MP's anguish over vote on living wills law

Mr Luff said that he was wrestling with his conscience ahead of the vote on the Mental Capacity Bill.

The Bill will create "living wills" allowing people to dictate their future medical treatment at such time as they are unable to decide for themselves through incapacity.

It will give legal force to signed statements asking for life-sustaining treatment to be withdrawn in certain circumstances.

There are fears that the move could open the way to euthanasia or allow sick people to be exploited by relatives and the Government is facing opposition ahead of tonight's Bill.

More than 100 MPs, including Mr Luff, have signed a motion raising concerns that the Bill could be hijacked as a "vehicle" for euthanasia.

Worcester MP Michael Foster said that he would be supporting the Bill. "I don't see it in the same light as some of the harsher critics of the Bill,"he said.

But Mr Luff, a Conservative, said: "This is a really agonising decision for me. Nine-tenths of the Bill is what is needed by people with mental incapacity.

"The problem is it catches up with something I'm concerned about - I'm not persuaded that the Bill is benign like the minister wants us to believe.

"How I will vote, I do not know," he added.

On the eve of the vote, a coalition of leading charities said fears that the Bill would allow euthanasia were "misplaced and misguided."

The Making Decisions Alliance, which includes the Alzheimer's Society, Age Concern, Mencap and the National Autistic Society among its members, is calling on MPs to support the Bill.

It claimed: "It will not change the current law on euthanasia and will actually provide a series of better safeguards when decisions are made for people who lack capacity."

Individuals will be allowed to appoint a person of their choice to make decisions on their behalf in the event of incapacity and carers or families will be consulted before decisions are made.