Relief as Scottish Parliament rejects assisted suicide in historic vote 

Liam McArthur has lost his bid to to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland after an hours-long final debate through which more MSPs stood as much as speak against the proposals than for. 

His Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill would have allowed terminally sick and mentally competent adults resident in Scotland for at the very least a 12 months to receive medical assistance to finish their lives. 

After years of debates and amendments, MSPs voted late on Tuesday night 69 to 57 against the proposals, with one member abstaining. 

Speaking after the defeat of his bill, McArthur said he was “deeply upset” but that he believed “this shouldn’t be a conversation that’s going away”.

“For as long as dying Scots proceed to suffer consequently of the dearth of selection and safety afforded to them by the present law, I’m certain that it’s going to be a problem in front of parliament over again,” he said. 

Opponents, including Christians, have welcomed the final result, with Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, saying: “We thank God that MSPs got the message that they simply couldn’t pass this wretched bill. 

“The many constituents who contacted their elected representatives can take a bow. So many colleges of medication and disability groups expressed concern in regards to the risks to the vulnerable and the sheer unworkability of the proposals. 

“I believe the lesson for Holyrood –  and for Westminster too – is that there isn’t a such thing as a ‘secure’ assisted suicide bill. Instead of offering death to the sick, we invite the MSPs who lost the vote today to transfer their campaigning energies to offering them higher palliative care as an alternative.”

Rev. Alasdair Macleod, Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, said he was “thankful and relieved” that the bill has been defeated.  

“This decision affirms that each human life is precious and worthy of protection. As Christians we imagine that human life is a present from God, and that our calling as a society is to take care of each other, especially in times of weakness, illness, and suffering,” he said. 

“This was the third, and hopefully final time, that the Scottish Parliament has voted on this issue. It must now be left, for at the very least a generation, with our collective focus shifting to what we will safely and compassionately achieve: improving palliative care, supporting families, and strengthening communities in order that nobody feels that their life has lost its value. 

“Jesus Christ shows us learn how to be individuals who protect life, comfort the suffering, and walk alongside those that are struggling. Following his example stays our commitment as a Church.” 

Dr Stuart Weir, head of the Christian policy group, CARE for Scotland, said he was “delighted” that MSPs had rejected what he called an “irredeemably flawed” bill. He said the final result was “an actual victory for the vulnerable” as he urged all political parties in Scotland to incorporate clear plans for palliative care provision of their manifestos at the subsequent election. 

“If you take a look at countries where assisted suicide is legal, the identical troubling and distressing pattern emerges: numbers increase year-on-year and categories of eligibility are widened,” he said. 

“This bill would have opened a Pandora’s box which might have fundamentally modified healthcare across Scotland. 

“There is little doubt in my mind that Members have made a positive and truly compassionate decision today.

“What Scotland must do is ensure proper palliative care is offered for all who need it. We know that when this is offered, people can have a superb death.”

Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, said that MSPs had taken “the right and responsible plan of action” and may now give attention to ensuring that palliative care is “properly funded and accessible to all who require it”. 

“Their vote serves to guard a few of Scotland’s most vulnerable individuals from the danger of being pressured right into a premature death,” he said. 

“Every human life possesses inherent value. Genuine compassion shouldn’t be expressed through ending a life, but through accompanying those that suffer and ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual support that recognises their dignity. No life is without price.

“As a society, our responsibility shouldn’t be to deal with suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround everyone with care, respect, and dignity until their natural end. Today’s decision moves Scotland further in that direction, and MSPs needs to be commended for this.” 

The debate was often emotional, sometimes tearful, with many MSPs sharing how they’d been personally affected by illness and the death of family members. Many expressed an awareness of how seismic the vote was, whichever way it went – assisted suicide laws has been proposed in Scotland before but never reached this stage within the legislative process. Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, Jackie Baillie – who voted against – called the bill probably the most “consequential of the devolution era”.

During the controversy, McArthur had sought to guarantee MSPs that his bill was “tightly drawn”, “heavily safeguarded” and “legally defensible”, but by the point of his closing speech he was conceding that it could fail after a majority of MSPs spoke against, including many who had originally been supportive at stage one. 

Among those to change to a position of opposition was Tory MSP Brian Whittle who said that while his “instinct is to permit selection”, he was not persuaded that the bill “in the present social climate meets the high bar required to pass assisted dying laws”. 

Like others speaking within the chamber on Tuesday night, he voiced concerns about coercion and the dearth of safeguards for pharmacists and medical professionals. 

Both the the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland and The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland adopted positions of opposition to McArthur’s bill in recent days, having previously been neutral. This was after quite a lot of safeguards, including conscience clauses, were dropped. 

Peter Lynas, UK Director of the Evangelical Alliance, welcomed the defeat of McArthur’s bill, saying that it was “unsafe, unworkable, and risked undermining the worth of those that are elderly, disabled or nearing the top of life”. 

“Scotland have to be a spot where everyone can live with dignity and thrive,” he said. 

“This decision should ensure renewed commitment to high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care across our health and social care systems.” 

The late switchers added to quite a lot of MSPs, lots of them high rating, who had already confirmed their opposition to the bill, including SNP leader John Swinney, Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, and former First Minister Humza Yousaf. 

The bill had the support of Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Greens co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay, and quite a lot of other MSPs, but in the long run it was not enough. 

During the controversy, the identical concerns kept arising – a scarcity of safeguards, fears of coercion, and the implications for vulnerable people, including those living with disability. 

SNP MSP Ruth Maguire, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in May 2021, said that the bill “frightens me”. 

“My blood runs cold enthusiastic about sitting in a room in hospital and having a health care provider raise [assisted suicide] with me as we weigh up treatment options,” she said. 

“In voting against the bill I’m just selecting to vote for the inherent dignity of life and I urge colleagues to do the identical.”

Independent MSP John Mason brought a rare Christian perspective to the chamber when he said that God is the One who “gives life and decides when life should end”, and that regardless of how much suffering there is perhaps on this life, “there’s something higher available to sit up for”.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of the Care Not Killing coalition, which is campaigning for improved palliative care, said he was “relieved” that MSPs had decided to not back the laws.

“We imagine the bill posed serious risks to probably the most vulnerable in society – including disabled people and people affected by domestic abuse,” he said. 

He added, “Looking forward, there may be one thing that either side are agreed on: that we must improve palliative care in Scotland in the long run.  

“No one should must suffer a painful death and now we have to take a position in palliative care services to be sure that everyone has dignity at the top of life.”

Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, also welcomed the news, noting that the General Assembly had reaffirmed its opposition to assisted suicide in May 2025. 

Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, Chief Executive of Right To Life UK, said the result was “a fantastic victory for probably the most vulnerable in our society”. 

“They deserve protection and care, not a pathway to suicide. If this laws had passed, countless vulnerable people would have been pressured or coerced into ending their lives,” he said. 

“The query of assisted suicide has dominated the five-year term of the present Scottish Parliament. The issue is now settled for a generation”.

“But as this debate ends, today marks the start of a recent conversation. It is significant that after the Holyrood elections in May, MSPs come together to redouble their efforts to take a position in universal access to high-quality palliative care.” 

He urged Westminster, where similar laws is being considered, to take heed of the end in Scotland. 

“Holyrood has today sent a decisive message to Westminster by rejecting assisted suicide,” he said. 

“The Westminster Bill is already on life support as Peers proceed to deal with its multiple flaws and unanswered questions. Rather than ploughing on with their dangerous bill, the bill sponsors in Westminster must now follow Scotland’s example and accept that assisted suicide shouldn’t be the reply. It can’t be introduced safely.”