Lords defeat government attempt to give Police arbitrary power to ban websites
…but judges will have the authority to approve a ban on any site they consider “related to terrorism”.
Plans for new anti-terrorism controls on websites have led to a government defeat in the Lords – by just one vote.
The original plans would have allowed a police constable to decide that information on the internet could be related to terrorism.
But peers changed the anti-terror laws to ensure police have to ask judges before telling internet providers that web pages should be removed.
The government was defeated by 148 votes to 147 in the vote.
Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland was away for the vote because of what officials called a “family emergency”.
The defeat came as peers continue to debate the third and final stage of the controversial Terrorism Bill.