TORY plans to hand police “chilling powers to stop and search protesters without suspicion” have been rejected by peers in another setback for the government’s anti-protest Bill. 

The measure, contained in the Public Order Bill, was voted down in the House of Lords on Tuesday by 284 votes to 209. 

Arguing for the measure to be struck out of the Bill, Lord Brian Paddick, who served as a Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner until 2007, said such powers had only been available previously to combat terrorism and serious violent crime.