Members of the House of Lords are threatening to block key government bills in protest at the "cavalier" way plans to abolish the post of lord chancellor were made public last week.

Lord Strathclyde, the Conservative leader in the Lords, told today's Times: "Peers from all sides are furious about the way this announcement was handled. It cuts across the sovereignty of parliament and there was no consultation."

Peter Hain, the new leader of the House of Commons, yesterday warned peers that ministers have unfinished business over Lords reform.

"The task is to scrap the hereditary element and above all modernise the House of Lords which has got very old-fashioned procedures that are extremely time-consuming and don't allow government business to be carried through and allow effective continual filibustering," he told the BBC.

The Guardian reports that ministers have shunned the American model for a new supreme court, while senior civil servants are "up in arms" over the hastily drawn up changes.

The Telegraph believes that there is further disquiet over the prime minister's "gross discourtesy" in failing to inform the Queen of his reforms.

In an attempt to draw a line under the reshuffle controversy, the prime minister will tomorrow make a major speech on public services.