The embattled Tory peer, Lord Archer, remained in the spotlight of controversy over the weekend as yet more allegations of dishonesty surfaced in the British press.
It was alleged that Lord Archer paid his friend, Mr Michael Stacpoole, £40,000 to live outside Britain for the duration of his libel battle with the Daily Star, in order to avoid giving evidence in the case.
Mr Stacpoole - who currently lives in Thailand - had previously delivered £2,000 on Lord Archer's behalf to a prostitute, Ms Monica Coghlan.
It was also reported that a key witness in the trial had confessed to perjury. Terence Baker, a theatrical agent who died in 1991, testified that Lord Archer was with him at the time when he was accused of being with Ms Coughlan. According to the Sun- day Express, he subsequently told a friend that this was not the case.
Lord Archer responded to the latest allegations, saying: "I am at present issuing no personal statements in response to allegations which have been published in the media and which in the main have been made by individuals who have been paid for their stories . . .
"In the light of what has appeared in some of today's Sunday newspapers, I wish it to be known that I am following the advice I have received, which is to reserve my responses and supporting evidence for the police inquiry, which I understand has been requested by the Star newspaper and with which I intend fully to co-operate."
Meanwhile, the Labour leadership had little chance to capitalise on Lord Archer's escalating difficulties as it became engulfed in a controversy of its own. Reports in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph claim that in October 1997 Mr Tony Blair had dinner with then Liberal Democrat leader Mr Paddy Ashdown and offered to appoint two senior Liberal Democrat MPs, Mr Alan Beith and Mr Menzies Campbell, to his cabinet.
Mr Blair is quoted as saying that he could see "two easy people to move out of the Cabinet" in order to make room for Mr Ashdown's ministers.
It is believed Mr Blair kept the offer secret from even his closest lieutenants and that he later withdrew it, fearing such a dramatic move towards coalition might provoke a cabinet rebellion. A senior minister is quoted in the report as saying: "This goes far further than the sort of co-operation that we assumed Tony was talking to Ashdown about. Prescott will go ballistic when he hears."
During the weekend, Mr Michael Portillo was drawing more favourable attention to the Tories by putting an end to speculation that he challenge the party leader, Mr William Hague. "If William was running as party leader, I am his loyal supporter and would never run against him," he told the BBC.
Since his victory in last week's Chelsea-Kensington by-election, rumours regarding his political ambition have been rife. The former defence secretary insisted, however, that he was not considering a challenge to Mr Hague.
Mr Portillo - who initially supported Lord Archer's mayoral campaign - also added his voice to those condemning the disgraced peer.
"We have just got to leave Jeffrey Archer behind us," Mr Portillo said. "We are not going to allow people who have conducted themselves like this in our party."