Peers trying to block assisted dying, claims MP behind bill Kim Leadbeater

The Labour MP behind the bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales says she is worried some members of the House of Lords are trying to “frustrate” its passage into law.

Kim Leadbeater warned the legislation was approaching a “crunch point” after the number of changes proposed in the Lords rose above 1,000.

The bill, which was passed by MPs in an historic vote in June, must be approved by both Houses of Parliament before becoming law.

But peers are making very slow progress in scrutinising it, meaning that unless they speed up it will almost certainly need to be allocated more debating sessions to avoid running out of time.

Critics and opponents of the bill have insisted the legislation requires significant redrafting to ensure any system properly protects vulnerable people.

The…