The issue of assisted dying has split Scottish politics and society. A Bill to give people the right to end their own life is going through Holyrood, led by Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney.
He proposed to enable competent adults who are terminally ill to be provided at their request with assistance to end their life. A vote at Holyrood could see Scotland become the first in the UK to adopt the controversial option to end life early for people of sound mind who are close to death and suffering immense pain.
Under his plan, two doctors would have to independently confirm the person meets the criteria and the individual would have to sign a written declaration. Mr McArthur said: “The Bill I intend to bring to the Scottish Parliament will have strong safeguards and seek to introduce assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults only.”
The controversial issue was first raised by independent MSP Margo MacDonald in 2012 but was rejected by MSPs in 2015. MacDonald, who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, had passionately campaigned for people to have the right to end their own lives before her own death in 2014.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opposed the right-to-die law in 2015 but in May she admitted her thinking was now shifting. Ally Thomson, of campaign group Dignity in Dying Scotland, said: “We strongly support the Bill being brought by Liam McArthur MSP which has vital safeguards at its core and will allow dying adults of sound mind whose suffering is beyond the reach of palliative care to choose the manner and timing of their death.”
Critics believe assisted dying could lead to vulnerable people being forced to end their lives because they cannot access the services they require. Michael Veitch, parliamentary officer at religious and political campaign group CARE for Scotland, said: “There are very good reasons why the UK has not legislated for assisted suicide. Safeguards would fail – doctors cannot detect the subtle signs of coercion and may miss depression in a patient.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has previously said he is “not persuaded” of plans to allow terminally ill patients in Scotland to ingest lethal drugs. Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of Care Not Killing, said: “We need to care for people who are suffering, not encourage them or provide them with a mechanism to end their lives.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are committed to ensuring everyone has dignity and respect at the end of their life and we will respond to the substance of the Member’s Bill when it is brought forward by Liam McArthur at the appropriate time.”
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