SCOTLAND: Blairite Labour leadership hopeful Jim Murphy's campaign came under the spotlight yesterday after a supporter he billed as a "new Scottish Labour member" was the sister of a party hack.

Mr Murphy plastered his Facebook page with pictures of Shonagh Munro after she introduced him at his weekend launch event.

Her brother is Callum Munro, who was Young Labour's NEC youth rep for two years and is linked to pro-business lobby group Progress.

PARLIAMENT: Former law lord Lord Lloyd of Berwick slammed the government's "useless" heroism Bill yesterday and tried to have it thrown out.

The Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill supposedly encourages people to commit heroic acts without fear of being sued.

But Lord Lloyd said nothing enforceable in the Bill was not already covered by the 2006 Compensation Act.

"The purpose of legislation is to make law that can be enforced in the courts, not for sending out messages," he said.

ENVIRONMENT: Huge areas are at risk of flooding due to underspending on flood protection, the National Audit Office said yesterday.

Half the flood defences in the country are only maintained at "minimal level," meaning they will deteriorate more rapidly.

And the Environment Agency has not informed communities of the heightened risk, it said.

Civil servants' union PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "This once again exposes the lie that the government can slash spending without affecting how services are delivered."