In 13 days, the Scottish Parliament will hold a vote that will shape Scotland for generations.
We are now expecting that the final Stage 3 vote on the Scottish McArthur assisted suicide Bill at Holyrood will take place in just 13 days, on Tuesday 17 March.
SCOTLAND NOW STANDS AT A CROSSROADS
Scotland now stands at a crossroads – one that will decide how human life and the most vulnerable are treated for generations to come, in a similar way to what was faced six decades ago in 1967 when the Abortion Act was introduced.
Should Liam McArthur’s extreme assisted suicide Bill pass at this final vote on Tuesday 17 March, tens of thousands of vulnerable lives will be at risk in Scotland over the coming decades.
This is what is at stake.
The Stage 3 vote on Tuesday 17 March is the final vote.
This Bill cannot be stopped in the House of Lords, as would be the case if it were passed by the House of Commons, like the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill.
There are no second chances.
If this dangerous assisted suicide Bill passes in just 13 days, Scotland will be changed forever.
We are not exaggerating when we say that the vote on that day is arguably the most important vote on any issue in Scotland in a generation.
If this Bill is not defeated on that day, it will be a total catastrophe for Scotland.
THE GOOD NEWS
There is a clear path to defeating this Bill at this final vote.
Following the Stage 1 vote, The Telegraph published a piece based on analysis from our Public Affairs team, which revealed that more than 20 MSPs who initially voted for the Bill have indicated they could vote against it at the final vote at Stage 3.
If just seven of these MSPs switch their stance and vote against the Bill, it will be defeated at Stage 3.
Two MSPs have already publicly indicated that they will be changing their vote from supporting to opposing the Bill, so we now only have to move 5 more votes to ensure this Bill is defeated.
This means this really is winnable – but only if you and your family do everything in your power over these final two weeks to ensure it is defeated – and you don’t have to be based in Scotland to be able to help out.
TAKE ACTION – 10 EASY WAYS YOU CAN HELP ENSURE THE BILL IS DEFEATED
This is now the final fortnight of our Support Not Suicide Scotland campaign to defeat this dangerous Bill.
The most important activity you can do during these two weeks is mobilise people you know in Scotland to contact their MSPs and ask them to vote NO on 17 March.
If you live in Scotland and haven’t already contacted your MSPs asking them to vote NO on Tuesday 17 March, please do that now. It takes about 30 seconds. Please click the button below to contact your local MSPs now, using our EasyAction tool:
Then, please consider spending every spare moment you have over these final 13 days mobilising friends and family in Scotland to contact their MSPs.
- The easiest way is to share this page with friends and family in Scotland and ask them to take the same 30-second action today. If you can, please start by sending it to at least 10 people.
We have included 9 further actions you can take below to connect with your friends, family and local community to help get many more people mobilised:
- Message people you know in Scotland individually on WhatsApp or via text and ask them to contact their MSPs (www.righttolife.org.uk/ScotlandFinalVote).
- If you are based in Scotland, print off a large number of the leaflets we have linked to here and distribute them at your local church, community group or among friends.
- Share the link above in groups on WhatsApp or Facebook groups you are part of that include people who live in Scotland.
- Post the campaign link above on social media channels such as Facebook and ask Scottish friends to take 30 seconds to act.
- Encourage members of any Scottish community, volunteer or parent groups you are part of to contact their MSPs.
- Encourage people in Scottish churches, mosques, synagogues, prayer groups or Bible study groups you are connected with to take action.
- Ask any priests, imams, rabbis, pastors or church leaders you know in Scotland if they can share the link with members of their church or faith community this week and encourage people during the sermon or homily to contact their local MSPs.
- If you are based in Scotland, write the link on a small note and share it with people you meet locally.
- Message any Scottish contacts in work networks, alumni groups, or friendship circles and ask them to contact their MSPs.
Where possible, when taking the actions above, please encourage people not only to contact their local MSPs but also to contact at least three other people, asking them to contact their MSPs as well.
As I shared above, this is very much a winnable battle, but to get it across the line, we need supporters like you to be doing everything you can between now and the final vote on 17 March to mobilise people to contact their MSPs.
Thank you for everything you are doing to help defeat this Bill.
