Atheists are often criticising the ethics of religious belief, says Giles Fraser. But do they base their own moral practice too much on what they are against?

Anti-arms trade campaigners say that a new 'ethics' report commissioned by weapons giant BAE Systems will not change public perceptions of the company, following a High Court ruling over investigations into corruption charges.

Talk of 'moral' foreign policy has led to 'liberal interventionism', notes Giles Fraser. And along that path of good intention has lain disaster, as with some 'just war' thinking.

Our parliamentary politics is about mediating different interests in a society of strangers, says Simon Barrow. But bioethical decisions confront us with the need to move beyond accommodation and confrontation to moral community.

The United States-led military offensive in Iraq has strengthened its neighbour Iran, and led to a weakening of the moral authority of the United States, US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson said during a visit to Britain.

An overwhelming number of people believe that Britain is experiencing a moral decline according to a BBC/ComRes opinion poll for The Big Questions, a new BBC belief and ethics programme. 83% of those asked agreed or strongly agreed with that statement, as against only 9% who disagreed.