Leading politicians across the political spectrum have come out against a bill to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland.

The Scottish Parliament is due to vote on the general principles of LibDem MSP Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Adults (Scotland) Bill, which would introduce the right to assisted death for terminally ill, mentally competent adults.

The Scottish National Party First Minister, Deputy First Minister, and former First Minister, as well as the Scottish Labour leader have all announced their opposition.

Last week John Swinney, the first minister, said his religious convictions meant that, after “agonising” over the decision, he would vote against the proposals.

Kate Forbes, the Deputy First Minister, said she does not think “any amount of legal drafting can prevent people feeling pressured to die”.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon said she had concerns about patient-doctor relationships and about society’s attitude to death and caring for people at the end of their life.

In particular she cited fundamental concerns linked to coercion and to the ‘wide’ definition of “terminally ill” in the bill.