Prime Minister to Abstain from Assisted Dying Vote

Burnham declared, "I also do not want to unduly influence the debate as Prime Minister and for every colleague to know it is a genuinely free vote." He added, "For these reasons, I have taken the decision that it is most appropriate for me not to vote at second reading."

He acknowledged his personal views on the issue, yet clarified his role: "However, I am also clear that this is a matter for Parliament to decide and my role, as the Prime Minister, will be to lead a Government that implements the will of Parliament in this area – whether that is to change the law or not."

The Prime Minister previously suggested that palliative and social care funding required resolution before legalising assisted dying. Burnham stated, "I take the view that that debate – and I don't say that there shouldn't be a debate at some point about those issues – personally, I think there's something that needs to happen first."

He continued, "That is the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care." Burnham added, "I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care."

Lauren Edwards, however, countered that improving social and palliative care and offering choice in a dying person’s final weeks can and must proceed concurrently. Edwards welcomed Burnham's view that all perspectives merit dignity and respect, anticipating the significant debate scheduled in two weeks.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill faces a House of Commons vote on September 11. The government maintains neutrality on the legislation, granting Labour MPs a free vote; collective responsibility will reportedly be set aside for this vote, allowing frontbenchers to vote or abstain as they wish.

The Bill previously fell in the House of Lords in April after peers reportedly tabled hundreds of amendments and faced accusations of effectively talking it out. When Labour MP Kim Leadbeater first introduced the Bill in 2024 as a Private Member's Bill, then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reportedly voted for it.

The Bill passed two votes in the House of Commons, with the majority narrowing from 55 to 23 in the second vote in 2025. Wes Streeting, as health secretary last year, reportedly voted against the Bill.

Supporters of the assisted dying bill hope it will pass the Commons unamended. Opponents of assisted dying have vowed to continue scrutinising the bill.