Monday's papers

A revolt by MP's over expenses is the main topic in many of the papers.

MPs today began to challenge openly the authority of the independent auditor charged with investigating expenses abuses at Westminster amid claims that the civil servant's inquiry had strayed beyond its remit says the Guardian

The Times says that

MPs have spent the past few days plotting retaliation against the new demands, which include six-figure sums, including by taking action in the courts. One member of the Members’ Estimate Committee, which oversees the running of Parliament and includes the Speaker, said Sir Thomas had been “overzealous, misdirected and has exacerbated a situation where we were hoping to bring closure”.

Sir Stuart Bell, who sits on the Members Estimates Committee — which will rule on whether to accept the Legg inquiry’s findings — said that if the investigation asked MPs to pay back approved expenses, it would amount to a change in “criteria” and would be unfair. says the Telegraph

They still don't get it says the Mail

In a sign that politicians still fail to understand the public fury at their behaviour, the Commons committee which polices the system gave MPs the green light to reject the demands for cash.

The other big political news is on the front of the Independent which reports that A fire sale of public assets will be announced by Gordon Brown today to help cut the Government's mounting deficit.

The Tote, the Dartford crossing, the student loan book, the Channel Tunnel rail link and the Government's stake in Urenco, which enriches uranium for nuclear power stations worldwide, will all be offered to private bidders in the next two years, in an attempt to raise £3bn.

The announcement will come in a speech where Mr Brown is to set out an alternative to the immediate spending cuts proposed by the Tories. says the Telegraph adding that

He will say that premature curbs risk ''snuffing out'' the economic recovery before it has even got properly under way.

The Express claims that

INTEREST rates are set to remain at record lows for at least five years, sparking a mortgage price war.It will remain below two per cent until 2014 as the Bank of England tries to revive the economy, according to a study by the respected Centre for Economics and Business Research.

English district councils spend £1 in every £3 of council tax revenue on gathering and disposing of household rubbish according to figures obtained by the Guardian

Anti-waste campaigners have condemned the cost as too high and criticised local government for not doing enough to cut waste. According to the figures, councils in England and Wales spent £4.5bn in 2007-08 dealing with refuse, including collection, landfill and recycling.

Meanwhile the Times reports that the Government’s climate change advisory body will advise that

Motorists should pay higher taxes in the form of a national road-pricing system to cut carbon dioxide emissions,The speed limit on all motorways should be strictly enforced and may have to be reduced to 60mph to help to meet the Government’s legally binding carbon reduction targets.

Mystery surrounds death of Boyzone pin-up Gately says the Independent

Mr Gately, one of two lead singers in the boyband Boyzone, was found dead lying on a sofa at his home in Port Andratx at 1.45pm on Saturday, after a night of partying. A spokesman for the Spanish police said it had not been established how the singer died, although he added that there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

The Sun though reveals that he

died after a wild eight-hour binge.The 33-year-old, who rarely drank, was "totally trashed" during a night at a gay club on Majorca with civil partner Andy Cowles.

Finally some good news from the Telegraph which says that 2012 will not bring the end of the world, a Mayan elder has insisted, despite claims that a Mayan calendar shows that time will "run out" on December 21 of that year.

Apolinario Chile Pixtun is tired of being bombarded with frantic questions about the end of the world. "I came back from England last year and, man, they had me fed up with this stuff," he said.