On the Programme on Nov 8th

Hello,

MPs have seen the future and it's not pretty . Sir Christopher Kelly has made his recommendations for reform of MPs expenses sound so reasonable, so much common sense. But while tongues were bitten across the Commons on Wednesday when he unveiled his plans - secretly many MPs are still seething at the changes. Now the baton passes to the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - but already questions are emerging about whether the reforms can be implemented immediately. And it's not just MPs who face a tightening of the belts. Peers are also facing greater restrictions on what they can claim and what support they'll receive to do their jobs.

THE CONSERVATIVES AND EUROPE

David Cameron stepped back from his referendum promise

Meanwhile, the Tories have faced charges that they are adopting an "autistic" approach that will "castrate" Britain's position within the EU. Tough language from the French Europe Minister. And while France and other countries may feel that the new policy outlined by David Cameron on Wednesday is a step too far, some within the Conservative party want their leader to go still further and call a referendum. Two Tory MEPs - Daniel Hannan and Roger Helmer - both, incidentally, Westminster Hour panellists - have resigned their posts as spokesmen in the European Parliament in protest.

POLITICIANS PANEL

So… plenty for our Politicians Panel to chew over. This week Douglas Carswell, Conservative MP, and close ally of Daniel Hannan will be with us. He has offered a guarded response to the Cameron proposals, saying that he fully accepts a referendum on Lisbon may no longer be possible. But he still feels a referendum on Britain's relations with the EU is important. Does he think discipline will hold in the Conservative Party? I'll be asking him.

With him in the studio on Sunday will be Lord - formerly Dick - Newby, who has worked closely with Liberal Democrat leaders since Paddy Ashdown and was Charles Kennedy's Chief of Staff. He's now a treasury spokesman for the party in the Lords.

Our final panellist will be the Labour MP Alison Seabeck, whose Plymouth Devonport constituency is home to a large number of members of the armed forces. After the dreadful news last week about the deaths of five British servicemen at the hands of an Afghan policeman who they were training - we can talk about the impact on her constituents and explore with all three of our politicians where they think the Afghan mission goes from here - and whether the strategy of training a rapidly expanded Afghan security force can continue to be placed at the heart of the Government's exit strategy.

POLLING

Also this Sunday, we will have what are becoming regular updates from Mike Smithson from Politicalbetting.com. He'll give us his pollster's-eye view of the main parties' respective standings and which tricky issues are looming for them.

BIG GOVERNMENT

In his conference speech, David Cameron made several mentions of the need to reduce the "Big Government" which he said was to blame for much of society's ills. The plea for a smaller state is a common theme on the right - but is it really achievable? I've been discussing that with Jill Kirby from the Centre for Policy Studies and the Fabian Society's Sunder Katwala.

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT

And in our Sunday Supplement Clive Coleman of Radio 4's Law in Action continues his examination of "The Cases that Changed our World". This week it's the curious saga of the Carbolic Smoke Ball - a bizarre Victorian quack medicine. The case established important principles about truth in advertising and the relationship between companies and their customers.

Please join me if you can at 10pm on Sunday,

Carolyn