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"I'm a man of faith. I believe that we are all individually and equally created in the likeness of God."I also have my family perspective on this – my wife has a terminal condition and that is something we live with. I can't for a moment suggest that these real factors have had no impact on the decision I've made."

The stage one vote next week will be the third time in the Scottish Parliament's history that a vote will be held on this issue.In 2010, the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill failed, followed by an attempt in 2014 with the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill.The terminology may have changed, but the principle is much the same.

MPs in England and Walesdying last year, by 330 votes to 275.

Like the UK parliament vote, Swinney said the Scottish government would not stand in the way of the legislation and that SNP MSPs would have a free vote.

The first minister said in October last year that he had "not come to a final view" on the issue but added that the initial proposed age threshold of 16 was "a very significant issue" in his mind.A long-time party observer says: "Put three Labour people in a room and you'll have a faction."

Sir Keir's allies seem pretty confident Labour's ditched that habit of constant scrapping. But No 10 is worried enough to be inviting MPs into Downing Street to make their pitch for the changes to welfare, knowing there'll be upset from the usual suspects and hoping there won't be too much of a backlash on the soft left.It's also grappling with the massive group of MPs elected last year, with some eager backbenchers actively trying to make Sir Keir's case, unkindly branded by one source as "toadies" trying to suck up to the leadership.

So how will the "usual suspects", the "softies", the "newbies" and the "toadies" shake down?There has always been criticism of Sir Keir from the left-hand edge of Labour, not least because he spent the first couple of years in charge squeezing out the hard left, and even kicked out some MPs after the general election for voting against him over the cap on benefits for families with more than two children.