MSPs have just voted by 69 votes to 57 to reject the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill was defeated following a final three-hour debate in Holyrood this evening, with three MSPs publicly changing their vote from the previous stage.
SPUC CEO John Deighan described the result as a “huge relief”.
“It is brilliant news that MSPs have come to their senses and decisively rejected this awful Bill,” he said. “This is a massive victory for common sense and true compassion. The debate both in the Scottish Parliament and the wider public sphere has exposed just how dangerous and ill-thought out this Bill was. It has rightly been thrown out.”
He continued: “The debate around this Bill has also shown that there is no way to have a ‘safe’ assisted suicide service. Vulnerable people will always be put at risk where the state and the medical profession take a role in ending people’s lives. It is a shame that so much parliamentary time has bene taken up with this issue, rather than on working to make people’s lives better. Let us hope that this issue is finally put to bed, and that politicians focus their energies on ensuring we give everyone access to modern pain relief and the highest quality of palliative care.
“Finally, I want to thank all our supporters who have worked so hard to campaign against this bill, as well as all the many groups and campaigners who have been vital to this success,” Mr Deighan concluded. “This has been a united effort, and it couldn’t have been done without you. Every email and letter sent, every meeting with MSPs, every leaflet delivered, every social media post shared, really does make a huge difference. Thank you.”
The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was first introduced on 27 March 2024 by Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrat MSP for the Orkney Islands. On 13th May 2025, MSPs voted by 70 to 56 for the Bill to progress to Stage 2, where members of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee could make changes before proceeding to Stage 3 for a final debate and a vote on the amended Bill.
Debate on amendments took place over four days last week. Today saw the final debate and vote.
During the course of the debate, three MSPs who had supported the Bill at stage 1 switched to opposing the Bill. Daniel Johnson challenged the assertions that the Bill was the “most safeguarded in the world”, pointing out that it lacked several provisions that are standard in other jurisdictions. He concluded with an appeal to MSPs: “If you are seeking solace from the statements of people in this chamber that this bill has more safeguards than any comparable legislation, you are mistaken. “And if you do not believe that those safeguards are in place, do not vote for this legislation.”
MSPs clearly heeded this warning. There were times that the number of public switchers indicated a tied vote, but in the end, MSPs voted decisively to reject the Bill.
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