Back to the 1990's: The return of sleaze

By Ian Dunt

British politics was looking more like the sleazy days of the early 90s this morning, with an explosion of sex and lobbying scandals hitting the headlines.

The Mail on Sunday featured a mysterious report of a love affair which would have serious implications for David Cameron.

All that is known about the couple is that they are middle-aged and not in Cabinet. The affair is now understood to have ended.

Those who are aware of who is supposed to have been involved in the affair are using increasingly hyperbolic terms to describe how it could affect David Cameron's leadership.

The Mail also reported that crisis talks had been held at No 10 in the wake of the revelation.

"This revelation is dynamite. None of us could believe it when we first heard it. Then we just thought: 'What a complete mess'," a senior source told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the Patrick Mercer lobbying scandal threatened to do major damage to the Tory brand.

The Conservative MP is alleged to have tabled five parliamentary questions and launched an all-party group and an early day motion as part of a £24,000 contract for business interests in Fiji.

Mercer has resigned the Tory whip but Labour sources are attacking Cameron for failing to set up the long-promised statutory register of lobbyists.

"We have seen no action from this Tory-led government, despite David Cameron himself warning that lobbying was the next great scandal waiting to happen," Labour MP Jon Trickett said.

Three peers joined the row today after a sting operation by the Sunday Times.

Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird and Labour's Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate and Lord Cunningham all deny wrongdoing.

The peers told reporters posing as representatives of a South Korean solar energy company that they could set up an all-party group to represent its interests.

The Mercer scandal reflects badly on the Conservatives but Cameron may allow himself a private smile at the development.

Mercer was one of his most outspoken critics on the backbenches. When asked where Cameron had gone wrong, Mercer once answered: "Well, he was born."