The government's chief whip in the House of Lords is facing resignation calls after it was claimed that a Wiltshire farm partly owned by the peer has mistreated and abused animals.

Lord Carter, who was the government's agriculture spokesman in the Lords, has denied that reports citing widespread abuse are true.

He owns a one-third shareholding and is a former director of WE and DT Cave, a company which controls Lower House pig farm in Wiltshire.

The cabinet minister has strongly denied that animals were routinely kept in conditions which flouted the tough laws governing the welfare of livestock.

The Conservatives were last night calling for an inquiry into the claims.