The Speaker of the House of Commons was under mounting pressure to quit as damaging new details emerged about his wife's use of taxis and further questions were raised about his expenses claims.

UK Ministers and business chiefs are calling for Alex Salmond to be stripped of his ability to block nuclear power stations and Trident warheads in Scotland, as part of a major review of Holyrood's powers.

Ministers have ruled out a DNA database of everyone arrested in Scotland , putting themselves at loggerheads with the country's police chiefs.

Scottish democracy has been plunged into crisis as a result of last year's Holyrood election fiasco , with 160,000 voters – one in 12 of the total – saying they are now less likely to go to the ballot box.

A new £10m campaign to crack down on domestic violence is to be launched by the Scottish government . It is hoped the money will help reduce the misery caused by attacks and assaults in the home which is estimated to cost the country's economy around £1.5bn a year.