In 2008 Margo MacDonald contributed to a BBC documentary in which she, whilst suffering from the degenerative condition of Parkinsons, stated: “I feel strongly that, in the event of losing my dignity or being faced with the prospect of a painful or protracted death, I should have the right to choose to curtail my own, and my family’s, suffering.

“I am in no doubt that our legal system must change.”

The law obviously hasn’t changed and I, like George Morton, hope that Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur’s bill on assisted dying gets a decent hearing at Holyrood, but I won’t hold my breath.

Several MSPs from across the political spectrum have outlined their support for the bill in an open letter but, despite this and the fact that the bill contains “strong safeguards”, it’s already been heavily criticised by a coalition of health professionals.

George has clearly sorted everything out for himself so that, should he feel that he needs to, he can travel to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich for “death with dignity”.

Let’s hope that’s not a scenario that he needs to play out but, without being critical, not everybody can afford to finance that, even if they wanted to.

He like me and many others knows it’ll never go to a referendum because God forbid that the will of the people should prevail.

The last public opinion poll showed that 78 per cent of people in Scotland thought that assisted dying should be made legal, that’s 16 per cent more than voted for it in New Zealand, where it’s set to become law in November this year.

As much as it breaks our hearts, we’ll take our pets who are suffering great pain to the vets to be put out of their misery, so why should our nearest and dearest be left to suffer so horrendously?

Eric Travers, 38 Gellatly Road, Dunfermline.