'I want to leave this world': Scot planning on ending his life calls on MSPs to allow assisted dying

A terminally ill Scot who is planning on travelling to Dignitas to end his life in the coming weeks has called on MSPs to introduce "safe, compassionate legislation" that would allow people to die at home.

Richard Selley, 65, said he had become a "prisoner in his body" as a result of Motor Neurone Disease. Picture: MND Scotland 2018

Richard Selley, 65, from Perth, said he had become a "prisoner in his body" as a result of Motor Neurone Disease.Travelling to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland will cost him £10,000, and he said, if assisted dying was legal in Scotland, it would have "eased many worries and my remaining time would have been dedicated to my wife, family and friends rather than complex admin".

"I don't want to crash out, so I am hoping to negotiate a swift withdrawal agreement."

He added that making the arrangements to travel to the Dignitas clinic has been a "challenge".

He said: "I had to obtain medical records proving I am terminally ill.

"This has been difficult because my GP was advised by her legal board to refuse my request for an up-to-date report.

"If I make it to Zurich I will need two interviews with Swiss doctors to show I am sound of mind and acting of my own free will, and I have to convince Dignitas that I can somehow administer the fatal drug.

"As I can no longer swallow, it will need to be done via my feeding tube.

"I practise the movement required each night.

"Organising all this is a challenge, particularly as MND has robbed me of speech and reduced typing to snail's pace.

"Dying will cost me £10,000, an amount few Scots in my shoes can afford.

"If assisted deaths were available in Scotland it would have eased many worries and my remaining time would have been dedicated to my wife, family and friends rather than complex admin."