MPs on the make? Tories see a chance to cut Labour funding  To
stop MPs acting as lobbyists, Cameron and Osborne target
Labour's trade union funding – it doesn't make any sense     •
The Guardian,     • Jump to comments () Mercer resigns
Conservative whip MP Patrick Mercer resigned the Conservative
party whip after being caught up in a sting by journalists
posing as lobbyists. Photograph: Johnny Green/PA  Osborne: Bank
lending is up this year, Cams.  Cameron: Really? That's great
news.  Osborne: Unfortunately, it's only the food bank.
Cameron: Never mind. At least it's a start. I could have used it
myself in Ibiza. You wouldn't believe the price of calamari
these days. How come the pound is so weak against the euro?
Osborne: Don't ask me.  Patrick Mercer: I've heard that the
Fijian dollar is also remarkably strong these days.  Cameron:
How do you know?  Mercer: Because you get sod all of them for
£4,000. I love Fiji, me. It's my favourite country in the whole
world.  Cameron: Have you ever been there?  Merc