Saturday's papers

Various bits of bad news for Gordon Brown in the papers this morning.

The Telegraph reports that he is facing a growing backlash from his own MPs over his handling of the expenses controversy after Labour was crushed in the first parliamentary election since the scandal erupted.

The Conservatives claimed a convincing victory in the poll in Norwich North, overturning a Labour majority of more than 5,000 to win by 7,348 votes.

The Independent meanwhile carries an interview with the Government's chief environmental adviser Jonathon Porritt where he says that

during his time at the Treasury Mr Brown did not "get" climate change and saw the environment as "middle class stuff". Since Mr Brown became Prime Minister, Sir Jonathon thinks that the environment "is no more important to him now than it was when he was Chancellor"

The Mail reports that

Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay is quitting Westminster in disgust after MPs failed to stop computer hacker Gary McKinnon's extradition to the US.

The Guardian interviews Philip Hammond, the shadow Treasury chief secretary,who tells the paper that

David Cameron may be forced to stage a rapid post-election budget to calm the markets and prevent a drop in Britain's credit rating in the first days of a Tory government,

adding that

Hammond, destined to be the man to rein in public spending if the Tories gain power, also concedes he is "likely to become a great figure to pin up on the dartboard, and throw darts at. I am sure there will be short-term pain and brickbats."

Finally the Times reports that according to their poll,there is overwhelming public support for a change in the law to allow medically assisted suicide

Almost three quarters (74 per cent) of people want doctors to be allowed to help terminally ill patients to end their lives. Support is particularly strong among those aged 55 to 64.