The Elections Bill will allow ministers to develop a strategy and policy statement for the UK’s elections watchdog, which must be laid before Parliament and approved by MPs and Lords.

The Electoral Commission itself wrote to ministers in February to set out its view that “the introduction of a strategy and policy statement – enabling the government to guide the work of the Commission – is inconsistent with the role that an independent electoral commission plays in a healthy democracy”.

It pointed out that the measures have “no precedent in the accountability arrangements of electoral commissions in other comparable democracies, such as Canada, Australia or New Zealand”.

The controversial provisions were reinstated by MPs earlier this week after being removed by the Lords on Monday. A second attempt to alter the bill, led by Lord Judge with support from campaign group Best for Britain, failed last night by 181-202.

Speaking afterwards, Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain, said: “Tonight was the last chance to protect the independence of the elections watchdog and with it free and fair elections in the UK.

“Despite the enormous efforts of a cross-party, cross-organisational resistance to the government’s authoritarian power grab, tonight Johnson’s regime succeeded in its latest pursuit to dodge accountability.

“There is now an urgent need to remove this government and undo the damage they have wrought on our institutions and public trust in politics. Opposition parties must work together to make this a reality.”