacity, should have the legal right to make this profoundly personal decision for themselves, free from coercion and with strong safeguards in place.
"I fully understand the concerns many people, including disability rights groups and medical organisations, have raised about protecting individuals.
"That is why I support the inclusion of strict safeguards, involving medical professionals, social workers and judicial oversight, to ensure that each decision is carefully assessed, voluntary, and free from pressure.
"I am also conscious of concerns about the so-called 'slippery slope'. However, the bill is tightly framed, applying only to terminally ill adults and excluding those whose suffering is solely related to mental illness. Any further changes would require full parliamentary scrutiny."
Claire Hughes (Image: Submitted) "Fundamentally, I believe we should all have the right to decide what happens to our bodies and when enough is enough.
"I believe that the status quo - where only terminally ill people with the wealth to enable them to travel to Dignitas are able to exercise control over their final moments - is not good enough.
"This bill has gone through a robust process, making it rigorous, practical and safe, and is rooted in the principles of compassion, justice and human dignity.
"I want, again, to make it abundantly clear that good palliative care and giving terminally ill people the choice to choose an assisted death, are not mutually exclusive."
Gill German (Image: Rick Matthews) "During report stage, I supported New Clause 10, which expands the bill's protection for medical practitioners to ensure they have 'no obligation' to administer an assisted death and provide legal protections for medical professionals to ensure they are not subject to punishment for refusing to carry out an assisted death.
"Further, I voted against New Clause 1 and 2. While I respect the deeply held views on all sides, I believe both amendments introduced unnecessary risks by restricting open, compassionate conversations between clinicians and patients that are often essential to end-of-life care.
"New Clause 1, which was not adopted, would have banned doctors from raising assisted dying with adult patients at all, even when clinically appropriate. This clause would disproportionately harm those with lower health literacy who may not know how to start the conversation.
"New Clause 2, which was passed, prevents doctors from discussing assisted dying with under-18s in any context. I believe this risks isolating terminally ill teenagers or young relatives of dying patients, by preventing doctors from discussing assisted dying with under-18s in any context.
"This may drive vulnerable young people towards unregulated and potentially harmful sources of information."
Becky Gittins (Image: Submitted) "I believe there are as many safeguards as practically possible contained within this bill to ensure free and fair choice for patients to make this decision in an informed way, free from coercion.
"I hope that the high level of parliamentary scrutiny that this bill has received will encourage a more forensic consideration of the role of patient decision-making across the UK and broader society.
"Throughout the legislative process, the attention given to the needs of the most vulnerable people and the importance of ensuring a free choice has brought an essential focus on the role of coercion, domestic abuse, disability, ableism and poverty on people's ability to genuinely make a free decision about their lives – whether on this issue or many others."