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Sir Edward Leigh predicts high adoption of assisted dying in England and Wales as a new bill is voted down

Sir Edward Leigh stated that the United Kingdom will likely see a large number of people choosing assisted dying within the next 10 years, comparing the future of the country to Canada. He noted that while countries with legal assisted dying vary in take-up rates, Canada reached a 5% rate in 2024, while the Netherlands reached 6% in 2025.

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In contrast, Spain, Austria, and Colombia reported rates of approximately 0.1%. MPs in the House of Commons voted 286 to 270 to block a private member's bill to permit assisted dying in England and Wales. The bill, introduced by Lauren Edwards, sought to allow adults with terminal illnesses and less than six months to live to end their lives with the approval of a panel of experts. This decision follows a near-identical bill sponsored by Kim Leadbeater in the previous parliament, which was approved by the Commons but blocked in the House of Lords. The current prime minister has announced he would not vote on the bill, stating that the debate on and implementation of assisted dying should be paused until social care is improved.

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