Lib Dem MPs will not block changes to the size and number of parliamentary constituencies if Tory MPs fail to support the creation of a democratically elected House of Lords, Nick Clegg has said.
Giving evidence to the Commons political and constitutional affairs committee on Thursday, the deputy prime minister said there was "no formal link" between the two policies.
Clegg's comments come amid reports of growing anger from within the Conservative Party at plans to boot the majority of unelected peers out of the Lords.
Pressed by Tory committee member Eleanor Laing on media reports that there was a threat to block the boundary review if Lords reform was scuppered, Clegg insisted: "It just doesn't work like that". He added: "There is no link".
Under measures in the Parliamentary Reform and Constituency Act passed last year, the number of Commons seats will be cut from 650 to 600 and the boundaries of existing seats will be re-drawn to equalise the number of voters in each one.
The Conservative Party pushed for the measure, as it argued the current electoral map is unfairly weighted in favour of Labour, making it easier for it to win elections.
If the boundary review is approved by Parliament before 2015 it would go a long way to helping the Tories secure an overall majority at the next general election.
It is widely accepted that in return for supporting the cut in the number of MPs, the Lib Dems were granted a referendum on changing the voting system - a referendum that they ultimately lost.
However it has been suggested that Lib Dem MPs will now exact Lords reform as the price for supporting the boundary review.
In February Lib Dem peer Lord Oakeshott said Tories would not get the new electoral map if they failed to support an elected House of Lords.
"If you [Tory MPs] go back on the deal on that I can assure you, you won't find Lib Dems in parliament at all keen to vote for redistribution, you know. If you want a fight," he said.
"I think we will not be wanting to put that through if they welch on the other half of the deal - no, a deal's a deal."
However Clegg said the peer did not speak for the party. "I run a political party, I don't run a sect... I can’t impose a trappist vow of silence on people," he said.
Yet while he insisted there was no link between the two policies, he made it clear he expected Conservative MPs and peers to vote in favour of Lords reform.
"I expect the same civility and consistency from all sides in this coalition to press forward with all these issues whether people like them or not," he said.
Following his appearance before the committee, reports emerged of growing anger in Tory ranks at the plans.
According to the Daily Telegraph, three Conservative ministerial aides have threatened to quit the government if the Lords reform plans are pursued.
While the Daily Mail reports that at least seven aides could resign if a House of Lords Reform Bill is included in next months Queen's Speech.
The newspaper describes a "bloodbath" meeting of Tory backbenchers on Thursday evening in which Downing Street was warned it faced an unprecedented rebellion over the issue.
Clegg also faces a battle with Labour over his Lords reform bill. While the Opposition support plans to create an elected second chamber, it has decided to push for a referendum on the issue.