Evangelical leaders welcome Scotland’s rejection of assisted dying bill

Scotland’s Parliament voted on March 17 to reject a bill that would have legalized assisted dying for terminally ill adults, prompting a strong response from leaders of the UK Evangelical Alliance, who said the outcome protects vulnerable people and upholds the value of life.

Lawmakers voted 69 against the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill and 57 in favor. One member abstained, while two did not vote. The result reversed earlier support for the measure at its first stage in May 2025, when it passed by 70 votes to 56.

The proposed legislation would have allowed terminally ill adults aged 16 and over, with a prognosis of six months or less and deemed to have decision-making capacity, to request medical assistance to end their lives. Under the bill, two doctors would have been required to approve the request, and a health professional would have provided a substance that the patient could choose to self-administer.

Evangelical Alliance leaders welcomed the outcome, emphasizing concerns about coercion, safeguarding and the broader societal impact of assisted dying laws.

Danny Webster, director of advocacy for the UK Evangelical Alliance, said the proposed law “did little” to ensure that vulnerable individuals would not be pressured into ending their lives and failed to fully protect medical professionals unwilling to participate.

“While pressure groups advocating for a change in the law bought adverts on the front of all major Scottish newspapers, the campaign resisting the change spanned every sector of society,” Webster said. “From medical groups to disability campaigners, from legal experts to Christian leaders, the coalition of opposition urging caution and eventually successfully persuading politicians to reject the change was powerful and diverse.”

Peter Lynas, the Evangelical Alliance’s UK director, described the decision as a reaffirmation of the need to prioritize care and protection for those nearing the end of life.

“The proposed legislation was unsafe, unworkable, and risked undermining the value of those who are elderly, disabled or nearing the end of life,” Lynas said. “Scotland must be a place where everyone can live with dignity and thrive.”

He added that the vote should prompt renewed investment in palliative and end-of-life care across health and social services.

The Scottish government maintained a neutral stance on the legislation throughout the debate, allowing members of Parliament to vote according to their conscience.

The bill was introduced by Liam McArthur, a member of the Scottish Parliament representing Orkney. Following the vote, he said he was “devastated” by the outcome and argued that the decision would delay what he described as an inevitable legal change.

The rejection marks the third time since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999 that lawmakers have voted down proposals to legalize assisted dying.

The decision also highlights ongoing divisions across the United Kingdom on the issue. In England and Wales, the House of Commons approved similar legislation in December 2024, though it remains under consideration in the House of Lords and has not yet become law.