Scottish Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has warned that safeguards in Holyrood's assisted dying Bill remain "seriously lacking" ahead of a final vote expected in March. Speaking on Human Rights Day, Forbes joined Labour MSP Michael Marra and Conservative MSP Edward Mountain in a rare cross-party statement calling for the legislation's rejection, warning it "jeopardises the rights of disabled people and others in Scotland."
The joint intervention marks a significant challenge to Liam McArthur's Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill as it approaches its final parliamentary hurdle. Despite nearly 300 amendments being proposed during committee scrutiny, only 74 passed—and the three MSPs say critical protections were rejected.
Forbes stated: «It leaves a huge risk that this Bill will lead to people dying who want to live.» Speaking in a personal capacity, she highlighted that amendments «relating to identifying coercion, or whether an individual is motivated to die by factors unrelated to their terminal illness» failed to pass.
Cross-party concerns
The three MSPs, representing different political parties, united in their opposition. Their joint statement warned the Bill «risks creating a society where people choose to end their lives through the NHS because they can't get support to live, such as social care, healthcare, housing and benefits.»
They emphasized: «As MSPs with very different political outlooks we are united in our concerns about the Assisted Dying Bill.» The statement added: «Every member of the Scottish Parliament wants to ensure compassionate, dignified care at the end of life. We worry that the Bill before us won't lead to better care but instead entrench greater injustice and inequality in Scotland.»
What the Bill does include
Some amendments were successful. The legislation now requires anyone seeking assistance to die to be 18 or older. Coercing a terminally ill person into taking a substance to end their life has been made a criminal offence.
However, Michael Marra said: «The whole of the Parliament was led to understand that safeguards would be improved—that has not happened.» He argued the risks of internal coercion are «too great in a country that is as unequal as our own» and suggested MSPs should vote down the Bill.
Palliative care concerns
Edward Mountain stressed the need for improved end-of-life care. «There is a huge feeling out there that sometimes if you don't have palliative care, the best thing is to end your life, and that seriously worries me, that is what worries me most about this Bill,» he said.
Mountain added: «If we don't offer people proper palliative care, and we don't offer them options apart from assisted suicide, that is not the way forward.»
Bill proposer Liam McArthur previously stated the legislation contains «strong protections and safeguards.» The Scottish Government has maintained a neutral stance on the assisted dying legislation.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
