Matalan, the discount retailer, is worried the extended summer is detering shoppers from buying this year’s winter fashions.

The company fears people will dust down their old coats and wait for the sales to update their wardrobes.

Is Matalan right? Are you planning to wait, or will you be straight down the shops the moment the cold snap hits?

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Half of undergraduate students say they are unhappy about at least one aspect of life at university, a report claims today.

They are most likely to complain that there is too little teaching or contact with lecturers and about inadequate facilities, such as libraries and computers. Tutors at some leading universities say students have been spoon fed at school and need to learn to think and work for themselves.

Lecturers complain that they have a much heavier workload nowadays and are forced to teach larger classes and deal with more bureaucracy.

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Posted at: 10:01 | Permalink | Comments 23

Halloween celebrations this evening will see troupes of children playing "trick or treat", performing pranks and dressing up as ghosts, ghouls, devils and witches.

While some defend the celebration as a chance for some childish fun, others worry about its occult overtones, commercial exploitation or the opportunities it affords for damaging others' property.

Is Halloween itself now a trick or a treat? How have the celebrations changed since you were a child?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 62

In a report published today, Sir Nicholas Stern, the Government's chief economist, warns that ignoring global warming could lead to an economic upheaval on the scale of the 1930s Depression.

David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, has already said that tackling climate change is the "defining challenge for our generation" and has proposed an end to cheaper petrol and diesel, even if oil prices fell.

Would you be willing to cut back on cheap flights, petrol and consumer electronics to help curb pollution? Should the government impose "eco-taxes" on businesses or individuals to force them to pollute less?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 227

From MPs' bulging expense accounts to the call for an English Parliament, Telegraph.co.uk readers this week debated the distribution of money, people and power within Britain's political landscape.

After an open letter to The Daily Telegraph branded the formation of a Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly "iniquitous" to England, we asked readers whether they backed the campaign to create an English counterpart. Over 350 people wrote in, mostly to give a resounding "yes":

"An English parliament is long overdue considering most of the wealth of the UK is generated in England, but we get the least of the say of what happens to it." Paul Nosworthy

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The cost of MPs' expenses and salaries soared last year by more than £13 million, with the bill for travel, office costs and salaries reaching just over £131 million.

This means that MPs claimed roughly £134,000 each, on top of a basic salary which is now £59,686 but will rise to £60,277 on Nov 1.

Based on these figures, do you think MPs represent good value for money? Are their expenses justified?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 175

October 2006 is on course to be one of the mildest on record, bringing confusion to Britain's bird life as gardens bloom out of season.

With pavement cafes still bustling at a time when people would normally be stocking up on warm jumpers and winter coats, many climate change experts claim the mild weather is a sign of things to come.

How has climate change affected you? Have you noticed any differences in your garden or surroundings? Has Britain's recent warm weather changed the way you spend your time, shop or choose holidays?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 78

A plethora of poor television offerings, from a 1950s guide to being a housewife to a failed gameshow fronted by Robert Kilroy Silk called Shafted, have been ranked in a list of Britain's worst programmes.

Racist comedies from the 1960s, second-rate quiz shows and wrestling competitions featuring B-list celebrities also featured heavily on the list.

What is the worst programme you have ever seen? What sort of programme would you like to see less of on television?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 179

Anglo American, the world’s second largest mining group, has named its first ever female chief executive: 49-year-old American Cynthia Carroll.

She becomes the third female chief executive of a FTSE 100 company, joining Dame Marjorie Scardino of media group Pearson and Dorothy Thompson of Drax. It may make her a major power broker in the City, on a million pound-plus salary, but is she the exception to the rule?

Despite high-profile attempts by the likes of Patricia Hewitt when she was Trade Secretary to get more women in the boardroom, their numbers are dwindling - from 20 in the FTSE in 2005 to 13 this year at the last count.

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Posted at: 10:20 | Permalink | Comments 16

A group of thinkers, journalists and campaigners have written an open letter to The Daily Telegraph calling for the creation of an English Parliament, and branding the formation of a Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly "iniquitous" to England.

The signatories, including Lord Stoddart, the Labour peer, and Prof Roger Scruton, the writer and philosopher, argue that the current situation is unfair and undemocratic, with the West Lothian Question yet to be answered - "why should Scottish and Welsh MPs preside over English matters when MPs representing English constituencies have no reciprocal right?"

Do you support the letter? Should England be granted the right to vote for an English Parliament? Or would this simply breed separatism and more costly bureaucracy?

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Posted at: 10:20 | Permalink | Comments 452

Up to 1,000 members of the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) are descending on Parliament today to lobby MPs and demand that their needs are not ignored under the Government’s planned pension reforms.

The NPC wants to see the link between pension and earnings restored, and the basic pension level increased from £84.25 a week to £114 - a change the Government claims would cost £14 billion to achieve by 2010.

Given the country's aging demographic, is it sustainable for the State to fully fund pensions in the future? If so, what is the fairest system? Should the link with earnings be reinstated?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 116

Researchers in the US have published a report claiming that women who give birth in their fifties make as good mothers as their younger counterparts.

In fact they tend to be better able to cope with the strains of parenthood than women ten years their junior, the study shows.

Older mothers have traditionally faced a great deal of prejudice in Britain, because of concerns that they will struggle to deal with the rough-and-tumble of raising a child. Questions have also been asked about whether it is right to give birth to a child who could well lose their mother in their teens.

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Posted at: 09:50 | Permalink | Comments 39

By far the biggest talking point of the week was the Muslim veil, which opened up fierce debate on integration, multiculturalism and the appropriateness of foreign cultural or religious dress in Britain’s public sphere.

After Tony Blair finally weighed into the long-running controversy by branding the veil a “mark of separation”, we asked whether readers supported his comments.

Nearly 200 people responded – here’s a cross-section of the frequently conflicting views we received:

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 38

The restaurant industry has been in dispute with HM Revenue & Customs for the last three years over whether tips should be taxed or not.

Revenue has started to pay back restaurants but many claim they are severely out of pocket because of the legal and accountancy fees involved.

One London restaurateur Stephen Glaister went into voluntary liquidation when he couldn't pay his bill.

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 11

Boys are trailing seven years behind girls in terms of improving their GCSE performance and the gap is failing to narrow, new research has shown.

Despite a raft of initiatives to help them do better at school, boys have only just caught up with the pass level achieved by girls in 1999.

Why do you think boys under-perform at GCSE? What can be done to improve their grades? Do boys and girls face different social pressures?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 58

President George W Bush has conceded for the first time that there are parallels between the fighting in Iraq and the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War.

Amid a steep spike in US deaths in Iraq, Mr Bush recognised comparisons between the current bloodshed and the 1968 Tet Offensive, considered a key turning point in the US war in Vietnam.

Do you agree that Iraq has become a second Vietnam – an unwinnable, costly and politically damaging conflict? If so, do you agree that the current situation is equivalent to the Tet Offensive, or does it echo an earlier or later stage of the Vietnam War?

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Posted at: 11:01 | Permalink | Comments 131

Cod, the staple of Britain’s national dish fish and chips, is being driven to extinction according to scientists who have urged the EU in vain to ban fishing the species for the past five years.

Retailers have been quicker than Brussels to latch on to the ethical problems of over-fishing, with outlets from Marks and Spencer to Wal-Mart dropping North Sea cod and other endangered species such as haddock and plaice from their shelves.

Would you be prepared to give up cod to save the species? Have you already changed the way you shop for fish because of ethical concerns? If so, how?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 53

The Chancellor has promised to cut the cost of doing business by a quarter, but it all sounds rather familiar.

In May last year, he called for a "culture change" in Government as part of an "offensive" against over-regulation.

In January 2004, he asked business to make representations on what to improve. Delve further back, and the examples continue.

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Posted at: 09:01 | Permalink | Comments 99

The Conservatives are considering scrapping stamp duty on shares. The tax raises £4bn a year for the Treasury, but is widely seen as a punitive duty on share dealing, which hits small investors particularly hard.

Do you think the scrapping of the tax is a top priority for the Conservatives, or should they concentrate their efforts on reforming other taxes?

Would scrapping the tax make you more likely to buy and sell shares? Or would a revival of the Personal Equity Plan scheme make you more likely to invest?

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Posted at: 09:01 | Permalink | Comments 30

Tony Blair has finally weighed in on the growing debate over the appropriateness of religious dress, describing the veil that some Muslim women wear as a "mark of separation" that makes people uncomfortable.

The Prime Minister backed the decision to suspend a teaching assistant who refused to remove her veil for class, cementing his Government's stance against the item of dress. Just over a week ago, Jack Straw sparked off the controversy by revealing that he routinely asked any veiled women visiting his MP's surgery to uncover their faces.

British Airways has also been embroiled in a separate but tangential argument. The company has banned an employee from wearing a visible cross necklace, citing a no jewellery policy, but allows workers of other faiths to wear items such as the hijab or turban.

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 225

Four million people have signed a petition aimed at protecting Britain’s post offices, as opposition to the Government’s expected closure programme intensifies.

An imminent decision on the level of subsidy given to the loss-making network of rural post offices has raised the spectre of closure for thousands of branches.

Do you think the Government should subsidise rural post offices to prevent their closure? Or is it a waste of tax payer's money to prop up an organisation that would not be independently viable?

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Posted at: 09:01 | Permalink | Comments 80

British Airways has provoked a furious backlash after banning Heathrow check-in worker Nadia Eweida from wearing a visible cross round her neck.

The airline claims that the necklace breaches rules on the wearing of jewellery and should be covered up with a cravat, but Miss Eweida is considering legal action on the ground of religious discrimination after refusing to conceal the symbol of her faith.

One week after the Muslim veil row, this latest controversy has once again put religion and dress codes in the spotlight. Should official dress codes be strictly secular, or is it appropriate for exceptions to be made which allow an individual to express their faith?

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Posted at: 09:01 | Permalink | Comments 82

The generation born during Margaret Thatcher's premiership is "unlucky" and faces an uncertain future, according to a new report by a leading Tory think-tank.

Student debt, spiralling house prices and poor pension provision combine to provide a "bleak future for Maggie's children", according to the report published this week by Policy Exchange.

Children born while Margaret Thatcher was at No 10 are 'unlucky' While the pamphlet, What Future For Maggie's Children?, makes clear that many of the problems suffered by today's young people were created by New Labour, it does not shy away from acknowledging that some, such as the impact of student loans, began under the Tories.

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 18

The head of the Army has demanded an early exit from Iraq, warning that the presence of British troops is exacerbating the situation there.

Gen Sir Richard Dannatt stepped into a fierce political debate by condemning attempts to impose a "liberal democracy" in Iraq as "naive".

Has he spoken out of turn, or did he have a moral duty to make his case?

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Posted at: 09:01 | Permalink | Comments 210

Madonna has adopted an 18-month-old baby boy from Malawi. David Banda's mother, Marita, died days after giving birth, and the boy's father, Yohame, said adoption will mean his son will have a better life. David Banda will now also have siblings: Madonna's two other children are Lourdes, nine, and Rocco, six.

Through the adoption, David will escape the abject poverty of one of Africa's poorest countries, and he will be raised amid affluence in the pop star's homes in Britain and America. The adoption will also raise the profile of Malawi and its significant problems.

But is it right to take David away from his home, culture and existing family and into a world where he, too, will become an instant celebrity?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 103

The BBC has lowered its bid for an increased licence fee, admitting that its earlier claim to pay for the corporation over the next decade had been over-extravagant.

Instead of bidding for a rise of 2.3 per cent above inflation, the BBC will now push for 1.8 per cent as it gears up to spearhead the nation's digital switchover.

The BBC provides a dizzying range of services, from news in 33 languages to children's entertainment. Do you think the licence fee represents good value for money? How do you rate the BBC in comparison to commercial media?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 114

A new survey has shown that people in the North of England are substantially more obese than those living in the South, underscoring cultural differences between the two ends of the country.

Traditional stereotypes depict Northerners as tough, gruff and unpretentious, compared to the supercilious urbanites of the South.

Do you think there is a significant social or cultural divide between the North and South of England? If so, why? Do you think it is becoming more or less marked?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 59

"Free broadband forever" always sounded too good to be true, and so it has proved for thousands of those who signed up to Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk offer.

Overwhelmed by subscribers, customer service fell off a cliff. Many have had to wait months for a connection, even as the £20.99 monthly direct debits left their accounts.

Carphone boosted its call centre capacity, but customers still complain of being kept on hold for hours – charged at the national rate.

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 36

Prominent Anglican Terry Waite has abandoned the Church of England in favour of the Quakers, having tired of what he describes as "chirpy" vicars acting like television presenters in an attempt to engage their congregation.

Mr Wait argues that the quiet contemplation and space necessary for worship has been jetissoned in modern Anglican ceremonies.

Do you think the Anglican Church has become too populist? Or is it right to make every effort to appeal to as many people as possible?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 85

North Korea has carried out its first ever nuclear test, provoking furious condemnation from the international community.

The successful test of a bomb estimated to be capable of killing 200,000 people could pave the way to North Korea becoming the ninth known world nuclear power, along with the US, Russia, France, China, Britain, India, Pakistan and Israel.

How should the international community react? Should diplomacy, sanctions or military action be considered?

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Posted at: 10:01 | Permalink | Comments 80

Boris Johnson pushed ahead of David Cameron and even wounded soldiers to prove the most popular talking point of the week, which began with the Conservative Party Conference and ended with Jack Straw’s controversial remarks about Muslim dress.

Amid criticism that Mr Cameron is more concerned with washing up in front of his webcam than safeguarding Tory values, we asked whether the party leader was all style and no substance.

We received nearly 100 comments, with the following representing a range of view points:

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 23

Jack Straw's decision to ask women visiting him in his constituency to uncover their faces has prompted debate over whether the veil worn by some Muslim women is an obstacle to integration.

While Mr Straw says the response to his requests has been overwhelmingly positive and stresses the importance of face to face contact, Muslim leaders complain that the freedom of their followers to dress according to their beliefs is being placed under threat.

Does the Government have any right to suggest how individuals should dress?

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Posted at: 10:01 | Permalink | Comments 217

The decision to excuse a Muslim police officer from duties guarding the Israeli embassy during the Lebanon conflict has sparked furious debate over the scope for moral objections within the armed forces.

Representatives of the Muslim Police Association, however, claim the decision was not based on moral concerns, but was a “welfare issue” connected to the safety of the PC’s family in Lebanon.

According to the Metropolitan Police, officers routinely put their duties above political, religious or ideological views.

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 70

Boris Johnson has been keeping the reporters at the Conservative party conference busy with a string of controversial comments.

In the space of three days the shadow higher education minister managed to criticise Jamie Oliver's healthy school lunches campaign, suggest packed lunches should be banned and encourage people to use the word "fatso" to describe the overweight.

His remarks have been met with both exasperation and delight from within the Tory ranks.

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 174

Will Ryanair make a good long haul airline operator? The no-frills carrier has made a £1bn cash bid for Ireland's flag carrier Aer Lingus, which flies to the US and Dubai as well as Europe.

Ryanair has promised to slash fares on Aer Lingus' short haul routes and is pledging to upgrade the long haul operation.

Does the idea of low cost, no-frills transatlantic travel appeal?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 31

Tesco has announced a £1 billion profit over just six months, as the supermarket chain expands from groceries into electrical goods, insurance and even computer software.

The results sparked fury from campaigners who feel that the mega-chain is short-changing British farmers, crushing local businesses and destroying the high street.

Do you think Tesco is damaging local communities? Is it expanding too aggressively?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 80

Senior figures in the military have condemned the Government for failing to care for servicemen wounded in action, after a convalescent paratrooper was threatened by a visitor at a hospital where he was recovering in an open ward.

One suggestion put forward at the Conservative Party Conference would be to divert £5 billion from the social security budget to help fund the armed forces.

Do you think a greater proportion of tax payer’s money should be spent on assuring the military is properly equipped and cared for?

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Posted at: 00:01 | Permalink | Comments 166

David Cameron opened the Conservative Party conference yesterday with a defiant speech calling for a more green and family-friendly style of government, and rejecting growing demands from the right to promise tax cuts at the next election.

Yet despite Mr Cameron’s optimism and growing public disillusionment with New Labour, the Conservatives have not made much progress in the opinion polls.

Why do you think the Tories are not performing better? Do you think Mr Cameron is all style and no substance?

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Posted at: 10:01 | Permalink | Comments 116