The prime minister has suffered an embarrassing snub from senior MPs including William Hague and Ken Clarke.

The former Tory leader and chancellor have refused to serve on a panel Tony Blair wants to ask to draw up the next stages in plans for reform of the House of Lords.

But along with some Labour backbenchers and Liberal Democrat MPs and peers, the Conservatives have said they will not join the joint committee as long as the government refuses to state its own policy position on the issue.

Ministers fear the setback will further delay constitutional reform plans.