The Gossip Column

The Sunday Herald is reporting that the Environment Committee will announce that it is rejecting a bill by Mike Pringle (LibDem, Edinburgh South) to impose a tax on carrier bags. Alasdair Morrison (Lab, Western Isles) has described it as 'legislative litter', so there may be yet more trouble for the Coalition.

Meanwhile, the paper is also reporting that Green Party Co-Convener Robin Harper might be in line for a peerage: Blair is reportedly planning to offer one to the Green movemnet, prompting an election among the Green parties of the UK, and Robin Harper is in a strong position to get it. However, the party favours a democratically-elected House of Lords, and is already taking pelters form the SSP (who are competing with the Greens for fifth place, remember). The party also looks bad when compared with the SNP, who have a similar position, and this year re-affirmed their commitment that party members not accept peerages.