News In Focus
26 February 2010
MacDonald criticises assisted suicide guidelines
Independent MSP Margo MacDonald has called the new guidelines issued on assisted suicide in England & Wales yesterday "neither clear nor equitable".
The guidelines, by Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer, said the motives of those assisting suicide will be at the centre of the decision over whether or not to prosecute them.
Mrs MacDonald said MPs had failed to take the opportunity to debate the issue, whereas her End of Life Choices Bill was soon to go before a parliamentary committee at Holyrood. She said Westminster MPs had missed a crucial chance to change the law south of the border.
"I think the MPs have fallen down on the job here", she commented. "There was time to debate the law and determine whether or not the law had to change."
She added: "What Keir Starmer has done is very well intentioned. But he hasn't made it less complicated, he hasn't made it clearer, he hasn't made it equitable."