London - The House of Lords early today threw out for a second time a move to lower the age of consent for gay men from 18 to 16.
The Government was defeated as peers on a free vote backed an amendment tabled by Tory former Lords Leader Baroness Young effectively killing the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill. Voting was 222 to 146, blocking a second reading for the measure which had cleared the Commons with the overwhelming support of MPs.
The Home Office Minister of State, Lord Williams of Mostyn, said the government would now consider using the Parliament Act to override the Lords and force the change in the law to equalise the age of consent for male homosexuals with that for heterosexuals. But a new Bill could not become law before early next year - at least a year after the original Bill gained its Commons second reading.