OUR campaign to boost the number of registered organ donors has been taken to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

Launched after the tragic death of 22-year-old Miss York finalist Emma Young, who was awaiting a double lung transplant, the Lifesavers campaign’s aims to encourage an extra 20,000 people to join the Organ Donor Register by the end of the year.

Thousands have since joined the register, but many thousands more are needed.

Now a York councillor has urged Scottish MSPs to join in.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Dr Richard Simpson MSP said levels of registration still remained too low nationwide and said the time has come for a “new approach”.

“There is no doubt that there are still far too many people dying on the waiting list for organ donation,” he said.

“In spite recent efforts to increase registration the levels of both registration and organ donation remain far too low.

“The time has come for a new approach, which embraces the fact that 90 per cent of the British public are in favour of organ donation.”

Dr Simpson’s comments come following a letter-writing campaign by the leader of City of York Council’s Labour group, James Alexander, who called on all members of the Scottish Parliament to back our campaign.

He said: “People are dying unnecessarily while waiting for organ donations. I am passionate about getting people registered as organ donors, but I am also passionate about trying to get the law changed from an opt-in system of organ donation to one of presumed consent.”

He went to the Scottish Parliament when on a private visit to Edinburgh to deliver a letter to every MSP to support The Press’ campaign and encourage organ donation in Scotland. City of York Council has already written to all other councils in England urging them to support the campaign and encourage organ donation.