Pembrokeshire Herald: Henry Tufnell to back assisted dying Bill in Commons vote.

HENRY TUFNELL MP has confirmed he will vote in favour of legislation to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults when the Bill receives its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday (Sept 11).

The Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire said he remained convinced that mentally competent adults with a terminal diagnosis should be given the choice to end their lives, provided robust safeguards are built into the law.

Mr Tufnell acknowledged the strength of feeling surrounding the issue, describing it as an “incredibly sensitive” and deeply personal debate.

He said: “I recognise and respect the strongly held ethical and moral positions on all sides of the debate.

“I am grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their views and personal experiences with me. Each of us brings our own lived experiences to bear on this very important and deeply personal matter.”

The Government is treating the legislation as a matter of conscience, allowing MPs a free vote.

Bill returns to Parliament

A previous version of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed the House of Commons in June 2025, but failed to complete the parliamentary process before the end of the session and therefore did not become law.

The legislation has now been reintroduced by Rochester and Strood MP Lauren Edwards after she secured a place in the ballot for Private Members’ Bills.

Mr Tufnell supported the previous Bill and said his position had not changed.

He said: “I am still of the view that legalising assisted dying for mentally competent, terminally ill adults is the right thing to do, provided sufficient safeguards are in place.

“Under the current law, many people are forced to undergo prolonged suffering, while others seek assisted death alone abroad, or resort to extreme measures at home.”

He said the previous legislation had been subjected to extensive parliamentary scrutiny, including evidence from more than 50 expert witnesses and consideration of almost 600 amendments.

Safeguards central to MP’s support

Mr Tufnell said safeguards against coercion were among the most important elements of the proposals.

Under the previous Bill, eligibility was restricted to terminally ill adults believed to have six months or less to live, who had mental capacity and had made a sustained decision to bring forward their death.

The process also required assessments by two doctors and consideration by a multidisciplinary panel involving medical, social care and legal expertise.

Mr Tufnell said those protections were intended to identify people who may have been pressured into making a decision they would not otherwise have made.

The legislation also sought to ensure assisted dying was not discussed in isolation from alternatives such as hospice care, palliative treatment, symptom management and psychological support.

Hundreds of Pembrokeshire residents have contacted MP

Mr Tufnell said the issue had generated considerable correspondence from constituents across Pembrokeshire.

He said: “Hundreds have written to me, or come to my regular surgeries to discuss their questions and concerns.

“I am grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their views with me. I will continue to consider all of them carefully.”

However, the MP stressed that legalising assisted dying should not come at the expense of care for people approaching the end of their lives.

He said: “I still strongly believe that assisted dying should never become an alternative to high-quality palliative and end-of-life care.”

While assisted dying legislation is reserved to Westminster, responsibility for end-of-life healthcare is devolved to the Welsh Government.

Mr Tufnell pointed to the previous Welsh Labour Government’s commitment to invest more than £10.5 million annually in end-of-life care and said he would continue pressing for accessible and properly funded palliative services in Wales.

‘Debate must remain respectful’

The MP concluded by appealing for the debate to remain thoughtful despite the strong and often conflicting views surrounding the subject.

He said: “I sincerely hope that this debate continues to be a thoughtful and respectful one.

“The quality of the debate in the last parliamentary session was an example of what politics can and should be like when engaging with difficult issues like this one.”

Mr Tufnell said he would continue scrutinising the legislation as it progresses through Parliament and keep constituents informed of further developments.