Dear friend,
 

The assisted dying Bill completed day one of two of its Second Reading in the House of Lords today.
 

There were no votes, but we are well on our way to passing another vital milestone on the journey to law change. I wanted to give you a sense of how the debate is unfolding – and of the impact your action is having in real time. 

Around 180 Peers signed up to speak, and we heard from about half of them in the nearly 7-hour debate today.

The overwhelming interest from Peers is a strong demonstration of the importance of this Bill. Peers from across the political spectrum spoke movingly about the need to give dying people choice and protection at the end of life.

Many Peers explicitly referenced not just the sheer number of letters but the powerful impact that your words had on them. Baroness Featherstone shared her gratitude to the thousands of members of the public who have so honestly and bravely shared their stories and lent their voices in support of this Bill. In fact she said the number of supporters she heard from outnumbered opponents 4 to 1. I know how many of you will be among that number, and I’m so grateful to you for taking the time to add your experience.