Tories split over Section 28

Tory divisions were laid bare again as Iain Duncan Smith joined 70 other Conservative MPs in a backbench attempt to block the repeal of Section 28.

This bans local councils from using public money to promote homosexuality.

The move to amend the Local Government Bill was easily defeated however, as 23 Conservatives voted with Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs to give a Government majority of 368 to 77.

In the Commons, the Conservatives' local government spokesman Geoffrey Clifton-Brown put forward a "compromise", which would have made repeal subject to a series of "safeguards" on appropriate sex education guidance and parental ballots.

However, in a free vote, a swathe of senior Tories lead by Mr Duncan Smith voted for an amendment tabled by Tory former ministers, Ann Widdecombe and Edward Leigh, opposing repeal altogether.

Other senior Shadow Cabinet members backing the amendment included Michael Ancram, Michael Howard and David Davis as well as John Redwood - who has been tipped for a possible return to the frontbench - and former leader William Hague.

Among those voting with the Government were shadow trade and industry secretary Tim Yeo, foreign affairs spokesman Alan Duncan and John Bercow who resigned from the Shadow Cabinet over Mr Duncan Smith's opposition to gay adoptions.

Around 70 Tory MPs did not vote, including party chairman Theresa May and Michael Portillo - the standard bearer of the "modernisers" who have been pressing for a more "inclusive" agenda on issues like homosexuality.

In the debate, Mr Leigh warned that sex education in schools should not be conducted in a "moral vacuum" which did not differentiate between heterosexual and homosexual relationships.

"We have to make a moral judgment," he said. "Section 28 is a statement that there is no moral equivalence between homosexuality and heterosexuality."

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