Assisted Dying Bill Defeated in Scottish Parliament
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) have voted against a bill that would have made Scotland the first part of the United Kingdom to legalise assisted dying. The legislation, introduced by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, sought to permit terminally ill, mentally competent adults to request medical assistance to end their lives.
After a deeply emotional final debate, the bill was defeated by 69 votes to 57. Opponents expressed significant concerns, particularly regarding the potential for vulnerable individuals to be coerced into choosing assisted death.
McArthur criticised those who opposed the bill, stating it was a
"woefully inadequate response to the suffering and trauma experienced by dying Scots and their families".
The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill would have authorised medical practitioners or other qualified health professionals to provide eligible patients with a lethal drug to end their own lives. Eligibility required the patient to make two formal declarations affirming their wish to die and to pass medical assessments ensuring they were not being coerced or unduly influenced.
A similar bill is under consideration at Westminster for England and Wales, though it is unlikely to pass before the current parliamentary term ends.
In an effort to secure additional support, McArthur amended the bill to restrict eligibility to individuals with less than six months to live, a change he had previously opposed. Despite these efforts, the bill did not gain sufficient backing.
Throughout the final debate, concerns about coercion were repeatedly voiced by opponents. Independent MSP Jeremy Balfour, who was born with a missing left arm and a right arm ending at the elbow, highlighted the fears of disabled people regarding assisted dying legislation. He warned that the bill could open
"a pandora's box"and argued that there would be
"no meaningful protection"against coercion.
"I'm begging you to consider the consequences for the most vulnerable,"Balfour urged.
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, who uses a wheelchair, appealed to MSPs to
"choose to make it easier to live than to die".
Other critics questioned the adequacy of protections for medical professionals who might object to participating in assisted dying and raised concerns about the lack of oversight for doctors responsible for approving the process. Some argued that the focus should instead be on enhancing palliative care services.
SNP MSP Ruth Maguire, who was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in 2021, expressed worries about the financial implications of the proposals and stated,
"It's not a free choice if you do not have access to good palliative care."She described the prospect of a doctor raising assisted dying as a treatment option as chilling.
"My blood runs cold thinking about sitting in a room in hospital and having a doctor raise [assisted dying] with me as we weigh up treatment options,"she told parliament.
Supporters Make Emotional Appeals
Supporters of the bill also delivered powerful contributions during the debate. McArthur recounted the story of a man who was left
"begging to have his life ended"after undergoing surgery to remove his penis due to cancer.
Throughout the proceedings, McArthur was commended for his constructive and measured approach. However, departing from his usual conciliatory tone, he criticised MSPs who supported the bill's general principles but opposed it at the final stage.
"As a growing number of countries and states around the world, including Jersey and the Isle of Man, are proving that is another way we can must do better. This is the time. This is the bill. This is the change that dying Scots desperately need us to take. I implore MSPs to have the courage of your convictions."
Former Green co-leader Lorna Slater, who has previously spoken about her father's assisted death in Canada, became emotional as she described his final moments.
"We should all have the right to choose,"she told MSPs.
SNP MSP George Adam spoke about his wife Stacey, who has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and was present in the gallery. He said,
"If the worst should ever come to her, if she was ever facing that unbearable suffering at the end of life, she would want a choice."
Conservative MSP Sandesh Gulhane, an NHS GP, cited a patient's testimony who said,
"you would let a dog die like this,"calling for action to prevent people from ending their lives alone, in fear and pain.
Supporters argued that MSPs were not faced with a binary choice between improved palliative care and assisted dying. Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton asserted that the legislation would establish a
"powerful matrix of safety."
McArthur's bill was the third assisted dying proposal presented to the Scottish Parliament since devolution in 1999, and the first to pass a stage one vote. MSPs were allowed a free vote, with no party whip imposed.
While the Scottish Government maintained a neutral stance on assisted dying, First Minister John Swinney opposed the bill. After the vote, the SNP leader expressed relief.
The bill had passed stage one on its general principles by a margin of 14 votes. However, securing final approval was always anticipated to be challenging, as some MSPs supported stage one to allow detailed debate rather than to endorse the legislation.
The bill was debated over five sessions, including a rare Friday sitting at Holyrood. The final vote marked a significant moment in the history of the Scottish Parliament, with 12 MSPs who supported the bill at stage one ultimately voting against it at stage three.
Following the vote, Liam McArthur described himself as
"devastated"and suggested some MSPs might later regret their decision. He added that the issue was not
"going away."
Ally Thompson of Dignity in Dying expressed her disappointment, stating to BBC Scotland News,
"Tonight dying people across Scotland have been dealt a huge blow. The vote was against safety and against compassion."
Conversely, Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, welcomed the result, saying,
"We believe the bill posed serious risks to the most vulnerable in society - including disabled people and those suffering from domestic abuse."
How Did Your MSP Vote on Assisted Dying?
The following MSPs voted in favour of the bill:
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP); Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP); Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP); Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP); Siobhian Brown (Ayr) (SNP); Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green); Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con); Stephanie Callaghan (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP); Jackson Carlaw (Eastwood) (Con); Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green); Katy Clark (West Scotland) (Lab); Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP); Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD); Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP); Natalie Don-Innes (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP); James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP); Jackie Dunbar (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP); Jim Fairlie (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP); Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP); Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP); Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP); Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP); Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (LD); Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green); Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con); Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con); Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP); Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green); Fiona Hyslop (Linlithgow) (SNP); Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con); Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP); Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab); Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP); Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con); Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP); Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland) (Green); Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP); Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP); Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP); Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD); Ivan McKee (Glasgow Provan) (SNP); Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP); Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP); Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab); Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD); Angus Robertson (Edinburgh Central) (SNP); Shona Robison (Dundee City East) (SNP); Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green); Lorna Slater (Lothian) (Green); Shirley-Anne Somerville (Dunfermline) (SNP); Kaukab Stewart (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP); Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP); Michelle Thomson (Falkirk East) (SNP); Maree Todd (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP); David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP); Evelyn Tweed (Stirling) (SNP); Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
The following MSPs voted against the bill:
Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP); Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP); Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab); Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab); Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind); Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab); Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab); Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con); Keith Brown (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP); Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con); Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Ind); Angela Constance (Almond Valley) (SNP); Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP); Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con); Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Ind); Tim Eagle (Highlands and Islands) (Con); Annabelle Ewing (Cowdenbeath) (SNP); Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind); Russell Findlay (West Scotland) (Con); Kate Forbes (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP); Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con); Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con); Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con); Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con); Mairi Gougeon (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP); Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab); Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab); Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con); Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP); Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP); Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con); Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab); Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con); Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab); Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP); Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP); Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab); John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind); Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP); Màiri McAllan (Clydesdale) (SNP); Roz McCall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con); Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP); Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP); Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab); Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con); Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con); Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP); Paul O'Kane (West Scotland) (Lab); Ash Regan (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind); Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP); Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con); Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab); Davy Russell (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab); Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab); Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Reform); Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con); Collette Stevenson (East Kilbride) (SNP); Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con); Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow Southside) (SNP); Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab); John Swinney (Perthshire North) (SNP); Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab); Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con); Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con); Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con); Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab); Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con); Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD); Humza Yousaf (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
Neil Gray (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) had his proxy vote cast by Graeme Dey.
