An attempt to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales has cleared its first Commons hurdle.

MPs voted 330 to 275 to approve the general principle of Kim Leadbeater’s  Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

The legislation will now move on to the next parliamentary stage, with months of scrutiny still to come.

Some 17 of Scotland's 57 MPs voted for the bill, while 29 voted against it.

Another 11 did not vote, including Labour frontbenchers Ian Murray and Douglas Alexander, who were both away on ministerial business. 

The SNP's nine MPs also stayed away as they have a convention of not voting on legislation that does not apply north of the border.

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Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves both voted aye.

The result was welcomed by Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, who is leading a separate bid to legalise assisted dying in Scotland. He praised the five-hour debate in the Commons which was, at times, emotional and passionate. 

“This debate has shown the UK Parliament at its best with thoughtful contributions from across the House and a vote which shows a clear recognition that the present blanket ban on assisted dying does not work and that more choice, alongside excellent palliative care, is what dying people need," he said. 

“It is important to note that this is not the end of the process. The bill will now get detailed consideration and everybody is going to have the opportunity to have their say."

Mr McArthur's bill will likely not be voted on by MSPs until the spring. Though similar, there are a number of significant differences.

The UK Bill makes terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of six months eligible for assisted dying if they are 18 or older.

The Scottish Bill sets the age limit at 16 and specifies that they “have an advanced and progressive disease, illness or condition from which they are unable to recover and that can reasonably be expected to cause their premature death”.

Both Bills require the approval of two doctors for assisted dying, but the UK Bill also requires the approval of a High Court judge.

The Lib Dem said Friday's vote "reflects the wishes of the UK public, who overwhelmingly back a change in the law to offer choice and compassion."

“I am confident that MSPs in the Scottish Parliament will do the same when they vote at Stage 1 on my Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill," he added. 

Opening the debate in the Commons, Ms Leadbeater said her legislation would give "dying people, under very stringent criteria, choice, autonomy and dignity at the end of their lives.”

The MP raised the case a woman named Sophie, who was watching the debate from the public gallery in the Commons. 

She was diagnosed with stage four secondary breast cancer which has spread to her lungs, liver and pelvis.

Ms Leadbetter told colleagues: “She is allergic to opioids so she knows that her pain is very unlikely to be able to be managed. She has a 17-year-old daughter and all she asks is to have the choice to say goodbye to her at a time of her choosing in circumstances she can have some control over, and for her daughter to be able to remember her as the vibrant, positive woman she is.”

But her backbench colleague, Rachael Maskell said the bill was the “wrong and rushed answer to a complex problem."

The MP for York Central said coercion is her “greatest concern”, adding: “While we recognise coercion in relationships or elder abuse in dying – where there is malign intent – this Bill fails to safeguard.”

Ms Maskell also raised concerns about the Bill’s impact on disabled people, she said: “We fight in this House to take stigma, give dignity, equality and worth, it is why disabled people fear this Bill. It devalues them in a society where they fight to live.”

“If you stand for equality, you will recognise the safeguarding failures in this Bill,” she added.