Supporters of Scotland’s assisted dying bill frustrated by lack of backing from Labour MSPs | Assisted dying

Supporters of Scotland’s assisted dying bill said they were disturbed that a significant majority of Labor MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labor having significant support for the measure in Westminster.

The Scottish bill was rejected by a larger-than-expected 12-vote margin in a late-night free vote at Holyrood on Tuesday, five years after it was first proposed and a year after it was first tabled.

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, who tabled and defended the bill, said he was “devastated” by the outcome and would not bring the bill back to parliament after the May election.

Only three of Scottish Labour’s 20 MSPs supported the bill; three went from yes to no. By contrast, a significant majority of Labor MPs supported the assisted dying bill for England and Wales last year.

At its last House of Commons reading in June, 224 Labor MPs voted for Kim Leadbeater’s bill, with 160 opposing it.

At Holyrood, the bill was supported by 63% of the 59 Scottish National Party MSPs and 21% of the 28 Scottish Conservative MSPs who voted; Labor remained the most critical of all parties, with only 15% of its members supporting it.

A Liberal Democrat source acknowledged that opposition from SNP and Tory supporters played a big part in the bill’s defeat, but added: “It seems a bit strange that Labor MPs in the House of Commons overwhelmingly supported it, but they have become more conservative here.”

McArthur did not comment directly on Labour’s aims but said he suspected its vote was influenced by the fact that it faces a very difficult Holyrood election in May and is under intense pressure to back its vote.

“What bothers me is [is] “There is a majority of MSPs in this parliament who accept that the ban on assisted dying has led to too many bad deaths,” he said. “They had the opportunity, they were presented with a closely guarded bill and yet they backed down.

“I think there will be many people who will deeply regret this decision in the months and years to come. Unfortunately, it will come as a cool relief to those who desperately hope for a change in the law.”

The idea that Scottish Labor MSPs were hesitating due to the upcoming election was rejected by the party’s deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, who said MSPs were “absolutely not” whipped or given instructions on how to vote.

He said the three Labor MSPs who switched from yes to no did so because McArthur’s bill did not have the right safeguards and alienated medical professionals and palliative care groups.

Baillie said social demographic differences play a part in the group’s overall stance. Most Labor MSPs and MPs come from areas with large concentrations of Catholic or Protestant voters and socially conservative voters.

Under Scottish Labor Party leader Anas Sarwar, the party adopted much more centrist policies than its predecessors.

“It’s partly about demographics, partly it’s about who you represent,” he said. MPs and MSPs from the same areas tended to have the same views on policy. “But that’s up to individual MSPs and MPs. It’s not something we’re driven by. It’s our personal opinion.”

Monica Lennon, one of three Labor MPs who voted yes on Tuesday, said her name was mentioned in Catholic diocesan newsletters given to parishioners, including those of Catholic descent and family members, and that she had been targeted by activists in parliament for her stance.

Other MSPs reported having disproportionately heavier mailbags on assisted dying from religious groups and faith-based opponents of the proposals.

Baillie said Labor MSPs who switched their vote were “horrified” by the decision at a late stage to delete parts of the bill introducing protections and training for medical professionals because those powers belonged to Westminster.

Daniel Johnson, one of the Labor MSPs who voted no on Tuesday, said he was concerned that McArthur was refusing to adopt safeguards built into Australian and New Zealand assisted dying rules to have independent tribunals to review applications, as well as a supervisory board to oversee them in action.

When asked if the vote had anything to do with the election, he said “absolutely not.”