Results of Question Time panel debate - Thursday 26 May 2011

Last Thurday, we invited a panel of four speakers to debate three of the biggest topics in the headlines over the last few weeks: super-injunctions, international aid, and referenda.

Thank you to everyone who made it out for the debate - it was one of our best attended events yet - and we extend our deepest gratitude to our speakers (Richard Weydert Jacquard, Shaughan Dolan, Henry Vann, and Benjamin Gray) who were all on top form and made it a night to remember, especially when they broke into song at the end :)

Well done to Richard who topped the poll, winning the debate with a total of 18 votes. Below is a brief summary of the key arguments made by our speakers.

SUPER INJUNCTIONS
Benjamin:The privacy given by super-injunctions allow for the rule of law to triumph over trial by media. Just because they are unenforceable in some cases doesn't mean they shouldn't be there in principle.

Henry:There is usually a power imbalance between those who take out the super-injunctions and those who were involved and would like to speak to the press. Justice should be conducted out in the open for people to see, not behind closed doors.

Richard: On the one hand once privacy has been lost in a case you can't get it back, on the other freedom of the press is very important. They must be able to report so that they can hold to account those in power.

Shaughan: In a case where privacy is set against freedom of speech then freedom of speech should win. The power imbalance between people is irrelevant as the internet will ensure that any imbalances are levelled out.

INTERNATIONAL AID
Richard: We have the responsibility to take people out of poverty. However we should not neglect taking British people out of poverty. A cap & collar system should be used when determining international aid.

Henry: Defence and international aid are essentially trying to achieve the same thing. We could solve a lot of problems not just by throwing money at them but by changing laws of international trade, for example patent law.

Shaughan Dolan: We can't have countries economies flat-lining, therefore we need to give them money to kick start their economies again. Aid should be given in a strategic manner, not through a bid system.

Benjamin Gray: There is no one single coherent policy that will solve the problems of poverty in this world. We must balance the policies of DfID against the political free will of the countries to whom we are giving aid.

REFERENDA (this was intended to be a more light-hearted humourous debate in case anyone is baffled by the suggestions for our next referendum or why half the panel ended up singing the words to Jerusalem at the end...)

Richard: A referendum on reform of the House of Lords.
Benjamin: A referendum on whether we should have referenda.
Henry: A referendum on changing the national anthem to Jerusalem.
Shaughan: A referendum on firing Scotland into the sea.


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