Group of Peers in UK's House of Lords Want To Block Law That Would Punish Being Annoying

Say it is a threat to free speech

A group of peers wants to block a law under which courts could stop people being annoying in public.

Ministers want to replace anti-social behaviour orders in England and Wales with injunctions to prevent nuisance and annoyance.

Courts could impose these on anyone engaging - or threatening to engage - in "conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person".

But the Reform Clause 1 group calls the plan a "threat to free speech".