Brighton and Hove's Labour MPs helped defeat a Tory revolt over plans to repeal controversial Section 28, which bans the promotion of homosexuality.

Conservative hardliners tried to reinstate the clause but suffered a decisive Commons defeat by 368 votes to 77.

Hove MP Ivor Caplin, Kemptown's Des Turner and Pavilion's David Lepper opposed the Tories.

Mr Lepper, stressing the importance of the issue in Brighton and Hove, welcomed the result.

He said he hoped the size of the defeat would be noted by Peers, who are expected to make their own attempts to defend Section 28.

Mr Lepper said: "Before I came to this place I was a secondary school teacher and, since being elected to Parliament, I have heard from former students how their fear and uncertainty over Section 28 added to the misery that they experienced, by making them reluctant to seek protection from homophobic bullying when they needed it most.

"Let us end this regime here and now through the further passage of the Bill."

Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith was among 71 Tory MPs who backed the move to block repeal of Section 28 in the debate on the Local Government Bill.

The amendment, on a free vote, showed how deep the divisions were between hardline Tory MPs and the modernising wing of the party.