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| MSP calls for right to die debate | MSP calls for right to die debate |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| An MSP who said she wanted to have the right to end her own life if her health deteriorated has called for a public debate on assisted suicide. | An MSP who said she wanted to have the right to end her own life if her health deteriorated has called for a public debate on assisted suicide. |
| Margo MacDonald, who has Parkinson's disease, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme she hoped it was a decision she would never have to make. | Margo MacDonald, who has Parkinson's disease, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme she hoped it was a decision she would never have to make. |
| But she said she believed terminally ill people should be given the choice of whether to end their lives. | But she said she believed terminally ill people should be given the choice of whether to end their lives. |
| The Scottish Government said it had no plans to change the law. | The Scottish Government said it had no plans to change the law. |
| Mrs MacDonald, 64, an independent MSP for Lothian, said: "I hope obviously, like most people, that nothing like that will be necessary and I might well be very lucky because I have been very lucky up until now with my Parkinson's. | |
| "But there is an element of personal choice that I would prefer to be there for me and to be there for everybody." | "But there is an element of personal choice that I would prefer to be there for me and to be there for everybody." |
| There are assisted suicides, we all know that there are, but I don't think people should have to break the law Margo MacDonald MSP class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2008/03/thou_wast_not_born_for_death.html">Brian Taylor's blog | |
| She said the system should be tied to "living wills", where people make their wishes clear while they are competent and before their condition deteriorates. | She said the system should be tied to "living wills", where people make their wishes clear while they are competent and before their condition deteriorates. |
| And she conceded the law would need to be stringent enough to ensure medical opinion was taken into account, and that vulnerable people were not taken advantage of. | And she conceded the law would need to be stringent enough to ensure medical opinion was taken into account, and that vulnerable people were not taken advantage of. |
| "I fully appreciate there are people who have very, very deep religious faiths which won't allow them even to consider it, but I think perhaps there are more people who would want to see it considered," Mrs MacDonald added. | "I fully appreciate there are people who have very, very deep religious faiths which won't allow them even to consider it, but I think perhaps there are more people who would want to see it considered," Mrs MacDonald added. |
| "I think investigating it and talking about it is the right way to go about it. | "I think investigating it and talking about it is the right way to go about it. |
| "There are assisted suicides, we all know that there are, but I don't think people should have to break the law in order to make a choice about leaving this life with dignity. | "There are assisted suicides, we all know that there are, but I don't think people should have to break the law in order to make a choice about leaving this life with dignity. |
| "I would need to be absolutely inhuman not to appreciate that people have concerns and I have also got to admit to a certain ignorance of the exact facts as regards how this is carried out in Holland." | "I would need to be absolutely inhuman not to appreciate that people have concerns and I have also got to admit to a certain ignorance of the exact facts as regards how this is carried out in Holland." |
| Mrs MacDonald, who confirmed in 2002 that she had a mild form of Parkinson's, added that she had been moved to speak out during a Holyrood debate on the issue after being surprised by comments from other MSPs that there was no support for legally assisting people to die. | Mrs MacDonald, who confirmed in 2002 that she had a mild form of Parkinson's, added that she had been moved to speak out during a Holyrood debate on the issue after being surprised by comments from other MSPs that there was no support for legally assisting people to die. |
| 'Fundamental right' | 'Fundamental right' |
| The debate was called by Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis, who restated his view that the law should be changed to allow terminally ill people to ask for such assistance. | The debate was called by Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis, who restated his view that the law should be changed to allow terminally ill people to ask for such assistance. |
| Sarah Wootton, chief executive of campaign group Dignity in Dying, welcomed Mrs MacDonald's comments. | Sarah Wootton, chief executive of campaign group Dignity in Dying, welcomed Mrs MacDonald's comments. |
| She added: "The indignity that people can suffer as a result of some terminal diseases extends far beyond physical pain. | She added: "The indignity that people can suffer as a result of some terminal diseases extends far beyond physical pain. |
| "It is time that society recognised that prolonging life is not always what the individual wants. | "It is time that society recognised that prolonging life is not always what the individual wants. |
| "Dying with dignity should be a fundamental right for all, and the option of assisted dying must be available to those who are terminally ill and mentally competent." | "Dying with dignity should be a fundamental right for all, and the option of assisted dying must be available to those who are terminally ill and mentally competent." |
| Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told Wednesday's Holyrood debate that the government had no plans to change the law on assisted suicide. | Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told Wednesday's Holyrood debate that the government had no plans to change the law on assisted suicide. |
| She explained: "While suicide is not illegal in Scotland, actively assisting someone to end their life is. | She explained: "While suicide is not illegal in Scotland, actively assisting someone to end their life is. |
| "We have, at this stage, no plans to change the law." | "We have, at this stage, no plans to change the law." |