Heron's Eye: 01/08/08

MPs ordered to pay back money used for 'propaganda'

Five were ordered to repay funds, including three Plaid Cymru MPs, Elfyn Llwyd, Hywel Williams and leader Adam Price, who were each required to give back more than £5,000, and Sidiq Khan, a Government whip, and Malcolm Bruce, Liberal Democrat MP for Gordon, who returned £500.

Separately, Derek Conway, the disgraced former Conservative MP, was asked to return £13,161 after overpaying his student son for working in his office. [Telegraph]

That golden age? It never happened, except in the minds of pessimists

Mark Lawson on how the golden ages of Britain envisaged by commentators are often distorted and difficult to return to. [Guardian]

Blame the rich for feeding the drug industry

Melanie Reid on the hypocrisy within drugs prosecution based on income. [Times]

Clegg Does Realpolitik, Ends Policy of "Equi-Distance"

Guido on the Liberal Democrats positioning themselves to take advantage of anticipated Labour weaknesses in the next general election. [GuyFalkes]

Election spending: Labour shrugs off Electoral Commission reservations

The government today insisted its plans to curb spending outside of an election period – widely seen as an attempt to outmanoeuvre Conservative donor Lord Ashcroft — would not be derailed by the Electoral Commission's "strong reservations" about its proposed reforms. [Guardian]

Scottish Labour leadership: three MSPs line up to replace Alexander

Former Holyrood health minister Andy Kerr will today launch his bid for the Scottish leadership of the Labour party as nominations close at noon for what is widely expected to be a three horse race.

The leadership and deputy leadership contests were triggered by the resignation of Wendy Alexander, who quit five weeks ago in a row over donations to her leadership campaign last year.

Kerr, the MSP for East Kilbride, will launch his campaign just an hour before the noon deadline.

Cathy Jamieson, who stood down as deputy leader to pitch for the top job, and the finance spokesman, Iain Gray, have already launched their bids. [Guardian]

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