8.03pm: My colleague Tom Clark has just filed this assessment of what's happened in the Lords this eveningThere are more experienced Lords-watchers than me, but I can't remember anything like it. I've seen double defeats but can't recall a triple defeat in a single session.
The victories on crediting in disabled children was the kind of detailed measure of principle that the Lords like to get right. And with a price tag they are putting at ten million a year the government certainly wouldn't have attempted to reverse it.
The most recent vote on cancer exemptions was also, perhaps, predictable - my expectation is that this sort of popular rather than policy proposal can only have won with significant Lib Dem backing, many cross benchers may have voted with the government.
Again, however, I can not imagine that the government would want to pick a fight in the Commons on an issue affecting a small number of people like this.
The second vote, however, on increasing the time limit is different. Lord Freud has been said to be quoting some very large figures for the cost, and I can't check this immediately but (off the top of my head) I would expect it would make a significant dent in the £1-2bn which (again off the top of my head - perils of live blogging!) is what I would expect they will save from the time limit in the first place.
In other words we could be talking about hundreds rather than tens of million, and amount which could lead to the government being forced to go back to MPs and ask them to reverse it later down the line. Lib Dems in particular will find that hard to swallow if their friends upstairs have just said no to it.
7.58pm: Here's more reaction to that incredible triple defeat for the government:
Claudia Wood, welfare expert at the think tank IPPR tweets:
1 yr limit of ESA was least thought through aspect of #wrb, wholly abritrary weilding of axe. Defeat has restored my faith in parli process
Richard Murphy tweets
Isn't it absurd that it takes the Lords to stand up for the sick and disabled? Reform it? Not at this rate. Brave Labour peers!
7.49pm: To sum up: the government has astonshingly lost three straight votes in the Lords. They are for the following amendments:
• To retain automatic eligibility for ESA for young disabled people who are unable to work
• To impose a two year time limit for ESA claimants, overriding the government's proposal that claimants be reassesed after 12 months
• To exempt cancer patients from the proposed ESA limit.This is an extraordinary start to the welfare reform bill voting season. More votes will take place on similarly controversial issues in the next fortnight, including next week on disability living allowance.
Meanwhile here's a tweet from the Guardian's Polly Toynbee:
Remarkable triple defeat for government in Lords. Shame again on most LibDems, voting to cut benefits to dying and life-long disabled young.
Her's a tweet from disability campaigner and blogger Kaliya Franklin, who tweets as @bendygirl:
I can't believe it!!! Time for a little cry. We did it guys, we did it!!
WELL DONE EVERYBODY! THIS IS A GREAT DAY!!! MAY WE HAVE MANY MORE TO COME!!!!
THE WAR IS ON! LET THE BATTLE BE JOINED!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/11/disability-welfare?CMP=twt_gu&fb=native
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