Speakers' Corner (had) a well-established history of speaking regularly in Hyde Park. The first official Speakers' Corner outside London opened in Nottingham in 2009. It was officially inaugurated by Jack Straw, the UK Justice Secretary, on 22 February 2009. The designated space occupied a new landscaped extension to the city's Old Market Square, at the junction of King Street and Queen Street. The large paved space includes the new statue of Brian Clough, the former manager of Derby County and Nottingham Forest, who forged ties between the two cities which were famous for local rivalry. Speakers Corner Lichfield was launched in May
Speakers' Corner, Singapore and then restored twice: first for the purpose of the campaigning period during the general election, and subsequently for the presidential election. In his 2008 National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong indicated that the purpose behind various government policies, including the creation of Speakers' Corner, was to "liberalise our society, to widen the space for expression and participation". Its reception was mixed, however, and there have been a wide range of views and perspectives on the impact of Speakers' Corner in increasing the space for free speech and the freedom to assemble. It has been called an