Nick Clegg: 'Flawed' House of Lords needs repair

MPs have begun a two-day debate on controversial government plans to create a smaller and mostly elected House of Lords.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg opened the debate in the Commons by saying that the bill was about "fixing a flawed institution".

A letter opposing the changes, signed by 70 Conservative MPs, has called for "full and unrestricted scrutiny" of the plans.

But the coalition says it is confident Lords reform, championed by the Liberal Democrats, will go ahead.