Parliament Act Threat Exposes Fatal Flaws in Assisted Dying Bill

A towering figure in Victorian attire looms over the Houses of Parliament, dramatically wielding a massive scroll labelled “Parliament Act,” symbolising control and influence within the political landscape under a foreboding sky.

Lord Falconer is now threatening to use the Parliament Act to force through the assisted dying bill – an unprecedented move that tells you everything you need to know about how badly this legislation has been drafted.

The Parliament Act is a rarely used constitutional measure that allows the Commons to override the House of Lords. It's meant for when unelected peers block the democratic will of elected MPs. It has never been used for a private member's bill.

Why is Falconer threatening this? Because the House of Lords has tabled over 1,200 amendments to the bill. It took nine days of debate to complete the scrutiny of just one clause out of 59.

Falconer and Kim Leadbeater, the bill's sponsor, claim this is "filibustering" by opponents. That's nonsense. If the bill was properly drafted, with robust safeguards that actually protected disabled and terminally ill people, it wouldn't need 1,200 amendments.

The truth is simpler and more damning: this bill is a shambles. It's unsafe. All the royal colleges are neutral on assisted suicide, with the Royal College of Psychiatrists increasingly critical of the bill. Ministers can't answer basic questions about how it would work. And now, rather than fix it, Falconer wants to ram it through Parliament unchanged.

That should terrify anyone who cares about disabled people's lives.

The House of Lords is doing exactly what it's supposed to do – providing proper scrutiny of flawed legislation. If Falconer uses the Parliament Act, he'll be forcing through a dangerous bill that puts vulnerable people at risk.

We won't let that happen without a fight.

Not Dead Yet UK continues to oppose this unsafe legislation. We'll be updating supporters soon with specific ways you can help.