A CENTRAL plank of Jack McConnell’s antisocial behaviour legislation is to be thrown out by MSPs who fear that it would allow police to take action against people guilty of nothing more than gossiping outside their homes.

The bill would give police powers to disperse two or more people who they believed were causing alarm or distress to others. It is designed to crack down on groups of youths loitering on street corners.

But MSPs on two influential Scottish parliament committees say the powers are heavy-handed and are set to vote them down, delivering a damaging blow to the first minister’s crusade against “ned” culture.

“We could be in a situation where a couple of neighbours chatting in the street could be seen as a threat to the community,” said a parliamentary source. “Are the police supposed to turn up just because of that? It’s going too far.”

It is understood that the communities committee will cancel the dispersal powers when it votes on the flagship bill next month. Sources close to the justice committee have also signalled that it will reject the plans.

The first minister has already faced opposition from the Scottish police federation which claimed that the new powers were unnecessary. McConnell told Doug Keil, the federation’s leader, that he was out of touch with his membership.

McConnell is expected to reintroduce the proposals when the bill comes back to the full parliament for its final reading. Labour would then press its Liberal Democrat coalition partners to support the measures.

The Lib Dems have been warned that opposition to the anti-social behaviour crusade will jeopardise their plans for proportional representation for local councils and could even wreck the partnership government.

“It is disappointing that the committees are taking this view but ministers are determined to press ahead,” said a source close to the first minister.

Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP justice spokeswoman, said: “The committees have to weigh up the evidence, but the overwhelming view of those giving the evidence is that powers are not necessary.”

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