British Prime Minister David Cameron has come out against legalising assisted suicide, saying that it could lead to elderly people being “unfairly pressurised” into ending their lives.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Cameron plans to allow a free vote on a bill to legalise “assisted dying” introduced by Labour’s Lord Falconer, but will vote against it himself.

“I have not supported it in the past and I’m not planning on changing my position” he said, adding “I think the House of Lords is doing useful work by debating this and bringing out some of the arguments.” 

The Minister of State for Care and Support, Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb, has already said that he will support Lord Falconer’s bill when it comes before the House of Commons.

Helping someone to take their own life is currently a criminal offence in Britain that carries a sentence of up to 14 years in prison. But guidelines issued by the Director of Public prosecutions four years ago make it very unlikely that anyone would be prosecuted if they were “acting out of compassion.”