A purely Tory government would not be pressing ahead with reform of the House of Lords in this parliament, Justice Secretary Ken Clarke admitted.

The Justice Secretary hinted at tensions within the coalition amid reports that at least six Cabinet ministers would prefer to see the changes delayed.

Philip Hammond, Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Gove, Eric Pickles, Owen Paterson and Lord Strathclyde are said to be among senior Conservatives who have voiced doubts.

The party's backbenchers are also threatening a mass rebellion on the issue, with the potential for resignations by several ministerial aides.

Speaking on Sky News' Murnaghan programme, Mr Clarke stressed that he had always been in favour of an elected upper House.

"The existing House of Lords is a curious historical anomaly," he said. "We are ready for democracy, I think. All three political parties were in favour of House of Lords reform in their last manifestos."

But he went on: "The Liberals probably have determined the timing. I think doing it now in this parliament has happened because the Liberals are anxious to get on with it."

Mr Clarke said there had always been a "minority" in the Commons opposed to an elected Lords, for "various reasons".

But he expressed concern that many Tory MPs were using the policy as a way to attack the alliance with the Lib Dems.

"What I hope is that none of our backbenchers just want to do it because they are against the coalition and the Liberal Democrats, they are suddenly against it because they think it is a Lib Dem thing," he said. "It isn't - it's an all-party thing."

The Press Association, photo: UK in Romania