Newsnight 23 June

Presented by Gavin Esler.

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Choice

The Labour and Conservative leaders are battling over the same philosophical ground: choice. Choice of hospitals, choice of schools: the future is plural.

Blair and Howard clash Full text: Howard speech Full text: Blair speech

Within minutes of each other, Mr Blair and Mr Howard made speeches on their visions of the future of public services, but where has the drive for choice come from, and how likely is it to succeed?

Gavin spoke to the Health Secretary John Reid and the Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley.

International Criminal Court

US climbdown - the Bush administration gives up trying to extend American soldiers' immunity from prosecution.

We spoke to Ruth Wedgwood who is Professor of International Law at Johns Hopkins University.

'Silver Ring Thing'

Representatives of the 'Silver Ring Thing', an American group calling for sexual abstinence, were in London looking for new recruits. They're touring Britain and Ireland to encourage young people to wait until they're married to have sex, for which they'll receive a silver ring worn as a symbol and reminder of the pledge. Jackie Long has been along to talk to some of the SRT delegates.

Click here for the report

Taj Mahal

The little known blues legend started out in the 1960s playing with the guitarist Ry Cooder. And like Cooder, he has spent a lifetime exploring and experimenting with the roots of American music, and spreading those influences to the likes of the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. His latest collaboration is with Mali's Tinariwen, a group of Touraeg rebel musicians from the Sahara desert. Robin Denselow joined them as they met for the first time for an extraordinary concert in London.

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