Afghanistan campaign debate rages

The debate about the military campaign in Afghanistan continues to intensify in the Sunday papers.

The Independent on Sunday says there is overwhelming public support for pulling out UK combat troops within a year.

A Comres poll of 1,000 people conducted last week suggests 71% agreed with the paper's call for a phased withdrawal.

The Observer claims that Mr Brown is so alarmed about low morale among soldiers' relatives he's planning to offer them housing and employment help.

Policy 'abominable'

The Sunday Telegraph queries the value of an apology by the prime minister for the policy of deporting children to Australia, which ended 42 years ago.

The policy - which ended in abuse and exploitation for many of the youngsters - was certainly abominable, it argues, but Mr Brown had no part in it.

Saying sorry makes sense only when you are to blame, according to the Telegraph - otherwise, an official apology simply marks the first stage in the process of extracting compensation.

The Sunday Mirror and Mail on Sunday both carry an interview with the mother of the seriously ill boy, Baby RB whose life support machine was turned off on Friday after a highly-charged court case about his treatment.

Meanwhile the Queen's Speech takes place this week, but many of the papers can't wait that long to reveal what will be in it.

Not as much as usual, according to the News of the World, which says the speech will last just 20 minutes - about half as long as last year's.

'Mak yir views kent'

The Sunday Times claims to know the true identity of the blogger known as Belle de Jour, whose account of her secret life as a prostitute has become a best-seller.

She contacted the paper, it reports, saying she wanted to unmask herself.

And the Mail on Sunday says sections of the Scottish parliament's website have been translated into the Scots dialect.

One page reads: "Ye hae money weys tae mak yir views kent whan ye have strang feelings aboot issues."