The Church of England is “adamant in its rejection” of calls to legalise assisted dying, its most senior lay official has said.

William Nye, secretary-general of the General Synod, said that the Church opposed assisted suicide because it could lead to people being pressurised into ending their lives and because “a change in the law would undermine the intrinsic value of every human life”.

However, Baronesss Meacher, who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, said that the church was “out of touch” with its congregation, citing a poll showing that the majority of Christians supported changes in legislation.

A separate YouGov poll last June suggested that 73 per cent of the general population backed a change. The Royal College of Physicians and the British Medical Association have dropped their opposition to assisted dying.

Nye said: “Opinion polls are not a valid means to test ethical arguments. Opinion polls not only rely upon questions which lack nuance or context, they also invite people to imagine themselves into a situation in which most people have no relevant experience.” He added: “For these reasons — and because no new or better arguments to the contrary have been advanced by any of the lobbyists for assisted suicide — the Church of England has been adamant in its rejection of a change in the current law in parliament, in the media and among medical professions.”

The synod is to debate the matter when it meets next month. Dr Simon Eyre, a lay member, has put forward a private member’s motion calling on the synod to confirm its opposition to any attempts to change the legislation on assisted suicide. Eyre said that instead the government should increase funding of palliative care by £313 million a year to keep hospices going.

Meacher’s bill failed to proceed beyond the committee stage before the parliamentary year ended in April. She suggested then that there was enough support among MPs to pass it. She said yesterday: “Church leaders always explain their position in terms of a concern for vulnerable people coming under pressure from relatives. In reality, vulnerable people are much more at risk under the current law. They can legally cease treatment or starve themselves to death and may come under pressure from relatives. There are no safeguards. An assisted dying law will have strong safeguards.”