I made bill decision long time ago

Next week, the Scottish Parliament is due to vote on its most significant piece of legislation in years.

- BY WEST SCOTLAND MSP PAM GOSAL

Holyrood demonstrations There have been strong feelings put forward on both sides of the bill debate

The debate around legalising assisted dying has been emotional, highly charged and extremely challenging.

All MSPs will vote with their conscience, and my conscience tells me to vote against it.

My main concerns centre around coercion, the effects on vulnerable people and the risk of poor palliative care alternatives have led me to that view.

Thousands of people have written to me on this issue on both sides of the argument, and I thank them for taking the time to do that.

And I think we would honestly say, however certain we are on our conclusion, none of us finds it easy to be unsympathetic to the other side of the debate.

That being said, I made my decision a long time ago not to vote for the bill to pass.