Lord Archer spent his leave day with his wife Lady Archer

The government is being asked to close a loophole allowing peers who have been convicted of a criminal charge and jailed for more than a year to resume their seats.

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb said it was "an affront to democracy" if Lord Archer returned to the Lords after his release on parole on 21 July.

Under current rules, MPs jailed for more than 12 months automatically forfeit their seats in the Commons, but there is no such sanction for peers.

On Monday, Mr Lamb tabled an Early Day Motion calling for the government to bring in legislation "to disqualify members of the Upper House" who are jailed for more than a year.

I think it would be an affront to democracy if someone walked straight out of prison and straight back into taking part in the legislative process of the country Norman Lamb

He said the issue must be considered as a matter of urgency.

"My key message is that this is not about Lord Archer personally, this is about the dignity of Parliament and about making sure there are consistent rules about the whole of Parliament," said Mr Lamb, who says he has "very strong" cross-party support.

"I think it would be an affront to democracy if someone walked straight out of prison and straight back into taking part in the legislative process of the country."

Day out

Last week, Christopher Leslie, the constitutional affairs minister, said the government intended to bring the two Houses in line "in due course" as part of its reform of the Lords.

Archer is due to be released from Hollesley Bay later this month

But Mr Lamb said: "It really is an indictment on the government, who made it clear that we would have legislation when Lord Archer was convicted.

"We know that the government's whole programme of reform for the Lords has come off the track and is now placed firmly in the long grass."

On Sunday, Archer enjoyed one of his final pre-arranged leave days from Hollesley Bay open prison at Woodbridge, Suffolk, before being released on parole.

Speech

The former Conservative Party deputy chairman spent the day with his wife Mary at the couple's country home in Grantchester, near Cambridge.

Archer received a four year jail sentence in July 2001, after he was convicted of perjury for lying during his successful 1987 libel trial against the Daily Star.

The millionaire novelist had been accused by the tabloid of sleeping with prostitute Monica Coghlan.

The peer, prisoner FF8282, is expected to speak about prison reform, during a two-day conference organised by The Howard League for Penal Reform in Oxford in September.