THE Bishop of Blackburn was today caught up in a row over homosexuality being promoted in schools after tabling a controversial motion in the House of Lords.

The Rt Rev Alan Chesters was meeting the leading campaigner in favour of keeping Section 28, the legislation which prevents gay sex being promoted in schools.

The bishop, who is chairman of the Church of England's Board of Education, has tabled a compromise motion for debate before the Lords votes on the issue tonight. It would ignore the question of gay sex and would require schools to promote marriage over casual sex.

Baroness Young, who is leading the campaign to prevent the government scrapping Section 28, says the Bishop's motion would "get the Government off the hook."

She said he was muddying the waters when the Roman Catholics, the Jews and the Muslims were taking such a strong line.

She said: "It is a question of whether you support promoting homosexuality. His amendment appears to allow that to continue. I could not support that."

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