Ten years after the referendum, how Brexit could have been done differently
Matt Gibson/Shutterstock A ten-year anniversary is a good opportunity to look back on an important decision. Whether that was a marriage, a career move or a decision to leave the EU, a decade feels like an important moment for reflection. When the UK voted (narrowly) for Brexit on June 23 2016, nobody really knew what […]
Secrets of Stonehenge and other ancient sites unlocked for the summer solstice
The story of Stonehenge starts around 5,000 years ago. But its famous old stones, some of which were transported all the way from south-west Wales to Wiltshire, are just part of the story. Close to the beginning of its use, the site was a cemetery, with dozens of people laid to rest. That so many […]
Andy Burnham needed a big win. The Makerfield result means Labour might have reason to hope
The possible nominative determinism of the Makerfield constituency may prove as significant to political historians as it has been a blessing to newspaper sub-editors crafting puns on “Makerfield or Breakerfield”. The immediate futures of Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer were decided in the historic happening of the first UK byelection to effectively elect a prime […]
How America came to love football – what you should listen, read and see this week
This curation of The Conversation UK’s arts and culture coverage was first published in our fortnightly newsletter, Something Good. The first round of the World Cup is over and despite this usually being the most sedate bit of the tournament, there have been some surprisingly gripping matches. I have been told that New Zealand and […]
Labour will get no second chances to change: Andy Burnham’s warning to his struggling party
Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield byelection for Labour, gaining 55% of the vote on an exceptionally high turnout of 58.7%. He won 9,000 more votes than Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, in what turned out to be an unusual byelection swing to the party of government. The scale of a result like this sends a […]
BBC to cut 550 jobs across news and radio – here’s what it means for audiences
Epov Dmitry/Shutterstock The BBC has announced 550 job cuts as part of a plan to save £500 million. Coming in the middle of the process of renewing its royal charter, this adds to uncertainly over the BBC’s future in terms of its purpose, funding and place in an increasingly divided UK. Audiences will, inevitably, see […]
Why are we so obsessed with charismatic leaders?
Sir Keir Starmer’s reign as UK prime minister has seen him widely characterised as a charisma-free zone. Prime Minister’s Office via Wikimedia Commons Whatever your politics or profession, leaders who dominate our collective memory are rarely the quiet, methodical ones. They are the ones who stepped on stage or screen and made people believe in […]
The HPV vaccine works – but only if we keep trusting it
Komsan Loonprom/Shutterstock.com Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is already saving lives in the UK – and the scale of that success is striking. Among young women who received the jab as schoolgirls, there have been no recorded deaths from cervical cancer in recent years. Between 2020 and 2024, no woman in England aged 20 to 24 […]
This Father’s Day, it’s time to listen to dads
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate fathers and father figures. Today’s dads may be more involved in their children’s lives than ever before, sharing the day-to-day responsibilities of raising children. But while expectations of fathers have evolved, the support available to them has not always kept pace. My colleagues and I undertook research in […]
It’s 50 years since the 1976 drought: how would the UK cope with its next major one?
It’s 50 years since the intense heat of the 1976 drought hit the UK. The country’s worst drought for 200 years, and one of the most severe ever, left reservoirs dry, cracked land, and melted tarmac on roads. For 15 consecutive days, temperatures hit 32°C in parts of the country. The record temperature for a […]