A PARALYMPIC champion has pleaded with MPs to reject proposed legislation on assisted dying - put forward by a West Yorkshire politician.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, an 11-time gold medallist, warned changing the law could cause a "seismic shift" in the way the health system cares for people.

Only terminally-ill adults with less than six months to live who have a settled wish to end their lives would be eligible under the planned law, which is being spearheaded by Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Spen Valley.

The proposed legislation is to be debated by MPs on November 29.

Baroness Grey-Thompson said: "I urge Parliamentarians to understand the significance of proposed changes to the law and the seismic shift it would cause to the way we choose to care for people at their most vulnerable.

"Protecting people is something the current prohibition on encouraging or assisting suicide does well.

"Parliamentarians should be in no doubt that a change to this law would fundamentally alter the political and societal landscape for disabled people."

A report from Dr John Keown, a Christian ethicist, argued the planned law could "grease the slope" and pointed to potential extensions to include children or those living with mental and chronic illnesses or disabilities.

Baroness Grey-Thompson's call was backed by Conservative baron and disability rights campaigner Kevin Shinkwin, who was born with brittle bone disease.

"Precedents in other jurisdictions show that safeguards are quickly eroded, and disabled people become targets by default," he said.

"We should not be in any doubt: the stakes could not be higher."

Ms Leadbeater and supporters of the proposed bill said it includes "three layers of scrutiny" requiring sign-off by two doctors and a High Court judge.

The West Yorkshire MP told the BBC earlier this week: "At the heart of this bill is the issue of choice.

"The time is right, the public mood is certainly behind a change in the law.

"We've got people who sadly are taking their own lives.

"We've got people who are forced to find the money, it's a very expensive thing to do, to go to Switzerland or another country - often doing so before they need to because they have to be well enough to travel.

"We've also got people who are having quite harrowing and heart-breaking deaths because no matter how good palliative care is ... sadly for some people it cannot meet their needs."