After the election Labour faced over 30 rebellions in the Lords as peers voiced their unrest at plans to reduce the gay age of consent and student tuition fees.

Lord Richard was an old Labour hand, but Blair preferred to give the job of steering through the government's controversial blueprint for Lords reform to Lady Jay, the daughter of the former Labour prime minister Jim Callaghan.

Once off the frontbench Lord Richard called for an elected House of Lords - a move the government showed a distaste for.