Leading child doctors have joined calls for a complete ban on smacking children in England, saying there is no evidence it has any positive effect on their wellbeing.
Currently, smacking is unlawful in England, except in cases where it amounts to a "reasonable punishment".
Now the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) wants that legal defence to be removed, using an amendment to a law which is currently making its way through Parliament.
The Department for Education said the government had no plans to change the law on smacking, but that it was committed to giving every child the best start in life.