A Christian MP has told Premier Christian News that she believes the Assisted Dying Bill to be “safe, compassionate and careful”.

The Bill has reached its First Reading in the House of Lords, having won its Commons vote by a majority of 23.

Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat MP for Guildford, said the free vote had been “likely the hardest one I will ever undertake as an MP”.

“I am very aware that I am elected as MP to vote for the benefit of my constituents and the interests of the UK as a whole… not solely on my own opinion,” she said.

“In the end, I decided to vote for the Bill – a Bill I believe to be a safe, compassionate, and carefully regulated voluntary assisted dying law.”

Franklin said that her faith informed the decision: “I know that many struggle to understand how, as a Christian, I can support assisted dying, but I do not see a conflict.

"God is the God of compassion, and I do not believe that He is content with the current situation where people suffer in pain, unable to choose to end that pain if they wish to. Nor do I believe He is content with the inequality currently that someone may choose assisted death as a resident of the UK only if they can afford to travel to Dignitas.”

Many Christian groups are still in opposition to the bill - which has yet to become law. 

It is possible that it may never pass through the House of Lords. Whilst it is convention that the Upper House does not block government bills, the Assisted Dying Bill was a private members' bill, that did not feature in the government's manifesto. 

Through amendments being extensively debated, the bill could run out of time before the closing of this parliamentary session, and therefore not make it to law. Whilst government bills can be carried into the next year's session, private members' bils cannot. 

Franklin acknowledged the challenges ahead stating: "There is still a way to go for the Bill to become law, potentially, and I believe there is also still much to be done on the parallel issue of palliative care."