Three-quarters of Scots back assisted dying laws, poll suggests as new Bill published

Plans to legalise assisted dying in Scotland will be published today as a new poll claims to show support in every constituency for the change in law.

Liam McArthur MSP signs a pledge card in support of his Assisted Dying Bill at the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA)

The biggest ever poll in Scotland on assisted dying has revealed that every single constituency supports a change of the law – as legislative plans are tabled at Holyrood today.

The study, carried out by Opinium Research on behalf of Dignity in Dying Scotland, found that 78 per cent of respondents said they would support making it lawful for someone to seek assisted dying in Scotland and just 15 per cent oppose the move.

The polling results were modelled for every constituency and region in Scotland with 4,000 respondents taking part in the study. The highest levels of support are reported in Orkney and Shetland at 82 per cent, North East Fife, Banff and Buchan at 80 per cent , Moray, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and Inverness and Nairn All have 79 per cent of support. Every constituency has at least a two thirds majority in favour, according to the study.

The revelation comes as Scottish Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur launches his members’ Bill today to legalise assisted dying. Under his plans, the proposals would enable mentally competent adults with a terminal illness to be legally provided with assistance to end their lives if they wish to do so.

Opponents of the legislation say that support for assisted dying falls below 50 per cent when all the facts and arguments are explained. Last year, the Church of Scotland voted to review its long-held opposition to assisted dying in favour of “exploring more deeply the diverse views held by Kirk members on the controversial subject”.

Previous attempts to legalise assisted dying in Scotland have failed to get off the ground. But an apparent shift in public opinion could ensure the proposed legislation makes it through Holyrood. Mr McArthur’s Bill is the third attempt to legislate for assisted dying in Holyrood, with bids in 2010 and 2015 rejected by MSPs.

There is also a potential shift in attitude at Westminster after Sir Keir Starmer said in December that there are "grounds for changing the law" on assisted dying, insisted that MPs should be given a chance to vote with their conscience on any legislation.

Ally Thomson, director of Dignity in Dying Scotland said: “As Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill is published in the Scottish Parliament, the message from constituents to their MSPs is strikingly clear – it is time to change the law and vote to give dying people the choice of safe and compassionate assisted dying.”

“In every constituency and region in Scotland there is an unshakeable majority of support for an assisted dying law, with tight safeguards that would benefit and protect dying people and improve end-of-life care as a whole. That law is now within our reach. The Bill published today provides the compassion and choice dying people need and puts safety and protection in place where none currently exists.”

“I’ve spoken to countless terminally ill people who are desperate for the peace of mind that this Bill would bring, and to so many who have watched someone they love endure a terrible death and don’t wish anyone else to suffer in a similar way. The publication of the Bill today gives them all hope that needless suffering can be consigned to the past. We call on MSPs not to stand in the way of their choice.”

In the Opinium polling, support for changing the law was consistently high across those who plan to vote SNP at 84 per cent, Conservative at 72 per cent, Labour at 79 per cent, Green at 81 per cent and Liberal Democrat at78 per cent.

The polling also found a strong majority for law change among religious people, with 75 per cent of people who align themselves with the Church of Scotland/England and 66 per cent of those who state they are Catholic in favour.

Mr McArthur said: “Currently in Scotland assisted dying is illegal, a situation that I believe is failing too many terminally ill Scots at the end of life. It is leaving them facing traumatic deaths that impact not just them, but those that they leave behind. We can and must do better. That is why I am publishing my bill on assisted dying, which is being introduced formally in the Scottish Parliament today.

“For many years, polling has consistently shown overwhelming support for assisted dying. I believe we are now seeing the necessary political support, across all parties, to deliver this long overdue reform. The provisions I am proposing would be robustly safeguarded to ensure the process works as intended. Similar laws have been safely and successfully introduced in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States where they continue to enjoy strong public support.

“I hope that as they consider the provisions of the Bill, my colleagues will look at the evidence supporting a change in the law and the wishes of dying Scots and vote to give terminally ill adults the choice they need."

Dr Gordon Macdonald, Care Not Killing chief executive, said there are “strong views” on both sides of the “highly emotive subject”.

He claimed that “when presented with all the facts and arguments, growing numbers see the very real dangers of state sponsored killing by way of assisted suicide”, adding that “support falls below 50 per cent”, pointing to previous polls.

He added: “Many people don’t understand what it actually means and think it involves the withdrawal of treatment or palliative care. Any legislation would be unnecessary, unethical, uncontrollable, unworkable and ill-conceived.

"Scotland has a proud history of helping the most vulnerable and that extends to those at the end of their lives. We should be helping people to live through investing in better palliative care not trying to facilitate premature death.

“Ultimately, the only poll that matters is that of 129 MSPs and in a free vote they have twice previously voted against legalisation and I am confident that will happen again this time.”