SNP will lose support from people of faith if it embraces assisted suicide, says councillor

 (Photo: Unsplash)

The SNP has been warned that it stands to lose party members of faith if it supports calls to legalise assisted suicide. 

Councillor Chris McEleny told The National that backing assisted suicide was "simply not compatible to the faith based belief systems of many people in Scotland".

McEleny, a Catholic, continued that it would be wrong for the party to take positions on "profound matters of conscience such as euthanasia". 

"Therefore to adopt a party policy position that is incongruous to the beliefs of many party voters would make continued membership of the party not compatible with their faith," he said. 

His comments follow the call this week from Josh Aaron-Mennie, a member of the SNP's National Executive Committee, for a change to the law.

Aaron-Mennie plans to bring forward a motion on assisted suicide to the party's annual conference in October after watching his grandmother suffer at the end of her life.

He said the experience was "unbearable" and that she had been "denied dignity". 

The Scottish Daily Record reports that End of Life Choices, a cross-party group of MSPs, is preparing for a third push in Holyrood to legalise assisted suicide. 

News
Trump's AI 'Jesus' blunder
Trump's AI 'Jesus' blunder

Has the row over Donald Trump’s ‘Christ-like’ image been fuelled by misunderstanding and unrealistic expectations about his alleged Christian faith?

Bethel Church announces governance review after sexual abuse allegations
Bethel Church announces governance review after sexual abuse allegations

Months after Bethel Church announced Pastor Ben Armstrong had been placed on administrative leave, the church says it is bringing in additional third-party oversight and has confirmed the firm leading an independent investigation into sexual abuse allegations against the longtime ministry leader.

Faith communities have always served the whole person - it is time funders did the same
Faith communities have always served the whole person - it is time funders did the same

Ethnic minority communities struggle to access funding but a church-backed initiative is seeking to change that.

Indian law could block foreign aid to missionaries, seize church properties
Indian law could block foreign aid to missionaries, seize church properties

Christianity faces an increasingly hostile environment in India.