Montgomeryshire MP Steve Witherden voted in favour of the controversial End of Life Bill in Parliament and intervened in the bill’s debate.

As the proposed Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill reached the House of Commons on November 29, MPs debated the proposal during the second reading of the bill.

Mr Witherden confirmed that he voted in favour of the bill, putting him among the 330 MP’s who voted in favour of the bill to 275 against.

Before the vote, Mr Witherden intervened during the parliamentary debate on the proposal, adding to the voices who commented on the proposed legislation before the vote.

He said: “Assisted dying is already occurring in unregulated ways with up to 650 terminally ill people taking their own lives each year, often in traumatic circumstances causing additional pain for their loved ones.

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“This bill promotes freedom of choice at the end of life in a controlled and regulated manner.

"Does my honourable friend agree that legal assisted dying would provide essential safeguards where there currently are none?”

The bill proposes that adults with a terminal illness who are expected to die within six months be eligible for an assisted death, providing that two doctors and a High Court judge have verified that they are eligible and have made their decision voluntarily.

The Montgomeryshire MP had previously voiced support for the bill and confirmed he would be voting in favour of it earlier in November.

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He said: “At a pre-election hustings, I made it clear that I supported changes to the law to legalise assisted dying, provided I was satisfied that safeguards against any abuse would be enshrined in the new law.

“I am aware of the opposition to the legislation and understand fears, especially from some disabled people, those with mental health conditions and groups suffering from specific diseases. However, I believe the proposed legislation enshrines sufficient protections for such groups, ensuring their voices will not be marginalised.

“The bill is clear in defining terminal illness, which excludes mental health conditions and disabilities.

"Patients would be required to sign two witnessed declarations, receive approval from two doctors acting completely independently from each other, and then approval from the High Court.

"Finally, any medicine would legally have to be self-administered by the patient.”