Coffee House Shots Why did the assisted dying bill fail? | Lord Moore vs Lord Falconer
Apr 30, 2026
Charlie Falconer, Labour peer and long-term advocate for assisted dying, defends the bill and accuses peers of procedural blocking. Charles Moore, Spectator chairman and political commentator, raises constitutional and practical concerns about the Lords’ handling and NHS delivery. They clash over whether scrutiny became obstruction, the role of conscience in Parliament, and the possibility of using the Parliament Act.
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Political Momentum Lost Since 2024
- The political climate shift since 2024 changed the bill's prospects despite earlier momentum.
- Charles Moore argues the Labour government's diminished standing turned a previously propitious moment into a disadvantage for passage.
Amendments Overload Fractured Progress
- Lords scrutiny became protracted with 1,200 amendments and extended debate, which Lord Falconer and supporters called a filibuster.
- Falconer says a small number of peers used procedure to stall progress rather than engage constructively.
Lords Were Doing Their Scrutiny Duty
- Charles Moore contends many amendments were legitimate scrutiny on safeguards, disabled people, and NHS effects.
- He views the Lords' role as improving a complex bill that raised deep moral and practical questions.