Citizens Sum

Anthony Barnett (London, OK): The BBC's Robin Lustig hosted a tremendously interesting World Tonight debate last night in St Mary's Putney, host of the historic Putney debates of 1647 when the Levellers (recently described by Tom Griffin as the world's first modern political party) set out their claims of equality and rights. It was between the Minister of State at Justice Michael Wills and David Willetts, Joan Smith, Salma Yacoub and Neal Ascherson. You can read the full transcript here or listen to it here. It covers a lot of ground about Britishness, the role of a statement of values, peoples' hopes and fears. The most serious disagreement was between novelist Joan Smith author of What Will Survive, and Birmingham Stop the War Coalition's Salma Yacoub. But did Wills really tell Willetts that if he does not like whatever the values that are decided he could always leave the country?

Anthony Barnett (London, OK): For the second time running the Lord Chancellor has called me "Anthony" in public. Third time lucky and he will agree with me? Or will it be time to emigrate? Perhaps the first time didn't count as "Charlie" Falconer is a facile barrister and it was at a Prospect round table where I'm not sure he knew me from Adam (it's closed to subscribers but I get a peak in at the top followed by Geoffrey Howe.) This time it was at an interesting launch on Monday of a weighty new report by Justice called A British Bill of Rights - Informing the Debate. You can get a pdf here. It was held at the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger chaired, the Lord Chancellor (aka Jack Straw spoke), and Roger Smith of Justice responded. I've been waiting for them to put the speeches up on the web (I'll link when this happens).