The proposals will now undergo further scrutiny in the Lords, where they are expected to face tough opposition.

Donors and “cronies” should be removed from the House of Lords, an SNP MP has said, as he called for the upper chamber to be abolished altogether. Pete Wishart described Parliament’s second chamber as an “absurd embarrassment” and criticised the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill for not going far enough.

MEMBERS of Parliament have voted to remove hereditary peers from the House of Lords, but rejected an amendment from the Conservative MP Gavin Williamson to abolish the parliamentary seats for the Lords Spiritual ( News, 1 November ).

The amendment was defeated after 378 MPs voted it down, with just 41 MPs in favour. Despite most new Labour MPs reportedly agreeing with abolishing the bishops' bench, 342 voted against the amendment after the vote was whipped by the Government, who wished to avoid disruption to a Bill delivering a manifesto commitment.

MPs are to consider calls to remove the Church of England bishops from the House of Lords and introduce a mandatory retirement age for peers. Conservative former minister Sir Gavin Williamson has tabled amendments in a bid to press Labour to both honour manifesto commitments and then go further in the party’s efforts to reform the upper chamber.