Ministers vowed yesterday to press on with plans to reform the House of Lords, despite protests that the option backed by the biggest majority of MPs was the result of sabotage.

Some Labour MPs admitted to The Times that they voted for a fully elected second chamber in order to sow confusion by trumping an earlier victory for an 80 per cent elected Lords. Voting lists suggested that several dozen may have done so.

Jack Straw, the Leader of the House, dismissed objections from the Conservatives that the settled view of the Commons was unclear because of widespread tactical voting in the division on a 100 per cent elected second chamber.

“It is a very clear commitment by the House of Commons passed with a very substantial majority, and by an absolute majority of all Members of Parliament,” Mr Straw said. Referring to tactical voting by opponents of reform, he added: “Fancy tactics never work. They blow up in your face.”

However, the key decision is likely to be taken by Gordon Brown if, as expected, he becomes Prime Minister in the summer. The Chancellor backed an 80 per cent elected house but absented himself from the subsequent division on an all-elected chamber.

The Chancellor may opt for a pledge to complete the reform of the Lords — a key pledge in Labour’s next election manifesto — in a fourth term rather than risk the distraction of a confrontation with hostile peers in the next two parliamentary sessions.

After separate votes in the House of Lords next Tuesday, at the end of a two-day debate in which 110 peers have applied to speak, the Government will bring forward a detailed draft Bill for the full reform of the second chamber based on consultations within Cabinet and with opposition parties.

Mr Straw is keen to do so swiftly, taking advantage of a sense of momentum from Wednesday’s Commons votes, although he admitted that writing the legislation and agreeing details would take time. “If you embark on a constitutional reform of this magnitude it is going to take time,” he said. “You need to ensure not only that the big picture is right but all the brush strokes work as well.”

Analysis of voting lists showed that 103 MPs, most of them Labour, voted to abolish the Lords but later supported a fully elected chamber. Similarly, 63 backed an all-appointed house but later supported a fully elected membership, including John Hutton, the Work and Pensions Secretary. A group of 37 Labour MPs voted for all three, including a clutch of serving and former government whips.

While some MPs could claim these votes were consistent, since all involved a rejection of a part-appointed, part-elected chamber, one senior back-bencher admitted his vote for a 100 per cent elected chamber was a deliberate act of sabotage.

After the Commons backed an 80 per cent elected chamber by a majority of 38, the back-bencher was approached in the tea room by opponents of reform — led by John Spellar and David Clelland — and encouraged to make a “tactical vote” on the next division.

“I took some persuading, I can tell you,” the MP said. “But I did it to cancel out the 80 per cent elected option and to sow confusion when the Lords has its votes, as they will not know the will of the Commons.”

Mr Spellar admitted that he had encouraged MPs to vote for a fully elected second chamber, even though it was not his view. “I did discuss it with a number of colleagues, yes,” he said. “There is no agreement for an all appointed house, which is what I favour. There is an agreement, not one I necessarily go along with, for 100 per cent. A hybrid house is almost the worst of all possible worlds. I am forcing people to face up to the consequences rather than trying to muddy the waters.”

The splits among Labour and Tory MPs, with free votes on both sides, were exposed in the division on the 80 per cent elected option. This was opposed by a majority of Labour MPs (162 to 158) and Conservatives (98 to 80), despite being Tory policy, and was carried thanks only to support from Liberal Democrat MPs.

In a final vote, 110 Conservative MPs voted to keep hereditary peers, which no Labour or Lib Dem MP supported, and only 16 Tories supported the removal of hereditary peers.

Chris Bryant, a campaigner for elections to the Lords, put down a Commons motion last night calling for a halt to any further appointments of life peers. But this was rejected by Mr Straw, who said that commitments between parties to appoint peers would be honoured pending agreement on reform.

Off-message

-153 Labour MPs, including Margaret Beckett and Hazel Blears, voted to abolish the Lords altogether

-110 Conservative MPs voted to keep hereditary peers. No Labour or Lib Dem MPs did

-98 Tory MPs voted against party policy for an 80% elected chamber, with 80 in favour

Labour MPs who voted to abolish Lords, 100% appointed and 100% elected: Bob Ainsworth, Janet Anderson, Kevin Barron, Stephen Byers, Ann Coffey, Brian Donohoe, Mike Gapes, MIke Hall, David Hamilton, David Hanson, Doug Henderson, Mark Hendrick, George Howarth, Adam Ingram, Kevan Jones Fraser Kemp, Tony Lloyd, Ian Lucas, John McFall, Jim McGovern, Rosie McKenna, George Mudie, Ian Pearson, Stephen Pound, Bridget Prentice, Ken Purchase, John Robertson, Barry Sheerman, Jim Sheridan, Sion Simon, John Spellar, Ian Stewart, Mark Tami, Dari Taylor, Derek Twigg, Claire Ward, Tom Watson

Times Recommends

• What makes the perfect mum?
• To keep me stress-free, no more awareness days, please
• What do lottery winners buy?