Andy Burnham's government expected to remain neutral on assisted dying despite pressure from supporters - as fresh bid to legalise controversial practice launched

By SAM MERRIMAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 23:08, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 23:08, 16 July 2026 Andy Burnham's government is expected to remain neutral on assisted dying after a fresh bid to legalise the controversial practice was launched on Thursday. The assisted dying Bill was first introduced in October 2024 but it fell automatically after running out of time at the end of the last Parliamentary session. But it returned to Parliament on Thursday after Labour MP Lauren Edwards published the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill for a second time. The Bill is identical to the previous version and has been resurrected after Ms Edwards placed second in a ballot that allows MPs to put forward their own policies to become law. However having a new prime minister in No 10 is likely to be a major factor in whether the government offers support and allows time for its passage. Sir Keir Starmer has long been a supporter of assisted dying and, while his government remained neutral, it did grant significant extra time to allow the Bill's progress through the House of Lords. But it is far from clear if Mr Burnham's government will take the same step, as the incoming prime minister seeks to get his own agenda through the upper house and into law. Despite campaigners pushing for new ways to legalise assisted dying, it is understood that Mr Burnham's government is likely to remain neutral on the topic, as it has always previously been approached as an issue of conscience. Labour MPs opposed to assisted-dying who have been making representations to team Burnham have been left with the impression that the incoming PM views the controversial topic as a 'barnacle on the boat' Campaigners opposing the assisted dying Bill demonstrate at Parliament Square, Westminster Labour MPs opposed to assisted dying have been making the case to Mr Burnham's allies that it would be a 'distraction' from his programme for government and 'squander' his political capital. One source said that anti-assisted dying MPs who have been making representations to team Burnham have been left with the impression that the incoming PM views the controversial topic as a 'barnacle on the boat'. Mr Burnham abstained in 2015 when assisted dying was last before MPs, but he has since changed his mind and said he supports it in principle. However he said in November 2024 that a precondition of assisted dying being legalised should be that hospices are 'properly funded and sorted out' before any law change. Mr Burnham added that palliative care was 'not in the strong position it should be in' and 'consequently, you can't have this law change with an underfunded hospice movement'. Meanwhile Louise Haigh, a key ally of Mr Burnham who is expected to be made chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, could also play a crucial role in preventing assisted dying supporters using a rare parliamentary procedure to avoid scrutiny. Ms Haigh, who voted for the previous Bill, has told constituents she 'would not support attempts' to invoke the Parliament Acts to bypass the House of Lords and force the Bill into law. The Bill would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to get an assisted death if approved by medical and legal professionals. It will be debated in the Commons again on September 11 and, if MPs back it, it will return to the House of Lords. Ms Edwards said she had resurrected assisted dying as there is 'unfinished business', as she raised the prospect of using the Parliament Acts as a 'back stop or insurance policy' after publishing the Bill on Thursday. She added: 'By publishing the Bill again, I am simply asking my colleagues in the elected chamber to return it to the Lords so they can finish their proper task.' However Labour MP Ashley Dalton said assisted dying supporters have published 'exactly the same Bill with no meaningful changes', despite warnings that it is 'unsafe and unworkable'. The former health minister, who has incurable breast cancer, added: 'They had the opportunity to bring a better Bill but have chosen to do the same thing again and expect a different result. It will fail all the vulnerable people who will be exposed by this dangerous Bill.'