Iain Duncan Smith's attempt to settle the dispute in his party over Section 28 could fail after Tory peers revealed that they intend to overturn plans by Labour MPs to abolish the law that bans local authorities from promoting homosexuality.

In an interview with today's Independent, the former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit says: "I don't think there's anything wrong with Section 28. I don't think there is any reason to believe that it creates difficulties."