- Legislation to legalise assisted dying in Scotland was defeated at Holyrood after Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) voted 69 against to 57 in favour, with one abstention.
- The proposed law, introduced by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, aimed to allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their lives under what he described as the "most heavily safeguarded" conditions globally.
- Opponents, including the Care Not Killing campaign group, welcomed the decision, arguing the bill posed serious risks to vulnerable individuals, such as disabled people, and lacked sufficient safeguards for medical professionals.
- Mr McArthur expressed deep disappointment, warning that those who voted against the bill would "regret deeply" their choice, particularly in light of the suffering of terminally ill Scots and their families.
- This marked the third attempt to pass assisted dying legislation in Scotland, with Mr McArthur's bill being the first to progress past the initial vote, and its defeat means Scotland will not be the first UK nation to legalise it.
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