Lib Dem Baroness Manzoor's "fatal" motion has been rejected by 310 to 99 votes. Peers now turn to crossbencher Baroness Meacher's motion to defer the tax credit reforms to enable the government to "think again". Once again, the House divides for a vote.

Peers are now voting on Lady Manzoor's "fatal" motion to kill off the tax credit cuts.

Earl Howe, deputy leader of the House of Lords, is bringing the debate to a close. Defending the reforms, he says: "I cannot pretend that these have been easy decisions" but says the changes are "the right thing to do". He says eight of 10 working households will be better off by 2017-18 as a result of all of the government's changes, clarifying this refers to overall households, not just those receiving tax credits.

Labour's shadow Lords leader Baroness Smith expresses regret that the focus of the debate has been on the constitution rather than the people that will be affected by the changes.

She says there is "no constitutional crisis at all", saying peers will not exceed their powers but will also not be cowed in their responsibility to hold the government to account.

The Labour and Conservative benches have begun their winding-up speeches at the end of the tax credit debate, meaning the first in a series of votes is imminent. 

Image source, PA

Away from the tax credits debate for a moment. Northern Powerhouse minister James Wharton has had quite a falling out with the Northern Echo newspaper. The regional title's editor, Peter Barron, has written an editorial , externalaccusing Mr Wharton of refusing "point blank" to take his reporters' calls. "It is no secret I am not a fan of this local paper", responded Mr Wharton in a Facebook , externalpost, accusing it of pro-Labour bias.

Former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Fowler says the last Tory manifesto was perhaps the most explicit there has ever been about what was intended in the field of welfare cuts. He welcomes the assurances given by Lords Leader Baroness Stowell that some elements of the reforms could be reconsidered and says the Lib Dem and Labour motions "cannot be justified" 

The Daily Politics

Earlier on the Daily Politics, Jo Coburn looked at what is coming up in the Commons and Lords in the coming days, including a change of cast at this week's Prime Minister's Questions. 

Some of the most distinguished members of the House of Lords have been contributing to the tax credit debate, including a former Lord Chancellor, a former Cabinet Secretary, a former Chancellor, the Archbishop of York and a former chairman of the Conservative Party. Lord Butler, a former head of the civil service, addresses the constitutional implications of the vote, arguing that for the Lords to defy the Commons over such a matter would be a "constitutional infringement of the greatest gravity". 

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, says he is minded to support the motions put forward by Baroness Hollis or Baroness Meacher. He warns that reducing the income of low-paid workers could push them into the arms of loan sharks. He says: 

Labour peer Lord Campbell-Savours has accused the government of lying during the general election over changes to tax credits. 

He told the House of Lords that David Cameron had "deliberately misled the British public" in order to win the general election.

Comparing the scale of the lie to the Liberal Democrats' broken pledge on tuition fees he added "at least they didn't know what was going to come after the election".

"But in this case Mr Cameron did know and they set out to avoid revealing the fact, by hiding behind this statement that they would have to make substantial cuts."

Lord Campbell-Savours said he would be backing his Labour colleague Lady Hollis' delay motion.