News in Brief

Former Tory MP Neil Hamilton has delivered a letter denying parliamentary sleaze accusations contained in an official report. His 37-page "refutation" questions the logic of the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Gordon Downey and challenges MPs to interrogate him on the findings in his three-volume, 900-page report. In the findings published two weeks ago, Sir Gordon said he had found "compelling" evidence that Mr Hamilton took cash from Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed in return for lobbying services.

The Government has been defeated in Parliament for the second time since it came to power with the Lords backing Tory demands for existing Assisted Places for pupils at private prep schools to continue until the normal leaving age of 13, instead of 11. But the Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett immediately pledged to overturn the defeat when the Bill returns to the Commons next week.

The Conservatives have come out in favour of an elected mayor for London. But the party says the Government's plans for a second layer of government for the capital represent a GLC Mark 2. The party's Environment spokesman, Sir Norman Fowler, denied the Conservatives had made a u-turn by supporting the idea of an elected representative for London, it was a case of policies evolving. "We have listened to what the public are saying. The case for a voice for London is a case which in my view has been proved." he said. The former Conservative deputy chairman Lord Archer -- who intends standing for the post -- said he welcomed the party's new attitude to a mayor for London. "I have been pressing for this for some years, because it has become obvious that it's what the London people want." he said.

Suggestions that Labour is involved in an internal row over the future of its famed Excalibur super-computer are being dismissed by the party. The system - a database storing details of policy statements by both Labour and Tory politicians based at the party's Millbank media headquarters in London - costs £250,000 a year to run and is proving a major financial burden, according to the New Statesman. The magazine claims that some party officials want the system shut down and the money used to maintain staff numbers after the expense of fighting the general election campaign.

The Prince of Wales has come under fresh criticism for apparently associating himself with Government ministers and their policies. The constitutional historian and Tory peer Lord Blake said it was "unwise" and "dangerous" for the Prince to go ahead with a series of appearances with Cabinet ministers. Lord Blake said, "My concern is that the Prince of Wales seems to be associating himself rather more than is perhaps prudent with some members of the present Government." On Monday the Prince was joking with Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar as they sat on the platform of a presentation ceremony in Glasgow. On Tuesday he met Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown as the Treasury chief promoted his welfare-to-work programme. And, the Foreign Office has confirmed that Foreign Secretary Robin Cook will lunch with the Prince next Monday.