Assisted dying: How did Sheffield MPs vote on assisted dying as Bill is passed in House of Commons?

The Bill passed at second reading by 330 ‘Ayes’ to 275 ‘Noes’ and will now head to the committee stage, where a group of MPs from both sides of the Commons will scrutinise the legislation and propose amendments.

Ms Leadbeater’s private members bill would allow terminally ill adults, aged 18 or over with mental capacity and six months left to live, to choose to end their life.

It has split the House of Commons nearly in half with little partisan concensus. MPs took part in a free vote on the issue, meaning no political party enforced a “whip” telling members which way to vote - they had to make their own decision.

Like the Labour Party itself, Sheffield’s local MPs were also split on the legislation. Below is how each of Sheffield’s MPs voted on the legislation, along with any comments they made around the vote.

Louise Haigh MP, Sheffield Heeley = Ayes

Despite the headlines of the last 24hours, Ms Haigh did press on and vote in the Commons.

The former Transport Secretary will have cast her vote from the backbenches. She did not announce a position on the bill ahead of the vote itself, as per the advise the Prime Minister gave his cabinet members.

The Sheffield Heeley MP was one of 234 Labour MPs to support the bill through second reading, including the Prime Minister himself.

Olivia Blake MP, Sheffield Hallam = Ayes

Olivia Blake voted to advance the bill to the committee stage, supporting Kim Leadbeater’s proposal.

Clive Betts MP, Sheffield South East = Ayes

Mr Betts announced on Monday he would be supporting the Terminally Ill Adults Bill at second reading and he did so.

Writing on social media, Mr Betts said: “Assisted dying is a delicate issue and is particularly important to myself and one I have considered for some time. With that said within the assisted dying debate my position is clear: I support assisted dying for those with terminal illnesses.

“In my life, and in my time in office, I have come across utterly awful stories of long and agonising deaths from those who have a terminal illness with no choice but to suffer for months on end. I totally accept that for some there is relatively little pain and they choose to live out the last months of their lives.

“However, I have seen and heard of those who experience immense pain in their final months. They should have the right in those instances to end their life on their own terms. I believe in those instances, with the appropriate checks and safeguards from medical professionals and legal experts, that there should be a right for those who want to not go through months of pain and suffering to end their life.

“This legislation is clear in its scope in only focusing on those with terminal illness. As such there is no chance that this could apply to those with physical or mental disabilities. Only those who have only months to live. This is very precise and targeted legislation and cannot be used in any wider context.

“Fundamentally I believe we need to respect the wishes of those dying from terminal illnesses to decide how they die. I have seen and heard far too many stories of the agony they suffer and the indignity they have to go through otherwise.”

Dr Marie Tidball MP, Penistone & Stocksbridge = Ayes

Dr Tidball would not be rushed into a position on assisted dying, even with enquiries from The Star this week in the lead-up to the vote.

She told us she wanted to properly consider the bill and hear from constituents before announcing a position.

In the House of Commons, the Penistone and Stocksbridge MP vote in favour of the bill passing second reading.

In her speech, Dr Tidball said: “Today’s decision has been one of the hardest that I have had to make. In my career in disability law and policy, I chose not to focus on debates about whether disabled people should be born or whether we should die. Instead, I focussed on enabling disabled people to live better, more fulfilling lives.

“Today I found myself voting in a way I thought I never woukd. I voted in favour of moving the Bill to the next stage of the legislative process. That’s been a difficult journey for me.”

Her speech was well-received by constituents, who said it was sensitive, “beautifully written” and well-considered.

Abtisam Mohamed MP, Sheffield Central = Noes

When Ms Mohamed announced her position against Kim Leadbeater’s Bill on social media, she had said she would not be in the Commons due to constituency work, but would vote against the legislation at future readings if it is passed.

In the end, the MP did cast a vote, sticking to her position announced on social media.

Her statement posted on Tuesday said: “I have sought to keep an open mind on the issue. I have attended numerous workshops hearing from experts on both sides. Moreover, I decided to consult the views of constituents as I wanted to hear your opinions on the Bill.

“I consulted my family, some of whom are not well and whose health will likely get much worse. My long emotional decisions with them have led me to my final decision.

“Whilst I recognise any initial change in the law would apply only to terminally ill people, I worry that our families and society would be forever changed by it.

“I am concerned that some of the most vulnerable in society, low-income or disabled people would feel like a burden to others, and it would encourage them to give up, a consideration I could never accept for my own family members who would fall in the vulnerable category.

“I appreciate that some constituents will disagree with my decision, as is their right. However, I must vote with my conscience, and I hope that constituents will respect my decision. I hope the debate will be conducted with respect and that it will focus on delivering the best outcomes for patients.”

Gill Furniss MP, Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough = Noes

Ms Furniss was the first Sheffield MP to announce her position on the Bill. In a short statement two weeks ago, she announced she would vote against the Bill at second reading.

The Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough MP, elected in 2016 in a by-election following the sad passing of her husband, Harry Harpham, sat down with The Star in her Westminster office on Wednesday and spoke a little about that decision.

“My husband was the MP before me,” she said, “He had only been here [in Westminster] for a little while when he had the cancer diagnosis.

“I wrote him a speech in favour of [assisted dying] but he wasn’t able to deliver it because he was having chemotherapy.

“Weston Park looked after him and they are wonderful. Me and his brother had to tell him they were stopping treatment because it had moved to his stomach. He was quite stressed.

“We had 25 of us in the room when he died. It felt right if I can say that. He had a good death and that’s all you can hope for. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”

Ms Furniss said she hadn’t really considered her position on assisted dying until recently.

“I was at the [election] victory party,” she continued, “I spoke to a lady who had been an end of life consultant and she asked to speak to me.

“What she said to me about palliative care being more important than this resonated with me. I had to think about it for a while.”

She said these personal reasons and concerns for the “slippery slope” the Bill could start on, were the key factors in what brought her to vote against the Bill.

What happens next?

Today’s vote does not mean the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is now law. It has simply passed to the next stage, allowing the scrutiny and discussion over the Bill to continue.

Over the coming weeks and days, the Bill will be analysed by a dedicated committee of MPs who will suggest amendments. It will then come to the report stage, where MPs will again be able to debate and make amendments.

The Bill then comes to third reading, where MPs will vote on the legislation. Even if it passes third reading, it does not immediately become law as it will then be considered by the House of Lords, who are likely to suggest changes of their own.