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  1. Londontowner asked Neil O'Brien: "Neil, would you support other referenda taking place at the same time- say on proportional representation, immigration and how to react to climate change? Like a kind of all encompassing 'Future of Britain'..." Show more »"Neil, would you support other referenda taking place at the same time- say on proportional representation, immigration and how to react to climate change? Like a kind of all encompassing 'Future of Britain' poll?" Show less »

  2. I don’t think you should hold multiple referendums at once – take one issue at a time for clarity, a better debate and to avoid manipulation.

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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends   |   Jul 03 2008 9:01:26 AM
  1. Londontowner asked William Hague: "Do emerging threats such as climate change, global economic depression and terrorism cause you to re-evaluate your position on the EU? Won't we be safer as part of a large bloc and don't we need treaties..." Show more »"

    Do emerging threats such as climate change, global economic depression and terrorism cause you to re-evaluate your position on the EU? Won't we be safer as part of a large bloc and don't we need treaties like Lisbon to bind us together?

    " Show less »
  2. William Hague answers: "I have always believed that Britain benefits from its membership of the European Union, so these new problems haven’t required a change of mind. Climate change is a perfect example of the kind of challenge..." Show more»"

    I have always believed that Britain benefits from its membership of the European Union, so these new problems haven’t required a change of mind. Climate change is a perfect example of the kind of challenge we need the EU to help solve.

     

    Lisbon wouldn’t help us deal with any of them, though. It would change nothing of substance on climate change, it would damage our economies (see above) and it would constrain national governments’ flexibility to work together to fight the scourge of terrorism. We’d be much better off without it.

    "Show less«
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends   |   Jul 03 2008 3:04:03 AM
  1. Londontowner asked John Redwood: "As Environment Minister, don't  you think you'd find it easier to work with fellow EU Ministers and the Commission on climate change issues with a treaty such as Lisbon in place? Or is there little you'd..." Show more »"As Environment Minister, don't  you think you'd find it easier to work with fellow EU Ministers and the Commission on climate change issues with a treaty such as Lisbon in place? Or is there little you'd be able to achieve together anyway?" Show less »
  2. John Redwood answers: "In a globalised world there is always going to be contact amongst ministers and cooperation between different countries on issues such as climate change. We have to recognise that the world in the twenty..." Show more»"
    In a globalised world there is always going to be contact amongst ministers and cooperation between different countries on issues such as climate change. We have to recognise that the world in the twenty first century is bigger than the twenty-seven countries of the EU. We need to build better links with the rising powers of India, China, Brazil and Russia, as well as strengthen our relationship with America, as these countries are where real power is going to lie in the years to come.
    "Show less«
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends   |   May 31 2008 2:16:04 PM
  1. Londontowner asked Gisela Stuart: "Do you ever despair of the EU? Don't lots of people who deal with the Commission and Parliament over time seem to become a bit jaded and disillusioned with the bureaucracy and petty protection of national..." Show more »"

    Do you ever despair of the EU? Don't lots of people who deal with the Commission and Parliament over time seem to become a bit jaded and disillusioned with the bureaucracy and petty protection of national interests

    " Show less »
  2. Gisela Stuart answers: "Do I despair of the EU? I despair of the lack of accountability and transparency and the unwillingness by the political elites to be straight with the public as to where power now lies." Show more»"

    Do I despair of the EU? I despair of the lack of accountability and transparency and the unwillingness by the political elites to be straight with the public as to where power now lies.

    "Show less«
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends   |   May 31 2008 2:09:18 PM
  1. Londontowner asked Denis MacShane: "Could you give me three understandable ways in which the Lisbon Treaty will improve the quality of my life and that of my children, by making us richer, safer, healthier and happier?"
  2. Denis MacShane answers: "The new Treaty strengthen provisions for combating crime, increasing safety standards in food and the environment, and allowing people to be themselves, not dictated to by outside religious, homophobic..." Show more»"
    The new Treaty strengthen provisions for combating crime, increasing safety standards in food and the environment, and allowing people to be themselves, not dictated to by outside religious, homophobic or patriarchal  forces. But being rich, safe and happy is for each individual to work at. No government, no UN, no EU can replace the responsibility of the individual to take decisions to improve the quality of his or her own life.
    "Show less«
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends   |   May 31 2008 1:33:28 PM
  1. Londontowner asked Boris Johnson: "Before you start your campaign for Mayor of London, would you like to apologise for any of the more strident opinions or controversial views you have expressed as a columnist over the years?"
  2. Boris Johnson answers: "Mr. Johnson has answered this question several times, most recently Show more»" Mr. Johnson has answered this question several times, most recently here. "Show less«
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  4. 1 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends   |   Apr 25 2008 10:36:10 AM
  1. Londontowner asked Adrian Van Klaveren: "Adrian, how will interactive news look in, let's say, ten years time? How much further beyond the viewers poll, phone in, e-mailed pics etc, can we realistically go?"
  2. Adrian Van Klaveren answers: "I think the role of debate within the news will be the thing that really develops. At the moment it’s possible for people to react to things whether it’s by text messages or by email but there’s not a..." Show more»" I think the role of debate within the news will be the thing that really develops. At the moment it’s possible for people to react to things whether it’s by text messages or by email but there’s not a sense of something going quickly backwards and forwards and that real exchange of ideas and how that works and I think that will change much more that people can make a point, get an instant response back, in the way that you and I would in a normal conversation. I think broadcasting will be more into that area. I think the use of video interactively is something that will grow, instead of what is essentially a text based interactive content it becomes much more video based and you can actually see the people- and it will become much more engaging to a wider audience I think, if it moves in that way. And a sense that it will be much easier to find the particular debate that you are interested in- today we are still quite led by “What is the Today programme discussing?” or “What is going on on Radio 5 Live?”, or whatever. A sense that we can actually let people set the agenda themselves more than is currently the case, that interactivity will be much more the things the audience want to talk about, as opposed to us trying to guess what we think the audience wants to talk about. Shrikala asked the follow up question: Will this affect the model of journalism – when anybody can be a journalist, will the actual art of journalism suffer? I think that’s the worry but I actually don’t think that will be the case. I think that journalism has still got a very proper and essential role. Journalism, in the end, is about finding things out – its not just about commenting on things – I mean journalism is about going away, getting information, putting it together and then making sense of it and I think that there is a role for that which people will still value hugely- that somebody is able to work out what’s actually going on in terms of how political party funding works for instance – they are going to want journalism on that, not just to say what they think about it. And that will only come from journalists who are spending the time and the effort and have the background knowledge actually to try and make sense of it. I think there is still a very important role for journalism there. "Show less«
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends   |   Jan 29 2008 6:37:04 AM
  1. Londontowner asked David Leigh: "What percentage of readers' comments left on Guardian's Comment is Free do you think actually get read and responded to by other readers? Since most readers are writing without a sense of audience, do..." Show more »"What percentage of readers' comments left on Guardian's Comment is Free do you think actually get read and responded to by other readers? Since most readers are writing without a sense of audience, do you think that most readers will lose interest after some time?" Show less »
  2. I simply don't know the answer to this. Occasionally there's a vigorous response. You should really ask Georgina Henry, the editor of Comment is Free, not me.
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends   |   Jan 24 2008 3:47:14 AM
  1. Londontowner asked Steve Bennedik: "Adam Boulton said at the Editors conference in Manchester today that many readers comments are 'not worth the paper they aren't printed on'. Do most comments about the McCann's bear that out?"
  2. Steve Bennedik answers: "I think Adam was saying that despite the rise of online blogging and user contributions, we still require levels of professional reporting, expertise and analysis. All opinions are important and relevant..." Show more»" I think Adam was saying that despite the rise of online blogging and user contributions, we still require levels of professional reporting, expertise and analysis. All opinions are important and relevant to those who give them. People hold passionate views about the McCann’s, and the story of missing Madeleine. I think they have a right to give them and a right to debate the issues. "Show less«
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  4. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends   |   Dec 26 2007 8:36:28 AM
  1. Londontowner asked Steve Bennedik: "What for you has been the worst coverage of the McCann case? Has there ever been a time when you have worried that the media or a certain publication has gone to far?"
  2. Steve Bennedik answers: "Since the McCann's have returned to the UK, I think a lot of the coverage has been over the top. The Daily Express and others have clearly led on the Madeleine story because they know it will boost readership...." Show more»" Since the McCann's have returned to the UK, I think a lot of the coverage has been over the top. The Daily Express and others have clearly led on the Madeleine story because they know it will boost readership. I am sure they'd say the public don't have to buy the newspapers. It's not just the papers. Panorama and Tonight with Trevor McDonald have also been examining the case recently. When the Tonight programme looked at the media coverage of the Madeleine McCann case and asked if there was a witch-hunt, I am sure they were well aware that a programme about Madeleine wouldn't do any harm for their ratings. "Show less«
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