Britain’s House of Lords reforms face stormy ride

The British government was to unveil its plans on Wednesday for a mainly elected upper house of parliament, in a draft law that faces fierce opposition from within the ruling coalition.

Under the long-awaited legislation, 80 percent of the House of Lords would be elected, while its 800-strong membership would be reduced to 450.

The proposals have deeply divided Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives, with up to 100 lawmakers from the centre-right party expected to oppose the bill.

“We’ve been discussing this issue for 100 years and it really is time to make progress,” Cameron told parliament on Wednesday.

“There are opponents to Lords reform in every party,” he added. “But there is a majority in this house for a mainly elected House of Lords, and I believe there is a majority for it in the country.”

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 Liberal Democrat party who are seen as the bill’s strongest proponents.

The opposition Labour party has said it will back the plans but has accused the government of failing to provide enough time to debate them.

The bill would complete the process of abolishing hereditary peers — members of the House of Lords who inherit the job — which began under the previous Labour government in 1999, when their number was frozen at 92.

Labour lawmakers will join with Conservative rebels to oppose the timetable for the legislation, while Labour leader Ed Miliband is expected to demand an amendment requiring a referendum on the changes.

Ministers aim to see the bill passed into law by May next year, but the opposition could delay its passage through parliament by several months.