UK — Labour MP Lauren Edwards will reintroduce the assisted dying bill to the UK House of Commons on Wednesday via a private member's bill. The legislation would allow mentally competent terminally ill adults over the age of 18 to end their lives with the agreement of a panel of experts.

The bill previously passed the House of Commons but ran out of time to pass the House of Lords after peers opposing it submitted more than 1,000 amendments. Edwards said the bill "was prevented from passing only by the decision of a minority in the House of Lords to talk it out and stop it coming to a vote." Supporters could use the Parliament Acts to bypass the House of Lords if the bill is blocked a second time.

Edwards came second in the ballot for private members' bills, which allows her to present legislation in Parliament. She spoke with campaigner Elise Burns, who is living with secondary breast cancer.

"We owe it to all those terminally ill people and their families who are depending on this bill to ensure that parliament can come to a final decision on the question of choice at the end of life," Edwards said. "And I believe it undermines public trust in our democracy more widely if we cannot deliver on a measure that is supported by a very large majority of voters in all parts of the country."

Ashley Dalton, a former health minister, voiced opposition to the bill. "We have debated this deeply divisive and flawed assisted dying bill for over a year and supporters have refused to listen or to make the necessary changes," Dalton said. She added, "This bill would hand sweeping unchecked powers over life and death and our NHS to future governments, whatever their political persuasion."

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, stated, "This announcement will come as an enormous relief to terminally ill people and their families." Wootton added, "Lauren Edwards's decision ensures that this vital conversation can continue."