Assisted dying campaigners fear starting from scratch as Lords accused of running down clock
The private member's bill may not passed in time by the end of the parliamentary session
Supporters of the proposed assisted dying bill are fearing having to start their fight from square one after the House of Lords were accused of accused of trying to "talk the bill out of time."
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Over a thousand amendments have been tabled by peers, promoting fears that campaigners are running out of time to see it passed.
Under parliamentary rules, the bill, which was narrowly passed by MPs in June, has to clear all remaining steps in parliament before the current session ends, likely in May.
Senior peers, including those in favour and against, now privately think it is unlikely to pass.
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This would mean campaigners fighting for a change in the law would have to introduce another private member’s bill in the Commons when the next session of parliament begins in the summer, The Times reports.
The delay has led to supporters of assisted dying to condemn the situation, saying terminally ill people were now watching on "as time is wasted that they do not have."
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would give people in England and Wales with less than six months to live the right to a medically assisted death.
The decision would require approval from two doctors and a panel that includes a psychiatrist, a social worker and a senior lawyer.
But in response to the bill, opponents claim that it is "not fit for purpose."
On Thursday, the bill’s sponsor in the upper chamber, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, was due to lay a motion urging peers to agree that 'further time should be provided for consideration."
"There are a lot of government bills that we need to get through including some which have not got past second reading," a source told the newspaper.
"As we get closer to the end of the session it is convention that Thursdays get used to help clear the backlog. There is absolutely no way we can give up government time for a private member’s bill."
A source close to peers who are opposed to the legislation denied claims that they were trying to talk it out.
One said: "After evidence given to the Lords we know that there are extensive issues with the bill, especially around the danger it poses to vulnerable groups.
"Not a single royal college, professional body or cabinet minister will attest to the safety of this bill."
Meg Hillier, an opponent of the bill and chair of the Treasury select committee, said that the "mess" was the result of "trying to legislate without first consulting and developing a detailed plan."