10. “It’s very important,” says Simon Opher, “that this committee doesn’t get too hung up on anorexia.” Before revealing he is “not aware” of the crucial research about current anorexia treatment. (The committee rejected all 5 amendments backed by eating disorders charities.)

Ten worst moments of the assisted suicide bill committee stage:

9. An amendment is proposed to ensure that the doctor, at some stage, asks the patient why they are seeking assisted suicide. Rachel Hopkins argues that this would happen anyway, and also that perhaps it shouldn’t: “It’s none of your business.”

8. An amendment is proposed that each assisted suicide applicant meets with a palliative care specialist. Care minister Stephen Kinnock raises a “concern” that this “would increase demand for palliative care specialists”, then joins Team Leadbeater in voting down the proposal.

7. The first sitting, when KL announced a witness list balanced 80-20 to supporters, and excluding among others the Royal College of Psychiatrists. RCPsych were then invited after an outcry—but not before Kit Malthouse argued there was no point because the GMC were on the list.

6. Neil Shastri-Hurst tries and fails to give a straight answer on the fact that the bill treats depression as an adequate reason for a terminally ill person to request AS. (To be clear, his suggestion that the bill distinguishes between good and bad reasons is incorrect.)

5. An amendment is proposed to allow individual hospices to opt out from assisted suicide. Malthouse suggests—twice—that those receiving public funding should be made to comply. “Should they still be able to deny what is a legal service, if they are in receipt of public funds?”

4. Several Labour MPs propose an amendment to stop doctors raising assisted suicide with children (who aren’t eligible for AS until 18). Kim Leadbeater: “We shouldn’t prohibit open conversation with terminally ill young people…this creates openness.” The amendment is defeated.

3. Kit Malthouse makes the case that taking lethal drugs doesn’t fully count as suicide if you’re ill. “To me, suicide is a healthy person taking their life.”

2. The evidence sessions, meant to reassure doubters, did the exact opposite.

1. This got very close to the heart of the bill. “Would she be content with somebody...choosing an assisted death for the purpose of saving their family money?” Kim Leadbeater visibly didn’t want to answer, but in the end had to: “It does come down to a question of autonomy.”

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