Scottish MPs could still block assisted dying in England and Wales

Let me take you for a stroll through a moral maze. Our topic today is assisted dying, but do not worry — this is not yet another column arguing for or against. Instead I want to talk about nationalism, unionism and empathy.

Last Friday in the House of Commons, MPs voted on the second reading of Kim Leadbeater’s private member’s bill on assisted dying in England and Wales. Her proposal passed by 330 votes to 275, a wider margin than expected.

I waited impatiently for someone to do a calculation of how Scottish MPs had voted. And when the numbers were finally revealed they confirmed a fear I had been nursing throughout the debate.

Seventeen Scottish MPs voted in favour of assisted dying in England