A long-awaited law designed to protect kids online has been delayed amid a furious Tory row.
The Online Safety Bill was meant to go through its final amendments in the Commons before MPs left for their summer break on July 21.
But this will now not happen until after MPs return in September - under a new Prime Minister who could ditch the Bill.
Sources insisted the delay had happened because of Labour ’s “pointless” bid to have a no-confidence motion in the government.
After blocking Labour’s motion, Boris Johnson agreed to table a confidence motion motion himself, which will move around other government business next Monday.
But the Online Safety Bill has also been controversial in the Tory party - due to a clause which will make online messages that cause “at least serious distress” illegal.
Critics say this will create a class of behaviour that is legal offline but illegal online.
‘Anti-woke’ candidate Kemi Badenoch said the postponement was the "right move", adding that if she is elected as leader of the Tories she will "ensure the Bill doesn't overreach".
In response to reports it was being deferred, Ms Badenoch tweeted: "This would be the right move. The Bill is in no fit state to become law.
"If I'm elected Prime Minister I will ensure the Bill doesn't overreach. We should not be legislating for hurt feelings."
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who is spearheading the Bill and is backing Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to be the next leader of the Tories, hit back.
Ms Dorries tweeted: “Which part of the Bill legislates for hurt feelings, Kemi?"
A government source insisted the delay was not due to the party row.
They said: “It was either the Northern Ireland Protocol bill or the second day of our report stage that got delayed to Autumn to allow Labour to have time to play politics. The Online Safety Bill lost out.”
Another source insisted: "The final stages in the Commons will be after summer recess. The bill has not been paused."
Supporters have warned the delay could be harmful to the fight to keep children safe online.
Andy Burrows, head of child safety online policy at the NSPCC, said: "The Online Safety Bill is a crucial piece of legislation that is fundamentally about protecting children from harm and abuse that is taking place on an industrial scale on social media.
"Any delay will mean families continue to pay the price for the failure and inaction of tech firms who have allowed harm to fester rather than get their house in order.
"Online regulation is therefore vital to force their hand and delivering this legislation should be a cornerstone of any Government's duty to keep the most vulnerable in our society safe."
