27/03/2008

MSP Calls For Right To End Her Life

An independent MSP has told parliament that she wants to the right to end her own life.

Margo McDonald, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, said that she wanted to have the decision to end her own life if her condition worsened.

Mrs McDonald made her comments during a debate on choices for terminally ill patients at Holyrood last night. She said that terminally ill people should be given the choice of whether or not to end their lives and said that such a decision should be linked to "living wills", where people can make their intentions clear before their condition deteriorates.

Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis called the debate.

Campaign group Dignity in Dying welcomed Mrs McDonald's claims.

The Scottish Government has said that there are no plans to change the law.

(KMcA/JM)


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