A NEW bid to introduce assisted dying law in Scotland has been branded as “dangerous” by disability rights activists.

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has conducted a consultation on his proposals over recent months and says that the “time is right” for the Scottish Parliament to consider his Bill — the third attempt at such legislation in Holyrood history.

The then-independent MSP Margo MacDonald failed in her 2010 attempt to legalise assisted suicide, while Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie fell similarly short of parliamentary support five years later amid concerns from disability rights groups and fellow MSPs.

The critics warned that vulnerable people could be at risk of being pushed towards suicide by being made to feel a “burden on taxpayers.”

But Mr McArthur says the issue must be revisited and can no longer be left in what he called “the ‘too difficult’ box.” 

“We are seeing more and more instances of people being left in positions of going through undignified, intolerable deaths, or going down the route of taking matters into their own hands,” he said.

“I think there is strong majority acceptance that the status quo isn’t satisfactory or really sustainable, majority support, therefore, that we do really need to change the law.”

Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts remained sceptical of any moves to legalise assisted dying which could put disabled people at risk as public sector austerity rages on.

Ms Burnip told the Star: “Having watched two people I loved die horribly from cancer, [I see how] assisted dying may seem like a good idea but it has resulted in older people being refused treatment in the Netherlands.

“Also given the continuing rhetoric that disabled people are scroungers and a burden on taxpayers, I feel it would be very dangerous to introduce this legislation.”