The three MPs representing Milton Keynes voted for the landmark assisted dying bill in a second reading in Parliament last week.

MPs were voting on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill in a free vote where members were able to vote free from party lines.

The second reading vote on the principal of the bill saw it pass the House of Commons by 330 votes to 275, meaning it will move on to be scrutinised in further detail by committee before any amendments are submitted and it then comes back for a third reading to be fully approved by the Commons. It is believed it could still be several years before this option becomes available.

Under the proposed legislation, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live would receive the right to die once the request has been signed off by two doctors and a High Court judge.

All 3 of Milton Keynes’ MPs voted in favour, with MK North MP Chris Curtis and MK Central MP Emily Darlington both confirming in advance of the vote on Friday (29/11) that they would be in favour, while Buckingham and Bletchley MP Callum Anderson later confirmed it in his own update on social media after the vote in Westminster.

In a statement before the vote, Curtis said, “I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their personal experiences and perspectives with me. I will be voting for the Bill to go forward, at which point I will be seeking reassurances to the concerns I have about the Bill in its current form.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by Darlington, who said “I have decided to vote for the Bill to go forward to Committee stage, because I believe that something this serious requires critical scrutiny in an extended Bill Committee which will be made up of all parties, all sides of the arguments and will last several months. I expect this process to result in the full exploration of the concerns that have been raised about this Bill in the past few weeks, and to result in amendments to improve the Bill. Should these not be resolved satisfactorily, I will consider voting against the Bill at the next stage.”

In a statement of social media after the vote, Anderson said, “The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has passed its second reading and will continue its progress through the House of Commons. It is our duty as Members of Parliament to continue scrutinising the Bill with the sensitivity it deserves ahead of and during its third reading.

“It was a privilege to attend a debate which showed our parliamentary democracy at its most compelling, with carefully considered thoughts on both sides. It showed that we do not need to be polarised.

“And I’d also like to thank the people of Buckingham and Bletchley for their considered thoughts. I’ve heard from hundreds of people who care deeply about this issue, and every single individual has approached this topic with kindness.”