Campaigners have called on ministers to accept that at least three quarters of a reformed House of Lords should be elected.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are taking part in cross-party talks with Commons leader Jack Straw on the way ahead for future reform.

Straw, who has been tasked with finding a compromise on the issue, has suggested recently that there could be a 50:50 split between elected and appointed members.

But the Elect the Lords campaign, which is run by campaign groups Charter88 and the New Politics Network, said ministers should be willing to compromise on a higher figure.

The organisation said its supporters would be "prepared to accept a compromise of just 70 per cent elected".

It added that this was in line with the views of the majority of the public and most MPs.

"Jack Straw claims that there is an emerging consensus for a 50 per cent elected second chamber, yet when the House of Commons last voted on Lords reform, the 50 per cent elected option was so unpopular it wasn't even put to a vote," said campaign spokesman Peter Facey.

"Democratic reformers have shown a willingness to compromise; it is now incumbent on the Government to show similar willing."

There was also a call to ensure that the 92 remaining hereditary peers should be removed from the upper house.

Recent reports have suggested that they could be allowed to remain members of the Lords until they 'die out'.

But Facey said: "Jack Straw's suggestion of drawing out reform over 50 years will satisfy nobody.

"At the very least he should stick to Labour's 1997 manifesto commitment and finally boot out the remaining hereditary peers before the next general election."