diff --git a/pull-lp-source b/pull-lp-source
index dc21710..f11fb92 100755
--- a/pull-lp-source
+++ b/pull-lp-source
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from ubuntutools.logger import Logger
 from ubuntutools.lp.lpapicache import Distribution, Launchpad
 from ubuntutools.lp.udtexceptions import (SeriesNotFoundException,
         PackageNotFoundException, PocketDoesNotExistError)
-from ubuntutools.misc import splitReleasePocket, dsc_url
+from ubuntutools.misc import split_release_pocket, dsc_url
 
 def main():
     usage = "Usage: %prog <package> [release]"
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def main():
                                         .getDevelopmentSeries().name)
 
     try:
-        (release, pocket) = splitReleasePocket(release)
+        (release, pocket) = split_release_pocket(release)
     except PocketDoesNotExistError, error:
         Logger.error(error)
         sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/ubuntu-build b/ubuntu-build
index daf06b6..ed4a2e9 100755
--- a/ubuntu-build
+++ b/ubuntu-build
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from ubuntutools.lp.udtexceptions import (SeriesNotFoundException,
                                           PackageNotFoundException,
                                           PocketDoesNotExistError,)
 from ubuntutools.lp.lpapicache import Distribution, PersonTeam
-from ubuntutools.misc import splitReleasePocket
+from ubuntutools.misc import split_release_pocket
 
 def main():
     # Usage.
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def main():
 
         # split release and pocket
         try:
-            (release, pocket) = splitReleasePocket(release)
+            (release, pocket) = split_release_pocket(release)
         except PocketDoesNotExistError, error:
             print 'E: %s' % error
             sys.exit(1)
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def main():
     release = (options.series or
                Distribution('ubuntu').getDevelopmentSeries().name)
     try:
-        (release, pocket) = splitReleasePocket(release)
+        (release, pocket) = split_release_pocket(release)
     except PocketDoesNotExistError, error:
         print 'E: %s' % error
         sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/ubuntutools/config.py b/ubuntutools/config.py
index 11c88f1..1445b3a 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/config.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/config.py
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ class UDTConfig(object):
         dictionary
         """
         config = {}
-        for fn in ('/etc/devscripts.conf', '~/.devscripts'):
+        for filename in ('/etc/devscripts.conf', '~/.devscripts'):
             try:
-                f = open(os.path.expanduser(fn), 'r')
+                f = open(os.path.expanduser(filename), 'r')
             except IOError:
                 continue
             for line in f:
@@ -130,10 +130,10 @@ def ubu_email(name=None, email=None, export=True):
     name_email_re = re.compile(r'^\s*(.+?)\s*<(.+@.+)>\s*$')
 
     if email:
-        m = name_email_re.match(email)
-        if m and not name:
-            name = m.group(1)
-            email = m.group(2)
+        match = name_email_re.match(email)
+        if match and not name:
+            name = match.group(1)
+            email = match.group(2)
 
     if export and not name and not email and 'UBUMAIL' not in os.environ:
         export = False
@@ -147,12 +147,12 @@ def ubu_email(name=None, email=None, export=True):
         if name and email:
             break
         if var in os.environ:
-            m = name_email_re.match(os.environ[var])
-            if m:
+            match = name_email_re.match(os.environ[var])
+            if match:
                 if not name:
-                    name = m.group(1)
+                    name = match.group(1)
                 if not email:
-                    email = m.group(2)
+                    email = match.group(2)
             elif target == 'name' and not name:
                 name = os.environ[var].strip()
             elif target == 'email' and not email:
diff --git a/ubuntutools/misc.py b/ubuntutools/misc.py
index 3f37b2d..84ad93e 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/misc.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/misc.py
@@ -40,15 +40,16 @@ def system_distribution():
     if _system_distribution is None:
         try:
             if os.path.isfile('/usr/bin/dpkg-vendor'):
-                p = Popen(('dpkg-vendor', '--query', 'vendor'), stdout=PIPE)
+                process = Popen(('dpkg-vendor', '--query', 'vendor'),
+                                stdout=PIPE)
             else:
-                p = Popen(('lsb_release', '-cs'), stdout=PIPE)
-            output = p.communicate()[0]
+                process = Popen(('lsb_release', '-cs'), stdout=PIPE)
+            output = process.communicate()[0]
         except OSError:
             print ('Error: Could not determine what distribution you are '
                    'running.')
             return None
-        if p.returncode != 0:
+        if process.returncode != 0:
             print 'Error determininng system distribution'
             return None
         _system_distribution = output.strip()
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ def readlist(filename, uniq=True):
 
     return items
 
-def splitReleasePocket(release):
+def split_release_pocket(release):
     '''Splits the release and pocket name.
 
     If the argument doesn't contain a pocket name then the 'Release' pocket
@@ -128,5 +129,5 @@ def dsc_name(package, version):
 def dsc_url(mirror, component, package, version):
     "Build a source package URL"
     group = package[:4] if package.startswith('lib') else package[0]
-    fn = dsc_name(package, version)
-    return os.path.join(mirror, 'pool', component, group, package, fn)
+    filename = dsc_name(package, version)
+    return os.path.join(mirror, 'pool', component, group, package, filename)
diff --git a/ubuntutools/test/test_help.py b/ubuntutools/test/test_help.py
index f13cab1..c374c50 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/test/test_help.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/test/test_help.py
@@ -59,13 +59,14 @@ class HelpTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
                 raise unittest.SkipTest("Blacklisted: " + BLACKLIST[script])
 
             null = open('/dev/null', 'r')
-            p = subprocess.Popen(['./' + script, '--help'],
-                                 close_fds=True, stdin=null,
-                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            process = subprocess.Popen(['./' + script, '--help'],
+                                       close_fds=True, stdin=null,
+                                       stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                       stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
             started = time.time()
             out = []
 
-            fds = [p.stdout.fileno(), p.stderr.fileno()]
+            fds = [process.stdout.fileno(), process.stderr.fileno()]
             for fd in fds:
                 fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_SETFL,
                             fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFL) | os.O_NONBLOCK)
@@ -73,17 +74,17 @@ class HelpTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             while time.time() - started < TIMEOUT:
                 for fd in select.select(fds, [], fds, TIMEOUT)[0]:
                     out.append(os.read(fd, 1024))
-                if p.poll() is not None:
+                if process.poll() is not None:
                     break
 
-            if p.poll() is None:
-                os.kill(p.pid, signal.SIGTERM)
+            if process.poll() is None:
+                os.kill(process.pid, signal.SIGTERM)
                 time.sleep(1)
-                if p.poll() is None:
-                    os.kill(p.pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+                if process.poll() is None:
+                    os.kill(process.pid, signal.SIGKILL)
             null.close()
 
-            self.assertEqual(p.poll(), 0,
+            self.assertEqual(process.poll(), 0,
                              "%s failed to return usage within %i seconds.\n"
                              "Output:\n%s"
                              % (script, TIMEOUT, ''.join(out)))
diff --git a/ubuntutools/test/test_pylint.py b/ubuntutools/test/test_pylint.py
index 9d21d7c..f6230f1 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/test/test_pylint.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/test/test_pylint.py
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ class PylintTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             if 'python' in f.readline():
                 files.append(script)
             f.close()
-        p = subprocess.Popen(['pylint', '--rcfile=ubuntutools/test/pylint.conf',
-                             '-E', '--include-ids=y', '--'] + files,
-                             stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                             close_fds=True)
+        cmd = ['pylint', '--rcfile=ubuntutools/test/pylint.conf', '-E',
+               '--include-ids=y', '--'] + files
+        process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                   stderr=subprocess.PIPE, close_fds=True)
 
-        out, err = p.communicate()
+        out, err = process.communicate()
         self.assertEqual(err, '')
 
         filtered_out = []