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Jack Straw inaugurated Nottingham's Speakers' Corner on Thursday 27 February 2009.

This is the first official Speakers' Corner in the UK since the original in Hyde Park almost 150 years ago.

Eddie Izzard supports the idea

Its location in Old Market Square is marked by a special paving stone inscribed with a quote from the great Nottinghamshire writer DH Lawrence:

"Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot."

Unveiled in 2008

Nottingham originally unveiled Speakers' Corner in February 2008, as part of a pilot project run by The Speakers' Corner Trust.

The Speakers' Corner Trust hopes to set up a national network of sites.

Nottingham Speaker's Corner sign

The charity's scheme has been supported by comedian Eddie Izzard.

Public platform

Speaking on BBC One's Politics Show, he said: "Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing and it matters because I think the strength of Britain is based on it.

"It's good that Nottingham is doing this and I think other towns should do it too."

Tim Desmond, Chair of the Nottingham Speakers' Corner Committee, said: "We see our Speakers' Corner not only as a new platform for debate in the city but also as a flagship for Nottingham."

Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, was established in the 19th Century to give the public a platform to have their say on a topic of their choice.

The Speakers' Corner Trust was set up in early 2007 by Peter Bradley, former MP for The Wrekin in the West Midlands, and Euan Edworthy, whose work led to the first Speakers' Corner in mainland Europe in Prague in 2004.