Police could patrol nightclubs in drive to protect women

Steps to improve safety include plainclothes patrols of bars and clubs and increased funding for streetlights and CCTV

Plainclothes police officers could patrol bars and nightclubs around England and Wales, as part of plans to protect women from predatory offenders, it has been announced, after peers forced the prime minister's arm.

The government had opposed an amendment to its domestic abuse bill that would create a national register of stalkers, but the House of Lords voted on Monday evening to send it back to MPs to consider. Within minutes, Boris Johnson announced a series of immediate steps" to improve security.