Jake Richards, who represents Rother Valley, was drawn 11th out of 20 yesterday in the Private Member's Bill ballot, which allows backbenchers to propose new laws.
He told the Daily Express he would take forward an assisted dying Bill if no other MP drawn ahead of him does so, pledging: "I don't know Esther Rantzen, but I'm happy to answer her call.
"If it's me, I'm really keen to progress it and I'd like Esther to be there if possible, helping out along the way." Former barrister Mr Richards is one of the cohort of new MPs elected for the first time in July.
But the ballot means he may play a crucial role in ending campaigners' decades-long battle for more compassionate options at the end of life.
He previously worked with Lord Charlie Falconer, a Labour peer who has led multiple attempts to legalise assisted dying via Private Member's Bills, including one which is due for a second reading in November.
This experience, along with seeing his grandmother suffer an "unnecessarily difficult" death, means Mr Richards understands the issue well.
This story is from the September 06, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 06, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hands-on Arteta already planning for the next era
MIKEL ARTETA celebrates his 250th game in charge of Arsenal today - and has already mapped out the future with the Gunners hierarchy.
Unai said: Until you can prove yourself you're a Championship player in my eyes
TOUGH love has transformed Morgan Rogers into a Premier League thoroughbred.
No place like a prize home for Omaze winner
ECSTATIC Sarah Perry has won a £500,000 home near her Powys roots in an Omaze draw and given her husband the shock of his life.
Back beside the seaside 52 years on
FUN-LOVING pals reshot a snap from their first holiday together - 52 years ago.
'Harshita, you left this world but are still in our hearts'
Family's tribute to body-in-boot wife
Factory farming costs taxpayer £1bn a year
THE factory farming of animals costs taxpayers almost £1billion a year, a study has found.
'Our beautiful one-of-a-kind Simone had a spark for life'
THE parents of a British lawyer who died after allegedly being served drinks laced with methanol in Laos say they are \"devastated by the loss of our beautiful, kind and loving daughter\".
Strictly Sarah: I didn't believe I could do lifts ...but look at me now
NEWLY confident Sarah Hadland has ditched her panic about bare legs, fake tans and doing ballroom lifts to become a firm favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing.
Down thunder! Aussie TV camp soaked
THE I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! camp has been battered by torrential rain, which could lead to the contestants being evacuated.
300 jabs a minute to event tripledemic’
AN NHS vaccination blitz is delivering more than 300 jabs a minute to tackle a deadly \"tripledemic\" of flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus.
