Britain: A bid to outlaw the smacking of children failed in the House of Lords yesterday.
Instead, the Upper House opted for a government-backed compromise crafted by Liberal Democrat Lord Lester, in which peers voted to allow "mild smacking".
The move to ban parents from smacking their children was defeated, with 75 voting for the measure and 250 against it.
Peers then went on to give the compromise solution their support, with 226 votes for versus 91 against.
The move will make it a criminal offence to cause bruises, reddening of the skin, or mental harm.
Campaigners for an outright ban attacked the "fudge", and backbench MPs will make a second attempt in the Commons.
But the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, said the government wanted to strike a balance between protecting children and parents' rights to impose discipline. His spokesman said: "The government wants to send the signal that parents do have the right to discipline children at the same time as protecting the rights of children.
"We don't want to criminalise parents - the government believes parents will recognise the distinction between discipline, which is right, and hurting a child, which is wrong."
Lords were voting on a series of amendments to the Children Bill.
Labour peers had been ordered by whips to vote against the outright ban.
However, they were given a free vote on the amendment from Liberal Democrat Lord Lester of Herne Hill allowing "moderate" smacking.
Senior Labour MP David Hinchliffe immediately said he would push for an outright ban when the Bill reaches the Commons.
Mr Hinchliffe, chair of the health select committee which has called for such a ban, said 100 backbenchers and a "significant" number of ministers supported him. "I genuinely hope the government will have the common sense to allow a free vote and not whip it," he said.
"If this is not an issue of conscience I don't know what is."
Mr Tony Samphier, of the Children Are Unbeatable! Alliance, called the result "shameful, unjust and irresponsible".
"It sends out a dangerous message to society that is still legally acceptable to assault a child," he said.
"Hitting children is as unacceptable as hitting anyone else, and the law should clearly say so.
"Equal protection from assault for children is the only responsible and safe way to modernise the law.
"Peers who voted against equal protection have failed children." - (PA)