Kidney dialysis patients who watched as MSPs rejected the Transplantation Bill have criticised the Scottish Government for “playing politics” the issue.

One angry SNP member has written to Nicola Sturgeon and resigned his party membership in protest.

Alan Johnson, a SNP supporter for 15 years and a member for the last year, was in the Scottish Parliament to hear the debate hoping for the Bill to be backed by the SNP and Scottish Government.

He said: “I’ve been on dialysis for six years and I’m waiting for a transplant.

“The government seemed to be playing politics with people’s lives. By the time we get a new law people will have died.

“It should have gone to the second reading and there is enough smart people in the Scottish Government and civil service to sort out problems.”

In his letter, Mr Johnson said: My disappointment and anger that the SNP should effectively have killed this Bill has forced me to tender my resignation from the SNP.

“I will be contacting as many transplant and dialysis units in Scotland to make them aware of the SNP’s actions regarding this Bill and hope that they will show their displeasure at the ballot box at the next election.”

Sandy Fraser, Chairman of Scottish Kidney Federation, is on dialysis three times a week and has had transplants before.

He was in Holyrood to hear the debate and said the minister Maureen Watt’s position was “morally wrong”.

He said: “I wonder how many who voted against this have spent time in a dialysis unit. I used to go through six hours a day three times a week it’s now down to four hours a day.

The view of the SNP minister and MSPs were on party political issues. Their comments and observations on the matter did not hold water. “

“For Maureen Watt to say it was unamendable was ludicrous. Her decision was morally wrong especially given she has a son who had a transplant and she is denying others the same opportunity.”