How the vote was won From pubs to libraries, MPs were swayed by the stories of constituents

It is hard to think of a better MP who could take on the cause of assisted dying than Kim Leadbeater.

- Jessica Elgot

She is energetic, engaging, persuasive and speaks human. She has no tribal reputation – so there is no barrier to winning over Conservatives – and she has experience of personal tragedy, the murder of her sister, Jo Cox.

But it would be wrong to say it was Leadbeater who won this. Under the surface, the most important contribution has been the one made by ordinary people, an experiment in participatory democracy by stealth. In the end, that was what delivered such a comprehensive victory for the change at this first stage.

Downing Street may sneer at the idea of citizens' assemblies, but they have been happening on a small scale all the same. Hundreds of MPs were undecided at the start of this process. And so across the land invitations were sent out in constituencies for people to meet their MPs and tell their stories – in pubs, in libraries, community halls.

The meetings have been packed, MPs say. There have been tears of anger and frustration, of reliving the worst moments of their lives, of anguished fear of what awaits them if they are already ill or of how a loved one might feel like a burden.

On equal marriage, it was often said that parliament was ahead of public opinion. On assisted dying, parliament has seemed to be lagging behind. Three-quarters of those polled backed assisted dying. Equal marriage or abortion are comparable moments of a fundamental societal shift. But they will never be personal to everyone – unlike death.

There have been many powerful and persuasive voices who have come out against this bill. Many have been from palliative care doctors. There have been four former prime ministers, former judges, the father and mother of the House of Commons, the health secretary, the justice secretary.