Political donations and reducing the number of members of the House of Lords are matters which need to be looked at, says Lord Fowler, who is stepping down as Lord Speaker today.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Political donations is one of those areas we need to look at again very carefully. There just needs to be a limit on the amount of money that people can contribute.

“There should not be any question that people can buy influence, let alone buy a position in the legislature. I think that, again, does need to have a review.”

He believes people have been buying positions of influence “over the years, no question”.

Stormont minister Edwin Poots has put himself forward to replace Arlene Foster as the next DUP leader. Will his colleagues rally round him as the flag-bearer?

One leading DUP figure, the MLA Jim Wells, claimed Poots was the frontrunner – saying he had vast experience and “a shrewd head on his shoulders”.

Former Irish premier Bertie Ahern warned the other parties not to let the change of DUP leadership shake power-sharing arrangements. “That would be a disaster – I think instability just leaves everybody in a bad place,” he said.

Tory peer Lord Peter Lilley has said people are getting “worked up over nothing” over the refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat.

Talking to Times Radio, the former deputy leader of the Conservative Party said: “We are unique in that people get worked up where nothing bad has happened. In Russia, public money was used to build Putin’s Palace – public money on private property.”

Suggesting the PM was doing the nation a favour, he continued: “Here it is private money – Boris’s, ultimately – on public property, No 10, and people are upset about it. I just think people have got things upside down.”

Former Tory MP Victoria Borwick has insisted that the electorate was not interested in the sleaze scandal. “Boris is still ahead in the polls, and the electorate I think are getting on with what matters to them,” she told Sky News.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she wouldn’t propose another referendum on Scottish independence immediately – as she wants to make sure the country is clear of the coronavirus pandemic first.

“I don’t believe we should propose a referendum right at this moment,” Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “I’m a lifelong believer in independence, I want Scotland to be independent, but firstly we’ve got to steer the country through the crisis.”

She added: “Some of my critics in the independence movement do say that I’m too cautious on that front. But actually I think it is a good thing to be cautious when we’re talking about a health crisis and of course the future of the country”.

There was nothing in Sturgeon’s ‘first 100 days’ document on the referendum. But Alex Salmond made very clear that he won’t let her wait 100 days to demand a referendum from Boris Johnson.

The Alba leader claimed a “puff of wind” could currently blow the PM over. “I don’t think moving Boris Johnson on the independence referendum is going to be as difficult as people feel it is,” he told STV.

Former UK national security adviser Lord Ricketts said there was an “increased risk” of potential action by hostile states or criminal gangs if a personal phone number was widely available.

He BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that if Boris Johnson’s number has been “widely available” – it cannot be ruled out that hostile states or criminal gangs could have access to it.

Lord Ricketts said it was in Boris Johnson’s “own interest to be much more digitally secure than seems to be the case now” following reports his mobile phone number was available online for 15 years.

“I’m talking really of the most senior politicians in sensitive positions, whose phone conversations might well include sensitive material, commercially sensitive material, people trying to lobby them for favours, or tax advantages, or talks with foreign leaders.”

Home Office minister Victoria Atkins insisted that Boris Johnson was aware of his responsibilities on national security after it emerged that his mobile phone number has been posted online for 15 years.

“The prime minister, more than anyone, knows his responsibilities when it comes to national security,” she told Times Radio.

“I’m slightly surprised that a national broadcaster felt it appropriate to advertise the fact that that mobile phone is on the internet, if indeed it is,” she said.

The deluge of sleaze claims surrounding Boris Johnson does not seem to be cutting through with voters.

The latest YouGov poll shows the Tories increasing its lead over Labour to 11 points, with Keir Starmer’s party down one point on 33.

Is the idea of sleaze already “priced in” when it comes to perceptions of Boris Johnson?

YouGov’s Anthony Wells said: “Boris Johnson was elected with people knowing he has said unfortunate things and used colourful language and led a colourful life. People didn’t expect him to be the cleanest of the clean.

“Labour has focused much of its campaign on sleaze and it hasn’t cut through. That doesn’t mean to say it won’t.”

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of being “detached from the reality” after she pointed to the Northern Ireland protocol as a possible model for a border between England and Scotland.

The SNP leader told the Irish Times the protocol offered “some template” for an independent Scotland.

Ian Murray, Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary, said the remarks “simply beggar belief and demonstrate the bizarre positions that Nicola Sturgeon is forced to adopt”.

Tory chief Douglas Ross claimed she was coming up with a “number of different policies” on border issues – but “no answers”.

A big Brexit failure to report this morning: the prospect of a fishing deal with Norway for this year has collapsed.

Boris Johnson’s government said its “fair offer” had been rejected by Norway, which means no access at all to cod-rich Norwegian waters for British fishing fleets.

The UK Fisheries body said it was a “disgrace” that ministers had failed to “even to maintain the rights we have had to fish in Norwegian waters for decades”.

Cabinet ministers should be banned from lobbying for private firms for five years in the wake of the David Cameron scandal, a leading think tank has recommended.

The crackdown – with fines for breaking the rules and truly independent investigations of allegations against current ministers – is needed to “rebuild trust”, the Institute of Government said.

“Revelations over the last few weeks have shown that the current rules designed to uphold standards in public life are not working,” said Tim Durrant, the IfG’s associate director said

“Ministers need to stop marking their own homework and allow others to enforce the rules.”