Scots look like cautious about legalising assisted suicide

Data from a YouGov bimonthly tracker suggests that more people in Scotland oppose the legalisation of assisted suicide.

Over a 3rd (38%) of Scots surveyed said they believed the law mustn’t be modified to permit suicide within the case of an individual with an incurable but non-terminal illness. This was greater than the third who need to see the law modified. 

The sample size was small – just 156 people – nevertheless the information does collate with other trackers in Scotland showing greater opposition than support towards assisted suicide.

Scotland is currently considering its own bill that will legalise assisted suicide. It is separate from the Kim Leadbeater bill making its way through the House of Lords.

The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is currently within the Committee Stage, and a final vote on the difficulty is prone to be next yr.

Critics of the proposal, including The Christian Institute, have accused the proposed laws of being vague, noting that “terminally sick” is defined as being when an “advanced and progressive disease, illness or condition from which they’re unable to get well and that may reasonably be expected to cause their premature death”.

It has also been noted that, even when the Scottish bill passes, the Scottish government wouldn’t actually have the opportunity to implement the law without receiving additional devolved powers from the British government.

Opposition to the bill has come from Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney. Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Swinney said he agreed with the view that the proposed law represents an “unsurmountable risk to disabled people’s equality and human rights”.

That view was recommend by a Labour MSP and wheelchair user Pam Duncan-Glancy. Duncan-Glancy was herself referring to a legal opinion by Tom Cross KC, who wrote for The Christian Institute that each the Westminster and Scottish bills would breach the European Convention on Human Rights.