THE House of Lords forced a full-blown constitutional crisis over the Government's legal reforms last night by blocking its flagship Constitutional Reform Bill.

Peers voted by 216 to 183 to send the Bill to a select committee, risking delaying its progress until the next parliamentary session.

Ministers had threatened to withdraw the Bill, which abolishes the post of lord chancellor and creates a supreme court and a statutory commission to appoint judges, if peers voted it down.

Baroness Amos, the Leader of the Lords, told peers that, as the unelected House, they had taken a serious step in blocking a Bill contained in the Queen's Speech. She added: "The Government will consider what the consequences may be."

Lord Strathclyde, the Shadow Leader of the Lords, challenged ministers to send the Bill to the select committee, but to bring it back into next year's parliamentary programme. Peter Hain, the Leader of the Commons, threatened to withdraw the Bill yesterday. He told The Times that it would be reintroduced in the Commons and forced through both Houses, using the Parliament Act if necessary.

But there was better news for the Government in a Populus poll for The Times today, which shows that voters are growing more optimistic about the state of the economy.

The more positive view of the economy has reinforced Labour's narrow lead over the Tories. Labour is unchanged on 36per cent, with the Tories up three points at 34.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Oh no, Darling: you've failed
• BBC survives dogfight over Kennel Club expose
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone