Under-performing peers are to face ejection from the House of Lords by public petition in a manner reminiscent of the BBC quiz show, The Weakest Link.

Jack Straw, the justice secretary, has cross-party support for the proposal, to be incorporated in the white paper on Lords reform, to be unveiled next week.

If it becomes law, it will set an awkward precedent, potentially fuelling calls for a similar system for MPs.

Straw is finalising the white paper, which proposes replacing about 735 peers with around 400 directly elected senators.

The mechanism for throwing out poor performers is expected to be modelled on American systems in which as few as 12% of voters in some states can trigger a poll to replace an elected official.

It is understood that under the government proposal, a minimum of a third of the electorate who originally voted for the senator would have to support his or her removal for it to happen.

In America, the system, known as “recall” elections, famously propelled Arnold Schwarzenegger to power as governor of California in 2003, replacing Gray Davis.

The idea of extending the move to the Commons has been discussed in a cabinet committee, with some ministers arguing that it could make MPs more accountable. However, most ministers rejected the move, saying colleagues would not back a change that would threaten their careers.

Under Straw’s plans, thrashed out by an all-party committee, senators would be paid a salary, probably less than the current £62,000 a year for MPs, instead of peers’ £82 a day expenses.

The scheme for throwing out those who fail to meet public expectations is being presented as a “safeguard” to prevent senators neglecting their responsibilities.

A Whitehall source said: “These people will be serving up to 15 years, and we don’t want them to think they are on a cushy number. They won’t simply be able to pick up their pay packets and do nothing for it.”

Whitehall officials likened the plan to The Weakest Link. “The idea is the public don’t get stuck for years with someone who just isn’t bothering,” a source said.

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