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Jackie Ashley looks behind the scenes at Westminster.

The result of the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election is being sifted for clues. Each party is looking for reassurance in the outcome of this first electoral test since the general election.

Here, three observers with a close interest give their views. They are the Conservative MP and secretary of the party's 1922 committee, Mark Pritchard, Labour's Michael Meacher who has a neighbouring Oldham seat and the Liberal Democrat, Chris Davies, now an MEP who once represented the area at Westminster.

Multi-million pound bonuses for top staff at the banks, many bailed out by the taxpayer after the credit crunch, blew up as the other big story of the week. Barclays' Bob Diamond thought apologies out of place and out of time. But MPs disagree - as the Conservative Andrea Leadsom and Labour's Chuka Umunna explain.

Finally, the expenses scandal is taking its toll. One former MP has been jailed and another MP stood down this week after pleading guilty to fraud. How different is this scandal from many others down the years? The veteran Labour peer and former MP, Bernard Donoughue, reflects.