THE Morning Star went to print before the assisted suicide Bill was voted on at Holyrood. It has now passed its first reading by 70 votes to 56.

ASSISTED suicide faced its first Holyrood hurdle in an emotional debate that divided parties as well as the house.

Four years in the making, Lib Dem MSP Liam MacArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is the third attempt to pass such legislation at Holyrood in 15 years.

Appearing to accept criticism on the detail of the Bill, Mr MacArthur appealed for support to allow it to be amended later, adding: “We can’t continue to leave this in the too difficult box, that would be unforgivable.”

Backing him with a call to liberalism, Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie asked colleagues: “If all people deserve the right to live life on their own terms, surely they must have the right to end it on their own terms as well?”

Vocal opponent of the Bill and Holyrood’s first member with a permanent wheelchair, Scottish Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy, said: “When people say this is just about choice, I get that, but many people because they are sick, disabled, or live in poverty don’t have choice or autonomy at the end, or throughout their life.”

Speaking of her and her husband, who is also disabled, being forced to write ”please resuscitate me” notes to one another, she continued: “It is internalised everyday discrimination that makes us feel like we cannot go on.

“The safeguards are not enough. How can it be possible that people can make a free and equal choice to allow a system that oppressed them so much to also potentially assist them to take their own lives?

“Instead of legislating to assist people to die, let us resolve to legislate to assist people to live.”

The vote took place as the Star went to press.