Queen's Speech 2012: Cameron urges Tories to back Lords reform Some Conservative MPs want any change in the make-up of the Lords to be put to a referendum, a move that would jeopardise the entire reform project. Mr Cameron said that referendums have often been used as a "weapon" by "unsavoury regimes" around the world to claim support for their proposals. He said: "I don't personally see a referendum has much to recommend it" in the case of Lords reform. However, he suggested that the House of Commons will have the final say on the issue. Because Labour too backs a referendum, that means a popular vote remains a possibility. Several Conservative backbenchers yesterday questioned why the Coalition is bothering with Lords reform at a time of economic turmoil. The Prime Minister insisted that reforming the Lords is "not the most important priority for the government - that is dealing with the deficit." However, he added: "I think it is perfectly possible to do two things at the same time." Eleanor Laing, a Conservative backbencher, said a reformed Lords would challenge the primacy of the Commons. She said: "An elected House of Lords would undermine the position of the elected Members of the House and make it less likely they will be able to hold the Government to account." The Queen's Speech set out no timetable for Lords reform, but Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, said it should be done as quickly as possible to avoid "deflecting" the Coalition from its core task of restoring economic growth. "A bit of common sense and it should go through very quickly, without a great deal of fuss," he told the BBC.