.UK Parliament held a debate on #AssistedDying yesterday. Listen to Christine Jardine 🔶, Edinburgh Western MP, talk about the public desire for change and how, thanks to Liam McArthur MSP's bill for Scotland, she could soon have a choice denied to her colleagues in England and Wales

MSPs will vote later today on Gillian Mackay MSP #BufferZone bill that seeks to end US-style clinic harassment outside healthcare facilities. As UK Supreme Court confirmed in NI bill case this does not disproportionately impact expression or FoRB rights despite what opponents claim.

This is a key stage for my bill.

Today MSPs will have the opportunity to vote on its principles ahead of amendments.

This can and must be a moment of unity for our Parliament.

I am proud to have the support of MSPs from all parties.

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My thanks to Gillian Mackay MSP for getting her Bill to this stage and I hope we get cross party agreement on the general principles later today.

Thanks also to Back Off Scotland and Humanist Society Scotland for their determination to see abortion care provided free from interference

#BufferZones will be debated in Scottish Parliament today. A really significant milestone on the journey from proposed legislation to law. We caught up with Gillian Mackay MSP, who proposed the bill, to talk about why safe access to abortions is so important.

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.Humza Yousaf has resigned. We respect the ethical clarity he has shown on issues such as #BufferZones & #ConversionPractices . Whoever our new FM, they must embrace a secular approach to governance as Yousaf did, putting aside personal faith if needed: buff.ly/49VZRVh

ICYMI, our full response to the Holyrood Health Committee recs on implementing protest-free #BufferZones around abortion facilities. While we're glad they support the law, we're concerned that some committee members called for 'silent prayer' to be exempt buff.ly/4aDfT7H

'Something changed over the pandemic: more journeys are being made on bikes. The very latest-gold standard figures shows cycling traffic in 2022-23 was 16% higher than in 2019-20.' Some good environmental news for the weekend
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An error-strewn, scaremongering story. Anorexia would not be grounds for #AssistedDying under Scotland's proposed law. We need better reporting than this, not least for the sake of people who are worried without cause that they will be pressured into death buff.ly/3WaJX6c

We're always interested to see stories on #AssistedDying from around the world, as they show what a profound shift in opinion is occurring. In Malta, an 83% Catholic country, a recent poll found that two thirds of people backed legalising assisted dying.
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.The National reports on our response to Health, Social Care and Sport Committee report on buffer zones. We're pleased the committee has backed buffer zones but concerned about a lack of clarity on 'silent prayer.' In our view this *must* be included within the scope of the ban

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It is critical that whoever is in government delivers fast and fair action to reduce emissions, and that there is cross party support for this action.

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'There are situations you cannot humanely accept.' This week a French parliamentary commission began examining proposals for an #AssistedDying bill backed by Emmanuel Macron. Around the world we are seeing a sea-change in opinion on this vital issue
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A UK-wide #AssistedDying petition backed by @DignityInDying & Dame Esther Rantzen is the most popular on the official website of petitions lodged w/ GOV.UK. The campaign has gained over 100,000 signatures, triggering a commons debate on assisted dying on 29 April express.co.uk/news/uk/189029…

Join our team! We're looking for a dedicated, experienced Head of Ceremonies to steer our nationwide delivery of #HumanistWeddings , funerals & naming ceremonies. You'll work as part of a small, friendly team & help touch thousands of lives across Scotland. buff.ly/49hUz7e

It seems far off, but is a sign of how far we could fall in Scotland and the UK unless we keep making the case for bodily autonomy in clear, unequivocal terms