Peers yesterday lined up to launch a fresh assault on Nick Clegg's plans for House of Lords reform, with one ex-minister saying the proposals published this week were already "doomed" and another claiming they were as unpopular as the poll tax.
Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Fowler said he would oppose the plans and predicted the majority of his colleagues would also fail to support the Deputy Prime Minister's flagship constitutional reforms.
The legislation, driven by Mr Clegg and central to the Liberal Democrats' agenda in the coalition, would introduce an 80% elected Upper House and slim membership down from 800 to 450.
It would finally complete the removal of hereditary peers from the Second Chamber and introduce the first elected members in tranches of 120 at each of the next three general elections, with the process of change completed by 2025.
Elected members would serve for a single 15-year term and would be able to claim a £300 daily allowance for attendance, but unlike the present arrangements that sum would be taxed.
But Lord Fowler, who served as a Cabinet minister in the Thatcher administration, said the proposals were as unpopular as the decision to introduce the community charge, or "poll tax" as it became known.
"Not since we introduced the community charge has the political and public response been so unequivocal," he told the House of Lords.
"I hear some members of my party are writing to the Chief Whip to say they will not be supporting the Government on their approach.
"I think it would probably be more relevant to know the members of my party who are writing to the Chief Whip to say that they will be supporting that approach.
"It will come as no total surprise to the front bench to know that I'm one of the many Conservatives saying to the Government that you cannot rely on my support."
He accused Mr Clegg of using "smear tactics" to attack the current membership of the House of Lords.
Labour former constitutional renewal minister Lord Wills said: "The mishandling by the Government of their House of Lords Reform Bill has almost certainly, in my view, doomed it."
He added: "I fear the Government have botched their legislation so severely it is too late for this Bill to make any serious progress in either House in this Parliament."
The peers were speaking during a debate on former Liberal leader Lord Steel of Aikwood's House of Lords (Cessation of Membership) Bill, which would allow members of the second chamber to retire or be expelled.
Under his proposals, peers would face expulsion if they failed to attend at all during a session of Parliament or were jailed for more than a year for a criminal offence.
Peers would also, for the first time, be allowed to retire and potentially receive a taxpayer-funded payout in recognition of their service.