Scotland assisted dying vote 2025: Warning sounded as MSPs set to vote again on proposals for the terminally ill

For the third time in Scottish parliamentary history, Members of the Scottish Parliament will tonight vote on plans to legalise assisted dying.

The ballot, which would allow terminally-ill adults to seek medical help to end their lives, comes after MPs voted in favour of similar proposals for England and Wales.

Supporters describe the Holyrood bill as a progressive move to ease the suffering of dying Scots.

However critics say it would fail to safeguard some of the most vulnerable people in society.

The proposed legislation would allow a patient to request medical assistance to end their life - but only if they had a terminal illness and had been ruled mentally fit to make the decision by two doctors.

If passed, the proposals would return to Holyrood for further scrutiny and amendment, before MSPs have a final vote on whether it should become law.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart sounded a cautionary note.

“Whilst legislation on assisted dying in Northern Ireland would be a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly, we all should have concern and regard for the most vulnerable in our society right across the United Kingdom,” she said.

"The debate in Scotland and Westminster has highlighted many of the fundamental flaws with any such proposals.

"Talk of 'strict criteria' and 'robust safeguards' never meets the reality of what the legislation would actually deliver. International experience shows that even when so-called safeguards are introduced initially, they are quickly eroded and the scope of legislation creeps ever wider." We need investment in palliative care, not a gold-plated, publicly funded service to end life prematurely.”

Christian Institute Deputy Director Simon Calvert claimed that if the many hours "wasted" on debating assisted suicide had been spent on debating how to improve palliative care, "we’d be offering people life and hope instead of death and despair.”

He said that Northern Ireland politicians considering the issue should look at “the massive scope for abuse in the Scottish legislation”.

In August last year the Law Society of Scotland issued a warning about the move in Scotland.

Elaine Coull, Convener of the Law Society of Scotland’s Health and Medical Law Committee, said: “We have serious concerns about the competence of this Bill in relation to the European Convention on Human Rights and mental health and capacity legislation."

Both Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes have already said they will vote against the Bill, as has Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

However the MSP seeking to change the law says an “overwhelming majority” of Scots back the measure.

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur insists the legislation would have “strict eligibility criteria” with proposals also “robustly safeguarded”.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday evening’s vote, the MSP insisted: “This an issue on which an overwhelming majority of people of Scotland believe a change in the law is required.

“Public polling is consistent across age range, political affiliation, disability status, geographic area and religious belief – Scots want to see dying people in this country given more choice at the end of life.”