Blair's reforms may weaken Upper House

London: Tony Blair is preparing the biggest assault on the powers of the House of Lords for more than 50 years after a series of bruising battles with peers over Labour reforms.

The government plans to change the law to prevent the Upper Chamber blocking legislation passed by the House of Commons.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Lord Falconer, the Lord Chancellor, said the powers of the Lords should be curtailed as part of a wider package of reforms that could include the creation of a mainly-elected Upper Chamber.

"The right position for the Lords is that it should scrutinise, it should amend legislation to give the Commons the opportunity to think again but ... then it should give way ... I want there to be clarity about the circumstances in which the Lords gives way. In real terms the political decisions on the big issues need to be made by the Commons."

The move which would significantly alter the balance of power between the Commons and the Lords will put the government on collision course with peers.

Until now, the Upper Chamber has abided by the Salisbury Convention that it does not block legislation proposed in the ruling party's manifesto. The new measure would prevent the Lords rejecting any proposed laws such as ID cards, anti-terrorism proposals or schools reform the government deemed important.