Half of MPs to go in election ‘purge’
At least half of MPs will be purged at the next election, creating the biggest clear-out of parliament since 1945, according to new research. It is predicted that 325 of the 646 MPs will go, due to forced resignations, retirement and defeat. As well as around 30 forced resignations a further 200 are predicted to quit rather than face further public anger, and up to 90 will be voted out. (Sunday Times)
MPs quit: 'Sod this for a game of soldiers' 
The First Post A-Z of expenses scandal casualties
That's life, Esther Rantzen: the public and Parliament just don't need you
De-moated: Douglas Hogg stands down as Tory MP
Cameron aide Andrew MacKay steps down
The expenses scandal won its biggest Tory scalp when Andrew MacKay, a member of David Cameron's inner circle, announced his decision to stand down at the next election. The decision was forced on him by Cameron, who phoned him after MacKay held a stormy meeting with constituents on Friday night. The spotlight will now turn on his wife, Julie Kirkbride, another Tory MP, whose constituents have launched a petition calling for her to resign. MacKay and Kirkbride both claimed second home allowances. (Observer)
MPs quit: 'Sod this for a game of soldiers'
The First Post's A-Z of expenses scandal casualties
The Mole: Speaker Martin finally bows to pressure and quits
The Mole: Labour suspends MP as public demand action
Undercover reporters breach Palace
An investigation by two News of the World reporters has shown how easily security at Buckingham palace can be breached. On Friday the undercover reporters - both Asian-born - were given access to the Queen's fleet of limos inside the palace grounds by royal chauffeur Brian Sirjusingh. The reporters, who paid £1,000, even got inside, and were left alone with the cars. The deal was set up by the driver's girlfriend, a prostitute. (News of the World)
BNP leader Nick Griffin set to visit Buckingham Palace
Brown seeks Blair’s help
Tony Blair visited Downing Street on Thursday for an hour-long meeting, in which he is said to have advised Gordon Brown on domestic politics. The next day it emerged that Brown will launch a 'national plan for Britain' as part of his fightback. Though the two speak on the telephone about once a month, this was their first meeting this year. (Independent on Sunday)
Polly Toynbee urges MPs to sack Gordon Brown
More truths emerge about ‘brutal’ Gordon Brown
Bishops urge voters to shun BNP
In a rare joint public statement, the Archbishops of Canterbury and
York will today plead with the public not to vote for the British National Party in next month's European elections in protest at MPs' expenses. Despite "understandable" anger, the crisis should not lead to gains for the "divisive" BNP. It would also be "tragic" if voters were to stay away from the polling booths altogether, they say. (Mail on Sunday)
BNP leader Nick Griffin set to visit Buckingham Palace
Tories fear BNP could pick up a Euro seat on June 4
Will Self: Forget the BNP - let's get some real extremists into Parliament
MPs ‘hire family to claim expenses’
It is revealed today that many of the MPs who employ relatives have used the arrangement in order to claim extra expenses. Malcolm Bruce, the president of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, claimed over £3,000 for his main home, where his wife works for him, as well as more than £61,000 for his London home. (Sunday Telegraph)
The First Post's A-Z of expenses scandal casualties
Now it's the Lib Dem's turn as Clegg caught out by Telegraph
Ruth Padel, the new Oxford professor of poetry, is facing demands to stand down, as it emerged that she alerted journalists to the claims of sexual harassment surrounding her rival Derek Walcott. Some of her high-profile supporters, including Lord Bragg, have condemned her actions. "She should consider her position", said Bragg. (Sunday Times)
Derek Walcott pulls out of poetry professor race
According to Tony Blair's 'mentor', his foreign policy decisions were driven by his conviction "that good should triumph over evil". John Burton, Blair's political agent in his Sedgefield constituency for 24 years, says that 'Blair the Warrior' must be understood from a religious perspective. He has co-written a book about Blair’s faith. (Sunday Telegraph)
Whatever happened to Tony Blair?
The historian Antony Beevor has said that the British D-Day bombing of the French town Caen was "close to a war crime". The British wrongly assumed that the town had been evacuated, he said, and caused more than 2,000 casualties. Next week is the 65th anniversary of the invasion of France, to bring the German occupation to an end. (Observer)
One of the country's top virologists has said that the swine flu virus is 300 times more widespread than the Health Protection Agency admits. 30,000 people are likely to have been infected already, according to Professor John Oxford. He adds that the agency's announcements on the spread of the disease are "meaningless". (Independent on Sunday)
Why swine flu remains a deadly threat
Swine flu: its origins and symptoms to look out for
A pair of pandas will go on loan to Edinburgh zoo, at a cost of £630,000 a year - it will be the first pair of breeding pandas in Britain for 15 years. London Zoo was expected to secure the pair, but mayor Boris Johnson was not willing to pay the asking price for the famously sexually reticent animals. (Sunday Times)
Sichuan pandas evacuated after earthquake
BBC may send poet to Afghanistan
A BBC programme is hoping to revive Britain's war poetry tradition by taking Simon Armitage to Afghanistan. If the trip can be arranged with the military, he will witness frontline operations around Helmand province. The Yorkshire poet has already written well-received poems on the theme of post-operational trauma. (Observer)
Derek Walcott pulls out of poetry professor race
Carol Ann Duffy is the new Poet Laureate
An American artist is soon to exhibit his works made from human skin in Britain. Andrew Krasnow's works include human skin lampshades – a response to the claim that Nazis made such items from Holocaust victims. Many of his works refer to American history and foreign policy. (Independent on Sunday)
Picasso fans can get closer than ever to the great artist's life, as his chateau in south-eastern France opens to the public tomorrow. Vauvenargues chateau, where he is buried with his second wife Jacqueline, has hardly been touched since his death in 1973, and contains little murals such as a pipe-playing faun on a bathroom wall. (Sunday Times)
Roh Moo-hyun kills himself
The former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun, under investigation for accepting bribes, yesterday jumped to his death from a mountain ridge. During his presidency from 2003-2008 he was seen as a clean politician in a corruption-ridden country, but recent accusations put this in doubt. (Independent on Sunday)
Dick Cheney’s return to the political fray has put Obama on the defensive for the first time in his presidency. According to insiders he was nervous when speaking on the closure of Guantanamo Bay, on the same day that Cheney addressed the issue. Cheney is widely seen as the only Republican who can rattle Obama. (Observer)
Obama: From anti-war law professor to warmonger in 100 days
Jesse Ventura wades into Cheney-Powell rumble
Obama brings house down at Correspondents’ dinner
Bangladesh has become a "safe haven" for those training to become terrorists, who include many British-born fundamentalists, according to security experts. Due to increased surveillance of Pakistan, trainee terrorists have moved east, where security is lax, despite recent international efforts to shore it up. (Independent on Sunday)
Carnwath must save Land Securities
The chief executive of Land Securities has been given months to save the property giant by the new chairwoman Alison Carnwath. The move comes after a loss of £4.8 billion was reported this month. Carnwath, who has a reputation as one of the toughest directors in the City, believes that Land Securities can use the recession to dominate its industry. (Sunday Times)
Markets slide after UK credit warning
Lloyds Banking Group is drawing up secret plans for an auction of its shareholdings in companies that were acquired by its HBOS arm. The stakes in more than 60 businesses were accumulated at a cost of about £1.3 billion. It has asked the investment bank UBS to give a new assessment of the worth of these sStakes. (Sunday Telegraph)
Shareholder activists at Royal Dutch Shell are demanding that directors return their bonuses, and are calling for the resignation of Sir Peter Job, who chairs the company’s renumeration committee. Though the directors have the law on their side, moral pressure may prove too strong to resist entirely. (Observer)
Shell suffers shareholder anger on pay
John Wick, the man who helped to leak MPs' expenses information to the Telegraph, is a failed businessman with debts of over £7m. (Mail on Sunday)
Today presenters in the duck house
Has the BBC been tipped off that Prince William and Kate Middleton are soon to announce their engagement? They are making a programme on the couple.
(Sunday Telegraph)
Millionaire businessman Jeremy Taylor saw his house being burgled while in his helicopter – and chased the thief, who was caught. (Mail on Sunday)
Gordon Brown's leadership reached a new low when Hazel Blears issued a thinly veiled threat that sacking her would lead to a cabinet revolt. (Independent on Sunday)
Gordon Brown wants Tory John Bercow to be the next Speaker, hoping the ex-right-winger will give Cameron trouble. (Mail on Sunday)
The Mole: John Bercow makes bid for Speaker
Nine-year-old William Barclay-Clark has written to the BBC to complain that there is too much "revolting" snogging in Robin Hood. (Mail on Sunday)
Bob Dylan has said that Elvis was his main inspiration, but he is glad he didn’t meet him when he was in decline. (Sunday Telegraph)
TV chatshow host Jeremy Kyle always licks his golf ball clean before taking a shot, for luck. (Mail on Sunday)
Stefan Persson, the Swedish billionaire owner of H&M, has bought an entire Hampshire village for £25m. (Sunday Times)
Despite hosting Formula One's most glamorous event, Prince Albert of Monaco is a passionate green campaigner. (Sunday Telegraph)
Jean-Christophe Novelli has walked away from his gastropub business after it collapsed owing £1 million. (Sunday Times)
The late Tory MP Alan Clark’s mistress, referred to as ‘X’ in his diaries, was his parliamentary secretary Alison Young. (Sunday Times)
Nigel Farage, leader of Ukip, has received over £2m in expenses – and yet accuses the main parties of greed. (Observer)
Singer Susan Boyle will tonight fight for a place in the final of Britain’s Got Talent, watched by 12 million people. (Sunday Times)
Jordan has changed her mind, and regrets driving away husband Peter
Andre. It was “the biggest mistake of my life” she said last night. Sources close to Peter say there is no chance of a reunion. (News of the World)
Noel Edmonds is having a four-day wedding party to celebrate his marriage to Liz Davies. After two days in the Cotswolds, the guests will fly off to Noel’s home in the South of France. It will be Noel’s third marriage. (News of the World)
Jailed Islamic extremists have complained at the presence of female prison-guards at Friday prayers, claiming it’s “an insult to their religion”. They plan to appeal to the European Court. (Sunday Mirror)
TV doctor Hilary Jones discovered that his wife is having a fling with the son of his friend, who is 18 years his junior. The couple have announced that they are divorcing. He has had a series of affairs himself. (Sunday Mirror)
Glamorous drug-dealer Howard Marks, who is the subject of a forthcoming film starring Rhys Ifans, was "no Robin Hood", according to his ex-wife. "For years I was terrified living with him. I used to beg him to stop dealing." (Mail on Sunday)
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