William Hague is facing the most serious challenge yet to his authority after he sacked his leader in the Lords for doing deals with Labour behind his back.

The aim of the exercise was clearly to show he had a firm grip on his party and would not stand any dissent.

But the tactic has backfired badly with the entire Lords front bench offering to resign in a show of loyalty to their sacked leader Lord Cranborne.

Mr Hague refused to accept their resignations but is clearly expecting further rebellions ahead.

He patently does not command the unswerving loyalty of his peers and is now desperately trying to patch together a face saving compromise.

The sacking of Lord Cranborne has raised doubts about Mr Hague's leadership

But his pronouncement that, after sacking Lord Cranborne for his defiance, he is now prepared to accept the Labour concession only makes his policy look more confused.

Many MPs on his own side were shaking their heads in disbelief that he had got himself into the current crisis which looks certain to spin further out of control in the coming days with predictions of several defections from the ranks of Tory peers.

No one could understand why he chose to raise the issue during Prime Minister's Question Time when he must have known he was facing a serious revolt.

And the issue has again raised a question mark over his tactical and leadership qualities.

It has taken him most of his time as Tory leader to overcome initial doubts over his leadership and a formidable performance in the Commons had gone a long way to secure his position.

Reform in shambles

But all that work has been undone in one afternoon and the inevitable whispers about leadership challenges have once again started to rumble around Westminster.

What is certain is that, despite his attempt to look decisive and firm, he is not in control of the situation in the Lords.

Tony Blair made much of his predicament during Question Time - and that was before Lord Cranborne had been sacked. He will lose little time in rubbing salt into the wounds.

Meanwhile, Mr Hague's policy on constitutional reform is in a shambles.