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.
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.”
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 |