The First Post guide to the issue of the day

Part-privatisation of the Post Office

'The Royal Mail's pension fund deficit of £9bn means it is not a solvent business'

Posted: March 9 2009

Western military intervention in Afghanistan

'President Hamid Karzai has proved a weak ruler far too tolerant of corruption in his narco-state'

Posted: February 25 2009

Nationalisation of Britain's banks

'There needs to be a limit to the size of the country's public sector, which tends to be beset by red tape'

Posted: February 24 2009

Should Britain return the Elgin Marbles?

'It is doubtful whether Elgin was ever truly granted permission to take the marbles'

Posted: February 13 2009

Bonuses for bankers

'The Royal Bank of Scotland's current plan to pay £1bn in bonuses is an insult to taxpayers who have just bailed out the bank to the tune of £20bn'

Posted: February 10 2009

Should absentee fathers lose travel rights?

'The state government in Maine, USA, managed to collect $89m when they threatened to take driving licences away from absent parents'

Posted: February 3 2009

A third runway at Heathrow

'Some London residents fear that a third runway further increases the risk of a devastating terrorist attack'

Posted: November 13 2008

Assisted suicide

'In Oregon, a recent study of people who took their lives with assisted suicide revealed that one in every six were suffering from depression'

Posted: October 30 2008

Chemical castration of paedophiles

'Chemical castration is a humane procedure. It is already used as a treatment for prostate cancer'

Posted: September 26 2008

Overthrowing Gordon Brown

'The country should have a more dynamic leader during this time of economic uncertainty'

Posted: July 30 2008

Sanctions against Zimbabwe

'Sanctions have protected the wealth and power of Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro and the Burmese generals'

Posted: July 7 2008

Extending heroin clinics across Britain

'The £15,000 it costs to treat each adult addict each year could be used elsewhere within the NHS for more deserving patients'

Posted: July 3 2008

Increasing tax on the rich

'Twenty years ago, the average CEO earned 17 times the salary of their employees. Now they earn 75 times as much'

Posted: June 30 2008

Child labour

'When US Congress banned imports of cheap clothing from Bangladesh in 1999, 50,000 children were forced to take jobs in brick factories or become prostitutes'

Posted: June 24 2008

A European army

'Whatever is said now, the French would assume leadership of any European army'

Posted: June 6 2008

Launching a 'Relief Invasion' of Burma

'There is no time for careful diplomacy. Disease is being spread by corpses floating around the delta'

Posted: May 9 2008

Voting for Boris as Mayor of London

'London needs a larger-than-life figure to represent it, and Johnson's wit and intelligence make him a good candidate'

Posted: April 17 2008

Keeping Ken as Mayor of London

'The congestion charge is evidence of Livingstone's ability to champion ideas that would terrify mainstream politicians'

Posted: April 17 2008

Overthrowing Mugabe

'In 1999, British forces helped re-stabilise Sierra Leone, with a small (800-man) and low-cost military solution'

Posted: April 9 2008

Rule of law on the sports field

'The violent tackle on Arsenal player Eduardo would be construed as an assault if committed in the street'

Posted: February 25 2008

Pressuring China via the Olympics

'The Games offer an unprecedented opportunity to embarrass the regime and persuade it to reform in order to save face'

Posted: February 15 2008

UK Muslims' right to 'the call to prayer'

'Britain is a society historically based on Christian principles'

Posted: February 8 2008

Banning prostitution

'We live in a market economy. Sex is a commodity to be sold like any other'

Posted: December 21 2007

Fixed-term Parliaments

'Our present flexible system has worked well for centuries'

Posted: October 3 2007

Private security firms

'Security firms play a vital role in safeguarding property and escorting diplomats'

Posted: October 2 2007

Abolishing inheritance tax

'An inefficient way to tax productive people twice'

Posted: October 1 2007

A compulsory DNA database

'If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear'

Posted: September 5 2007

The Special Relationship

'It has led the rest of the world to see Britain as America's poodle'

Posted: July 30 2007

Automatic organ donation

'It implies that our bodies belong to the State as soon as we are dead'

Posted: July 18 2007

Early release of prisoners

'It makes a mockery of a judge's intentions to release prisoners early'

Posted: June 19 2007

The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

'It would weaken us economically and reduce our growth rate to that of France'

Posted: June 18 2007

A National Britain Day

'We already have a symbol of national unity - the Crown - and we don't need another'

Posted: June 6 2007

New police powers to stop and question

'The police already have adequate powers to question any terrorist suspects'

Posted: May 28 2007

Re-introducing grammar schools

'Grammar schools represent a 1950s solution to a 21st century problem'

Posted: May 21 2007

Prince Harry serving in Iraq

'His desire to serve in Iraq is admirable, but it is also selfish'

Posted: April 27 2007

Increased censorship of violent films

'Disturbed people can be led to commit hideous crimes.'

Posted: April 20 2007

The continuing expansion of Tesco

'Tesco stifles competition, which is bad for shoppers in the long run'

Posted: April 4 2007

An apology for Britain's role in slavery

'Should we demand an apology from Denmark for the havoc wrought by the Vikings? The suggestion is absurd'

Posted: March 26 2007

Private equity takeovers

'Short-termism has been the curse of British industry for 50 years. PE perpetuates this'

Posted: February 26 2007

Nuclear power stations

'If we are serious about tackling climate change we need nuclear power stations'

Posted: February 16 2007

Flexible working hours

'Flexible working lowers peak-time transport demand and reduces overcrowding'

Posted: February 12 2007

A wholly elected Upper House

'In a democracy, all legislators should be elected by the people'

Posted: February 8 2007

Hugo Chavez's special powers

'The law grants Chavez the radical powers necessary to confront business'

Posted: February 5 2007

Longer terrorist detention

'Terrorism is the ultimate threat to a civilised society'

Posted: February 2 2007

UK casinos

'There is nothing 'wrong' with gambling. A flutter is a legitimate way of relaxing'

Posted: January 11 2007

Gay adoption

'Gay couples offer adopted children two full-time parents'

Posted: January 24 2007

Reality TV shows

'Reality TV is harmless fun. Only pompous people and snobs condemn it.'

Posted: January 18 2007

A government super-database

'We do not exist for the convenience of the state.'

Posted: January 15 2007

The creation of hybrid embryos

'Meddling with nature in this way will have unforeseeable consequences'

Posted: January 6 2007

Licensing of dogs

'Requiring owners to license dogs would instil responsibility which is now lacking'

Posted: January 3 2007

State funding for political parties

'Public money is the best way to make politics honest and transparent'

Posted: December 21 2006

The licensing of prostitutes

'The Ipswich murders show how dangerous a prostitute's life can be'

Posted: December 13 2006

The partitioning of Iraq

'There is no longer an Iraqi nation (if there ever was one)'

Posted: December 11 2006

Britain's nuclear deterrent

'Possession of nuclear weapons is an outmoded virility symbol'

Posted: December 4 2006

Scottish independence

'Britishness is dying. Scotland has its own parliament, its own laws and legal system'

Posted: December 1 2006

Faith schools in Britain

'British society is now essentially secular, and the state should not promote any religion'

Posted: October 25 2006

The UK prison system

'Prisons have been called colleges of crime; prisoners come out better equipped'

Posted: October 10 2006

EU immigration into Britain

'According to accountants, immigrants are net contributors to the Treasury'

Posted: August 23 2006

Castro's communist regime in Cuba

'Grinding poverty where half the population survive on less than $1 a day'

Posted: August 7 2006