Not vote on legalising assisted dying for a 12 months, Keir Starmer indicators

Plans for a Commons vote on assisted dying are set to be delayed for at least a year, Sir Keir Starmer has signalled.

As Labour leader, Sir Keir said this year he was in favour of a change in the law – and would provide time for MPs to vote on the issue.

But speaking to reporters while at the Nato summit in Washington, the Prime Minister suggested he did not want the issue to distract from the new government’s first term priorities, such as measures to boost the economy – meaning any change in the law is likely to be delayed until at least 2026.

Sir Keir supported a change in the law the last time the issue was voted on in the Commons nine years ago, and the cause has been championed by broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen. 

The 83-year-old has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and has joined assisted-dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland.

Asked about his plans on the issue, the PM said: ‘What I said was that we would provide time for this, obviously, by way of a private members bill, and there will be a free vote, that remains my position. 

‘Having probably got more experience than most people, having personally looked at tens of cases in my time as Director of Public Prosecutions.

‘As to the timing of it, I haven’t made a commitment on timing and I don’t want to. I’m not going back on the commitment I made, but we have got to set out priorities for the first year or so, but I will double down on the commitment, we will allow time for a private members bill, and there will be a free vote.’

Any vote on assisted dying would be hugely controversial. Several members of the Cabinet, including justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, are expected to oppose a change in the law.

The measure is likely to be deemed an issue of conscience and decided on a free vote.

In theory an MP could try to push through backbench legislation this autumn. But in practice they would almost certainly need government support to succeed.