The Week
Round up of national and international news

Voters to spurn sister act?
While the tireless campaigning of the McCartney sisters is inflicting real damage on Sinn Fein’s credibility, the party’s grassroots support is unlikely to suffer in the election run-up, argues Robin Oakley
Robin Oakley

Commons Gallery
Daniel Forman reports on the week’s key developments in the Commons
Daniel Forman

Confessions of a baby-kisser
Austin scrubs up for the election but finds few of his old campaigning tricks in favour
Austin Mitchell

Lords Gallery
Andrew Evans rounds up the week's developments in the House of Lords
Andrew Evans

Ploughing on regardless
Earl Howe has no time to rest as he works hard to make sure he’s at the head of the field
Earl Howe

Royal marriage: the implications
In two personal views on the royal marriage, Andrew Mackinlay expands upon his parliamentary question and the answer he received – and overleaf former chairman of the Lords constitution committee Lord Norton of Louth gives his perspective
Andrew Mackinlay and Lord Norton

Taking the suits to art school
Companies may splash out on artworks for a boardroom or corporate HQ, but Colin Tweedy tells Don Foster that he wants arts sponsorship more deeply embedded in British business
Don Foster

Veering off kilter
There’s already a vigorous pre-election debate in Scotland about the country’s mixed fortunes since devolution, reports Robbie Dinwoodie
Robbie Dinwoodie

Bordering on brilliance
Scotland’s economy is thriving, and government policies will this year see it go from strength to strength, says Alistair Darling
Alistair Darling

Dreams, not smokescreens
Peter Duncan argues that instead of addressing the problems that are hindering Scottish progress, Labour remains determined to deflect genuine constructive debate
Peter Duncan

Pride and prejudice
However Scotland tries to promote itself to the world, unless deep-seated attitudes towards the ‘auld enemy’ are changed the nation will struggle, writes John Thurso
John Thurso

Giving Scotland the edge
Alex Salmond argues that for Scotland to truly find its economic feet, power must be taken from Westminster and an independent Scottish treasury put in place
Alex Salmond

What price the Union?
Scotland is fighting the election on new boundaries but, finds Craig Hoy, it is unlikely to result in a changed political landscape
Craig Hoy

Help for the hard to reach
Chris Pond celebrates the achievements of the European Social Fund in helping disadvantaged groups back into work
Chris Pond

Cornish fudge
Cornwall’s unique problems earned it Objective 1 status from the EU. Now the battle is on to ensure £650m of funds don’t get diverted, writes Andrew George
Andrew George

The renaissance is only beginning
Liverpool has made dramatic progress since the EU provided a much-needed cash boost a decade ago. Now it needs to build on that, says Louise Ellman, in time to be Europe’s capital of culture in 2008
Louise Ellman

The new road to the isles
David Stewart on how EU funding is helping the Highlands and Islands to overcome the adverse economic and social consequences of its geography
David Stewart

Trimming the waste line
The London Borough of Barnet has taken a bold step – it has made recycling compulsory for all residents living in houses. Matthew Offord explains
Matthew Offord

Parliamentary privilege
From the Falklands to the 1984 Finance Bill, it’s been over a quarter of a century of fulfilling memories for Sir Brian Mawhinney
Sir Brian Mawhinney

Habit of a lifetime
Virginia Bottomley hopes that her two decades at Westminster will pave the way for more women to follow her path
Virginia Bottomley

Last sheriff of steel town
Donald Anderson recalls old-school campaigning and the primitive working conditions of MPs in the ‘60s
Donald Anderson

Act in haste, retire at leisure
Sir Sydney Chapman leaves the Commons with happy personal memories –but qualms about sitting hours and the timetabling of legislation
Sir Sydney Chapman

The whip gets cracking
From an eventful debut 30 years ago, Paul Tyler rose to become Lib Dem chief whip, saw select committees flourish and adversarial politics diminish
Paul Tyler

Twenty-six years’ hard Labour
For a man who claims to have ‘drifted into’ Parliament, George Foulkes has found it a consistently absorbing place
George Foulkes

Counter culture
It’s been a fascinating but frustrating time in Westminster for Archie Norman, who argues that Parliament urgently needs a shot of business culture
Archie Norman

The end of a golden age
Parliament may be more professional, but seemingly at the cost of the passion and excitement of days gone by, muses a wistful John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson

Dialogue
subject: Fifty per cent target for university entry
Chris Mole and Alistair Burt

Cobbett’s Corner
Chris Moncrieff takes a look at recent events
Chris Moncrieff

Electionwatch
Election round up

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