Labour leadership candidate Liz Kendall will support moves to legalise assisted dying in Britain.

Ms Kendall said she would support a fresh Commons bid to give terminally-ill patients the right to die when Parliament returns next month.

The shadow care minister said she believed the safeguards built into the Assisted Dying Bill stating that the patient must be terminally ill and have six months or less to live were strong enough.

Ms Kendall told radio station LBC: "It's not a whipped vote, as we call it, it will be up to MPs to vote with their consciences and I will ... I know a lot of people are concerned about this and they're worried that maybe pressure will be put on people, but I believe the safeguards in the Bill are strong.

"There has to be a diagnosis of terminal illness and that the person is expected to have six months or less to live, it has to be certified by two doctors and there'll be judicial oversight to make sure that they're not under any pressure.

"But I also believe that this Bill would be a step forward as a country. We don't talk about what might make a good death and it's something other countries, I believe, may be more open about.

"I will be voting for that Bill."

The Assisted Dying Bill will be based on legislation championed by former lord chancellor Lord Falconer of Thoroton, which would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose to terminally-ill patients judged to have six months or less to live and who request it.

The Labour peer's controversial legislation ran out of time in the House of Lords but campaigners hope the new Bill will give MPs the chance to consider a change in the law.

The measure will be steered through the Commons by Labour MP Rob Marris who topped the ballot for private members' bills, guaranteeing that the legislation will be debated.

The Bill is expected to be debated on September 11 and Mr Marris said it could give MPs the first vote on the issue since 1997.