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WEDNESDAY
15th August 2007



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On The Record
PEOPLE
Here are the programme transcripts for the current 2001-2002 series. Please click on the various links to Read ( ), Watch ( ), or Listen ( ) to the interviews.


You can also read interviews from our archives.
Click for 92-93,   93-94,   94-95,   95-96,   96-97,   97-98,   98-99.   99-00.   00-01.  

This Week...

   The whole programme.

15.12.02
  The whole programme.

08.12.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: Charles Kennedy MP.
Are the Liberal Democrats really the honest party they like to present themselves as being?

Interview: Iain Duncan Smith MP.
Are the Conservatives being conservative enough on issues like tax or are they just confused?


01.12.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: JACK McCONNELL, First Minister of the Scottish Parliament.
Explains his attitude to public services in Scotland and reveals that the Scottish Labour Party will be pledging not to use the Parliament's tax raising powers after the next Scottish parliamentary elections in May.

Film: Martin Popplewell reveals growing concern amongst Labour MPs at the state of the railways and increasing calls for the reform of the train operating companies.

Film: NEWSBELT

Interview: RHODRI MORGAN, First Minister of the Welsh Assembly
Says he has no desire to take over negotiations with the fire-fighters and has no desire for the Welsh Assembly to acquire tax raising powers.

Film: Iain Watson investigates suggestions that the Liberal Democrats might overtake the Conservatives as the main opposition party and reveals it to be a tough task.

Interview: DAVID TRIMBLE, First Minister of Northern Ireland
Suggests that the IRA might not have to declare its own disbandment before the Northern Ireland Assembly can be reconstituted and that practical measures like decommissioning weapons and ending paramilitary activity would be sufficient.


24.11.02
  The whole programme.

Film: Conservative Film. Terry Dignan looks at what the Tories need to do to restore their credibility on the economy.

Interview: Michael Howard MP, Shadow Chancellor.
Do the Tories still plan to cut taxes and regulations?

Film: Newsbelt. A look at some of the other main political stories.

Film: Film on the monarchy. Gloria de Piero reports on a survey of Labour MPs. Does the monarchy need radical reform?

Interview: John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister.
What can the Government do to resolve the fire dispute?


17.11.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: MARGARET HODGE MP, Minister for Higher Education
Confirms that the Government is considering asking students and their families should pay more toward the cost of university education.

Film: Paola Buonadonna reports on the challenges facing NATO ahead of the summit in Prague and asks whether the organisation has a long-term future.

Film: Paul Wilenius outlines the UK's economic problems and the consequent dangers to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's spending, tax and borrowing plans ahead of his pre-budget statement.


10.11.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: GEOFF HOON MP, Defence Secretary.
Is a war with Iraq now inevitable.

Film: FILM ON WASTE. Terry Dignan looks at what the Government could do to reduce the mountains of rubbish we produce?

Film: FILM ON CONSERVATIVES: Martin Popplewell reports on the sense of panic among Conservative MPs about Iain Duncan Smith's performance as leader.

Interview: LORD BRITTAN, Former Conservative Cabinet Minister.
Is Iain Duncan Smith's position as Tory leader safe?

Film: Film on Prostitution: Iain Watson reports on proposals in Scotland to create tolerance zones where prostitutes would be free to ply their trade.


03.11.02
  The whole programme.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN Reports on the direction of Conservative policy and the difficulties facing Iain Duncan Smith's leadership of his Party.

Interview: DAVID DAVIS, Shadow Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Interview: LORD FILKIN, Home Office Minister.
On the eve the Asylum Bill returns to the House of Commons, we asked the Minister what areas of the Bill the Government are prepared to compromise on to avoid defeat in the Lords.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS reports on how the recent increase in trade union militancy is straining the Government's relationship with business.


27.10.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: PETER HAIN, Secretary of State for Wales
makes the case for a Welsh Secretary and is unapologetic about Labour's socialist credentials

Film: IAIN WATSON reports on the debate between those for and against de-criminalising soft drugs as the government prepares to announce legislation to downgrade the status of cannabis.

Film: TERRY DIGNAN reports that the Government has yet to decide what it wants to do about energy policy.


20.10.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: ANDY GILCHRIST, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union and NICK RAYNSFORD, the Local Government Minister.
Can a firefighters strike be avoided?

Film: Film on International Terrorism. After the bombings in Bali, what should be the next steps in the so-called war against terrorism?

Interview: MENZIES CAMPBELL, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman.
To what extent will the war against terrorism involve military action?

Film: Film on Pensions. Is the Government prepared to take the tough decision needed to solve the pensions crisis?


13.10.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: MARK DURKAN MLA, Leader of the SDLP
argues that helping to exclude Sinn Fein from the Northern Ireland Executive would not help to solve the crisis in the Peace Process and that even if the Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended, the Belfast Agreement must be preserved.

Interview: JEFFREY DONALDSON MP
Says Sinn Fein should be excluded from the Executive or resign from it, and that if the Assembly is suspended, the disbandment of the IRA will be necessary for it to be recognised.

Interview: MARTIN MCGUINNESS MP, Northern Ireland Education Minister
Says he will not be resigning from the Executive and accuses the Ulster Unionist Party of having been taken over by anti-agreement forces.

Film: Paul Wilenius reports on the debate over state funding of political parties.

Film: David Grossman asks whether the Government is thinking again about the controversial aspects of its review of the Mental Health Act.


06.10.02
  The whole programme.

Film: Conservative Film. Terry Dignan reports on the problems facing the Conservative Party.

Interview: OLIVER LETWIN MP, Shadow Home Secretary.
Do the Conservatives need to do more to show that the Party is changing?

Film: Euro Film. There are tough new rules designed to ensure the Euro is not a weak currency. But are they stopping European countries spend more on public services?

Interview: Bill Morris, General Secretary of the Transport union.
Is Britain's destiny in the Euro?


29.09.02
  The whole programme.

Film: LABOUR CONFERENCE. Paul Wilenius asks if New Labour has run into the buffers.

Interview: JOHN REID, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
On whether New Labour is being forced to its Old Labour roots.

Film: IRAQ. Iain Watson looks at the pressure Washington is exerting on the UN Security Council to back its tough new resolution on Iraq.

Interview: DAMIAN GREEN, Shadow Education Secretary.
On whether Education Secretary Estelle Morris should resign after the A levels grading row.


22.09.02
  The whole programme.

Film: IRAQ FILM. Terry Dignan looks ahead to the emergency House of Commons debate on Iraq.

Film: HUNTING FILM. David Grossman looks at what impact today's Countryside Alliance march will have on plans to ban hunting with hounds.

Interview: IAIN DUNCAN SMITH, Conservative Party Leader.
On why he joined the countryside march and plans for an attack on Iraq.

Film: SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY. Gloria De Piero looks at why the SNP has not made more headway in the opinion polls.

Interview: JOHN SWINNEY, SNP Leader.
On whether the high priority the party is giving to independence is holding them back.

Interview: DAVID TRIMBLE, Northern Ireland First Minister.
On the deadline he has set for the IRA to prove that it is ending terrorist activity.


23.06.02
  The whole programme.

Film: TERRY DIGNAN reports on the funding crisis afflicting Britain's universities.

Interview: MENZIES CAMPBELL, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesman
argues that the European Union is on a dynamic path despite the slow pace of agreement on measures to combat illegal immigration and achieve European enlargement.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN reports from Easterhouse in Glasgow on the problems the Conservatives must confront if they are to champion the vulnerable.

Interview: DAVID WILLETTS, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary
describes who the vulnerable are and what the Conservatives want to do to help them.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS reports on the tensions between the Government and the Civil Service as Labour tries to deliver on its election promises.


16.06.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: PETER OBORNE, Political Editor of The Spectator
On the claims that No. 10 sought a bigger role for the Prime Minister in the Queen Mother's funeral.

Interview: TIM COLLINS, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister.
What should the Government do now to clear up the row over the Queen Mother's funeral.

Interview: JOHN REID MP, Northern Ireland Secretary.
Has the Government mishandled the row over the Queen Mother's funeral.

Film: Film on Northern Ireland. Iain Watson reports on the crisis facing the Peace Process.

Interview: DAVID TRIMBLE MP, Northern Ireland First Minister.
What do the Ulster Unionists want the Government to do about the violent clashes in Northern Ireland.

Interview: JOHN REID MP, Northern Ireland Secretary.
Will the Government take any action against Sinn Fein following allegations that the IRA has breached their ceasefire.


09.06.02
  The whole programme.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS asks whether the Conservative Party really means it when it says it wants to change.

Interview: JOHN BARCOW, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Contends that the Conservative Party is changing and cites its change of stance on public services tax and adoption, inclusion and asylum.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN reports that despite the practical difficulties and political dangers of identity cards the Government has significant backbench support for the introduction of entitlement cards which would, in effect, be identity cards.

Interview: MITCHEL McLAUGHLIN, Sinn Fein Chairman
agrees that communal tensions need to be reduced in Northern Ireland but does not agree that that can be achieved by condemning the attempted murder of a Catholic recruit to the new Northern Ireland Police Service.

Film: PAOLA BUONADONNA reports on the remaining hurdles facing the European Union's attempt to recruit 10 more nations in to the EU.


2.06.02
  The whole programme.

Film: EARTH SUMMIT FILM. Paul Wilenius reports on proposals for the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in August. What needs to be done to protect the environment and reduce poverty in the third world?

Interview: MARGARET BECKETT MP, Environment Secretary.
Are world leaders ready to take the tough decisions needed at the Earth Summit?

Film: CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES FILM. Iain Watson reports on the Conservative Party's attempts to get more women and ethnic minority parliamentary candidates.

Interview: SIMON HUGHES MP, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman.
Why do the Liberal Democrats oppose Government plans to deal with asylum seekers who come to Britain.


26.05.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: ROBIN COOK MP, Leader of the House of Commons
suggests that the British Government will stop supplying arms to India and Pakistan while they dispute Kashmir, decribes the latest state of the war against terrorism and advocates his changes to the conduct of Parliament as a way of re-connecting the public with politics.

Film: David Grossman asks what more the Government is going to do to meet the threat of more flooding in vulnerable areas of England and Wales.

Interview: ELLIOT MORLEY MP
explains the Government's strategy to combat flooding and announces that from April 2003 decisions on which areas justify flood defences will be made on the basis of population as well as properly.

Film: Terry Dignan asks whether the Treasury's five economic tests to join the euro can really be met on economic criteria alone.


19.05.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: IAIN DUNCAN SMITH MP, Leader of the Conservative Party.
Is the Conservative Party really changing?

Film: NEW LABOUR FILM. Iain Watson looks at Peter Mandelson's latest ideas about how New Labour should renew itself.

Interview: PETER MANDELSON MP.
Would Tony Blair really be wise to listen to his friend's ideas for a NEW New Labour?

Film: CARE HOMES FILM. Paul Wilenius looks at whether the Government's plans to improve the care of elderly people and end the problem of bed blocking in the NHS will work.


12.05.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: CHRISTIAN WOLMAR, Author of Broken Rails and George Muir, Director General of the Association of Train Operating Companies
discuss whether the structure of the rail industry is responsible for its accident record.

Interview: DON FOSTER, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman
says recommendations to improve safety on the railways are being implemented too slowly and that the structure of the industry is to blame.

Film: David Grossman asks whether the British and Spanish Government's attempt to resolve the problem of Gibraltar will be at the expense of the people of Gibraltar.

Interview: TIM COLLINS, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister
calls for an inquiry into the donation of one hundred thousand pounds to the Labour Party by the proprieter of the Daily and Sunday Express newspapers and the setting up of a body to investigate large political donations.

Film: Terry Dignan reports on the developing Conservative education policy which aims to improve standards by increasing choice for parents and choices for pupils.

Interview: DAMIAN GREEN, Shadow Education Secretary
argues that offering the opportunity for schools to opt out of LEA control, for parents to set up new schools and for existing schools to expand, offers the way to improve standards, particularly for the less academic.


05.05.02
  The whole programme.

Film: LOCAL ELECTIONS FILM. David Grossman reports on the Conservative's performance in the local elections.

Interview: THERESA MAY.
How are the Conservative's going to persuade people that they are an alternative government.

Film: REGIONAL GOVERNMENT FILM. Iain Watson reports on the Government's plans to establish regional assemblies in England.

Interview: NICK RAYNSFORD.
2 out of 3 people failed to vote in the local elections. How can the Government persuade people that local councils are really worth voting for?

Film: EUROPEAN LEFT FILM. Paola Buonodonna reports on the swing to right wing parties in European elections. What are the lessons for the Labour Party in Britain?


28.04.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: JOHN PRESCOTT, Deputy Prime Minister
Explains the Labour Government's achievements ahead of the fifth anniversary of its General Election victory.

Film: Paul Wilenius reports on the problem the Government faces over the mail service run by the Post Office and Royal Mail.

Film: Terry Dignan describes the dilemma confronting the Liberal Democrats' economic policy after Gordon Brown's latest budget.

Interview: MATTHEW TAYLOR, Liberal Democrat Economic Spokesman
says the Liberal Democrats are still prepared to spend more and raise more taxes than the Labour Government is planning to.


21.04.02
  The whole programme.

Film: NHS Film. David Grossman reports on the Government's plans to reform the NHS so that extra spending is not wasted.

Interview: ALAN MILBURN MP, Health Secretary.
Will the Government's reforms really mean that patients will be able to choose the time and the place that they receive hospital treatment?

Film: BNP Film. Iain Watson looks at the fears that the far right British National Party could win some council seats in the local elections next month.

Interview: MICHAEL HOWARD MP, Shadow Chancellor.
Are the Conservatives out of touch with the voters in opposing tax increases to pay for more spending on the NHS?


24.03.02
  The whole programme.

Film: LABOUR FILM. Paul Wilenius looks at the growing ease among Labour MPs at the direction of the Government.

Interview: Interview with Helen Liddell Mp, Scottish Secretary.
Does the Government need to take more notice of its own MPs?

Interview: Interview with Peter Mandelson MP.
Does Tony Blair need to change his whole approach as Prime Minister and change the direction the Government is going in.

Film: Afghanistan film. David Grossman looks at what Britain is letting itself in for by sending troops to fight in Afghanistan.

Interview: Interview with Michael Howard MP, Shadow Chancellor.
Will the Conservatives support an increase in taxes to pay for higher spending on the NHS.


17.03.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: CLARE SHORT, International Development Secretary
Says there isn't crude military action that can deal with the problem of Saddam Hussein. She also discusses the Government's plan to increase the amount it spends on overseas aid.

Film: Film on Conservative crime policy. Terry Dignan looks at the lessons the Conservatives are trying to learn from the way New York has reduced crime.

Interview: OLIVER LETWIN, Shadow Home Secretary.
Can the Conservatives adopt New York style law and order policies without a big increase in spending.

Film: Film on tax. Iain Watson looks at whether the voters will really support tax increases in the Budget.


10.03.02
  The whole programme.

Film: David Grossman reports on the obstacles facing the Government in trying to reform the police and change the criminal justice system.

Interview: John Denham, Home Office Minister,
suggests that the Government may be prepared to compromise to get the Police Reform Bill through the House of Commons but defends the principles behind it.

Film: Paul Wilenius reports on the growing antagonism between the press and the Government.

Interview: Bernard Jenkin, Shadow Defence Secretary,
re-affirms Conservative support for United States action against countries like Iraq that have acquired weapons of mass destruction and countenanced the possible use of nuclear weapons against them.


03.03.02
  The whole programme.

Film: Film on Pensions. David Grossman looks at why an increasing number of companies are closing their final salary pension schemes for employees and why the Government's stakeholder pensions have failed to take off.

Interview: Interview with Alistair Darling MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
What will the Government do to ensure that people can look forward to a comfortable old age?

Film: Film on Northern Ireland Protestants. Iain Watson looks at why Northern Ireland's Protestants are becoming disillusioned about the peace process and the implications for the Good Friday Agreement.

Interview: Interview with John Reid Mp, Northern Ireland Secretary.
What can the Government do to persuade Protestants in Northern Ireland that they are benefiting from the peace process.


24.02.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: MICHAEL ANCRAM, Shadow Foreign Secretary
condemns Government policy on Zimbabwe, Gibraltar and the future constitution of the European Union.

Film: Terry Dignan reports on advice to the Government that the only solution to traffic congestion is to charge for road use.

Interview: ERIC PICKLES, Shadow Minister for Transport, argues against congestion charging and DON FOSTER, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman, puts forward the case for them.

Film: Paul Wilenius reveals that if Tony Blair is to support President Bush in military action against Iraq and the axis of evil, as well as back United States plans for missile defence , he may have to overcome opposition from Labour backbenchers.

Interview: ADAM PRICE, Plaid Cymru
says that the Government still has questions to answer about Tony Blair supporting the Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal's bid to buy the Romanian steel industry.


17.02.02
  The whole programme.

Film: FILM ON GARBAGEGATE: Iain Watson looks at the row over Tony Blair's letter to the Romanian Government in support of a foreign business.

Interview: INTERVIEW WITH LORD MACDONALD, Cabinet Office Minister.
Why did the Prime Minister give his support to a business that has fewer than 0.1 per cent of its employees in the UK and which is a competitor of British steel companies.

Film: FILM ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE. Paola Buonadonna looks at whether Europe is on the brink of moving towards further integration.

Interview: INTERVIEW WITH PETER HAIN, Europe Minister.
Will the British Government support proposals for further integration in Europe?


10.02.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: GEOFF HOON, Secretary of State for Defence.
Describes the new context created by the events of September 11th in which The Strategic Defence Review will be changed.

Film: IAIN WATSON asks whether New Unionism is under threat from an upturn in trade union militancy in public services.

Interview: JOHN WHITTINGDALE, Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary.
Reveals that the Conservatives are considering new curbs on the right of public service workers to strike.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN discovers that, though the sale of school playing fields may have slowed, the pressure on community playing fields has increased and that no new playing fields have been created from the �125 million allocated for the purpose three years ago.


03.02.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: JOHN PRESCOTT MP Interview
The Government plans to give private companies a bigger role in running public services. Will this be Labour's poll tax?

Film: Conservative film: Terry Dignan looks at where Iain Duncan Smith is taking the Conservative Party?

Interview: DAVID DAVIS MP Interview.
Do the Conservatives want to wreck the public services and get people to pay more for these services out of their own pockets?

Film: AFRICA Film: Tony Blair travels to west Africa this week as part of his plans to create a new partnership between Africa and the West. But can he really make much of a difference?


27.01.02
  The whole programme.

Interview: LIAM FOX, Shadow Health Secretary
Is unapologetic about the Conservatives using individual case studies to illustrate the problems of the NHS and denies Labour charges that the Conservatives are trying to underdime the NHS.

Interview: JOHN REID, Northern Ireland Secretary
Says the Conservatives have made a big mistake in attacking the performance of the NHS and defends the Government's health policies.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN Outlines the Government's thinking on student finance and asks whether the changes they are considering will overcome the hostility of middle class parents or encourage less well off students to go to university.

Film: IAIN WATSON reports on the changes Charles Clarke, Chairman of the Labour Party, wants to make to its policy making process.


20.01.02
  The whole programme.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS Reports on the problems facing the railway industry and the risks facing the Government if passengers don't see improvements soon.

Interview: STEPHEN BYERS, Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
Is the Government doing too little, too late to improve the railways?

Film: TERRY DIGNAN Reports on the Government's review of energy policy. Are they prepared to take the difficult decisions necessary to tackle the problem of global warming?


16.12.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: IAIN DUNCAN-SMITH MP, Conservative Leader
Clarifies his views on tax, public spending, health care, the euro, and the Conservative Party's efforts to make itself inclusive.

Film: Terry Dignan reports on concerns amongst MPs about the Leader of the House of Commons' proposals to reform Parliament.

Interview: ROBIN COOK MP, Leader of the House of Commons
Explains how he wants to change the way Parliament works.

Film: David Grossman describes the u-turns and policy changes announced by the Government since the war on terrorism has dominated the news agenda.


09.12.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: LORD ROOKER, Home Office Minister and OLIVER LETWIN, Shadow Home Secretary.
Will the Government be able to get the Anti-Terrorism Bill through Parliament before Christmas? Should ethnic minorities make greater effort to integrate into British society?

Film: PAUL WILENIUS reports on the government's plan to allow an increase in the number of faith schools. Will it change race relations?

Film: IAIN WATSON reports on the growing signs that a referendum on the Euro is looming.


02.12.01
  The whole programme.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN follows Conservative Health Spokesman Dr Liam Fox MP to Germany to discover alternative ways of arranging health care.

Interview: DR LIAM FOX MP, Conservative Health Spokesman
Says the Tories are considering ways in which health care might be paid for more by consumers rather than through general taxation.

Film: TERRY DIGNAN asks whether the extra money given to the NHS by the Government has produced improvements in health care.

Interview: ALAN MILBURN MP, Health Secretary
Reiterates the Government's commitment to reach the European average of health spending by 2005 and explains how he intends reforms to the NHS will give more choice to patients.

Film: PAOLA BUONADONNA reports on the imminent introduction of a European arrest warrant which will allow people in Britain to be arrested and deported on the sole instructions of any judge in the European Union.


25.11.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: AIR MARSHAL SIR TIM GARDEN, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff 1992-94.
Looks at the latest developments in Afghanistan.

Interview: ROBIN COOK MP, Leader of the Commons.
Should the US and Britain now put troops into Afghanistan to help restore stability?

Interview: HAMID KARZAI, A Pashtun tribal leader and former Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan.
What are the prospects for the talks on the future government of Afghanistan and would it help if there were more British and American troops on the ground?

Interview: PROFESSOR FRED HALLIDAY, London School of Economics.
Will the talks in Germany on the future of Afghanistan lead to a genuinely broad based government?

Film: IAIN WATSON reports on the next steps in the war against terrorism. Will the US take military action against other countries they believe harbour terrorists or will they rely on diplomatic pressure?

Interview: CHARLES KENNEDY MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Is it inevitable that we will have to sacrifice some of our civil liberties to protect ourselves from terrorism.


18.11.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: AIR MARSHAL SIR TIM GARDEN
Explains the latest situation in the war in Afghanistan.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS analyses the reasons why the United States are continuing to block the progress of the biological weapons convention in Geneva despite the events of September 11 and the renewed threat from weapons of mass destruction.

Interview: GEOFF HOON, Defence Secretary
Explains the progress of the coalition in the war against terrorism in Afghanistan and indicates how British troops are being used.


11.11.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: PETER SNOW talks to AIR MARSHAL SIR TIM GARDEN
About the latest military developments.

Interview: JACK STRAW MP, Foreign Secretary from the United Nations in New York.
Why do the Government plan to seek a derogation from the European Convention of Human Rights to allow detention without trial of terrorist suspects? And where does the war against terrorism go from here?

Film: IAIN WATSON reports on how willing the American public is to see the lives of US troops risked in a ground war in Afghanistan.

Interview: CHRIS PATTEN MP, EU External Affairs Commissioner.
Has the European Union been sidelined in the war against terrorism?


04.11.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: PETER SNOW talks to AIR MARSHAL SIR TIM GARDEN
About the latest military developments.

Interview: IAIN DUNCAN-SMITH MP, Conservative Party Leader.
Whether he was happy with the conduct of the war on terrorism and the lack of apparent progress so far.

Film: TERRY DIGNAN Reports on how much aid is needed inside Afghanistan and how much is actually getting to those who need it.

Interview: AMBASSADOR RICHARD HAASS, US Special Envoy to Afghanistan.
On the sort of government in Afghanistan which might replace the Taliban and the difficulties in the way of achieving a broad-based government acceptable both inside the country and beyond its borders.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS looks at whether taxes will have to be increased to pay for the war on terrorism.


28.10.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: PETER SNOW talks to AIR MARSHAL SIR TIM GARDEN.
About the latest military developments.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN reports on the claims that American and British bombing is very carefully targeted and that modern weapons technology means the minimum of innocent lives will be lost. How much should we believe of what we are being told?

Interview: PETER KILFOYLE MP, Defence Minister 1999-2000 and BRUCE GEORGE MP, Chairman of the Commons Defence Committee
Discuss American and British war aims.

Film: IAIN WATSON looks at the attempts by the United Nations to get all 189 member countries to take action against terrorism.

Interview: SIR JEREMY GREENSTOCK, UK Ambassador to the United Nations.
How can the United Nations tackle terrorism when its members have different views about who are terrorists and who are freedom fighters.

Interview: PETER SNOW talks to PROFESSOR FRED HALLIDAY of the London School of Economics.
About attempts to construct an alternative, broad based government to replace the Taliban.


21.10.01
  The whole programme.

Interview: PETER SNOW talks to AIR MARSHAL SIR TIM GARDEN
And analyses this week's military action.

Film: Paul Wilenius looks at the threat of terrorists using biological or chemical weapons and how well prepared Britain is to withstand such an attack.

Interview: JOHN REID MP, Northern Ireland Secretary.
Says there is currently no specified terrorist threat but that the Government is well prepared to respond to any such attack.

Interview: PETER SNOW talks to JUSTIN FORSYTH, the Policy Director at Oxfam.
About the problem getting food to refugees in Afghanistan.

Film: TERRY DIGNAN reports on the deep-seated grievances that many in the Arab World feel about America's policies in the Middle East.

Interview: MENZIES CAMPBELL MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesman
Says there needs to be a substantial degree of compromise on both sides to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian problem.


14.10.01
  The whole programme.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN assesses the prospect of the international coalition establishing a government acceptable to all in Afghanistan.

Interview: FRANCESC VENDRELL, Head of the UN Special Mission to Afghanistan.
Argues that it will be possible to establish a new government in Afghanistan without a UN peace making force.

Film: IAIN WATSON describes the worries of Arab Muslim countries about the coalition's war on terrorism.

Interview: ROBIN COOK, Leader of the House of Commons.
Describes the British Government's strategy for preserving the coalition against terrorism and for establishing a new government in Afghanistan.


07.10.01
  The whole programme.

Film: FILM ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. Are the aims of the war against terrorism becoming more modest than they seemed to be in the immediate aftermath of the attacks in America?

Interview: CLARE SHORT MP, International Development Secretary.
In the war against terrorism how can we strike a balance between our national interest and our moral duty?

Film: FILM ON THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY. What can the Conservative Party do to win back the voters who deserted them at the last two elections?

Interview: MICHAEL HOWARD MP, Shadow Chancellor.
Mr Howard confirms that Conservative MPs have been asked to resign from the right-wing Conservative Monday Club and insists that there is no room in the Party for people with extremist views.


30.09.01
  The whole programme.

Film: DAVID GROSSMAN Reports on the dangers to the international coalition against terrorism by the onset of military action.

Film: PAUL WILENIUS On worries about war in the Labour Party and amongst the general public.

Interview: JOHN PRESCOTT, Deputy Prime Minister.
Explains why worries about effects of war, the erosion of civil liberties in the UK, the impact on the British economy and on the Government's commitment to public services are misplaced.


23.09.01
  The whole programme.

Film: US TERRORISM FILM. Iain Watson looks at the options facing the United States and the problem of maintaining political support both in Britain and the rest of the European Union.

Interview: DAVID BLUNKETT MP, Home Secretary.
What are the limits to the action America should take in the fight against terrorism? And how much will civil liberties need to be curtailed in Britain in order to protect people here from the terrorist threat?

Film: LIBERAL DEMOCRAT FILM. Terry Dignan reports on the debate inside the Liberal Democrats about whether to move to the Left or the Right after the Party's success at the General Election.