Ren?e Webb will bring her failed gay rights bill back before the House of Assembly when its new session begins in November.

?Both sides of the House have asked me to re-table it. What happened was a travesty,? said the Government backbencher last night, in an announcement welcomed by campaigners.

Only one other MP ? fellow Government backbencher Nelson Bascome ? spoke on the private member?s bill to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation, which was opposed by the AME church. It was thrown out at the committee stage on May 26 having been subject to a conscience vote which did not bind MPs on party lines.

The silent treatment given to the bill prompted Ms Webb to complain that the leadership of the country?s two political parties was the ?weakest I have ever seen?.

It also sparked a mass protest outside the House the following week, and a public apology shortly afterwards from Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert for his party?s failure to engage in the debate.

Ms Webb had previously said that she did not intend to try to table the Human Rights Amendment Act 2006 again because ?nothing has indicated that people have changed their position?.

However, last night she said: ?I will definitely be re-tabling it. Members have asked me to. I won?t re-table it unless I believe it will have due process and be passed.?

She expressed confidence in this, but added: ?You can never be sure. They say one thing and do another.?

Ms Webb believes the marathon debate in the House last Friday on the economy ? which ran until 6.30 a.m. on Saturday ? was an ?overboard? response to the backlash at the silence during the human rights debate.

?The fact that they went on all night shows that they are capable of speaking when they want to. I hope they?ll talk for as long when I re-table the bill. I think they will take the matter more seriously in November and look at all the issues and come down on the side of passing the bill. I hope so,? she said.

She had faced criticism from some MPs for failing to lobby properly on the bill before she brought it to the house. Rejecting this, she said that while she would continue to lobby those ?who want the information? it was up to MPs to do their own research on the matter.

Following the church?s public opposition to the bill, Mr. Furbert had said his party was committed to exploring a ?compromise? version, more widely acceptable to those of differing views.

However, Ms Webb confirmed that the re-tabled bill will be the same as the original. ?It?s all red herrings. It?s perfectly worded,? she said.

Explaining why she would wait until November despite the fact that the House could theoretically agree to suspend its usual rules and bring the bill back during the current session, she said: ?This way people will be able to take their time and not feel pressured, and they can learn more about the subject.?

However, she dismissed widespread speculation ? in part prompted by Friday?s long debate ? that a General Election is imminent before then. ?There will be no General Election before November and you can quote me on that,? she said.

?Neither party is in a position to fight an election quite frankly. I assume they look at the polls? Forty percent say they?re not sure who they want to vote for. They are disillusioned and this is before what happened (with the bill.) My motion might have been the straw that broke the camel?s back ? people are fed up.?

The news that Ms Webb will re-table her bill was welcomed last night by Alex Cabrall, a member of the gay community who attended the rally and describes himself as a supporter of human rights for everyone. ?That?s exciting news,? the 26-year-old from St. David?s said.

?Given the response from the general public after it got thrown out without debate it?s something that should be brought back. It?s something that needs to be debated regardless of whether MPs are for or against it.?

Shadow Finance Minister Pat Gordon-Pamplin was in favour of the bill although she did not speak on it as ? she says ? she was waiting for Human Rights Minister Dale Butler to do so. She welcomed news that Ms Webb has pledged to bring it back.

?My support for the principle is as strong as ever,? she said. ?She didn?t do enough homework to ensure she had sufficient votes to pass it first time around. I would hope that the work is put in the next time.?

Mr. Butler ? who explained he missed the chance to speak in the first debate because he was in the bathroom ? said he continued to support the bill. ?Hopefully it will be discussed by more MPs this time. Efforts have been made to make me the scapegoat but hopefully (next time) people won?t be sitting around saying ?I was waiting for him?. They should speak,? he said.

However, Mr. Butler does not believe that the bill will be passed. ?There are so many members in the house more worried about their constituencies than the wider issue,? he said.