Members of the Scottish Parliament have chosen not to legalise assisted dying.
Last night MSPs voted by 69 to 57 against the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which would have made it legal for a medical practitioner or authorised health professional to give an eligible patient a lethal drug to end their own life. One member abstained.
If the Bill had passed, Scotland would have become the first nation in the UK to legalise assisted dying.
During an emotional debate opponents raised several concerns, particularly around fears of people being pressured into an assisted death.
Speaking to Premier Christian News ahead of the vote, the Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife said that “the risks were too high”.
Other opponents of the legislation have hailed the result of the vote a “victory for the vulnerable".
But Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur who proposed the Bill, warned many of those who voted down his Bill would come to "regret deeply" their choice.
Reactions from faith groups and campaigners have begun to emerge, with the Church of Scotland saying it recognised many would be “disappointed”, but that it welcomed the decision.
Its Moderator, the Rt Rev Rosie Frew, said: "While there is a diversity of views within the Church, the considered opinion was that we could not support a change in the law...I recognise that the outcome will be a disappointment to many, but it was clear that the safeguards included did not offer sufficient protection."
She added that the Church would continue to advocate for increased funding and availability of palliative care.
Dr Stuart Weir, of CARE for Scotland, said the decision was a “real victory for the vulnerable”, adding the Bill would have “fundamentally changed healthcare across Scotland”.
Faith groups more broadly have also welcomed the decision. Peter Lynas of the Evangelical Alliance said the decision prioritised “the protection of life and the dignity of all”, and urged renewed commitment to end-of-life care.
The Holyrood vote came as members of the House of Lords are continuing to scrutinise the Terminally Ill Adults Bill (England and Wales), which has already passed through the House of Commons.
Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the Westminster Bill, described the Scottish vote as “very disappointing, especially for terminally ill people in Scotland”, but added, “it doesn't impact the debate in Westminster directly, where MPs have already supported it after lengthy debate".