Monday, 15 October, 2007
- 15 Oct 07, 04:17 PM
MENZIES CAMPBELL
Sir Menzies Campbell has announced his resignation. Was he pushed or did jump? And who will take on the task of being the third Liberal Democrat leader in just two years?
Michael Crick and David Grossman will be on the case and we will be joined in the studio by senior players in this drama.
CHINA
This week on Newsnight we're going big on China .Today the 17th Chinese Party congress heard a 2 hour 20 minute address from the country's leader Hu Jintao as he began his second five year term in which he castigated corrupt party members, and promised to spread the benefits of economic growth.
The speech was entitled "Upholding The Great Banner Of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Striving to Seize New Victory in Building of a Well Off Society in an all Round Way". We'll be hearing from Beijing and speaking to Lord Patten, the former Governor of Hong Kong, who has met Hu Jintao on several occasions.
DRUG REFORM
Have we lost the war on drugs? The Chief Constable of North Wales says we have, and has called for the legalisation and regulation of all drugs, and making heroin available on the NHS. His report for his local police authority will be given to the Home Secretary Jaqui Smith as part of a national consultation on drugs reform. Tonight we'll speak to Chief Constable Brunstrom about his radical proposals.
CAPITAL GAINS TAX
And business leaders are ganging up on the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, urging him to suspend Capital Gains Tax reforms which he announced in his pre-budget report warning a single rate of 18% would 鈥渞isk serious damage to this county's entrepreneurial culture." We'll be assessing the danger of that.
