Former HM Inspector of Constabulary, Lord Dear, persuades the House of Lords to back his amendment deleting “insulting words” from Section 5 of the Public Order Act.
Peers voted for the amendment by 150 votes to 54, a shock defeat for both the coalition government and the Labour opposition who opposed the reform.
The House of Commons must now approve the amendment and has its first opportunity to discuss it on 14 January 2013.