The UK will have a referendum on whether the first-past-the-post voting system should be changed to an alternative vote system with preferences, reports Richard Farmer.
England
So long merry England
After nearly a year living in England, Rafiq Copeland reminisces over the traditions he’s going to miss. Like, fish pie, old shop keepers in Devon and brown historical plaques on everything.
Spot the difference: English Sun vs. Scottish SunLetter from...: Plymouth: dairy, dairy, quite contrary
UNESCO lists the Cornwall language as extinct and as of 2008 only 2000 people speak it fluently. This may soon change. The first Cornish language crèche opened a few weeks ago, writes Rafiq Copeland from Plymouth.
revealed 
Life inside Number 10 Downing St
An explosive political memoir by chief political commentator of the Observer, Andrew Rawnsley paints British PM Gordon Brown as an indecisive and besieged pollie, battling over whether to call an early election or not.
The whingeing bogan becomes a whingeing Pom
Does Pauline Hanson know there are lots of immigrants in England? She may be leaving the country, but her political legacy of discrimination and hate in mainstream Aussie politics remains, writes Irfan Yusuf.
How the US nearly destroyed a UK terror investigation
Did the Bush administration lose its nerve in 2006 and nearly cause a whole UK investigation of terror suspects (who were planning an attack “bigger than 9/11”) to fall apart? Andy Hayman of the Metropolitan Police says yes.
Crikey wrap: Let the Ashes blame game begin…
As the blame game begins, what is the world’s media saying about the Ashes? For a start, Ricky Ponting’s captaincy has been called into question, writes Crikey intern Emily Finlay.
Ashes 09: The Oval, the Fifth Test preview
Ashes series are only played every four years in the hearts and minds of the average English fan (the Australian series are in a shocking time zone). So this test is like the Olympic final of Tests.
Ashes 09: Australia remember how to win as England lose the plot
The only logical explanation for why Australia went from a struggling cricketing team to a dominant force in the Fourth Ashes Test at Headingley is that England always had a paper thin batting line up and, for once, Australia had their bowlers in form to take advantage of it.
Morning Market Report
All the latest market news, brough tto you by Marcus Padley.
PM’s posting judgment looks a little queer
For the third time in 50 years, Australia is sending a g-y diplomat to the Court of St James, writes Alex Mitchell.
Australians get ugly over the Rugby World Cup
When the history of Australian sporting journalism comes to be written many years from now, one piece will surely be dusted off and held up as perhaps the finest example of its type. Few articles can have been so wide of the mark. Charles Happpell reports.
Rugby: Non-English world turns Tongan, Australia fields its B backs
The rugby fraternity appreciates an underdog more than most and for the French crowd, well, Tonga is playing England after all writes Michael Pascoe.
