Thousands of lives could be saved if cheap alcoholic drinks were made more expensive, medical experts said.

A senior doctor, now chairman of a large NHS trust, described to me a meeting he attended at No 10 of experts advising the Prime Minister on the perils faced by young people in the presence of alcohol. Sir Terry Leahy, the former boss of Tesco, was present, and he ferociously defended the right of supermarkets to charge what they like for alcohol. The price had no bearing on the amount people drank, he said. The doctor was outraged and launched a one man boycott of the supermarket. "I have never shopped in Tesco since," he said.

Labour outstripped the Tories in party fundraising over the summer by nearly 30%, the latest official figures show.

Labour gained two West Midland marginals from Tories in the latest council by-elections.

Scottish Conservative leadership candidate Murdo Fraser believes he has the financial backing to overhaul the party despite a warning by its biggest donor about the implications of a "separatist political group".

The front-runner to become Conservative leader in Scotland will today set out plans to disband the party north of the border, arguing that its brand has become fatally tainted among voters.

Governments have offered them more money, begged them to stay and tolerated their tantrums. To what avail? No gratitude

A contender to lead the Scottish Conservatives is vowing to disband the party and split from London control if elected.

Labour gained in an English council by-election and easily held off the Scottish National Party in a marginal ward north of the border.

The Scottish Government insists it has been "vindicated" two years to the day since the controversial decision to release the Lockerbie bomber from jail on compassionate grounds.

Nick Clegg was facing recriminations yesterday after the Liberal Democrats suffered their second by-election humiliation in four months.