Weekend News Roundup

Author: James Graham

On party funding, the Observer has more on the controversy surrounding Conservative Deputy Chairman Lord Ashcroft's business interests in the Carribean following the BBC's Panorama programme earlier in the week.  Meanwhile, one of the Labour Party's biggest donor's Nigel Doughty, has died.

The Spectator's Political Editor James Forsyth has attacked Nick Clegg's plans to press ahead with House of Lords reform.

Responding to the government's recall proposals, the Committee on Standards in Public Life is reported in the Scotsman for expressing concerns that they are "open to abuse" and has called for more safeguards.

On Saturday, the Guardian looked into elected mayors and asked if they could be good for northern towns, in advance of the referendums due to take place in May. 

The editor of the Sun told the Privacy and Injunctions Committee that the public had a "right to know" about Fred Goodwin's affair.  Also regarding privacy and public interest, Nick Cohen wrote in the Observer about how the courts have failed to strike the right balance with specific regard to news coverage of former Energy Secretary Chris Huhne's alleged speeding institute and his partner's personal life.