The British government is facing a fight from MPs over a climate change bill due to go to a vote in the house of commons next week, according to reports.

The BBC says 56 labour MPs are demanding that the bill include emissions from the aviation and shipping under UK’s greenhouse gas targets. The rebellion would be big enough to defeat prime minister Gordon Brown and scupper the bill.

Last week the government announced a commitment to an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050. But it excluded the aviation and shipping industries from the target because it says there is no system for sharing responsibility for international emissions.

The rebel MPs are calling for an amendment to the bill to state that if emissions from these industries grow, the government must compensate with extra carbon dioxide cuts elsewhere.