Scottish MPs reject assisted suicide

A clear majority of Scottish MPs voted against assisted suicide during the debate on the UK Parliament’s Assisted Dying Bill yesterday.  

The proposed Bill, which applies only to England and Wales, passed its Second Reading at Westminster by a majority of 330 to 275.

A majority of Scottish MPs voted against the Bill with 29 voting against, 17 for and 11 not voting or abstaining.

Paul Atkin, of the Archdiocesan pro-life office,  said: “Holyrood should not take this vote as support for the Assisted Dying Bill in Scotland - quite the opposite.

"Scottish MPs were intensively lobbied by their constituents and gave the issue deep consideration.

"A majority have been persuaded that assisted suicide is not right for our NHS.”

Bishop John Keenan has reacted to the UK Parliament's decision to pass Kim Leadbeater's assisted suicide Bill at second reading.

He said: "This is a sad day for the sick, the vulnerable and the disabled in society.

"Today’s vote strikes a blow against the foundational principle of medicine  'do no harm'.

"Since parliamentarians have voted to create a category of people that the state will help to commit suicide, doctors will now be invited to help their patients to kill themselves.

"As we have seen across the world, once enacted these laws are rapidly and dangerously expanded."

The bill passed its second reading with a vote of 330 to 275.

How they voted

MP Constituency Vote
Brian Leishman Alloa and Grangemouth Against
Kirsteen Sullivan Bathgate and Linlithgow Against
John Lamont Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk Against
Melanie Ward Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy Against
Katrina Murray Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch Against
David Mundell Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale Against
Graeme Downie Dunfermline and Dollar For
Chris Murray Edinburgh East and Musselburgh For
Tracy Gilbert Edinburgh North and Leith For
Ian Murray Edinburgh South Did Not Vote
Scott Arthur Edinburgh South West Against
Christine Jardine Edinburgh West For
Euan Stainbank Falkirk For
Richard Baker Glenrothes and Mid Fife Against
Gregor Poynton Livingston For
Douglas Alexander Lothian East Did Not Vote
Susan Murray Mid Dunbartonshire For
Kirsty McNeill Midlothian For
Wendy Chamberlain North East Fife For
Chris Kane Stirling and Strathallan For

Euthanasia expert highlights dangers to Scotland

Catholics have been urged to share details of the Canadian experience of assisted dying with their MSPs by Canadian euthanasia expert Alex Schadenberg.

Addressing a recent meeting at Edinburgh’s Gillis Centre the Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, said: “The more politicians know about assisted dying, the less likely they are to vote for it.”

His comments came ahead of the Welsh Parliament (Senedd) decisively voting this week to reject a motion calling for Westminster to legalise assisted suicide.

Alex explained how the Canadian assisted dying law had failed despite initial promises of ‘strict safeguards.’

He highlighted the case of Christine Gauthier, a former member of the Canadian military and gold medal winning Paralympian, who approached the Veteran’s Affairs department of the Canadian Government asking for help with a wheelchair lift but was, instead, offered assisted suicide.

Canadian Alan Nichols was hospitalized over fears he might be suicidal. He submitted a request to be euthanized and was killed, despite concerns raised by his family and a nurse practitioner.

His application listed only one health condition as the reason for his request to die: hearing loss.

Schadenberg said:  “When the law was being proposed in Canada we pointed out all the failures of legalised euthanasia in the Netherlands and Belgium.  

"We were told ‘it will be OK here, there will be safeguards’ and these haven’t worked in Canada, either." 

He added: “It is essential that Scottish Catholics write to their MSPs explaining that safeguards don’t work and assisted suicide laws put vulnerable people at risk.”

Write to your MSPs to let them know your concern about Assisted Dying plans for Scotland at https://writetothem.com

Dennis Canavan hits out at Assisted Dying Bill

Dennis Canavan has spoken about the death of his children as he highlighted his opposition to assisted suicide.

The former parliamentarian has suffered the loss of four of his children, including three sons who died as the result of terminal illness.

He said: "My sons undoubtedly experienced some pain but it was minimised by dedicated health professionals in the NHS and our local hospice.

"My sons died in dignity and I disagree with supporters of the Bill who claim that the suicide option is necessary to ensure dignity in death.

"We ought instead to be concentrating on ways to try to alleviate pain and suffering for people who are terminally ill.”

Dennis was speaking at an event titled Assisted Suicide in Scotland – the Beginning of a Dangerous Spiral at Our Lady & St Ninian’s parish, Bannockburn, on Wednesday night.

He has a long association with Strathcarron Hospice in Denny and campaigns for more investment in palliative care to minimise the suffering of terminally ill patients.

Dennis said that, if the Bill were to become law, many vulnerable people would come under pressure to choose the suicide option because they would not want to be a burden on their loved ones. The so called "safeguards" in the Bill would not give adequate protection from such pressure or coercion.

The meeting also heard from Dr Richard Lenton (below), a retired geriatrician, who worked for three decades as a consultant for NHS Forth Valley.

He said: "In geriatrics you get to know your patients, they trust you. If assisted suicide was available that trust would be not just diminished but non-existent."

Like Dennis, Richard also had close links to the palliative care service at Strathcarron Hospice.

He told the meeting that he believes that palliative care should be researched and strengthened and that in countries where assisted suicide was legalised, hospice's funding has been withdrawn, forcing them to close.

Using examples from Canada, Richard explained how so-called “strict safeguards” are of no value, and that assisted suicide laws are invariably interpreted in an expansive way.

MSPs are still making their minds up and want to hear what constituents think.  You have one directly elected MSP and several, regional, MSPs and you should write to them all.  Find your MSPs on the Scottish Parliament website:  https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps

Images: @Crusader_Tobias  

 

 

 

WATCH: Assisted dying in Canada - a warning to Scotland

The dangers of assisted suicide were highlighted last night (13 June) by Ramona Coelho, a doctor based in Canada which has Medical Assistance in Dying.

She shares harrowing accounts of how the most vulnerable people in society, including the disabled, the elderly and those with mental health issues - are particularly at risk.

Watch below or on YouTube (30 min webinar with chapters).

Tell MSPs to oppose Assisted Suicide for Scotland. You can submit your views to The Scottish Parliament here. Submissions should be made by Friday 16 August. 

WATCH: Euthanasia - A Warning from Canada

Alex Schadenberg spoke at a specially arranged Webinar on Wednesday (13 March) about the dangers of legalising assisted suicide.

Watch it below or on YouTube.

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Alex is one of the world’s premier opponents of euthanasia and assisted suicide and is visiting Scotland to highlight the dangers of Euthanasia.

With Liam McArthur MSP planning to publish his proposed Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill imminently, Alex warned of the dangers of Scotland following the example of Canada in legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia.

About the Speaker
Alex Schadenberg is one of the world’s premier opponents of euthanasia and assisted suicide. He is the co-founder and executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, founded in 1998 and based in the Canadian Province of Ontario. He produced The Euthanasia Deception, a documentary exploring 15 years of euthanasia legalisation in Belgium. He has spoken on the subject across the world and in more than 25 US States. Alex organized the first conference on euthanasia at the European parliament in November 2022.