World News
Andy Burnham to abstain from voting on assisted dying bill
The British prime minister told Labour MPs he will remain neutral on the conscience vote scheduled for September
The short version
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced he will not vote when a private member's bill on assisted dying receives its second reading in the House of Commons next month.
- Burnham stated his decision aims to avoid influencing the legislative process and to ensure that members of parliament have a genuinely free conscience vote.
- The prime minister has instructed ministers to refrain from participating in public debates on the issue, though they are still free to vote or abstain as they choose.
Key facts
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced in a letter to Labour MPs that he will abstain from voting on the upcoming assisted dying bill next month.[The Guardian]
- The bill, tabled by Labour MP Lauren Edwards, would permit adults with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval from two doctors and an expert panel.[The Guardian]
- The second reading and first Commons vote on the bill is scheduled for September 11.[The Guardian]
- Burnham instructed ministers to remain neutral in public and avoid using their ministerial platforms to influence the debate, though they can still communicate previous positions to constituents.[The Guardian]
- Collective responsibility is suspended for this issue, meaning government frontbenchers are permitted to vote or abstain based on their individual consciences.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Andy Burnham to abstain on assisted dying bill to avoid influencing debateThe Guardian - World