Assisted Suicide
Scotland MSP wins right to introduce assisted suicide bill
"I beg to differ from those who assert that the option of assisted suicide is necessary to ensure dignity in death."
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has won enough support from MSPs to officially introduce his private members assisted suicide bill to the Scottish Parliament.
The Scottish Government can take the Bill on, but because assisted suicide has traditionally been a free, conscience vote, that is highly unlikely to happen.
If the Bill was passed by MSPs, it would mean Scotland becoming the first part of the UK to open Pandora's box by legalising a practice that in other countries has led to highly disturbing results.
Under the proposed legislation, terminally ill adults with less than six months left to live would have the right to ask for help to kill themselves.
Similar legislation was convincingly defeated in 2015 when MSPs voted 82-36 against the Assisted Suicide Bill.
Earlier this year, former MP and MSP Dennis Canavan, who has lost four children, three to terminal illness, urged parliamentarians to oppose assisted suicide.
He said:
"I have probably had more than my fair share of deaths in my family, having suffered the loss of three of my dear sons and my only beloved daughter. Three of them died as the result of terminal illness. "I had the experience of watching two of them die and I would not wish that on any parent. However, I must say that, in general, I found the standard of NHS care to be excellent and the standard of palliative care in our local Strathcarron Hospice was first class. "My children undoubtedly underwent some pain but it was minimised by caring health professionals who did everything possible to make their final days as comfortable as possible. As a result, my children died in dignity and I beg to differ from those who assert that the option of assisted suicide is necessary to ensure dignity in death."
What happens next?
Provided the Bill is introduced to the Scottish Parliament, it will be considered by a committee who will produce a report and vote on the proposal.
If it passes that stage, it then moves to a Stage 1 general debate by all MSPs on the general principles of the Bill. This could happen early next year.
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