Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury's headquarters, has rejected claims made in a speech earlier this week by Conservative leader David Cameron, that Dr Rowan Williams was seeking the incorporation of Sharia law in the UK.

Westminster easily gets mired in posturing and trading for influence, says Simon Barrow. But there are glimmers of redemption and genuine conviction in the political vocation too - even if we need to go well beyond politics to realise them.

Migration issues are back in the headlines, with the two main parties vying over 'get tough' policies, and the government admitting that its recent labour force statistics have been wrong. But positive alternatives are also being mooted.

Conservative leader David Cameron's claim that his new-style Tories love everybody has hit a snag after accusations that one of its leading members launched an intemperate attack on non-Christians at their recent party conference.