GAY activists have welcomed the news that a bid to retain what they see as a homophobic law has failed.

But Conservative politicians including North Wiltshire MP James Gray say they are disappointed that Section 28 of the Local Government Act is to be scrapped.

The section forbids councils from "promoting homosexuality" by putting gay relationships on a par with straight ones during lessons in schools and colleges.

The Government's new Local Government Bill includes the scrapping of the section, introduced by the last Thatcher Government in 1988.

Tories tried to amend the Bill to keep the section as it passed through the House of Lords, but the Lords rejected the amendment by 180 votes to 130.

This was good news for Gary Jefferson, manager of the Gay Men's Health Wiltshire and Swindon support group, who said: "Section 28 has been used to discriminate against young gay people.

"It has also been used to deprive young people of knowledge about HIV. Section 28 was always a nonsense.

"It is not possible to promote homosexuality, in the same way that it is not possible to promote heterosexuality. For example, I went to a heterosexual school, had heterosexual parents and lived in a heterosexual society, yet I am gay.

"You cannot promote a sexual orientation."

However, Mr Gray said the amendment would have safeguarded the rights of parents to have a say over their children's sex education.