How did Shropshire MPs vote on the assisted dying bill?

MPs in Westminster have voted against a fresh move to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales.

The assisted dying bill, which had been brought back to the House of Commons today (Friday, September 11) after being blocked in the Lords, would have allowed some terminally ill people to end their lives with medical help.

But the bill was defeated with 270 MPs voting for and 286 against, in what was described by the Dignity in Dying charity as a “devastating setback for dying people”.

MPs in Shropshire proved to be more in favour than against, with voting records revealing that three out of the county’s five MPs supported the bill.

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan, Telford’s Shaun Davies and Shrewsbury’s MP Julia Buckley all voted for.

The Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard voted against the bill, as did MP for South Shropshire Stuart Anderson.

Helen Morgan said the bill’s defeat was “disheartening”.

“I had hoped that further improvements could be made as it went through Parliament, but now it will fall,” she said.

“Since the bill came to Parliament I’ve been in support of some form of assisted dying, with the caveats that robust safeguards must be in place to protect the vulnerable from coercion. This must also be accompanied by good palliative care, so that choice of death for each individual is a genuine one.”

After the vote, Stuart Anderson said he “understands the desire, rooted in compassion, to give the terminally ill the choice to end their lives early” but remained “greatly concerned” about the potential impact the bill would have on the disabled and vulnerable people, as well as the NHS.

“I fundamentally do not believe that Parliament should hand the power to the state to end life early,” he said.

“We must work together to support palliative care and ensure that we are focusing on giving everyone the best possible chance at life.”

While Telford MP Shaun Davies supported the bill, he said he “respected the decision of the house” and welcomed the “long-overdue chance to have an open and honest conversation” about assisted dying.

He said: “I believe people should have dignity and choice at the end of their lives. However, this must come with the strongest possible safeguards to protect vulnerable people from pressure, coercion, exploitation or abuse.

“This debate has given us a long-overdue chance to have an open and honest conversation about an issue that matters to many people in Telford and across the country.

“One thing we have agreed on is that social care and palliative care for people who are seriously ill and in pain needs to improve and I will work with my colleagues to help deliver that change.”

MP for The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, who opposed the bill, said he “voted according to [his] personal conscience and well-known pro-life beliefs”.

He said: “This has been a very complex, emotive and sensible debate. There were strong held views across the House, and I respect those differing views.

“The debate underscores why there needs to be huge improvements in palliative care.”