The week in cartoons

THAT old adage that a week is a long time in politics was confirmed again over the past seven days with the independence debate and media relationships coming under scrutiny.

Scandal-hit Labour MP Eric Joyce was declared unfit to stand as an MP by Scottish Labour Leader Johann Lamont following allegations that he had a relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

The 51-year-old, according to Lamont, had abused his power by allegedly becoming involved with the teenager who helped during his 2010 election campaign.

First Minister Alex Salmond was accused of giving the date of the independence referendum to media mogul Rupert Murdoch in a bid to find favour with the News International boss.

The date - 18 October 2014 - was published in the first edition of The Sun on Sunday which rolled off the presses on Sunday.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown faced growing calls to lead the anti-independence campaign in the run-up to the referendum.

Senior Scottish Labour MSP John Park said Mr Brown, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson,

Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont and former Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie should form a joint

leadership team.

Johann Lamont set the tone for the Scottish Labour Party conference, which began on Friday, by declaring

that she was against devo-max” and the transfer of all economic powers to Holyrood, insisting it was independence in all but name.

The Scottish Labour Leader said she wanted a devolution settlement that saw resources “redistributed from the south-east of England to Scotland”.

It wasn’t a good week for James Murdoch who stepped down as executive chairman of News International.

Parent company News Corp said it would allow him to focus on expanding the company’s international TV businesses.