Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: New Clause 16

What happened: On 20 June 2025, MPs voted on New Clause 16 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which sought to add a new provision to the legislation governing assisted dying in England and Wales. The clause was defeated by 261 votes to 208, meaning it will not be included in the bill. The vote was one of several taken on the same day as the bill progressed through its later Commons stages.

Why it matters: New Clause 16 would have added additional requirements or safeguards to the assisted dying framework that the bill establishes. Its defeat means the bill proceeds without that provision, keeping the legislation closer to its existing drafted form. The bill, if it ultimately becomes law, would permit terminally ill adults meeting specific criteria to seek assistance to end their lives, and the shape of its safeguards directly affects how accessible and how restricted that process would be in practice.

The politics: The vote cut across conventional party lines, as has been characteristic of this bill throughout its passage. Conservative MPs backed the clause by a large majority (60 to 15), while Liberal Democrats opposed it heavily (50 to 12). Labour MPs split, with 168 opposing and 103 supporting. Reform UK and the DUP both voted predominantly in favour. The same day saw the bill pass its Third Reading by 314 to 291, meaning the bill advanced to the House of Lords despite this and other amendments being rejected.