Gordon Brown was accused of putting reform of the House of Lords “on ice” after the government said on Thursday it would include proposals on the upper chamber in Labour’s next general election manifesto.

Jack Straw, the justice secretary, told MPs the government remained determined to reform the Lords. He told MPs he hoped a “comprehensive reform package” would be included in Labour’s next election manifesto, but refused to commit to producing a draft bill any earlier, saying it depended on progress in cross-party talks.