LONDON (Reuters) – A revolt against Prime Minister David Cameron within his own Conservative party has damaged his authority this week, threatening an already fragile coalition government at a time of growing public anger with his leadership.

In a dramatic move late on Tuesday, 91 rebel Conservatives forced Cameron to drop a crucial vote on reforming parliament’s upper chamber, or the House of Lords – a key demand of his Liberal Democrat partners in coalition government.

LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) – A revolt against British Prime
Minister David Cameron within his own Conservative party has
damaged his authority this week, threatening an already fragile
coalition government at a time of growing public anger with his
leadership.

In a dramatic move late on Tuesday, 91 rebel Conservatives
forced Cameron to drop a crucial vote on reforming parliament’s
upper chamber, or the House of Lords – a key demand of his
Liberal Democrat partners in coalition government.

LONDON (Reuters) – Facing its first major parliamentary defeat, Britain’s coalition government on Tuesday at the last minute dropped plans for a controversial vote on reforming parliament’s unelected upper chamber, the Lords.

The government seemed set to lose the vote after scores of politicians within Prime Minister David Cameron’s ruling Conservative party threatened to rebel over the plan to make the Lords a mostly elected, rather than appointed, chamber.

LONDON (Reuters) – Facing its first major parliamentary defeat, Britain’s coalition government on Tuesday at the last minute dropped plans for a controversial vote on reforming parliament’s unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords.

The government seemed set to lose the vote after scores of lawmakers within Prime Minister David Cameron’s ruling Conservative party threatened to rebel over the plan to make the Lords a mostly elected, rather than appointed, chamber.

LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron faces one of the biggest rebellions of his premiership after more than a fifth of his own party threatened on Monday to vote against plans to reform parliament’s upper chamber, the House of Lords.

The Conservative Party revolt also threatens to take a sledgehammer to Cameron’s coalition government with the Lib Dems, whose push to make the Lords an elected rather than an appointed chamber is a key condition of the coalition deal.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s defense secretary hit back on Thursday at accusations that cuts to army numbers put the country at risk and reduced its standing as military power, as he outlined a major shake-up of the force’s structure.

Philip Hammond said Britain’s army, whose regular trained members will be cut to 82,000 from 102,000 by 2020 to save money, would still be able to deploy a similar-sized force to that sent to Afghanistan.

LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron’s suggestion he is ready to hold a referendum on Britain’s future in the European Union backfired on Monday after his opponents and some in his own party accused him of sending vague or conflicting messages.

Cameron appeared to rule out such a vote on Friday – at least for now – telling voters after an EU summit it would not be “the right thing to do”, but on Sunday he said the words “Europe” and “referendum” could go together.

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – The Stone Roses staged one of the most eagerly anticipated reunions in British pop over the weekend, and despite rain and an overloaded transport system to and from the gigs, the Manchester band left hundreds of thousands of fans wanting more.

Lead singer Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire, bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield and drummer Alan “Reni” Wren played to three sellout crowds at Heaton Park in Manchester on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, formally burying their highly personal hatchets.

LONDON (Reuters) – Former IRA leader Martin McGuinness on Thursday accused Britain of making “very wrong” decisions, saying it was failing to engage with Northern Ireland or take responsibility for the British army’s role in a conflict that killed thousands.

Speaking a day after his historic handshake with Queen Elizabeth, McGuinness – now the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland – complained he had met U.S. President Barack Obama more times in his current role than he had met British Prime Minister David Cameron.

LONDON (Reuters) – After 100 years of haggling, the government aims to drag parliament’s unelected upper house into democracy, laying out bold plans on Wednesday that could shake the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition to its core.

The Lords, where more than 800 aristocrats, political appointees and clergy flock to pore politely over new laws, stands as a relic from an age where power came from privilege, preserved only by disagreement on how to reform it.