News and Media Links

Telegraph: Tories try to defuse section 28 clash - David Davis, the shadow Cabinet minister, is working on proposals to give parents and school governors the right to decide how teachers approach the issue of homosexuality in the classroom.

BBC: Tory dilemma on clause 28 - Mr Duncan Smith is set to end his support for the controversial clause, and is expected to propose a new form of words for the Tory-created legislation.

Guardian: Duncan Smith avoids section 28 showdown - Nicholas Watt, political correspondent. The Conservative amendment, which will incorporate work which has been carried out by the party's Renewing One Nation taskforce, will embrace two principles: get rid of the totem of section 28 and offer reassurance to parents that their children will be protected.

Times: Duncan Smith to woo traditionalists over Section 28 - Tom Baldwin. Iain Duncan Smith is threatening to tear up a compromise deal over laws banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools, after this week's Tory revolt on gay adoption.

Guardian: Row erupts over section 28 - Anne Perkins, political correspondent. The simmering row in the Tory party over section 28, which has become a totem for social liberals in the party, erupted at the Guardian's fringe meeting yesterday.

Gay Conservatives: Howard Backs Section 28 Rethink - The majority of the shadow cabinet back repeal of the legislation.

Times: Split over repeal of Section 28 - Philip Webster, political editor. John Prescott and other senior ministers want the proposal to be kept out of the forthcoming Local Government Bill planned for the next session, while other ministers, including Robin Cook, the Leader of the Commons, want the provision included.

Guardian: Duncan urges Tories to end gay taboo - Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent. Alan Duncan, the shadow foreign affairs minister, yesterday urged his party to end its taboo about homosexuality, but declined to tell his party to support the repeal of section 28 if the issue is raised in parliament again this year.

Telegraph: Labour test for Tories on gay rights - Colin Brown, political editor. Labour MPs are to force a new vote on the repeal of section 28 to expose a split in the Conservative party. Site requires free registration.

Information for Social Change: Clause 28 and Its Effects - Review of the current status and impact of Clause 28 and ideas for ways forward. ISC is an activist organisation that examines issues of censorship, freedom and ethics amongst library and information workers.

Guardian Unlimited: My daughter is just fine - Article by Peter Preston. "One of my twins has a loving husband, the other a loving gay partner. Both are my family. Both are equal..."

Times: Gay Tories win right to be part of the party - David Charter, chief political correspondent. James Davenport, the chairman of Torch: "We would like to see Section 28 replaced entirely or replaced with legislation which prohibits councils dealing with issues of sexuality at all. We do not think councils are there to promote homosexuality or heterosexuality, they are actually there to empty your bins or fix your streetlighting."

Telegraph: Portillo adds support to abolish Section 28 - Benedict Brogan, political correspondent. John Bercow, one of the Tory MPs leading calls for the party to be more tolerant of homosexuals, enlisted Michael Portillo to appear at his side in the Chamber when he spoke in favour of repeal after the Tory leadership said it was prepared to compromise on the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Guardian: Portillo leads Tory foes of section 28 - Nicholas Watt, political correspondent. After John Bercow signed an amendment to back the repeal of Section 28, Michael Portillo added his support to persuade Iain Duncan Smith to join them as well.

Guardian: Tory split in vote to scrap section 28 - Nicholas Watt, political correspondent. Tory divisions over section 28 were laid bare last night when Iain Duncan Smith voted to retain the contentious clause which bans the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Telegraph: Softer stance on Section 28 in Lords - Iain Duncan Smith will try to avoid a confrontation in the Lords over the Government's plans to scrap Section 28, after angering Tory modernisers by voting to keep the law banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Telegraph: Tories to get free vote on Section 28 - Iain Duncan Smith will offer his MPs and peers a free vote on the future of Section 28, the law that bans the promotion of homosexuality in schools, under a compromise agreed by the Shadow Cabinet last night.

Guardian: Duncan Smith defends stance on section 28 - The Tories have proposed an alternative to section 28 under which schools would be required to display teaching materials for sex education classes publicly so that parents could inspect them.

Telegraph: Labour faces Lords defeat on Section 28 alternative - Andrew Sparrow, political correspondent. Opposition peers are expected to defeat the Government today by backing a Tory amendment for an alternative to the controversial Section 28, the law stopping local authorities from promoting homosexuality, with a new clause giving parents the power to object to inappropriate sex education.

Guardian Education: Teachers hail end of Section 28 - Polly Curtis. Teachers and campaigners have welcomed a defeat of rebels in the House of Lords which effectively marks the end of Section 28.

Guardian Politics: Lords debate parental veto on sex education - PA. Peers were today being asked to back a move giving parents tough legal rights to "protect" their children from "explicit and unacceptable" sex education. The call, by Conservative Lady Blatch, follows the government's decision to scrap section 28, which bans local councils from promoting homosexuality in schools.

Guardian: Alas, the new leader cannot see it was a law offensive to many natural Conservatives - Ivan Massow discusses the repeal of Section 28 and his disappointment to Michael Howard voting to retain it.