SNP and Labour leaders are lining up against the Scottish version of an assisted dying law today.
First Minister John Swinney, his deputy Kate Forbes, and Nicola Sturgeon have all pledged to oppose legislation in a crunch vote at Holyrood this evening.
Labour’s Anas Sarwar has also made clear he will join efforts to reject the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill in principle.
The clash comes as the final Commons showdown on similar plans covering England and Wales looks set to be delayed for another month.
MPs are due to start so-called ‘report stage’ for the Westminster legislation this Friday, but many now expect another two days of scrutiny will be set aside in June.
A majority of MSPs have to back the legislation tonight if it is to make progress through the Scottish Parliament. It will be a free vote, with no whipping by parties.
Both opponents and supporters of assisted dying staged demonstrations outside Holyrood before the division.
Critics fear the proposals could leave disabled people and vulnerable Scots feeling under pressure to prematurely end their lives.
Liam McArthur, the Lib Dem MSP proposing the Bill, insists the legislation would have ‘strict eligibility criteria’ with proposals also ‘robustly safeguarded’.
Both opponents and supporters of assisted dying staged demonstrations outside Holyrood before the division.
First Minister John Swinney has pledged to oppose assisted dying legislation in a crunch vote at Holyrood this evening. MSPs will not be whipped by parties
Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar is set to vote to reject the Bill when it comes to Holyrood
Nicola Sturgeon has said she will be voting against the Bill in principle this evening
He said ahead of the debate: ‘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.’
If the Bill passes this evening, the plans would return to Holyrood for further scrutiny and amendment, before MSPs have a final vote on whether it should become law.
Yesterday Ms Sturgeon became the latest high-profile MSP to announce she would not back the legislation over fears around the threat of coercion and the definition of a terminal illness being too broad.
In a post on Instagram, the former First Minister said: ‘This is the most difficult decision I have had to arrive at in my years as an MSP and I know that all of my colleagues feel the weight of the votes we will cast tomorrow,’ she said.
She added: ‘I have come to the conclusion that while some of the misgivings I have about the Bill in its current form could be addressed by amendments, some of my concerns are so fundamental that this would not be possible.’
uccessors Humza Yousaf and John Swinney, along with Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, in voting against the legislation.
The Bill covering England and Wales is due back in the Commons this Friday as MPs begin the report stage. It has already been postponed from April 28.
However, with 39 pages of amendments tabled there are growing doubts about whether the process can be completed in five hours.
There are signs that backers want to earmark June 13 and June 20 for further debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, before a final third reading vote. At that point the law – put forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater – would be sent to the House of Lords for approval.
However, the process for Private Member’s Bills means the situation becomes increasingly uncertain.
They can only be considered for five hours on designated sitting Fridays. And when a Bill’s report stage is adjourned to another day, in theory it loses priority to other pieces of backbench legislation that are waiting to start report stage.
There are thought to be more than half-a-dozen PMBs that have passed second reading.
The Government is officially neutral on the legislation, and as a conscience issue it is subject to a free vote in the House.
SNP deputy First Minister Kate Forbes is also opposing the legislation
But there are claims that Downing Street’s approach has cooled in recent weeks, amid intense rowing over details – including the make-up of panels that would oversee cases.
Ministers have refused to allocate government time to the legislation, which could have eased its progress. Critics have insisted there should be at least four days of report stage.
Keir Starmer backed the Bill when MPs voted on it for the first time in November. It is opposed by the Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
The PM is not expected to take part in the report stage on Friday – including votes on amendments chosen by the Speaker – because he is due to be abroad.
