The Scottish Labour & Scottish Co-operative Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Orkney, Mike Macleod, has expressed concern that if the Assisted Dying Bill passes, a future right-wing Government might use it to cut Welfare costs.
In expressing his purely personal view, Mr Macleod said –
“Up till now, discussion about Assisted Dying has not been considered a party-political matter. “
“Everyone assumes that a ‘mainstream’ political party such as the SNP or Labour will always be in power in Scotland and that therefore Assisted Dying will be controlled by relatively reasonable politicians. No thought seems to have been given to what happens if an extreme right-wing party ever gets in.”
Experience from Nazi Germany shows that Adolf Hitler did not just want Jews eliminated, but mental defectives also. And in the vast expanses of Eastern Europe they conquered, the Nazis coined the phrase “useless eaters” to describe those who were too old or infirm to work, but still had to be fed.
As in the 1930s, we have a poisonous mixture of economic difficulties, disillusionment with mainstream political parties, a right-wing media and unscrupulous politicians who find it profitable to peddle misinformation and hatred. Only in our time we have Social Media as well.
Meanwhile experience from Canada proves that if Assisted Dying is legalised, in certain circumstances it can be expanded and medical professionals can be put under insidious pressure to end the lives of those who could continue to live, but would need costly care packages.
Mr Macleod continued –
“The expansion of Assisted Dying in Canada occurred under a Liberal Government there. We can only imagine what would happen here under an extreme right-wing populist government.”
“Proper account must be taken of the concerns of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland and The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, who have come out against the Assisted Dying Bill. This is on the basis that the removal of Section 18 of the Bill has significantly weakened the rights of healthcare professionals to conscientious objection and not to participate.”
“We should listen to the churches, disability organisations and now healthcare professionals, who are against this Bill.”
The elections to the Scottish Parliament take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
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