Bishops warn of ‘profound moral consequence’ ahead of assisted dying vote

Scotland’s bishops have spoken of their “deep concern” as the country faces a “moment of profound moral consequence” when MSPs vote on whether to change the law and allow assisted dying.

With the final vote of Liam McArthur’s Bill, which aims to give terminally ill adults the right to seek help to end their life, due to take place next month, members of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland are urging Catholics to contact their MSPs and “respectfully ask them to oppose this legislation”.

In a pastoral letter, the bishops said that “Scotland stands at a moment of profound moral consequence”.

If the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is passed, they said this would “for the first time in our nation’s history, permit physician-assisted suicide”.

However, they argued: “True compassion is not found in hastening death but in walking with those who suffer, ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual care that affirms their inherent worth.

“Our task as a society is not to eliminate suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround every individual with love, support, and dignity until their natural end.”

The bishops insisted that “key protections” have either been “removed or rejected” from the legislation, arguing that plans for mandatory training to help doctors recognise signs that patients may be being coerced were rejected by Holyrood’s Health Committee.

McArthur said the bishops’ conference had taken the “position that everyone expected” on his Bill.

But the Liberal Democrat MSP added: “It is one that puts them rather at odds with their flocks. Polling from YouGov has shown that 25% of Roman Catholics oppose legalising assisted dying while 61% are supportive.”

His proposals would require two doctors to certify a patient is terminally ill before they could seek help to die, with medics also having to confirm the person has the mental capacity to make such a request.

McArthur said: “Allowing the choice of an assisted death for those who need it and meet the criteria is undeniably the wish of an overwhelming majority of Scots.

“It is not even close. That’s why I am urging MSPs to work with me to pass this Bill and introduce a robustly safeguarded choice that is long overdue and desperately needed.”

He added: “Scotland is not breaking new ground, but following in the footsteps of other states and countries around the world that have introduced assisted dying laws safely and successfully over the past two decades. There is no reason why Scotland cannot do the same.”

This is the third time that MSPs at Holyrood have considered legislation to introduce assisted dying. While two previous Bills were defeated at the first vote, MSPs last year backed the general principles of McArthur’s Bill.