Government suffers three defeats over Mental Health Bill

The government suffered three crushing defeats in the House of Lords this week over the controversial Mental Health Bill. The bill would allow people with severe personality disorders who had committed no crime to be detained if they were judged a threat to themselves or others.

As the BMJ went to press on Tuesday, ministers were considering whether to try to reverse the defeats inflicted by peers from all sides during the report stage of the bill.

In the biggest setback for ministers, peers voted by a 71 vote majority to ensure that patients can be detained for …