Both the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament are currently considering bills to legalise assisted dying:
In Scotland, the Assisted Dying Bill was published in March 2024 and at Westminster, the bill passed its first vote in November 2024.
I decided to vote against the bill as I felt that it contained too many flaws. It could be open to misuse and it doesn't have the protections that it should. I was also disappointed at how little time was allocated for scrutiny of the legislation, which is vital for good lawmaking, especially on such an important issue. Other MPs voted for this legislation so it passed at this stage but has not yet been signed into law. I remain opposed to it but I hope, at the very least, this bill can be improved as it goes through the parliamentary process.
This is a very serious issue and I want to hear the views of people from across the Scottish Borders.