House of Lords vote promised by end of year

DAVID Cameron yesterday promised a Commons vote by the end of the year on a "predominantly elected" House of Lords.

The promise came as he made his first appearance at Prime Minister's Questions since gaining power.

Condolences to the families of soldiers who were recently killed in Afghanistan, and the shock felt by the shootings in Cumbria, ensured that yesterday's joust between the party leaders was sombre.

The session marked the first time in 70 years that the head of a coalition government appeared before the dispatch box.

Mr Cameron acknowledged one of the key policies of his Lib Dem partners' policy to reform the House of Lords.

"I've always supported a predominantly elected House of Lords," he told a chamber full of MPs anxious to see how he would perform on the other side of the house.

"I'm delighted agreement has been reached on the coalition programme. I hope that after all the promises of reform, this time we can move towards a predominantly elected second chamber."