Brentwood and Ongar MP Alex Burghart has confirmed he will vote against the reintroduced Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill when it returns to Parliament on September 11. The MP said he had been contacted by hundreds of constituents opposed to the legislation, while acknowledging some local support for the change.
MP cites concerns over safeguards and implementation
In a recent column, Mr Burghart said constituents regularly write to him about assisted dying, with most against the idea but some in favour. He highlighted that Kim Leadbeater MP's previous Private Member's Bill to legalise assisted dying failed to pass both Houses of Parliament by the end of the parliamentary session in April 2026.
Mr Burghart argued that hours of debate in both the House of Commons and Lords showed the legislation would have been unworkable in practice. He expressed particular concern about the removal of a safeguard requiring a High Court judge to check each person's eligibility for an assisted death before granting that right.
Reasonable amendments rejected
The MP also noted that reasonable amendments tabled by MPs and Peers to provide additional safeguards, such as legally excluding those with eating disorders and Down's syndrome, were rejected by the bill sponsor. He said the decision to delay implementation until at least 2029 highlighted a lack of detailed planning or assessment of the bill's impact on public services.
New bill reintroduced by Lauren Edwards MP
Lauren Edwards MP has reintroduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill after succeeding in the Private Member's Bill ballot. Mr Burghart stated he will attend to vote against the bill in its current form.
The MP said the Government should focus on sorting out the crises and dangers facing the country, rather than arguing over deeply divisive and flawed legislation. The Brentwood Gazette covers areas including Billericay, Brentwood, Hutton, Shenfield, and Wickford in Essex.
