Deng: Who do you think you are kidding Mr Cameron?

The next step in the battle to restore elite level funding for basketball in Britain today saw Chicago Bulls and GB superstar Luol Deng take matters into his own hands.

After UK Sport’s decision last month to completely remove funding for the elite programme in this country, compared to its previous handout of £8.6m, some of which helped bring together home nations under one banner to fight their way into competing at London 2012; it has sparked a huge debate, both positive and negative, and has led to over 11,000 people signing an online government petition, created by Sam Neter of Hoopsfix.com, to try and persuade a U-turn and re-evaluate the decision.

Now the stakes have been raised even further as it was revealed today that Deng had written directly to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to help in any way possible to stop the final outcome being one that could have an earth shattering effect on the landscape of British basketball.

Tonight sees Stephen Mosley, MP for Chester, take to the floor having gotten an adjournment debate for the matter to be had in the House of Commons.

An adjournment debate at the end of each day’s sitting. Members apply for an adjournment debate to the Speakers Office, which then are drawn from a ballot. It allows the Commons to hold a general open-ended debate on a subject or a government policy without reaching a formal decision about it. They usually provide an opportunity for backbench MPs to raise constituency issues or other matters relating to government administration or policy – and to obtain a response from a government minister.

At the end of the day’s business, which is normally 10pm for Mondays, Mosley who tabled the debate, will be called to speak and a Minister will reply. The MP has no right of response, but can intervene in the Minister’s speech if he or she is willing to allow it (called ‘giving way’).

You can watch the events in the Chamber live on BBC Parliament (BBC iPlayer link).