Ordinary voices The power behind assisted dying vote

Many influential people spoke for and against Kim Leadbeater's bill, but it was the opinions of constituents that had greatest sway over MPs

- Jessica Elgot

It is hard to think of a better MP to take on the cause of assisted dying than Kim Leadbeater. She is energetic, engaging, persuasive and speaks like a normal human being. She has no tribal reputation, so there is no barrier to winning over Conservatives, and she has experience of personal tragedy: her sister, the MP Jo Cox, was murdered.

But it would be wrong to say it was Leadbeater who won this initial push to legalise assisted dying, which MPs voted for by 330 to 275 votes last Friday. Under the surface, the most important contribution has been the one made by ordinary people, an experiment in participatory democracy by stealth.

Downing Street may sneer at the idea of citizens' assemblies, but there have been small-scale ones happening all the same. Hundreds of MPs were undecided at the start of this process. So invitations were sent out in constituencies for people to meet their MPs and tell their stories - in pubs, libraries, community halls.

On equal marriage, it was often said that parliament was ahead of public opinion. On assisted dying, parliament has seemed to lag behind. Two-thirds of those polled back assisted dying. Equal marriage or abortion are comparable moments of a fundamental societal shift. But they will never be personal to everyone - unlike death.