MSPs hail ‘victory for the vulnerable’ after assisted dying bill rejected in Scotland
Controversial legislation that would make Scotland the first country in the UK to legalize assisted dying has been rejected at Holyrood.
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) voted 69 to 57 in favour, with one abstention, effectively rejecting the bill.
Opponents of the bill, which would allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their lives, praised the result as a “victory for the vulnerable”.
The decision followed an emotional debate within Holyrood, in which Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, who introduced the legislation, issued a stern warning.
He stated that many of those who voted against his bill would “deeply regret” their choice.
Mr McArthur added that this regret would not be felt “as deeply or painfully as the dying Scots and their families who desperately need us to act with courage, compassion and urgency”.
The Liberal Democrat MSP insisted the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill – if it were passed – would be “the most tightly guarded assisted dying legislation anywhere in the world”.
But chief executive of the Care Not Killing campaign group, Dr. Gordon Macdonald said: “We are relieved that MSPs have decided not to support this legislation.
“We believe the bill poses serious risks to the most vulnerable people in society, including disabled people and those experiencing domestic abuse.”
He added: “Now that the debate in Scotland is over, I hope we can move on to the real issue, which is how we look after people at the end of life, because the real scandal is that one in four people in our country who would benefit from palliative care are not currently receiving it.”
Meanwhile, the president of the Christian charity Care for Scotland, Dr. Stewart Weir said: “We are delighted that our members rejected this irredeemably flawed bill. This is a real victory for the vulnerable.”
He added: “This Bill could open a Pandora’s box that would fundamentally change healthcare across Scotland.
“I have no doubt that members made a positive and truly compassionate decision today.”
The bill proposed that for a person to qualify for assisted dying, two doctors must certify that they have a terminal illness and have the mental capacity to request assistance to die.
Meanwhile, an amendment passed last week meant that only those reasonably expected to die within six months could make such a request.
However, opponents of the law have raised concerns about the impact and risks of coercion it could have on vulnerable people, such as disabled people.
Others, meanwhile, have warned that the bill could not include safeguards for medical professionals because employment matters belong to Westminster.
This saw groups within the medical profession, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCS) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, speak out against the bill.
The bill marked Holyrood’s third attempt to pass assisted dying legislation; but Mr. McArthur was the first to pass the first ballot.
However, after this vote, some MSPs withdrew their support, citing concerns about the legislation.
If the vote had passed, Scotland would have been the first country in the UK to support assisted dying; A similar bill at Westminster is now likely to run out of time for approval in the House of Lords.
In February, Jersey passed draft assisted dying legislation and the legislation is awaiting royal assent before it can officially become law on the island.
The move follows the passage of legislation in the Isle of Man, where Tynwald became the first parliament in the British Isles to agree a framework for assisted dying in March 2025.
Mr McArthur later said he was “obviously deeply disappointed” with the outcome of the final vote.
He thanked his supporters and told terminally ill Scots and their families: “I am sorry that Parliament has denied you this compassionate choice tonight.
“But for now we should be proud that this is by far the most votes an assisted dying bill has ever achieved in the Scottish Parliament.
“This is not a conversation that will end. As long as dying Scots continue to suffer because of the lack of choice and security that current law affords them, I am sure this will be an issue before Parliament once again.”
Similarly, Ally Thomson, director of campaign group Dignity in Dying Scotland, said: “I am deeply saddened that this blow has been dealt to dying people who wanted this election.
“But this debate will not end as long as dying Scots continue to suffer.
“It is now almost universally accepted that the current law is harmful to dying people.”
