McArthur responds to opposition to assisted dying bill

10 Apr 2024
Liam McArthur MSP

Responding to the letter to MSPs co-ordinated by opponents of assisted dying, Liam McArthur MSP said:

“Our current laws on assisted dying are failing too many terminally ill Scots at the end of life.  

“I appreciate that some are concerned about a slippery slope but my bill is extremely clear about the specific and limited circumstances it will give terminally ill adults the choice they need.

“This bill contains robust safeguards, similar to those which have been safely and successfully introduced in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States where they continue to enjoy strong public support. Indeed where a terminal illness and mental capacity model similar to mine has been introduced there has never been a loosening of the eligibility criteria.

“To be clear, disability itself would not be grounds for accessing assisted under the provisions of my bill. Any individual would have to have an advanced, progressive terminal illness and capacity to access this choice.

“Moreover polling suggests strong support for assisted dying laws amongst people with disabilities, at roughly the same level as in the general population.

“As parliament begins its scrutiny of my bill, however, I will continue to engage with charities, organisations and my fellow MSPs to understand their perspectives on this important issue and hopefully allay any concerns."

This website uses cookies

Like most websites, this site uses cookies. Some are required to make it work, while others are used for statistical or marketing purposes. If you choose not to allow cookies some features may not be available, such as content from other websites. Please read our Cookie Policy for more information.

Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the website to function properly.
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website.
Marketing cookies are used by third parties or publishers to display personalized advertisements. They do this by tracking visitors across websites.
Administrator preview
Live version at www.scotlibdems.org.uk