Opponents of assisted dying bill call on Lords not to deliberately block it

Senior opponents of assisted dying legislation have called on peers not to hold up the progress of the bill through parliament, warning there was a serious danger of the Lords losing democratic legitimacy.

- Jessica Elgot

Many supporters admit the bill is in serious danger of running out of time in the Lords before the end of the parliamentary session, meaning it will fail to pass. They claim the slow pace of considering more than 1,000 amendments means the bill will probably run out of time for a vote.

In a letter to the Guardian, two former ministers, Justin Madders and Dame Nia Griffith, and another select committee chair, Debbie Abrahams, who previously opposed the bill have now urged peers not to deliberately filibuster it.

Just 80 of more than 1,150 tabled amendments have been covered during three days of debate. But some opponents of the bill say the lengthy consideration of amendments is normal for a complex issue and that it has been up to peers to attempt to address a series of significant concerns about the bill, including from key professional bodies such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

In their letter, Madders, Abrahams and Griffiths said there was concern among MPs about the role unelected Lords have been playing in legislation. There is also significant anger about a separate government bill - the employment rights bill - which was blocked for a third time in the Lords on Wednesday night.