Assisted dying debate persists despite bill defeat
The MSP who introduced the bill to grant Scots the right to medical assistance to end their lives has stated that the issue is "not going away."
Scottish Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur expressed his belief that support for assisted dying will continue to increase as more individuals experience what he terms "bad deaths."
On Tuesday evening, his bill was rejected by a vote of 69 to 57 after an emotional debate in which MSPs openly shared their feelings.
The proposed legislation would have allowed terminally ill, mentally competent adults with a prognosis of less than six months to live to access assisted dying. Opponents, however, argued that the bill lacked sufficient safeguards against coercion.
Following the defeat, McArthur was visibly emotional and embraced colleagues as the Holyrood chamber emptied.
On Wednesday, he reaffirmed his commitment to the cause in an interview with the BBC's Around Orkney programme.
"I'm fairly confident as a result of what we saw last night that the next attempt to get this over the line will be successful and probably fairly comfortably so.
"This issue is not going away, the number of people affected by these bad deaths - given the demographic trends, given the advances in medicine - those numbers are only going to increase, and meantime the overwhelming majority of people across Scotland are supportive of a change."
Public opinion and legislative context
The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill aimed to legalise the provision of a lethal drug by medical practitioners or authorised health professionals to eligible patients wishing to end their own lives.
A similar bill to legalise assisted dying is under consideration at Westminster for England and Wales, though it is unlikely to pass before the current parliamentary term ends.
McArthur made several amendments to his bill in an effort to persuade undecided MSPs.
Ultimately, the bill received support from most Liberal Democrat and SNP MSPs, along with full backing from the Greens. However, it was defeated by a majority of Labour and Conservative MSPs, as well as 22 SNP members, including John Swinney.
This was the third assisted dying bill presented to the Scottish Parliament since devolution in 1999, but the first to advance beyond the stage one vote.
MSPs were allowed a free vote on the bill, meaning party whips did not dictate voting behaviour.
Both proponents and opponents of the bill cite strong public support for their positions, though recent polls show varying results. Green MSP Ross Greer noted during the stage three debate that public responses differ significantly depending on how questions are framed.
A 2024 poll conducted for the campaign group Dignity in Dying Scotland found that 78% of respondents supported legalising assisted dying in Scotland.
Conversely, a poll commissioned this year by Not Dead Yet UK indicated that 69% of respondents believed Holyrood should prioritise improving care access for disabled individuals before considering assisted suicide legislation.
Focus on palliative care following bill defeat
Calls for enhanced palliative care have been prominent in reactions to the bill's rejection.
Marie Curie, an end-of-life charity, estimates that the demand for palliative care in Scotland will increase by nearly 20% by 2050, with approximately 11,000 more individuals requiring care annually compared to 2025.
The Scottish government has pledged £6.5 million in funding for hospices next year; however, representatives from the sector have expressed concerns about the sustainability of this funding.
Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, chief executive of Right To Life UK, an organisation opposing assisted dying and abortion, emphasized the importance of investing in universal access to high-quality palliative care following the May Holyrood election.
"If this legislation had passed, countless vulnerable people would have been pressured or coerced into ending their lives."
Toby Porter, chief executive of Hospice UK, which maintains a neutral stance on assisted dying, stated that the debate highlighted "deep inequalities" in palliative care access across Scotland.
"Over 60,000 people die in Scotland each year and the number of people who need palliative care is rising rapidly,"
he said, advocating for long-term sustainable hospice funding.
Emma Cooper, convener of Friends at the End (FATE), a group supporting assisted dying, described the debate as "plagued by misinformation" and noted that end-of-life decisions that hasten death already occur within the NHS.
"Scottish people are going to continue to suffer unnecessarily at the end of life."
Religious leaders call for improved palliative care
Religious figures have been vocal following the vote, expressing varied perspectives but unanimously calling for better palliative care access.
Bishop John Keenan, president of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, stated that MSPs had taken the "correct" course of action.
"Genuine compassion is about ensuring people receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual support that recognises their dignity."
Omar Afzal, director of public affairs at the Scottish Association of Mosques, remarked that the result was not a cause for celebration.
"The debate exposed a hard truth - that the palliative care system remains under-resourced, uneven, and too often unable to meet the needs of those at the end of life."
Rt Rev Rosie Frew, moderator of the Church of Scotland, acknowledged the "diversity of views" within the church, which ultimately did not support changing the law.
"Had the bill passed, many vulnerable people might have seen an assisted death as their only realistic option,"
she said, adding that the church will continue advocating for increased palliative care funding.
