MPs to vote on smacking ban in UK

by Dave Keating | October 8, 2008 at 02:01 am

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The UK parliament is today to consider a measure to ban hitting children as punishment. The bill would give children the same protection against physical assault as adults, eliminating the defense for parents of "reasonable punishment," which allows physical assault against children in the instance of punishment by a parent.

Moves to ban smacking come before parliament today with MPs facing a vote to abolish the defence of "reasonable punishment".

The House of Commons will debate a cross-party amendment to the children and young persons bill, which would give children the same protection against physical assault as adults.

An alliance of children's charities said a clear majority of MPs would support the abolition of smacking in a free vote.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said their MPs could vote with their consciences, but the government is expected to impose a whip requiring Labour MPs to back the current law.