Taguri pulls out in Brent / Electoral Commission gets something right / and other election news

A smorgasbord of stories you may have missed in amongst the headlines and the fox, cat and duck in Downing Street:

Ibrahim Taguri pulls out in Brent Central

Wisely, former Liberal Democrat candidate for Brent Central Ibrahim Taguri, has now announced he is not going to stand as an independent. He withdrew as the Liberal Democrat candidate after allegations about his fundraising tactics – allegations that he has strenuously denied but which are unlikely to be ruled on before polling day.

Welcome advice from Electoral Commission to Returning Officers

From the latest Electoral Commission circular:

Information on when postal votes are to be despatched is important not only for electors but also for candidates and agents, for whom this is vital information that they need for the purposes of their campaign. If you haven’t already done so, you should therefore consider how best you can communicate these key dates to candidates and agents locally.

Nick Clegg: reform needed on public interest defence for journalists

A reform of the law is needed to ensure a proper public interest defence for journalists, Nick Clegg has said. The Liberal Democrat leader criticised the “opaque” nature of the current system and said prosecutors were relying on outdated laws in deciding whether journalists should go on trial. [The Guardian]