David Cameron was warned last night that any threat to pack the Lords with Tories in response to a rebellion over tax credits risks dragging the Queen into a political row.
The prime minister has said that peers should think very carefully before overturning the plans. Senior Conser-vatives have warned that the Lords could be flooded with Tory appointees if they do.
A constitutional expert said that such a move would be “uncomfortable” for the Queen because she would have to approve a slew of partisan appointments.
The intervention came before a series of key votes on tax credits in the Lords today, where the government is outnumbered by Labour and Liberal Democrat peers.
The hopes of Mr Cameron and George Osborne of avoiding a