Liberal Democrat health spokesman and MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Dr Evan Harris, said Tory pronouncements showed the party was failing to modernise.

John Bercow resigns from the shadow cabinet as he and Michael Portillo prepare to defy Tory whips by voting to let unmarried couples adopt.

A number of high-profile Tory MPs, including Michael Portillo, defy party orders and back plans to allow unmarried couples to adopt children.

The reaction from Conservative Party members across the UK to Iain Duncan Smith's appeal for unity after the adoption vote. Video clips from IDS, Ann Widdecombe, Francis Maude and Andrew Marr.

The government today signalled that it aims to overturn last night's Lords vote blocking adoption by same-sex and unmarried couples, setting the scene for a fresh battle between the Commons and Lords.

Nicholas Watt, political correspondent. In a long, passionate debate, Michael Foster, father of two adopted children and MP for Hastings and Rye, warned that young children would continue to "languish in care" if adoption remained restricted to married couples.

Full text of John Bercow's resignation letter sent to Iain Duncan Smith

Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent. Campaigners for homosexual rights unexpectedly triumphed last night in the House of Lords when peers voted by 215 to 184, a majority of 21, to give homosexual and unmarried heterosexual couples the right to adopt.

Peter Preston. Stick with people, not percentages. Stick with what people do, the way they are, the way they relate and care: not with the narrow guardians of prescribed propriety. I'm sick of the nastiness of "them" and "us". I'm sick of hand-me-down morality and brace-us-up legislation.

Lucy Ward, political correspondent. Government moves to allow same-sex couples the right to adopt children may be blocked in a House of Lords vote tomorrow. Opponents argue that reform would undermine marriage and risk moving children from institutional care into unstable relationships.

Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent. A Conservative-inspired rebellion yesterday voted to ban same sex couples from adopting by 196 to 162, despite a plea from the gay peer Lord Waheed Alli to recognise the rights of gays to parent children, many of whom are stuck in care homes.

Iain Duncan Smith faced an open revolt against his leadership of the Tory party last night when Michael Portillo and Kenneth Clarke led a group of eight high profile Conservative MPs who defied a three-line whip on the touchstone issue of gay adoption. A further 35 Tory MPs failed to support Mr Duncan Smith in the division lobbies as he attempted to block unmarried heterosexual and gay couples from adopting.

Leader. What was at stake in last night's vote, which comfortably restored the clause, removed by the Lords, allowing unmarried couples to adopt, was the new caring image that the Conservatives had striven so hard to project at their annual conference last month. What emerged was the uncaring, intolerant and uninformed old party. It is no use the party saying it values all families, then rejecting certain forms.

Nicholas Watt, political correspondent. Iain Duncan Smith has moved to fend off a damaging revolt by Tory modernisers by issuing a private message that they should feel free to defy party policy on gay couples adopting children.

Nicholas Watt and John Carvel. John Bercow, the arch Tory moderniser, yesterday mounted a passionate defence of his decision to resign from the shadow cabinet over his party's opposition to gay couples adopting children. Speaking in a long Commons debate, the former shadow pensions minister criticised the "arrogance and ignorance" of MPs who ignored expert advice that unmarried couples - gay and straight - should be allowed to adopt.

The Christian Institute, an evangelical think-tank, produced thousands of anti-gay adoption cards. They are now to be investigated by the Charities Commission for using money raised through their tax-exempt charitable status to promote 'plain, straightforward bigotry'.

Will Hutton. The Lords say no gay or unmarried couples should adopt. They are wrong...it's care that matters, not genes.

Stephanie Merritt. The point is that all relationships - gay or straight, officially sanctioned or not - face the possibility of break-up, but choosing to adopt a child is a pretty good indication of commitment. The values that really matter in a family are love, support, loyalty, trust, attention and encouragement.

Sheila Lawlor. The crisis in adoption has nothing to do with the controversy about granting gay couples the right to adopt.

Greg Hurst, parliamentary correspondent. Peers cleared the way last night for unmarried couples to become eligible to adopt children jointly after an attempt led by the Conservative front bench to block change was defeated.