The leader of the Commons has hit out at the House of Lords for blocking legislation banning fox hunting.

On the weekend that the British hunt season began, Peter Hain said peers could force the government to use the Parliament Act to force the law through.

Speaking on Sunday Hain said the Lords had "flagrantly abused" their power in defeating the Hunting Bill last week.

But the Times claims the government will not put a new Hunting Bill in the Queen's Speech as ministers seek to find a way round the row.