Holyrood bid to change the law

The MSP looking to change the law to allow assisted dying in Scotland has won the right to introduce his Members’ Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

Liam McArthur, a Scottish Liberal Democrat, won the support of 36 MSPs, double the amount needed to introduce the legislation.

The Orkney Islands MSP will now draft a bill with the intention of introducing it early next year. He said: “The support among colleagues has been deeply heartening, and demonstrates the growing recognition that there is a need to end the ban on assisted dying in Scotland.”

A public consultation on assisted dying received more than 14,000 responses, with three-quarters of respondents backing new legislation.

McArthur said: “The public consultation on these proposals, published last month, demonstrated there is strong and passionate support for offering people more choice at the end of their life.

“I now look forward to working with colleagues in Parliament to bring forward a safe, robust and compassionate bill.

“I remain committed to a process that carefully considers the views of the public, organisations and healthcare professionals, as well as international experience, to craft legislation that is tightly drawn and contains strong safeguards.”

MSP Margo MacDonald, who had Parkinson’s disease, tried unsuccessfully to change the law on assisted dying in Scotland in 2010.

After her death in 2014, Green MSP Patrick Harvie led the campaign for legislative change but an assisted dying bill was defeated by 82 votes to 36.