The government is attempting to stifle debate on the future of the House of Lords, Charter 88 said on Thursday.

As ministers prepare to publish a white paper on the future of the upper house, the constitutional reform group warned that voters had a right to be consulted over proposals for change.

"The intention to allow a two month consultation period over Christmas demonstrates the determination by some ministers to neuter the House of Lords as quickly and quietly as possible," said Charter 88's deputy director Chris Lawrence-Pietroni.

"The government must not be allowed to weaken further a crucial check on this and future executives. Reform can only proceed on the basis of consultation and consensus. There is virtually no support for the Wakeham proposals in parliament, political parties or the people."

The prime minister has also been criticised after it emerged that under the new plans he will still retain powers of patronage in the House of Lords.

Following reports that the Appointments Commission would only be able to veto political appointees if they were suspected of criminal activity or had blatantly tried to buy their peerage, Lawrence-Pietroni said: "We have seen this year how the government has treated the Appointments Commission. When Tony Blair made Sally Morgan a baroness and Cabinet Office minister, Downing Street insisted that peerages given to make people ministers did not have to be vetted by the Commission. Governments cannot be trusted to respect such a system."