The end of the pretence that a recession was merely a possibility opens the way for a serious debate about what can be done.

However, the priority given to the idea of a cap has stifled serious debate for at least 30 years.

Beneath the bombast and the jokes, a serious debate was struggling to get out: about the role of government in changing people's behaviour.

She denied that her celebrity status overshadowed serious attempts to have a serious debate about education spending.

We need a serious debate about public sector reforms.