This House Believes that the state must have its secrets

The work of Wikileaks has triggered great debate over how much states should be allowed to keep secret - but are there some things that the public is better off not knowing? Speakers in this debate include Julian Assange's lawyer (arguing in favour of some state secrecy!), a former Head of GCHQ and The Guardian's Investigations Editor.

PROPOSITION:

Sir David Omand GCB - Sir David Omand GCB is a former Director of GCHQ, and was the first Permanent Secretary and Security Intelligence Co-ordinator in the Cabinet Office. He was involved in the government's response to David Kelly's leaks to the BBC, and last year gave information to the Iraq Inquiry.

Ian Readhead - Ian Readhead was a police officer for over thirty years, and is the Director of Information for the Association of Chief Police Officers. He has been a key notes speaker at the United Nation's world conference on the potential use of IT.

Mark Stephens - Mark Stephens is a highly-successful solicitor specialising in media law, intellectual property rights, and human rights. Known as the "patron solicitor of previously lost causes", he began to represent Julian Assange in 2010.

OPPOSITION:

David Leigh - David Leigh is Investigations Editor at The Guardian and has won many prizes for his work. He headed their team investigating the Wikileaks releases, and worked closely with Assange, though this relationship soured when The Guardian published details of the allegations against him.

Richard Thomas CBE - Richard Thomas CBE was Information Commissioner of the UK between 2002 and 2009, and raised concerns over the use of CCTV and the proposed introduction of ID cards. He is currently, amongst other things, Deputy Chairman of the Consumers' Association.

John Oxley - History student at Gonville & Caius.

Ayes: 98
Noes: 47
Abstentions: 98