13 May 2025, 09:24 | Updated: 13 May 2025, 09:57

By Gina Davidson

Third time's a charm, so the saying goes, but will MSPs vote, at the third time of asking, to legalise assisted dying in Scotland?

There are few pieces of legislation passed in Holyrood which have utterly changed Scottish society.

The ban on smoking in public places was one. Legalising same sex marriage another.

Today though the weight of historical responsibility will be oppressively heavy on MSPs' shoulders as they contemplate whether or not they should vote for a Bill which would make assisted dying lawful.

And they should feel that weight, for this is quite literally a life or death issue.

As a result emotions have been running high on the subject. MSPs inboxes have been overflowing with entreaties from those who believe that being able to choose end of life to halt someone's suffering when a person desires to do so, is the humane option. But they've also been lobbied at length by those who believe such legislation is the start of a slippery slope, who worry about coercive behaviour, who say the focus should be on ensuring the state provides the best in palliative care, rather than giving the nod to state-sanctioned suicide.

Two noisy rallies outside the Parliament today will make it clear just how high risk the stakes are, while inside Holyrood........

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