Members of European Parliament have failed to protect the rights of same-sex couples in a parliamentary report, a decision that was lost by just three votes.

A key paragraph which demanded full freedom of movement with legal rights for same-sex couples was deleted to the pleasure of the right-wing parties.

This means, if the report becomes legislation, couples will have to agree to the rules of the place they visit, leaving some at risk if the country does not recognise legal same-sex partnerships.

British Liberal Democrat European justice and human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Sarah Ludford blamed Labour party MEPs, saying if they had ‘bothered’, the paragraph would have been ‘comfortably voted through’.

Baroness Ludford, who is vice president of the LGBT+ Liberal Democrat group, said: ‘The LGBT community has been badly let down by the Socialist and Labour MEPs going AWOL on this occasion and failing to stand up for an end to discrimination.’

The European Socialist & Democratic group, to which British Labour party MEPs belong, have eight votes.

According to Baroness Ludford, only three or four showed up to vote on the paragraph’s importance in the document.

She said the Liberal Democrats, who were fully present, are the only political force in Europe which offers unwavering guarantees of equality to Europe’s gay citizens.

When contacted, the European Parliamentary Labour Party was not available for comment.