He spoke out against the government's proposals in the House of Lords and said ministers needed to work towards a consensus on the matter.

BBC: Gay marriage to be illegal in Church of England

They are people "with a record of significant achievement within their chosen way of life that demonstrates a range of experience, skills and competencies... who are able to make an effective and significant contribution to the work of the House of Lords".

BBC: Guide to peers and House of Lords

Apart from Romanians and Bulgarians, EU nationals have an unrestricted right to work in the UK. The Lords committee wants the government to tighten up on the other non-EU half by imposing a cap on the numbers allowed in.

BBC: Assessing Brown's immigration stance

During question time in the Lords on 30 November 2011, Lord Lucas asked the government whether it would require interns who work for an organisation for longer than two months to be paid at or above the rate of Jobseeker's Allowance.

BBC: Peer: Parliament should take on more interns

The bill, which has been backed by mental health charities and the Royal College of Physicians, builds on the work of Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, who launched a similar bill in the House of Lords in the previous Parliamentary session.

BBC: Gavin Barwell

Speaking to the Independent newspaper, Richard Reeves - who stood down as the Lib Dems' director of strategy on Thursday to work in America - said Tuesday's vote was a "critical moment" for Lords reform and "a once-in-a-generation chance" to secure it.

BBC: UK Politics

The government has been defeated in the Lords over plans to allow employees to give up workplace rights in return for shares in the company they work for.

BBC: Peers reject workplace rights-for-shares scheme

The Wellfare Reform Bill (UK) aims to "make work pay", according to the UK government and is currently under scrutiny in the House of Lords.

BBC: Health Committee 1