The prime minister says his MPs must ‘make their own mind up’ on whether to vote in favour of legalising assisted dying
Good morning. Parliament passes important laws (as well as some rather tedious ones), but normally the process is predictable because the government is in charge and most of what it does foreshadowed in a manifesto. Once a minister says ‘X will become law’, usually it does.
But assisted dying is different because the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is trying to change the bill through the private member’s bill process, MPs will have a free vote and no one really has much of a clue as to what will happen. The main uncertainty is whether or not MPs will vote to give the bill a second reading when it is debated, on Friday 29 November. But even if it passes at second reading, given the jeopardy inherent in the private member’s bill process, it could still be touch and go whether it becomes law.
Look, it’s going to be a free vote and I mean that. It will be for every MP to decide for themselves how they want to vote.
I’m not going to be putting any pressure whatsoever on Labour MPs. They will make their own mind up, as I will be.
Continue reading… The Guardian Read More The prime minister says his MPs must ‘make their own mind up’ on whether to vote in favour of legalising assisted dyingGood morning. Parliament passes important laws (as well as some rather tedious ones), but normally the process is predictable because the government is in charge and most of what it does foreshadowed in a manifesto. Once a minister says ‘X will become law’, usually it does.But assisted dying is different because the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is trying to change the bill through the private member’s bill process, MPs will have a free vote and no one really has much of a clue as to what will happen. The main uncertainty is whether or not MPs will vote to give the bill a second reading when it is debated, on Friday 29 November. But even if it passes at second reading, given the jeopardy inherent in the private member’s bill process, it could still be touch and go whether it becomes law.Look, it’s going to be a free vote and I mean that. It will be for every MP to decide for themselves how they want to vote.I’m not going to be putting any pressure whatsoever on Labour MPs. They will make their own mind up, as I will be. Continue reading…
