Speakers' Corner

Recent debates

Opinion: Sarkozy and the EU

Responses

Opinion: Europe must restore our trust
Earlier this year there was a press feeding-frenzy over MEPs and their expenses.More...
House of Lords reform
The government has published its white paper on House of Lords reform, drawing up plans for an 80 per cent or wholly elected second chamber.More...
Opinion: Sarkozy and the EU
Europe's leadership cannot be left to France alone.More...

Opinion: Civil liberties
Why you should vote against David Davis by Peter Tatchell.More...
Brown's first year
It's been one year since Gordon Brown made the walk from Number 11 to Number 10.More...
Opinion: Planning bill
"The planning bill is undemocratic, marginalises community voices and does nothing to tackle climate change".More...
Opinion: Party funding
"How bad does it have to get before we're shocked out of our complacency".More...
Davis resigns
David Davis, shadow home secretary, has resigned from his frontbench position and as MP for Haltemprice and Howden.More...
42-days
The Commons is voting on whether pre-charge detention should be extended from 28 to 42 days in terrorism cases.More...
Minimum voting age
MPs have spent the day debating whether to lower the minimum voting age from 18 to 16.More...
Mugabe knighthood
Steps are being taken to revoke the honourary knighthood of Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe.More...
Fuel prices fallout
Soaring fuel prices have underlined all the week's biggest stories.More...
By-election fallout
The Conservatives have made their first by-election gain for 26 years, overturning a 7,000-plus majority in the process.More...
Human fertilisation and embryology bill
MPs are voting on a series of interlinked ethical issues about science's role in the creation of life today and tomorrow.More...
Draft Queen's Speech
The government has revealed its legislative plans for the 2008/09 session.More...
Prisoners' pay
Plans to increase the pay levels of inmates in Britain's prisons have been shelved just one day before they were due to be introduced.More...
Council tax
Councils and the government are coming under pressure to reform local taxation.More...
Grangemouth strike
A two-day strike at the Grangemouth oil refinery has sparked concerns about the security of Britain's energy supply.More...
Prisoners' lifestyle
Allegations that prisoners enjoy a "cushy" lifestyle have triggered debate about the way the country's prisons are run.More...
Teachers' strike
With today's teachers' strike expected to close thousands of schools, the debate about public sector pay continues to rumble on.More...
BAA's future
An interim report from the Competition Commission has once again called into question the future of British airports operator BAA.More...
Income tax band changes
As parliament returns following its spring break ministers are being forced to confront growing disquiet over the 10p income tax band abolition.More...
Diplomas
Comments by a senior exam board chief have called into question the government's policy on diplomas.More...
Terror police
Jacqui Smith's expected announcement of 300 more anti-terror police officers is raising concerns about what more can be done to protect Britain from terrorism.More...
Biofuels obligation
The renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) comes into force today.More...
Prisoner self-harm
Increases in prisoner self-harm incidents have raised questions about the quality of Britain's prisons system.More...
BAE-Saudi fraud inquiry
Gordon Brown is under pressure to reopen the inquiry into secret payments made from BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia to guarantee arms deals.More...
Beijing Olympics boycott
Gordon Brown has announced he will not attend the controversial opening ceremony of the Olympics.More...
Fuel poverty
The government is being taken to court over claims it has failed its fuel poverty pledges.More...
University admissions
Renewed efforts on improving university admissions are attracting criticism of the government's limited success in broadening access to higher education.More...
School discipline
Bad behaviour among Britain's school pupils is being addressed by the Conservatives today.More...
Online safety
The Home Office has announced new measures designed to make British children "free from fear" online.More...
Eco-towns
The first 15 locations shortlisted for eco-towns have been announced by the government.More...
Teachers' strike
Teachers have voted to strike in a dispute over pay.More...
Immigration report
Labour's claim that a high level of immigration is good for the UK has been cast into doubt by the publication of an influential Lords report.More...
Detention without charge
The government's plans to extend the period for detention without trial of terror suspects could face a legal challenge over concerns it breaches human rights law.More...
Healthy school meals take-up
Children should be banned from leaving school during the lunch hour to prevent them eating unhealthy foods, it has been suggested.More...
Children and new technology
The government is to adopt all the proposals to protect children from harmful online content and in video games published in a review today.More...
FSA and Northern Rock
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) faces an uncertain future after an internal review found four "failings" in its handling of Northern Rock.More...
Iraq anniversary
Iraq remains a hugely divisive political issue five years after US-led forces invaded the country on March 20th 2003.More...
National security
Gordon Brown has set out Britain's first ever national security strategy.More...
Family intervention projects
Up to 1,000 young people will be signed up to behaviour contracts in an expansion of the government's family intervention project schemes outlined today.More...
Family intervention projects
More...
Sicknote Britain
A review of workers' health seeks to further the government's aim of ending Britain's 'sicknote culture'.More...
NHS IT savings
Figures showing limited savings made by the NHS' IT upgrade programme have attracted criticism for the government.More...
Budget 2008
Reaction is pouring in following Alistair Darling's Budget statement to a packed Commons.More...
Citizenship review
Wide-ranging changes to Britain's approach to citizenship have been proposed by former attorney-general Lord Goldsmith.More...
Climate change levy
The climate change levy has not worked as ministers intended, MPs have concluded.More...
HMRC bonuses
HM Revenue and Customers (HMRC) has been criticised for paying its senior staff £23 million in bonuses despite continued department failings.More...
EU treaty referendum
Last night's Commons votes on whether to hold a referendum on the EU Lisbon treaty have highlighted divisions in all three main parties.More...
Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley has announced he will stand down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland first minister.More...
24-hour drinking
The government's policy of 24-hour drinking will be defended today in a government review.More...
Child poverty
The government's commitment to child poverty is under question again today as pressure builds ahead of next week's Budget.More...

Speakers' Corner

Recent debates

Responses

Archive