Government forced to drop Lords reform vote The Government has given way and dropped plans for a Parliamentary vote on Lords reform tonight which it looked certain to lose. Commons Leader Sir George Young announced this evening that there would be no vote on a timetable for the Lords Reform Bill currently going through Parliament. Party managers had warned the Prime Minister that the extent of the Tory rebellion was such that he could not hope to get the programme motion passed and it was better not to force the vote. The decision saves face for both Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg who yesterday suffered string of bruising attacks from Tory backbenchers on his plans to introduce a mainly elected House of Lords. It does not mean that the Bill will be dropped but unless a programme motion - limiting debate on the Bill in the Commons - is eventually passed it will clog up Parliamentary time and could be "talked out" by opponents. It also means that Mr Cameron will have a freer hand in a future Government reshuffle expected in the autumn. A number of the 70 plus Tory rebels had been tipped for promotion but Mr Cameron was forced to make clear that they could not enter the Government if they defied the whip on the vote. Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg are expected to sit down with the rebels to try and thrash out a compromise at a later date. A second reading of the Lords Reform Bill - which is supported by Labour - will still go ahead. Labour sources described the climb down as "a victory for Parliament." The move came after a last ditch appeal to Labour by Mr Cameron not to combine with Tory rebels to defeat a crucial Commons motion on House of Lords reform. The Prime Minister urged Labour not to "play politics" Speaking in Downing Street following talks with French president Francois Hollande, Mr Cameron said Labour's position was "extraordinary." "What I have always said about Lords reform is that in order for it to happen, all of those that support reforming the House of Lords need to act together, work together and vote together," he said. I think it is quite extraordinary that the Labour Party, which has stood on manifesto after manifesto to reform the House of Lords, is planning to oppose the programme motion and therefore stop this reform going ahead. Even at this late stage I would appeal to them - don't play the opportunistic card, don't play politics with this issue, vote for what you say you want which is a reform of the House of Lords.