Scotland's assisted suicide bill will be defeated.

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg

International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Scottish media has reported that Scotland's poorly written and dangerous assisted suicide bill will be defeated on Wednesday. According to the Scottish Express, the Care Not Killing Alliance in Scotland has reported that:

...an analysis of voting intentions ... shows between 65 and 75 per cent of MSPs will reject Green co-convener Patrick Harvie’s proposals. 

Care Not Killing says 59 MSPs – including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – have already decided to vote against the Assisted Suicide Bill. 

A further 17 are minded against, according to the group’s canvassing. Just 23 have confirmed they will vote for the new laws while a further seven are minded to vote for it, while 21 MSPs are either undecided, undeclared or will abstain.

Dr Gordon Macdonald

Earlier this month the Scottish government health committee rejected the assisted suicide bill because it has serious flaws.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, of Care Not Killing, said:

“The indications from this voting intentions exercise are that at present there could be anything from two-thirds to three-quarters of the chamber voting against the Bill. That is most encouraging but we don’t want to pre-judge anything and will await the decision of the MSPs.” 

“This has been a long, arduous and highly-charged campaign with powerful arguments being made. 

“However, we have said all along that assisted suicide is unnecessary, unethical and uncontrollable and that this Bill is flawed in principle.”

Last week the Care Not Killing Alliance presented a petition to the Scottish parliament of 15,300 people who oppose the assisted suicide bill. 

Assisted suicide is unethical and unsafe. It is simply wrong to give doctors, or others, the right in law to be involved with causing another person's death.