The Crown Prosecution Service is considering whether to prosecute Lord Archer, the former Tory deputy chairman, on allegations of perjury or attempting to pervert the course of justice. The Scotland Yard file, handed to the CPS in the past few days, contains evidence - the result of a nine-month inquiry - surrounding the millionaire novelist's 1987 libel trial.The investigation began after it emerged that Lord Archer had asked a friend to lie for him in the run-up to the trial at which he won £500,000 from the Daily Star.Lord Archer admitted last year that he had asked his then friend Ted Francis to provide him with a false alibi for the date when he thought the Star was going to accuse him of having been with the prostitute Monica Coughlan.He said that on the night in question he had in fact been with a female friend, whose identity he wanted to protect.In the event, the Star's allegations revolved around a different date and the false alibi was never used in court.But the revelation led to Lord Archer's resignation as Conservative candidate for the post of London mayor.Following a series of stormy meetings with senior Conservatives, the 60-year-old peer was expelled from the party for five years.The CPS last night confirmed that a prosecution was being considered.A decision is expected to be made soon by David Calvert-Smith QC, Director of Public Prosecutions.A spokeswoman for the CPS said: "We have received a file from the police in the last couple of days and it is now awaiting consideration by our lawyers."She refused to confirm what charges were under consideration but they are thought to be either perjury or conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. No timescale has yet been agreed but the spokeswoman added: "We try to make our decisions as quickly as possible."Perjury carries a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment, while the maximum for a conviction for attempting to pervert the course of justice is life.Lord Archer was last night said to be returning from Australia, where he has been conducting a book promotion tour.. Margaret Beckett, the Leader of the House of Commons, was last night at the centre of a row over claims that ministers were trying to secure her election as Speaker. Margaret Beckett, the Leader of the House of Commons, was last night at the centre of a row over claims that ministers were trying to secure her election as Speaker. Mrs Beckett's name has been mentioned as a possible candidate to succeed Betty Boothroyd.

Senior Labour MPs are speculating that her election to the post could be a "solution" to Tony Blair's problem of finding cabinet places to which to promote middle-rank Labour ministers.But the suggestion has raised opposition among traditionalists similar to MPs' hostility to other officially endorsed candidates for Speaker. Tam Dalyell, Labour member for Linlithgow, said: "I am strongly against cabinet ministers or Shadow Cabinet ministers being considered for the Speakership. If the reason is to make room in the Cabinet for a promotion it would be a very bad reason indeed."But I am not at all astonished that this should be proposed because I had heard it mooted early on in terms of promotional convenience for the Prime Minister."He added: "It would be terribly wrong if pressure were to be put on Labour MPs for such a solution."A senior Conservative backbencher, who did not want to be identified, also said that it was "absolutely unacceptable" that someone should come straight from the Cabinet into the Speaker's chair.He added: "Mrs Beckett is rightly highly regarded as a good Leader of the House. But she is making political pronouncements every week."The thought of putting Tony Blair's placewoman into the Speaker's chair would be regarded as repugnant to MPs of all parties."Another possible candidate from the frontbenches is Mrs Beckett's opposite number in the Conservative Party, Sir George Young. Free-thinkers are adamant that he should not be slotted into the vacancy at the behest of party managers and neither should Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, who is understood to be favoured by Mr Blair.. The holiday style of Don Blaireone is by now well known. The Don and his family don't take a scheduled flight, they take the Queen's Flight.

They don't book, they don't pay, they don't stay with no one who ain't rich and well connected. Most of all, they don't see the people they don't want to see. Capisce? The holiday style of Don Blaireone is by now well known. The Don and his family don't take a scheduled flight, they take the Queen's Flight. They don't book, they don't pay, they don't stay with no one who ain't rich and well connected. Most of all, they don't see the people they don't want to see. Capisce? At the Villa Cusona, the magnificent Tuscan estate of Prince Girolamo and Princess Irina Strozzi, the Don's wishes are respected.