The future of Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide Bill in Scotland is in doubt after reports emerged that more than 20 MSPs could drop their support for the Bill.
McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill passed Stage 1 by only 14 votes. This means only seven MSPs need to change their vote for the Bill to fall at the final (Stage 3) vote.
21 MSPs have been identified as “waverers” – those who initially voted for the Bill but have indicated they could vote against the Bill at the final vote at Stage 3.
Scottish MP John Lamont emphasised that only a “tiny number of MSPs” need to change sides for the Bill to fail, saying “Despite the public statements to the contrary, Tuesday’s vote will feel like a setback for those in favour of assisted suicide north and south of the Border. There is all to play for and every reason to believe this dangerous Bill may still be prevented from becoming law”.
“It was made clear during the debate and public statements beforehand that many MSPs have given this Bill only qualified support and voted for it simply so the debate can continue. Only a tiny number of MSPs need to flip to ensure it’s defeated later in the Parliamentary process”.
“I heard a lot of trepidation from some colleagues about the concerns and some of the safeguards”
Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, the first permanent wheelchair user in the Scottish Parliament, commented that she heard “trepidation” from some colleagues who voted in favour of the Bill and shared her hopes that MSPs would recognise its lack of safeguards.
She said “I also believe that I heard a lot of trepidation from some colleagues about the concerns and some of the safeguards that they feel are not in the current bill as it stands”.
Duncan-Glancy added “I believe that at stage two, as the parliament continues the scrutiny of this legislation, it will realise and colleagues will realise that there is no safeguard that can be amended into this legislation that will provide the protections against the risk that this legislation brings”.
Duncan-Glancy said the result “will send a worrying message to disabled people”.
“There are no safeguards that could address the concerns identified in this Bill. I believe this will become clear and hope MSPs will see that, and ultimately vote the Bill down at Stage 3”.
Worries about safeguards in McArthur’s “dangerous” Bill
The lack of effective safeguards was also highlighted during the debate. Echoing Duncan-Glancy’s comments about people with disabilities, Scottish Conservative MSP Jeremy Balfour commented “The truth is that there are no safeguards that can be put in place to completely remove the dangers that this legislation poses for disabled people. Whether explicit or implicit, disabled and older people will feel pressure to consider whether to keep on living if dying is an option”.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said “I worry about the safeguards. I do not want anyone to be coerced into taking their own life. I do not want anyone to believe that they might be a burden to their family and feel a misplaced sense of duty to end their life prematurely”.
Michael Matheson MSP pointed to the definition of terminal illness in the Bill as one of “the deficiencies in its safeguards”, saying “The bill’s definition of terminal illness has no expected timeframe. It includes any ‘progressive disease, illness or condition’ that is ‘expected to cause … premature death’ and is, in my view, extremely broad”.
“That definition could catch patients with dementia and anorexia nervosa, as well as those with a chronic illness or disability, and it was rightly highlighted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as having serious implications for those with dementia and with anorexia nervosa. The RCP specifically pointed out that anorexia nervosa, no matter how severe, is not a terminal condition”.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “This dangerous and extreme change to our laws would put the vulnerable at risk and see the ending of many lives through assisted suicide”.
“A number of MSPs were only able to offer McArthur’s reckless Bill qualified support at Stage 1. Prior to the final (Stage 3) vote, they must examine the extreme proposals, recognise that it is the most vulnerable who likely will suffer, and vote it down”.
“This Bill can and must be defeated”.
