One of the most talked-about and contentious pieces of legislation in Westminster is not a government manifesto pledge, but a backbench bill.
Introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, the bill proposes legalising assisted dying in England and Wales and has caused open division between Labour MPs. It is set to have its crucial second reading – its first key test – on Friday November 29 in a free vote. And it is by no means certain to pass it.
The bill has faced intense criticism and debate, not only on policy grounds but also due to the procedure through which it has been introduced. As a private member’s bill – that is, put forward by an individual MP rather than the government – the bill has not been subject to the same policy processes as a government bill, and it faces some limitations on its parliamentary scrutiny.
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This has led to a growing chorus of complaint from MPs and others that the private members’ bill process – more commonly used to approve small and non-contentious bills – is unsuitable for legislation of this significance and complexity.
In an unexpected move, Labour’s Diane Abbott and Conservative Edward Leigh, the mother and father of the house as the longest-serving MPs in parliament,........