Margo MacDonald's much publicised bill in the Scottish Parliament, which, if passed, would have legalised assisted suicide and euthanasia in Scotland, has died the death.In March, a committee appointed to consider the bill and report to the Scottish Parliament called for a public consultation. Of 601 organisations and individuals who provided written submissions, only 39 were in favour of the bill.
Two weeks ago, having considered both written and oral evidence, the committee recommended that the bill's proposals should not be accepted.
It said an argument for a person's right to exercise autonomy should be considered in the light of the interests of society as a whole;
that while an argument could be made for assisted suicide affording dignity in dying, an equally compelling argument was that preserving dignity lay in the quality of care available and respect afforded to the dying;
that the bill could have a negative effect for disabled people;
and that vague wording in the bill could lead to unintended consequences.
On Wednesday, at the first stage debate, the Scottish Parliament rejected the bill by 85 votes to 16.
Peter Saunders, campaign director of the Care Not Killing alliance, said specialists in palliative care who see thousands of dying patients in a lifetime say you can count on the fingers of one hand the number who make persistent, ongoing requests to have their lives ended.
"The question has to be: Do we change the law for a very small number of determined and persistent people? Our answer has always been 'No, you don't,' because if you do you will remove legal protection from a large number of vulnerable or potentially vulnerable people who are depressed, elderly or sick. It's too great a risk to public safety."
The battle for legalised killing will go on. It's important there is a continued stand against it - for the sake of the vulnerable majority.
