The Assisted Suicide vote in Scotland is on a knife-edge. Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide Bill is in doubt, after the Bill passed Stage One by only 14 votes. This means only seven MSPs need to change their vote for the Bill to fall at the final (Stage Three) vote, likely later this year.
The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was widely predicted to comfortably pass Stage One, so the result will come as a major shock to assisted suicide campaigners supportive of the Bill.
Ahead of and during the debate, several MSPs made it clear that they were only voting in favour at Stage One to continue the debate around the Bill, and would only vote for the Bill at Stage Three on condition that there are significant improvements to the Bill before it comes back for its final vote in the Scottish Parliament.
This means that the McArthur assisted suicide Bill could well have insufficient numbers to pass the final Stage Three vote.
Last year, the Leadbeater Bill in Westminster passed by 55 votes, a much larger margin, proportionally, than on the McArthur Bill this evening, but following Committee Stage scrutiny, there are growing doubts that it will pass the final vote in the Commons, even after its margin of 55 at the first vote at Westminster.
A large number of MSPs from across the political spectrum came together to give powerful speeches against the Bill during the debate today. They made it clear that this dangerous and extreme change to Scottish law would put the vulnerable at risk and see the ending of many lives through assisted suicide.
If you live in Scotland, contact your MSP today and urge them to do the right thing! For Life!