Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury to challenge his position on assisted dying after he raised concerns about her Bill.

In an opinion piece published in a newspaper earlier this week, Justin Welby said he feared any change in the law would put vulnerable people at risk.

And he warned that “the best intentions can lead to unintended consequences” such as older people feeling under pressure to end their lives.

Ms Leadbeater introduced her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Commons on Wednesday. It seeks to permit assisted dying only for terminally ill adults who are of sound mind.

In her letter to the Archbishop, the Spen Valley MP said she had read Mr Welby’s contribution with interest. However, she countered a number of his claims, including the suggestion that any change in the law would lead to a “slippery slope” of wider eligibility.

Ms Leadbeater wrote: “If my bill is passed, parliament will have drawn a very clear and settled line that should not be crossed. We have ample evidence from overseas that this can be done.”

In another intervention, Mr Welby stated that “it is little wonder that [assisted dying] is opposed by the medical profession”.

Responding to that claim, Ms Leadbeater said: “That may once have been true, but I recently met with representatives of the British Medical Association who were clear they no longer oppose a change in the law after a survey of doctors prompted them to adopt a position of neutrality.”

The MP added: “My bill is about respecting how all individuals want to live and die. While I respect the sincerity of your views, I would note that there is diversity of thought within the Church of England as there is among people of other faiths.

“I have had the privilege of speaking to many Christian who value their faith but also desperately want the law to change.”

Ms Leadbeater was elected in 2021, five years after her sister Jo Cox – then-MP for the West Yorkshire seat – was murdered by a far-right terrorist.

In the letter, she noted that the Archbishop’s “moral leadership” in the wake of Jo’s death had brought her family great comfort.

Ms Leadbeater concluded: “We may still ultimately disagree on my bill on choice at the end of life, but I believe it is important to recognise so much that unites us.”

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord George Carey also challenged Mr Welby’s position earlier this week.

Writing in the Express, Lord Carey said he once opposed assisted dying but changed his mind after considering stories of personal suffering.

He added: “There are many Christians who, like me, believe that sometimes the distress of those at the end of life needs to be met with compassion which in the most intractable cases might include assistance to die.

“And in the debate that lies ahead, none of the Bishops will point to a Bible passage that straightforwardly addresses assisted dying.”

Ms Leadbeater’s Bill is backed by the Express Give Us Our Last Rights crusade. It is set to face a second reading in the Commons on November 29.