Those in favour of a change in the law have said they will try to bring forward legislation again, with Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who introduced the original bill, telling the BBC another attempt could come as soon as next year.
Labour MPs Ashley Dalton, Dame Meg Hillier and Jess Asato, who all opposed the “unsafe and unworkable” bill, welcomed the MPs’ decision.
In a joint statement, they said: “This is not a moment for celebration, we understand the deep concerns of so many people across the country who have campaigned hard for a change in the law.
“But the truth is none of the relevant royal medical colleges, professional groups or experts will attest to the safety or workability of this bill.”
They said there was a need to “fix our NHS and sort out social and palliative care before we even consider introducing assisted dying”.
Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said “thousands of terminally ill people will continue to suffer against their wishes in their last days and weeks”.
She added she still believed law change was “inevitable”.
Care Not Killing chief executive Gordon Macdonald described the vote as “decisive”.
He said: “Our hope is that MPs now focus on repairing palliative care in the UK and securing the necessary funding to make sure that no matter what part of the country you live in, you can access the best possible care available and are treated with dignity and respect.”
