Assisted dying bill backed by MPs despite most in London voting against

MPs have backed plans to legalise assisted dying after five hours of emotional debate in the House of Commons on Friday.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed by 330 votes to 275 in a historic vote.

However, the vast majority of London MPs rejected the plan. Out of the capital’s 75 representatives in Parliament, just 28 voted in favour.

MPs were offered a free vote on the bill, meaning they could back what they believed in and did not have to obey party lines.

Prime Minister and Holborn and St Pancras MP Sir Keir Starmer was among those who supported the proposal, while Health Secretary and Ilford North MP Wes Streeting voted against it.

Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the assisted dying bill, joins supporters in Parliament Square in London after hearing the result of the vote in Parliament for her Terminally Ill Adults (PA Wire)
Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the assisted dying bill, joins supporters in Parliament Square in London after hearing the result of the vote in Parliament for her Terminally Ill Adults (PA Wire)

The passionate debate saw politicians share their personal experiences of seeing loved ones in pain before death.

Crowds of supporters surrounded and hugged MP Kim Leadbeater outside Parliament after her private members’ bill was passed.

She said: “It was robust but it was compassionate. Lots of people with different views, and I think Parliament showed itself in its best light today.”

But many argued that heath system needed to offer better end-of-life care before assisted dying could be legalised.

Vauxhall and Camberwell Green MP Florence Eshalomi held back tears as she spoke about her late mother who suffered from sickle cell anaemia.

Stating she would be voting against the bill, Ms Eshalomi told the Commons: “We should be helping people to live comfortable, pain free lives on their own terms before we think about making it easier for them to die.”

People opposed to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill demonstrated outside Westminster on Friday (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)
People opposed to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill demonstrated outside Westminster on Friday (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who led opposition to the Bill during Friday’s debate, said he was “disappointed” but added that the vote was “simply to continue the discussion”.

The Bill will now go before a committee of MPs, who will carry out line-by-line scrutiny of the legislation and possibly propose amendments.

Here is how every London MP voted:

MP

Constituency

Party

Vote

Nesil Caliskan

Barking

Labour

Against

Marsha De Cordova

Battersea

Labour

Against

Liam Conlon

Beckenham and Penge

Labour

Against

Neil Coyle

Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Labour

Against

Rushanara Ali

Bethnal Green and Stepney

Labour

Against

Daniel Francis

Bexleyheath and Crayford

Labour

Against

Dawn Butler

Brent East

Labour

Against

Barry Gardiner

Brent West

Labour

Against

Ruth Cadbury

Brentford and Isleworth

Labour

For

Peter Fortune

Bromley and Biggin Hill

Conservative

Against

Bobby Dean

Carshalton and Wallington

Lib Dem

For

Ben Coleman

Chelsea and Fulham

Labour

Against

Iain Duncan Smith

Chingford and Woodford Green

Conservative

Against

Dan Tomlinson

Chipping Barnet

Labour

Against

Rachel Blake

Cities of London and Westminster

Labour

For

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Clapham and Brixton Hill

Labour

Against

Natasha Irons

Croydon East

Labour

For

Chris Philp

Croydon South

Conservative

For

Sarah Jones

Croydon West

Labour

For

Margaret Mullane

Dagenham and Rainham

Labour

Against

Helen Hayes

Dulwich and West Norwood

Labour

Against

Rupa Huq

Ealing Central and Acton

Labour

Against

James Murray

Ealing North

Labour

For

Deirdre Costigan

Ealing Southall

Labour

For

Stephen Timms

East Ham

Labour

Against

Kate Osamor

Edmonton and Winchmore Hill

Labour

Against

Clive Efford

Eltham and Chislehurst

Labour

For

Feryal Clark

Enfield North

Labour

Against

Abena Oppong-Asare

Erith and Thamesmead

Labour

Against

Seema Malhotra

Feltham and Heston

Labour

Against

Sarah Sackman

Finchley and Golders Green

Labour

For

Matthew Pennycook

Greenwich and Woolwich

Labour

For

Diane Abbott

Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Labour

Against

Meg Hillier

Hackney South and Shoreditch

Labour

Against

Andy Slaughter

Hammersmith and Chiswick

Labour

For

Tulip Siddiq

Hampstead and Highgate

Labour

For

Bob Blackman

Harrow East

Conservative

Against

Gareth Thomas

Harrow West

Labour

No vote recorded

John McDonnell

Hayes and Harlington

Independent

For

David Pinto-Duschinsky

Hendon

Labour

Against

Keir Starmer

Holborn and St Pancras

Labour

For

Julia Lopez

Hornchurch and Upminster

Conservative

Against

Catherine West

Hornsey and Friern Barnet

Labour

For

Wes Streeting

Ilford North

Labour

Against

Jas Athwal

Ilford South

Labour

For

Jeremy Corbyn

Islington North

Independent

Against

Emily Thornberry

Islington South and Finsbury

Labour

For

Joe Powell

Kensington and Bayswater

Labour

For

Ed Davey

Kingston and Surbiton

Lib Dem

Against

Janet Daby

Lewisham East

Labour

For

Vicky Foxcroft

Lewisham North

Labour

Against

Ellie Reeves

Lewisham West and East Dulwich

Labour

No vote recorded

Calvin Bailey

Leyton and Wanstead

Labour

For

Siobhain McDonagh

Mitcham and Morden

Labour

Against

Louie French

Old Bexley and Sidcup

Conservative

Against

Gareth Bacon

Orpington

Conservative

Against

Miatta Fahnbulleh

Peckham

Labour

For

Apsana Begum

Poplar and Limehouse

Independent

Against

Fleur Anderson

Putney

Labour

Against

Georgia Gould

Queen's Park and Maida Vale

Labour

For

Sarah Olney

Richmond Park

Lib Dem

Against

Andrew Rosindell

Romford

Conservative

Against

David Simmonds

Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner

Conservative

Against

Bambos Charalambous

Southgate and Wood Green

Labour

For

Uma Kumaran

Stratford and Bow

Labour

Against

Steve Reed

Streatham and Croydon North

Labour

For

Luke Taylor

Sutton and Cheam

Lib Dem

For

Rosena Allin-Khan

Tooting

Labour

Against

David Lammy

Tottenham

Labour

Against

Munira Wilson

Twickenham

Lib Dem

Against

Danny Beales

Uxbridge and South Ruislip

Labour

For

Florence Eshalomi

Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Labour

Against

Stella Creasy

Walthamstow

Labour

For

James Asser

West Ham and Beckton

Labour

Against

Paul Kohler

Wimbledon

Lib Dem

Against