Tuesday February 8, 12:34 PM
Yahoo! News
Yahoo! Top Stories - Press Association News Centre
The Government is seeking a way to make the repeal of the controversial Section 28 on promoting homosexuality acceptable to the House of Lords.
Ministers in the House of Lords and Education Secretary David Blunkett are trying to find common ground with bishops, other religious leaders, and more moderate opponents of the change.
The Government has been defeated in the Lords by 45 votes, after a vociferous campaign against removing the law which forbids local authorities from promoting homosexuality.
Ministers have given up hope of persuading more militant opponents, such as Baroness Young, who led the coup against the Government, but still believe there could be a compromise.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman pointed out that nearly half the Lords did not vote. They have been targeted by Government business managers and ministers.
No date has been set for the next stage of the legislation, part of the Local Government Bill, in the Lords, nor for when it would come to the Commons.
Because the Bill began life in the Lords, the Government cannot invoke the Parliament Act to force it through the upper chamber.
Repeal of Section 28 would have to be introduced into the Commons separately, then it could be pushed through after a year despite peers' objections. But this would take the controversy perilously close to a general election campaign.
The Government claims that Section 28 - introduced under Margaret Thatcher's Government - prevents teachers from halting the bullying of gay pupils.
However, the move to repeal has sparked massive opposition from
church leaders and family groups, who argue it would undermine the family and lead to
children receiving inappropriate information.