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Gay marriage advocates have warned that the same-sex marriage Bill could be put at risk by a late night vote in the House of Lords, as the peer leading opposition to the legislation says the majority are “affronted” by the plans.

At last count 80 peers had asked to speak in the debate which begins at 3pm on Monday – meaning it could last well into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Labour has warned a 2am vote could be “very risky” as frail and elderly peers, as well as those who live far away from London, may not be able to turn up to vote in favour of the Bill.

In an attempt to kill off gay marriage but critics of David Cameron’s Bill have tabled a motion that would deny the legislation further passage through the Lords.

Lord Dear, the cross-bench peer who is leading opposition to the Bill, said he expected the vote to be much closer than in the Commons where it received overwhelmingly support. “I don’t think it will be a landslide either way,” he told The Huffington Post UK.

“The one thing I can be sure of there is a great deal of dissatisfaction with an ill thought though Bill.”

The government Whips office has insisted it will do “nothing to jeopardise” the equal marriage legislation – pursuit of which has split the Conservative Party down the middle.

But Labour shadow equalities minister Baroness Thornton said the debate should instead be stopped before midnight on Monday and then started up again on Tuesday morning.

She told HuffPost UK: “There are a significant number of peers who really want to support this vote but are not strong enough to stay until 3am in the morning. It’s wrong to vote on something really important in the early hours of the morning.”

Baroness Thornton said Cameron had been “absolutely brilliant” in his advocacy of gay marriage and urged him to change the timing of the vote. “We are worried. It’s a bit irresponsible. Those very opposed will stay to the bitter end,” she said.

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Gay Marriage Bill 'At Risk' Due To Late Night Vote In Lords