British lawmakers are debating a controversial draft law today to reform the upper house of parliament amid fierce opposition from within the ruling coalition.
MPs will vote late tomorrow on the House of Lords Reform Bill, which would create a smaller and mainly elected upper house.
The draft legislation has caused deep divisions within the Conservative-led coalition, in which the Liberal Democrats are junior partners.
Under the proposed reforms, 80% of the upper chamber would be elected.
Its membership of over 800 would be reduced to 450.
The plans face an angry rebellion from some of British Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservatives, with up to 100 lawmakers from the centre-right party expected to oppose the bill.
Around 70 Conservative MPs have backed a letter warning that the reforms threaten to "pile a constitutional crisis on top of an economic crisis".
A spokesman for Mr Cameron would not confirm reports that the Prime Minister had spent the weekend trying to persuade backbenchers to get behind the changes, but said he would discuss the issue with his lawmakers.
"No one should be in any doubt about his position on Lords reform. He is committed to these reforms," the spokesman said.
Critics fear that elected membership of the House of Lords, which scrutinises legislation before it passes, could undermine the supremacy of the lower house, the House of Commons.
All three main parties in Britain promised changes to the Lords at the last general election in May 2010, but it is Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his centrist Liberal Democrats who are its strongest proponents.
The Lib Dems have signalled that they would block key Conservative-driven plans to redraw Britain's constituency boundaries if Mr Cameron's party halts Lords reform.
The main opposition Labour party has said it will back the Lords Bill but accused the government of failing to provide enough time to debate it.
The law would complete the process of abolishing the right of hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords which began under the previous Labour government in 1999, when their number was frozen at 92.
Ministers aim to see the bill passed into law by May next year, but the opposition could significantly delay its passage through parliament.
