Assisted dying bill comes before Scottish parliament in crucial vote

Opponents of proposed legislation to legalize assisted dying in Scotland on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, raised serious ethical concerns.

It warned that allowing the state to be involved in helping individuals end their lives crosses a moral boundary.

The controversial bill is scheduled for a stage one vote at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, during which Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) will have a free vote.

The vote, if passed, will allow the legislation to move forward for further scrutiny and potential amendments by a parliamentary committee.

Leading opposition to the bill are campaigners such as actor and disability rights activist Liz Carr, known for her role in Silent Witness.

Demonstrations are being held outside Holyrood in protest, just hours before the parliamentary debate and vote.

Among those voicing strong opposition is Pam Duncan-Glancy, Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson and one of the few disabled MSPs.

She argued that the issue should not be framed solely around individual choice and autonomy.

Instead, she stressed that legalising assisted dying has far-reaching societal implications, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Duncan-Glancy stated that the bill essentially legislates for the state to assist in ending a person’s life, something that starkly contrasts with the usual purpose of laws, which is to protect and promote life.

She described this as crossing an important ethical line.

“No one wants to live in pain,” she said.

“I have lived with chronic pain for 41 years, but the solution should be to ensure robust and comprehensive palliative care, not legalising assisted death.”

The bill in question was introduced in 2021 by Liam McArthur, a Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP and one of Holyrood’s deputy presiding officers.

It proposes allowing individuals to seek assisted dying if two medical professionals confirm that they are suffering from an advanced and progressive terminal illness.

Additionally, the person must have full mental capacity at the time of their request and be able to carry out the act themselves, without assistance from another individual.

Notably, McArthur’s proposal does not set a specific timeframe for expected death.

This contrasts with a similar bill currently under consideration in England and Wales, which includes a requirement that patients be expected to die within six months.

High-profile political figures have also expressed concern about the Scottish bill.

All three of Scotland’s most recent first ministers—John Swinney, Humza Yousaf, and Nicola Sturgeon, have spoken against it.

On Monday, Sturgeon shared her reservations on Instagram, stating she feared the bill would not sufficiently guard against subtle forms of pressure.

She warned of “internal coercion,” where someone who is seriously ill may feel their loved ones would be better off without them.

“It would risk a situation in which a right to die might become, in the minds of some people, a perceived duty to die,” she cautioned.

Despite these concerns, the bill has garnered support from other quarters.

Fraser Sutherland, the chief executive of the Humanist Society of Scotland, plans to speak in favour of the legislation outside the Scottish Parliament.

He argued that public support for assisted dying is overwhelming and called on MSPs to act with “boldness, bravery, and compassion.”

Sutherland emphasized that the bill is fundamentally about “compassion, dignity, and the right to choose.”

“Currently, too many Scots with terminal illnesses are forced to suffer or travel abroad to countries like Switzerland, where assisted dying is legal,” he said.

“That is not humane.

“The law must change.

“Assisted dying is not a fringe idea; it is mainstream.”

McArthur echoed those sentiments, saying the current legal framework leaves terminally ill patients and their families in distress.

Many resort to painful or lonely deaths, or travel abroad for assisted dying if they can afford it.

He said this situation forces suffering individuals to “take matters into their own hands,” creating inequality based on wealth.

“Scotland cannot delay this conversation any longer,” McArthur urged.

“Parliament must no longer push this issue into the ‘too difficult’ box.

“It should at least allow time for proper debate and amendments to determine if a consensus can be reached that gains public trust and majority support.”

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