MPs narrowly back legalising assisted dying in England and Wales by 23 votes – live updates

Sam Francis
Political reporter

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has split Parliament. Unusually, the split is not along party lines, but by belief – pushing some unlikely allies through the same voting lobby.

All this week Downing Street had been very tight lipped today about whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer would back the bill.

When the time came his name appeared among those voting aye, alongside his predecessor in 10 Downing Street, Rishi Sunak. Chancellor Rachel Reeves was also joined by her opposite number – shadow chancellor Mel Stride.

Other senior figures voting in favour included Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch voted against bill, alongside the majority of her party and senior Labour figures like Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

The two government ministers in charge of the departments that would implement the new policy, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, also voted against it.

Lib Dem Leader Sir Ed Davey, who voted against the bill at Second Reading, was absent due to being out of the country. His deputy, Daisy Cooper, voted for the bill – alongside the majority of her party.

The vote split Reform UK down the middle, with Nigel Farage voting against the bill but his predecessor Richard Tice voting in favour.

All four Green Party MPs voted for the bill.