House of Lords' last-ditch bid to block gay marriage bill Dozens of peers will defy Coalition's attempts to legalise gay marriage Baroness Warsi has refused to steer legislation through Lords Critics will speak out against Marriage Bill next week By Political Correspondent Block: Peers will mount a last-ditch attempt to stop same-sex marriage from becoming law Peers will mount a last-ditch attempt to stop same-sex marriage from becoming enshrined in law when the controversial legislation comes before the Lords in a week. Dozens of members of the House of Lords - including leading Conservatives - will defy the Coalition's attempts to legalise gay marriage. Baroness Warsi, Minister for Faith and Communities, has refused to steer the legislation through the House of Lords. As the most powerful Muslim in government, Baroness Warsi has made her concerns over the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill clear. Other critics expected to speak out against it in the Lords next Monday, include Michael Ancram - the former Tory chairman, officially known as Lord Lothian - and Lord Dannatt, the former head of the Army. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, is also expected to contribute to the debate, as will his predecessor, Lord Carey. Lord Dear, a crossbench peer and former West Midlands chief constable insisted that critics of the Bill were not "anti-homosexual" but feared the legislation was being rushed through. He warned 8,000 amendments would have to be made to existing legislation thanks to the policy. Lord Luce, a former Foreign Office minister, said yesterday: "This is all part of the Prime Minister's "modernisation" of our party, whatever that word is supposed to mean." Some 75 peers have already asked to speak in the debate, meaning it could go on into Tuesday. The Government is still expected to ultimately get the legislation through, but Tory backbenchers have urged the House of Lords to try to scupper the legislation, pointing out it was not in the Conservative manifesto or Coalition agreement. Some 133 Tory MPs defied David Cameron to vote against the measure. Defiant: Baroness Warsi, Minister for Faith and Communities, has refused to steer the legislation through the House of Lords