A co-sponsor of Kim Leadbeater’s failed assisted suicide Bill has privately admitted to constituents that MPs trying to ram through similar legislation are likely to fail. Peter Bedford was a leading cheerleader for euthanasia in the last parliamentary session. But the Tory MP now seems to have softened his stance on getting assisted suicide over the line quite so quickly.
In an email to a constituent, Bedford’s office said the politician ‘does not think it will succeed if brought back as a Private Members’ Bill again during this parliamentary session and does not agree with this being debated again in the near future.’
The correspondence may prove food for thought for MPs successful in the Private Members’ Bill ballot, who are coming under pressure to revive the Leadbeater agenda.
Bedford’s prediction that a new Bill would fail is hardly a surprise, given that Leadbeater’s legislation passed its Commons Third Reading by just 23 votes. That means only 12 MPs would need to switch from support to opposition for it to fall.
A spokesperson for the Conservative politician told The Spectator: ‘This current session is shorter so it’s unlikely that the bill would pass this time. However, if it is brought forward again, Peter would likely back it because he supports the principle of assisted dying.’
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