EAST Lancashire Labour MP Gordon Prentice has attacked his own government's "corrupting'' proposals for a largely appointed replacement for the House of Lords.

Instead he has told Leader of the Commons Robin Cook that there must be a small, largely or entirely directly-elected second chamber at Westminster without any Church of England Bishops.

The Pendle backbencher rejected government claims that an elected upper House of Parliament would challenge the supremacy of the Commons.

He launched his attack in the Commons shortly before Mr Cook signalled a rethink of the plans to create a new second chamber of 600 representatives with 80 per cent appointed and just 20 per cent elected. Mr Prentice said he did not think much of the government's plans - which he branded "a fix" and said he did not believe the majority of the Labour Party did either. He said: "I have always believed in a small directly elected second chamber. We do not need a House of 600. That is a joke.

"We need a small Second Chamber. If the United States Senate can get by with 100 members, why can we not get by with a Second Chamber of 100 or 200 Members.

"We certainly do not need what is proposed. I want a separate Supreme Court. I want the Bishops to be invited to leave. "Most of all, however, I am against the proposals because I am sick of the patronage of the State.

"Many of my Labour colleagues say that it is corrupting. "

Mr Prentice added that he was prepared to see the replacement for the House of Lords given extra powers such as being able to scrutinise public appointments.