Free from fear or favour
No tracking. No cookies
Insular definitions of the national past overlook the very things we should take pride in
A new report has found it will take 55 years for those living in the north-east to have the same healthy life expectancy now enjoyed in London and the south-east of England
Developing a stronger sense of Englishness cannot merely be looked at through a political lens – our identities are personal and multiple, conflicting and shifting, writes Hardeep Matharu
Maintaining the illusory story of what Britain was is integral to the illusion of what Britain is – and the maintenance of political and economic hegemony, writes MP Clive Lewis
At the heart of our political crisis is how England, in particular, has struggled to find its way in the modern world, writes MP Caroline Lucas
Anthony Barnett explores why a recent conference in Edinburgh aimed to initiate a conversation about an ‘England’ distinct from ‘Britain’
Only when England can see itself as England will it be possible to challenge the idea that Britain is England, writes former Labour MP John Denham
As the famous tournament kicks off this weekend in Qatar, Adrian Goldberg explores why this year’s event is attracting a more muted excitement
Composer Howard Goodall unpicks Art Council England’s announcement that it will be redistributing £50 million of funding for the English National Opera outside of London and the south-east
A dynamic collaboration could turn two of England’s largest cities into green technology leaders in the race to net zero, reports Stuart Spray
Boris Johnson’s flagship regional redistribution project has stalled and Liz Truss is likely to send it into reverse, writes Sam Bright
The Conservative frontrunner’s belief that Londoners simply “graft” harder than people outside the capital does not stand up against evidence on regional inequalities, says Sam Bright
Thomas Perrett considers the reasons for the shock demise of Marvin Rees’ position, and whether this spells danger for the city-mayor model
The Prime Minister is turning off traditional Conservative voters on the doorstep as he faces a potentially historic by-election defeat in Tiverton, reports Adam Bienkov
Labour’s local election performance spells danger for the party, argues Sam Bright
Conservative MPs appear complacent as Johnson sails their leaky ship towards the rocks of this week’s local elections, reports Adam Bienkov
The Prime Minister’s plan for regional rebalancing shows that he is more interested in building his personal legacy than improving lives, says Sam Bright
Sam Bright evaluates new data showing a growing divide between richer and poorer parts of the country
Despite favourable newspaper headlines, Rishi Sunak’s spending commitments are still overwhelmed by the legacy of austerity reports Sam Bright
Katharine Quarmby reports on the potential economic and political repercussions of the second Winter of Discontent
ngland are apparently characterised by “elites”, Reverend Joe Haward considers why those in positions of privilege and power within the Church of England are so reluctant to expose the right’s dangerous and divisive narratives
Otto English charts the different strands of English identity over the years and how a dark turn may now be giving way to something altogether more inclusive, decent and inspiring
Peter Jukes and Hardeep Matharu argue that the racist abuse targeted at England’s black players has revealed why the Government’s attacks on ‘wokeism’ will not ultimately win out
Journalist and sports commentator Philippe Auclair looks at the social significance of the Euro 2020 final, and compares it to the famous World Cup Victory of France in 1998
Sam Bright explores why the Euros, like the 2012 Olympics, has revealed a more tolerant, unified country than vocal voices on the right aim to depict otherwise
A strong local campaign compensated for the party’s persistent national struggles but there is a long road ahead, says Mike Buckley
As the two countries meet in the knockout stages of Euro 2020, Otto English explains why – when it comes to jingoism and disgrace – one side is always the loser
Five years after the EU Referendum, Sam Bright considers how perceptions of Brexit-voting areas have been warped by radical right-wing forces
Anthony Barnett traces the cause of the Brexit vote, how it led to our elected dictatorship being replaced with even darker forces, and considers a possible path ahead
Julian Mercer investigates more flaws in the Government’s housing policy, which seeks to build new homes for 80,000 ‘ghosts’ and ignores the impact of Brexit
Shane Thomas explores how notions of race, Englishness and football could be weaponised by the Prime Minister during Euro 2020
Jonathan Lis explains how English exceptionalism has forced the rest of the United Kingdom to decide between its identities
Professor John Denham dissects a peculiarity on the 2021 English Census, which could have potentially damaging repercussions
Chris Bagley, an educational psychologist specialising in youth justice, explains how children are being failed by school exclusions
Jonathan Lis explores how once careful balances of identity and political power have been upended and Englishness has taken their place
Julian Mercer reports on the Government’s latest botched attempts to solve the UK’s housing crisis
The Government has once again failed to live up to its ‘levelling-up’ pledge, reports Sam Bright
As Scotland’s First Minister vows to hold another independence referendum, John Denham and Lawrence McKay explore the rarely discussed issue of English identity and how it finds political expression