'It became fraught' How divisive legislation has changed

When the assisted dying bill returns to the Commons in a month's time, MPs will vote on a very different piece of legislation.

- Jessica Elgot

Though the government is still technically neutral, major changes have been pushed by concerned ministers who feared MPs could pass a deeply impractical bill at a time of immense pressure on the NHS and the courts.

Despite a huge social media campaign to raise doubts about the bill, public support remains extremely high. Keir Starmer remains solidly in favour. Yesterday he promised the bill's sponsor, Kim Leadbeater, it would be "implemented in a safe and practicable" way if passed by MPs.

It has taken hundreds of hours to try to make that happen. Ministers have proposed changes, put down in Leadbeater's name, including the scrapping of the high court's role in approving assisted deaths and setting a lengthy four-year implementation period.

The latter was only accepted grudgingly by Leadbeater and supportive MPs. "She didn't want to have to do it," one ally said. "It's come from government."