House of Lords reform is a test of Cameron, warn Lib Dems However, many Tories are appalled by reforms championed by Mr Clegg that would replace the Lords with a "senate" of around 450 full-time representatives, who would be elected to 15-year terms. They also fear the proposals will undermine the "primacy" of the House of Commons. The rebels plan to vote against a programme motion on Tuesday, which aims to curtail the debate on the proposals to as little as 10 days. If the Government loses this vote, rebels plan to delay the passage of the bill by talking for hour after hour - a process known as "filibustering." In 1983, the MP John Golding talked for more than 11 hours during an all-night sitting in attempt to delay a bill. Although some Lib Dems have tried to dismiss the opponents as "the awkward squad," many have not voted against the Government before. This weekend the Prime Minister is to ring rebel Tories directly in an attempt to persuade them to change their minds. The Conservative MPs spearheading the opposition to the reforms include Jesse Norman, Eleanor Laing, Oliver Heald and Tracey Crouch. Those opposing the bill are calling themselves "the Sensibles." Last week Richard Reeves, Mr Clegg's outgoing director of strategy, said that if the Tories block House of Lords reforms, Lib Dems may stop proposed changes to constituency boundaries - which could make it easier for the Conservatives to win a majority in the next general election. Mr Reeves claims led to accusations of "blackmail" from Tory benches. Relations between the two parties inside the Coalition are now widely acknowledged to be at their lowest since it was formed in May 2010. Lord Oakeshott, the former Coalition Treasury spokesman in the Lords, said: "We Lib Dems have had to eat whole humble pies on tuition fees and the NHS. So it's only fair and reasonable for the Tories to swallow a slice on Lords" reform to avoid a Coalition crunch. Electing the Lords is the only way to end the stench of cash for peerages which has defiled our democracy under all three parties since the days of Lloyd George. It is not clear how many votes the Tory rebels will need to defeat the programme motion as some Labour MPs are expected to defy their party's whip and vote for the motion to be passed. This weekend members of the House of Lords who have yet to speak publicly about the reforms broke their silence. Admiral Lord West, who served as a minister in Gordon Brown's government, said: "These reforms are all driven by the enormous ego of one man: Nick Clegg. He will toddle off to some job in Europe when it's done and leave the rest of us to clear up the mess. Lord West said he wished that Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, had taken a "more robust line" against the proposed reforms. Lord Billimoria, the entrepreneur who created Cobra beer and who is a crossbench peer, said: "I am very worried about the enormous loss of intellectual talent that these ridiculous reforms will lead to. I can't see many - if any - of the current members of the Lords with an interest of standing for election. I know of not one world experts on anything in the House of Commons. I know many such experts in the House of Lords. Losing those people would be bad for our country.