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# Central Bylines

Powerful Citizen Journalism

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://centralbylines.co.uk/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Boost for mental health treatment in West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/boost-for-mental-health-treatment-in-west-midlands/) - New mental health centres in local communities with no referrals and no waiting will bring a lifeline to many
- [Tired behind the wheel? Have a double caffeine nap!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/tired-behind-the-wheel-have-a-double-caffeine-nap/) - New advice for drivers with obstructive sleep apnoea on managing tiredness behind the wheel following caffeine nap study
- [Boosting the Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/boosting-the-midlands/) - The Midlands: Big winners from closer EU alignment or big losers if the UK weakens ties with the EU
- [In conversation with Matt Daniel-Baker part one: from Star Wars to mind reading](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/in-conversation-with-matt-daniel-baker-part-one-from-star-wars-to-mind-reading/) - From football and Star Wars to the Magic Circle and mind reading, Matt Daniel-Baker has built a career making the impossible seem possible
- [In conversation with Matt Daniel-Baker part two: the man behind the magic](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/in-conversation-with-matt-daniel-baker-part-two-the-man-behind-the-magic/) - Matt Daniel-Baker reveals the man behind the mind reader, from pre-show nerves and famous encounters to the philosophy that drives him
- [Hair care: are Black women being failed by regulation?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/hair-care-are-black-women-being-failed-by-regulation/) - As more women move away from relaxers and embrace their natural hair, concerns about hair product safety and regulation are growing
- [Grandad: The best label I've ever worn](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/grandad-the-best-label-ive-ever-worn/) - Whatever nickname, title or label a man can have, to Ian being a grandad is the best of them all
- [Government review says PIP is “no longer fit for purpose”](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/government-review-says-pip-is-no-longer-fit-for-purpose/) - Disabled people can help shape the future of PIP, but with workshops closing soon and payments potentially affecting benefits, there’s a catch
- [Reform UK's Warwickshire library review alarms librarians and readers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/reform-uks-warwickshire-library-review-alarms-librarians-and-readers/) - Reform-led Warwickshire County Council proposes censoring what children read, even if residents don’t agree with them
- [Count Binface: why Britain’s ‘joke’ election candidates deserve to be taken seriously](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/count-binface-why-britains-joke-election-candidates-deserve-to-be-taken-seriously/) - Count Binface may be a joke candidate, but Britain’s political history shows that fringe campaigns can expose voter disillusionment and influence the mainstream
- [New global rules for driverless vehicles](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/new-global-rules-for-driverless-vehicles/) - Driverless vehicles are becoming more popular, now a UN agency has adopted global regulations to ensure their safety on the road
- [Statement from No One Above](https://centralbylines.co.uk/herstory/statement-from-no-one-above/) - On reports of a public inquiry into a culture of impunity
- [What do you do when your heroes become villains?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/what-do-you-do-when-your-heroes-become-villains/) - What do you do when the thing you love turns out to have been created by someone whose ideology or behaviour repulses you?
- [New Ivanhoe Line hope for Derbyshire residents](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/new-ivanhoe-line-hope-for-derbyshire-residents/) - The Ivanhoe Line: fresh hope for a Derbyshire town leaving an infamous list of large English settlements without access to a nearby train station
- [The summer heatwaves: 1976 and all that](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/the-summer-heatwaves-1976-and-all-that/) - The summer heatwave of 1976 broke temperature records but this year's heatwaves show that human-induced global warming is to blame
- [Council row about climate change teaching in school](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/council-row-about-climate-change-teaching-in-school/) - Warwickshire County Council: Leader accuses primary school of 'teaching children the world is going to end'
- [The power of imagination: the great human magic trick](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-power-of-imagination-the-great-human-magic-trick/) - Life, stripped of imagination, is a spreadsheet of events – born, worked, ate, slept, died but imagination turns that spreadsheet into a saga
- [Scared to work at Warwickshire County Council?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/scared-to-work-at-warwickshire-county-council/) - Warwickshire County Council: Bitter row over claims staff are 'scared to work' for county
- [Yellow fever mosquitos love our heatwaves – keep them away for 30p](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/yellow-fever-mosquitos-love-our-heatwaves-keep-them-away-for-30p/) - Stagnant water and hot temperatures are ideal for mosquitos, how do you keep them away and prevent your garden becoming a breeding ground?
- [Councils culled in drive to improve efficiency](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/councils-culled-in-drive-to-improve-efficiency/) - Departing Secretary of State for Local Government Steve Reed’s final act was to green light a major reorganisation of regional councils
- [Millionaires tell new Prime Minister: Tax us, we’re proud to pay](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/millionaires-tell-new-prime-minister-tax-us-were-proud-to-pay/) - 'Tax us, we're proud to pay'': Patriotic Millionaires urge Andy Burnham to charge a wealth tax for the richest of our society
- [Why it’s important to be honest with your doctor](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/why-its-important-to-be-honest-with-your-doctor/) - We can often be less than honest with our doctor: we downplay symptoms, ignore warning signs, and assume tomorrow will be just fine
- [New Maid Marian statue unveiled in Nottingham](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/new-maid-marian-statue-unveiled-in-nottingham/) - We talk to death about Robin Hood but Maid Marian barely gets a mention
- [The Wild Wood Connection Project: men’s mental health in Stratford](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/the-wild-wood-connection-project-mens-mental-health-in-stratford/) - One year on: Stratford men's mental health group secures nearly £40,000 grant to expand life-changing community support
- [Big trouble in Little Clacton - The Great Clacton Bin-Off](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/big-trouble-in-little-clacton-the-great-clacton-bin-off/) - How Count Binface accidentally provided one of the most hilarious political circuses of all time, leaving Nigel Farage looking on in Clacton
- [Lichfield Distric Council motion about LGBTQ+ material in libraries](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/lichfield-distric-council-motion-about-lgbtq-material-in-libraries/) - A council could be set to condemn Staffordshire County Council over the controversial decision to remove LGBTQ+ materials from libraries
- [North East Lincolnshire council leader social media post about a seagull retracted](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/north-east-lincolnshire-council-leader-social-media-post-about-a-seagull-retracted/) - Council leader retracts social media post implying woman was going to harm seagull
- [MP speaks on complicated pregnancy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/mp-speaks-on-complicated-pregnancy/) - Rutland and Stamford MP Alicia Kearns on pregnancy complications and the danger of bloodclots in the lungs
- [Reform UK and net zero: ‘neat, plausible and wrong’](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/reform-uk-and-net-zero-neat-plausible-and-wrong/) - Reform threatens to cancel net zero targets but the move to renewable energy is rapidly gaining momentum
- [Ruth Ellis: what her posthumous pardon tells us about Britain’s view of abuse then, and now](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/ruth-ellis-what-her-posthumous-pardon-tells-us-about-britains-view-of-abuse-then-and-now/) - Ruth Ellis was hanged as punishment for killing her abusive partner, but now finally she has been pardoned
- [Coventry Council votes to end Palantir contract over sensitive data access](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/coventry-council-votes-to-end-palantir-contract-over-sensitive-data-access/) - A motion proposed by the Green Party has been passed, asking the local authority to reconsider its contract with the US tech giant Palantir
- [F1 sponsor to deliver a loss to Towcester?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/f1-sponsor-to-deliver-a-loss-to-towcester/) - A DHL distribution centre development near Towcester has locals worried about negative impacts on the town centre.
- [UK under‑16 social media ban: what parents need to know](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/uk-under-16-social-media-ban-what-parents-need-to-know/) - The UK government has announced plans to introduce a ban on social media use for children under the age of 16
- [10th anniversary of the Brexit vote](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/10th-anniversary-of-the-brexit-vote/) - Big Red Bus of Brexit Truths tour marks the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum
- [Patriotic Millionaires urge wealthy Britons to pay more tax](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/patriotic-millionaires-urge-wealthy-britons-to-pay-more-tax/) - Patriotic Millionaires UK are targeting affluent London homes with postcards urging the wealthy to back higher taxes
- [Why people queue for the Reform ghost train](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/why-people-queue-for-the-reform-ghost-train/) - Why do people queue for political ghost rides that feed them fear instead of truth?
- [Therapy is failing men – but it doesn’t have to](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/therapy-is-failing-men-but-it-doesnt-have-to/) - Male mental health is misunderstood, and as a result men are feeling let down by therapy, yet positive alternatives exist
- [Two-tier policing: a slogan in search of a scandal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/two-tier-policing-a-slogan-in-search-of-a-scandal/) - Why an ex-police officer thinks “two-tier policing” is insidiously eroding the humanity of policing by consent
- [BBC reveals exploitation of UK OnlyFans creators](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/bbc-reveals-exploitation-of-uk-onlyfans-creators/) - New BBC investigation into OnlyFans reveals exploitation of UK Creators and potential for modern slavery by unregulated OnlyFans managers
- [Could Britain resist an ICE-style crackdown?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/could-britain-resist-an-ice-style-crackdown/) - The Tories and Reform have promised to bring a US-style Immigration and Customs Enforcement to Britain; here’s how you can start resisting
- [Remembering D-Day: Leonard’s story part 1](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/remembering-d-day-leonards-story-part-1/) - A family story from World War II gives a fascinating insight into a young man’s training and deployment on D-Day
- [Remembering D-Day: Leonard’s story part 2](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/remembering-d-day-leonards-story-part-2/) - The final part of Leonard’s story illustrates the utter pointlessness of war
- [Flood Waters Down: where the future seems alarmingly close](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/flood-waters-down-where-the-future-seems-alarming-close/) - Flood Waters Down is a novel set in a future that seems ominously close, where the climate crisis and AI have unleashed disaster on humanity
- [Beyond Anglo‑Saxons, Celts and Vikings: DNA uncovers a dynamic history of migration to Britain](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/beyond-anglo-saxons-celts-and-vikings-dna-uncovers-a-dynamic-history-of-migration-to-britain/) - Each of us tells a story about who we are, often tracing our identity back through an imagined line of ancestors; but what does DNA tell us?
- [Our voting system is failing: PR is a better option](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/our-voting-system-is-failing-pr-is-a-better-option/) - The UK is now a multi-party state but our voting system leaves most voters unrepresented; PR makes all votes count
- [Does online security cause digital exclusion?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/does-online-security-cause-digital-exclusion/) - Increased online security measures are forced upon us to try to prevent hacking and fraud, but this is leaving more and more of us excluded
- [£350k county council security cost slammed](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/350k-county-council-security-cost-slammed/) - Public council meetings are meant to be open, but please watch them online?
- [De Montfort University: the betrayal of jet-setting executives](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/de-montfort-university-the-betrayal-of-jet-setting-executives/) - Leicester's De Montfort University executives treat the university as an international business, with lavish expenses and financial speculation
- [Agentic AI: who really stays in control?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/agentic-ai-who-really-stays-in-control/) - As artificial intelligence develops with agentic AI, it must not come at the expense of accountability, democracy and human agency
- [Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: my journey](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/hypermobile-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-my-journey/) - Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome has been my life’s journey of discovery, resilience and above all, acceptance
- [Roller coasters: when panic and pleasure mix](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/roller-coasters-when-panic-and-pleasure-mix/) - Where joy meets sheer panic at 70mph – welcome to ‘jerror’, the thrill of roller coasters where terror and delight collide in glorious chaos
- [Freda Jackson and Henry Bird: Northampton's arts power couple](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/freda-jackson-and-henry-bird-northamptons-arts-power-couple/) - A celebration of Freda Jackson and Henry Bird, the working-class actress and artist who reached the top of their professions
- [Locals protest closure of the Walsall Leather Museum](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/locals-protest-closure-of-the-walsall-leather-museum/) - With the planned relocation of Walsall Leather Museum, locals and politicians rally against it
- [Spain has every right to be proud](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/spain-has-every-right-to-be-proud/) - From a Trump-defying prime minister to the sweet treat with a Dali connection, Spain has much to be proud of
- [Viktor Orbán’s election loss shows the limits of his propaganda machine](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/viktor-orbans-election-loss-shows-the-limits-of-his-propaganda-machine/) - Magyar's resounding victory over Orbán highlights the limitations of Orbán’s propaganda machine
- [Sutton Coldfield leaseholders holding housing association to account](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/sutton-coldfield-tenants-holding-housing-association-to-account/) - Leaseholders in Sutton Coldfield have launched a campaign against their housing association, Sanctuary
- [Politics on the Edge by Rory Stewart: an insider’s view](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/politics-on-the-edge-by-rory-stewart-an-insiders-view/) - Politics on the Edge by Rory Stewart provides a revealing exposé of the realities of current politics
- [Life on benefits: hardly a life of luxury](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/life-on-benefits-hardly-a-life-of-luxury/) - Living on universal credit and other benefits is not luxurious and people can endure stigma, assumptions and judgement
- [Crackdown in Stoke nets £14,000 haul of illegal cigarettes](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/crackdown-in-stoke-nets-14000-haul-of-illegal-cigarettes/) - Police and Council teams seize £14k of illegal tobacco products in Stoke-on-Trent in just one day
- [Reclaiming Muslim and South Asian archives](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/reclaiming-muslim-and-south-asian-archives/) - Muslims have been in the UK for generations, yet there is a notable absence of stories told by our own people
- [A Life Like Other People's: An intimate view of the Bennett family's history](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/a-life-like-other-peoples-an-intimate-view-of-the-bennett-familys-history/) - A Life Like Other People's: An intimate view of the Bennett family's history
- [Beyond the breaking point: Failures in mental health care](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/beyond-the-breaking-point-failures-in-mental-health-care/) - Systemic lapses and failed checks at facilities like the Farndon Unit reveal a fatal breakdown in essential mental health care oversight
- [Britain's far right: the state of hate 2026](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/britains-far-right-the-state-of-hate-2026/) - A report from HOPE not hate analyses the rising popularity of the far right, from Nigel Farage's Reform UK to those even more right wing
- [Iran elementary school attack: innocent children of war](https://centralbylines.co.uk/human-rights/iran-elementary-school-attack-innocent-children-of-war/) - In Iran, the attack on an elementary school cannot be dismissed as a consequence of war; it was illegal, and inhuman that children died
- [British values must include faith, not exclude it](https://centralbylines.co.uk/letters-to-the-editor/british-values-must-include-faith-not-exclude-it/) - A British Muslim woman challenges claims that public prayer undermines national values, arguing tolerance must apply equally to all faiths
- [Sir Lenny Henry Centre hosts student debate on BBC Charter](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/sir-lenny-henry-centre-hosts-student-debate-on-bbc-charter/) - Press release: students join the debate on BBC Charter Renewal, as LHC drives youth voices into a pivotal moment for the broadcaster’s future
- [Me and my uterus part 1: it’s trying to kill me!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/me-and-my-uterus-part-1-its-trying-to-kill-me/) - Too many women suffer in silence – it’s time we talked openly about the pain, stigma and dismissal of women’s reproductive health
- [Don't ban Freddie please! Tesco gets petitioned](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/dont-ban-freddie-please-tesco-gets-petitioned/) - Petition launched to allow much-loved moggy back into Skegness Tesco store
- [The View from the Top](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/the-view-from-the-top/) - OK, there never was a plan but here’s the thing – I am the man
- [CO₂ is not just changing our climate, it’s attacking our physiology](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/co₂-is-not-just-changing-our-climate-its-attacking-our-physiology/) - It’s not just climate change we should worry about, increased CO₂ is already changing our physiology, and not in a good way
- [A long time in politics - are the wheels falling off Reform?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-long-time-in-politics-are-the-wheels-falling-off-reform/) - Gorton goes green, Reform responds with bad grace, the Mandelson fallout continues and council chaos ensues
- [‘Racist’, ‘offensive’, ‘useless’, ‘pathetic’: Reform UK and the Tory defectors, in their own words](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/racist-offensive-useless-pathetic-reform-uk-and-the-tory-defectors-in-their-own-words/) - Braverman, Jenrick, Zahawi, and Farage tell us how the Tories’ moral bankruptcy has led to Reform UK
- [An open letter to Adrian Warwick](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/an-open-letter-to-adrian-warwick/) - Warwickshire’s chaos isn’t an accident – it survives because Conservatives keep the ladder steady while denying they hold it: an open letter
- [Ed Davey takes aim at the unpatriotic right](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/ed-davey-takes-aim-at-the-unpatriotic-right/) - The Liberal Democrats have opened a new front in the battle with right-wing parties and commentators
- [ADHD Me: my experience of living with neurodiversity](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/adhd-me-my-experience-of-living-with-neurodiversity/) - My brain has the acceleration of a Lamborghini and the brakes of a pushbike, but nobody told me why until I was 27
- [Marrakech, a hectic and enchanting city](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/marrakech-a-hectic-and-enchanting-city/) - Exploring the food, history, and lifestyles of one of Morocco’s oldest and bustling cities
- [Gorton and Denton makes the case for electoral reform](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/gorton-and-denton-makes-the-case-for-electoral-reform/) - The Gorton and Denton by-election demonstrates the fragmentation of UK politics and the urgent need for proportional representation
- [How the Iran war could create a ‘fertiliser shock’ – an often ignored global risk to food prices and farming](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/how-the-iran-war-could-create-a-fertiliser-shock-an-often-ignored-global-risk-to-food-prices-and-farming/) - Tehran is moving to restrict – or effectively close – the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, as part of the latest escalation in the war involving Iran
- [International Women's Day 2026: We feature the powerful women of Bylines Network](https://centralbylines.co.uk/herstory/international-womens-day-2026-the-powerful-women-of-bylines-network/) - This International Women’s Day, Bylines Network invites you to celebrate the women who make the Network what it is
- [Is it time to reform the Equality Act?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/human-rights/is-it-time-to-reform-the-equality-act/) - Reform UK to repeal the Equality Act 2010 if winners of the next election, but how well does the present Equality Act protect disabled people?
- [Is Badenoch leading the Tories down no-win alley?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/is-badenoch-leading-the-tories-down-no-win-alley/) - Tory leader Kemi Badenoch issues an ultimatum to party moderates, but wherever the Tories head now is fraught with challenges
- [An incredible network of women: the cricket team driving the women’s game](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/an-incredible-network-of-women-the-cricket-team-driving-the-womens-game/) - From Prosecco mums to league champions, Belper has built an incredible network of women – and a thriving pathway for the next generation
- [Light relief for the end of winter at the Illuminate Festival](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/light-relief-for-the-end-of-winter-at-the-illuminate-festival/) - The market town of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire lights up with the beautiful Illuminate Festival to chase away the last of the winter chill
- [Spring is on the way: celebrating Shropshire Day](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/spring-is-on-the-way-celebrating-shropshire-day/) - Shropshire Day celebrates its history, ancient and modern, and beautiful varied landscape in this photo story
- [More than meets the eye: sex, gender and dangerous women](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/more-than-meets-the-eye-sex-gender-and-dangerous-women/) - Labour's unworkable approach to policing gender means trouble for everyone – which is exactly what the real enemies of women's rights want
- [The Fayed/Harrods case bears the hallmarks of sex trafficking](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-fayed-harrods-case-bears-the-hallmarks-of-sex-trafficking/) - At least 400 women have come forward in the wake of the Harrods abuse scandal so why aren’t they being referred to the National Referral Mechanism?
- [Local leaders and citizens challenge Trump’s ICE in Chicago](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/local-leaders-and-citizens-challenge-trumps-ice-in-chicago/) - The politicians of Chicago are joining protest organisers in the battle against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents
- [Endometriosis awareness: join the conversation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/endometriosis-awareness-join-the-conversation/) - During Endometriosis Action Month, we talked to a Birmingham woman who is calling for more openness about the condition
- [Children with autism: gently helping to lift the mask](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/autism-awareness-day-gently-lifting-the-mask/) - Children with autism, especially girls, are too often overlooked and misunderstood. It's time for a system that recognises and supports their needs
- [Nottingham Goose Fair – an old but popular tradition](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/nottingham-goose-fair-an-old-but-popular-tradition/) - The Nottingham Goose Fair is a tradition of over 700 years. It offers rides, games, food and drinks and takes place yearly in early October
- [Rachel Taylor MP drives ambulance 1500 miles to Ukraine](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/rachel-taylor-mp-drives-ambulance-1500-miles-to-ukraine/) - Rachel Taylor, MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth completes a mission to deliver aid to Ukraine
- [The ADHD brain’s unique abilities: a positive approach](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-adhd-brains-unique-abilities-a-positive-approach/) - The cognitive differences in an ADHD brain reveal a special set of abilities; with a positive approach, they can be understood and harnessed
- [Trans people fear prohibition-style ban in one England Council](https://centralbylines.co.uk/human-rights/trans-people-fear-prohibition-style-ban-in-one-england-council/) - Trans women may face being excluded from public spaces that align with their gender, if a Reform motion is voted in at Bassetlaw District Council
- [The cruel impact of Labour's new welfare reforms](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-cruel-impact-of-labours-new-welfare-reforms/) - Bedbound reflections on Labour's welfare reforms from a Labour Party member
- [Social media abuse: the perils of women speaking out](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/social-media-abuse-the-perils-of-women-speaking-out/) - Strong women who advocate for change face hostile challenges both in the press and on social media
- [Dreams without borders: celebrating Refugee Week in Stoke](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/dreams-without-borders-celebrating-refugee-week-in-stoke/) - An art exhibition highlights the aspirations of young people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds building futures in Stoke-on-Trent
- [Three women a week: the murder of Sarah Everard](https://centralbylines.co.uk/herstory/three-women-a-week-the-murder-of-sarah-everard/) - Since the murder of Sarah Everard by a Metropolitan Police Officer, at least 81 other women have been killed
- [The Women of Greenham Common](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/greenham-women/) - The protest at Greenham Common influenced a whole generation of women. It taught us about collective action, imaginative non-violent ways of protesting and gave us the confidence to use our own unique voice.
- [Big pharma, the NHS, thyroid disease and me](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/big-pharma-the-nhs-thyroid-disease-and-me/) - A personal account tells the story of a battle with the NHS to get treatment for thyroid disease
- [Bluesky is now a refuge from X for us all](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/bluesky-is-now-a-refuge-from-x-for-us-all/) - With individuals and large organisations leaving X in droves, Bluesky seems to be the social media platform of choice to emigrate to
- [The perils of old age: growing old, with and without dignity](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-perils-of-old-age-growing-old-with-and-without-dignity/) - Growing old is a perilous passage, but with age comes wisdom: the confidence to do exactly what you want
- [Can Lincolnshire survive Reform UK's environmental policies?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/can-lincolnshire-survive-reform-uks-environmental-policies/) - Reform UK's victory in Lincolnshire local elections could put over £1bn in green energy investment and the environment on the line
- [Migrant boat crossings in the Channel: the human toll](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/migrant-boat-crossings-in-the-channel-the-human-toll/) - Migrant boat crossings from France to the UK are seen by migrants as a lifeline, but are often a life threat
- [Laurence Fox and shaggable opinions](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/laurence-fox-and-shaggable-opinions/) - Laurence Fox’s comments have outraged women: here is one woman’s take on sexism in the broadcasting industry
- [To unite or divide: legacy of Britain’s flags exposed](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/to-unite-or-divide-legacy-of-britains-flags-exposed/) - Across Britain’s history and current political spectrum the Union Jack and St George’s flags represent a nation unwelcoming to refugees
- [From fascism to freedom: fifty years since Franco's death](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/from-fascism-to-freedom-fifty-years-since-francos-death/) - With the 50th anniversary of Franco's death this year, how does a radically changed Spain mark the occasion?
- [The media and performing arts - a playground for predators](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-media-and-performing-arts-a-playground-for-predators/) - Do the UK’s media and performing arts’ infrastructures facilitate abuse and sexual predators, and what can be done about it?
- [Beyond the rhetoric: writing for Gaza and the search for truth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/beyond-the-rhetoric-writing-for-gaza-and-the-search-for-truth/) - The crisis in Gaza is often misrepresented in the mainstream media; a writer and poet pays tribute to the people of Gaza in their suffering
- [Covid-19: is there a gagging order?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/covid-19-is-there-a-gagging-order/) - Covid-19 continues to have a significant impact on health and the economy, but questions to political leaders are met with a wall of silence
- [The European Movement in 2025: growing the grassroots](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-european-movement-in-2025-growing-the-grassroots/) - The European Movement held its third grassroots conference, calling for a unified strategy to rejoin the EU
- [Women’s health: the painful path of ignorance and dismissal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/womens-health-the-painful-path-of-ignorance-and-dismissal/) - Despite the plethora of women’s health information, many conditions are under-researched; women are frequently dismissed and suffering
- [Every dog has their day: celebrate your four-legged friends!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/every-dog-has-their-day-celebrate-your-four-legged-friends/) - International Dog Day on 26 August recognises the canine contribution to the human world
- [Ancient tech user discovers the frustrations of modern life](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/ancient-tech-user-discovers-the-frustrations-of-modern-life/) - Modern life is driven by 'updates;' as soon as I get used to one innovation, it's old hat and I have to get used to another
- [Why are women missing out on cervical screening?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/women-missing-out-on-cervical-screening/) - Getting cervical screening appointments means dealing with impersonal NHS systems: a new pilot scheme in Birmingham hopes to change that
- [International Women's Day - women who have changed the world](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/international-womens-day-women-who-have-changed-the-world/) - On International Women's Day, we celebrate women who have brought about important changes in society's attitudes and their role in the world
- [Paddy Logan – Harborough's radical Liberal hero](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/paddy-logan-harboroughs-radical-liberal-hero/) - Paddy Logan once started a fight in the Commons, but there was far more to the Liberal MP than that
- [If God is love why is the Church of England hesitating?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/if-god-is-love-why-is-the-church-of-england-hesitating/) - A gay Christian calls for the Church of England to listen to LGBTQ+ Christians who don’t ask for special treatment, but for equal grace at Christ’s table
- [A long time in politics: week 7 – is the Reform tide ebbing? ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-long-time-in-politics-week-7-is-the-reform-tide-ebbing/) - Labour regroups after Mandelson fallout, Reform stumbles through candidate rows and council chaos, and a new party enters the fray
- [Ukraine at war – why they must continue the fight](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/ukraine-at-war-why-they-must-continue-the-fight/) - Russia’s history of violence and the danger to Europe posed by the Ukraine war means that the struggle has to continue
- [Our climate fingerprints are everywhere, for anyone to see](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/our-climate-fingerprints-are-everywhere-for-anyone-to-see/) - From Stoke-on-Trent to the ocean depths and upper atmosphere, the fingerprints of human-made climate change are clear to see
- [Ukraine four years on: the war of attrition continues](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/ukraine-four-years-on-the-war-of-attrition-continues/) - Outside interest in the Ukraine war has waned, but the consequences of a stagnating war remain very real for the Ukrainian people
- [A long time in politics: week 6 – departures and disasters](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-long-time-in-politics-week-6-departures-and-disasters/) - A regular digest and commentary on key UK political events in the recent week, which saw the Epstein scandal fallout widen and Reform chaos dominate the headlines
- [Reform’s HMO crusade: here’s what they left out](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reforms-hmo-crusade-heres-what-they-left-out/) - Reform rails against HMOs as a ‘blight’ – then a council issues notices over unsafe, unlicensed ones linked to them
- [Charity: why wait for stunts to sponsor?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/charity-why-wait-for-stunts-to-sponsor/) - It's as if charity has become a spectator sport and we only donate when someone promises to suffer for our entertainment
- [Appeal launched to keep Bronze Age treasure in Staffordshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/appeal-launched-to-keep-bronze-age-treasure-in-staffordshire/) - The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery is fundraising to hold on to a nationally significant Bronze Age treasure trove
- [Green Party policy 'Abolish Landlords': solving the housing crisis](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/green-party-policy-abolish-landlords-solving-the-housing-crisis/) - The Green Party's 'Abolish Landlords' policy could end the housing crisis with a number of measures that will benefit tenants
- [Major shake-up of disability laws on the cards](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/major-shake-up-of-disability-laws-on-the-cards/) - The Government reviews 55-year-old legislation on mobility devices to grant users greater autonomy
- [A long time in politics: week 5 – Scandal in the Wind, and A New Kid in Town](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-long-time-in-politics-week-5-scandal-in-the-wind-and-a-new-kid-in-town/) - A regular digest and commentary on key UK political events in the recent week, this week saw scandals and potential electoral law breaking
- [Sheep farming in Derbyshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/sheep-farming-in-derbyshire/) - A chance meeting via Freecycle sparks a farmer's truth: wool pays less than in the 1970s, costs soar, and small British farms fight to survive
- [The British public has lost faith in politics – the Peter Mandelson scandal must be a wake-up call for Keir Starmer](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/peter-mandelson-scandal-wake-up-call-for-keir-starmer/) - The Mandelson Scandal involving Epstein and sensitive documents must be a wake-up call for Starmer and his government
- [Reform councillor's extremism demands urgent investigation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reform-councillors-extremism-demands-urgent-investigation/) - Ian Cooper has been expelled from Reform UK, but we need more far-reaching consequences for those who share hateful rhetoric
- [Lincolnshire climate leadership reversed](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/lincolnshire-climate-leadership-reversed/) - Lincolnshire goes from national leader to climate change blocker despite the science not changing and local impacts getting worse
- [A long time in politics: week 4 – election and defection](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/a-long-time-in-politics-week-4-election-and-defection/) - A regular digest and commentary on key UK political events in the recent week, which saw election and defection fever and chaotic councils
- [Speaking to a blind world: The Gaza Poems (2)](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/speaking-to-a-blind-world-the-gaza-poems-2/) - While world events turn our attention away, a new book of poems reminds us that the people of Gaza are still suffering
- [Reform UK decision to pull missing children interviews in question after backlash](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/reform-uk-decision-to-pull-missing-children-interviews-in-question-after-backlash/) - Staffordshire County Council row over interviews with children missing from care sees Reform cabinet member describe colleague as misguided
- [Birmingham: Prime Minister urged to take action on bins strike](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-prime-minister-urged-to-take-action-on-bins-strike/) - More than 30 MPs have called upon PM Sir Keir Starmer to take action on the ongoing bin strike in Birmingham
- [A whimsical detective romp set in a bygone Edwardian age](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/a-whimsical-detective-romp-set-in-a-bygone-edwardian-age/) - A review of Death Beside The Seaside, another detective story by TE Kinsey in a series featuring two charming and eccentric sleuths
- [The discovery of Richard III enriched Leicester in every way](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-discovery-of-richard-iii-enriched-leicester-in-every-way/) - How archaeologists, geneticists and an amateur historian combined to rewrite the history of an East Midlands city
- [The Ivy, Nottingham offers glamour and indulgence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/food/the-ivy-nottingham-offers-glamour-and-indulgence/) - From London legend to Nottingham landmark, The Ivy brings white-tablecloth glamour and indulgent food to Bridlesmith Gate
- [One venue, two speeches – how Mark Carney left Donald Trump in the dust in Davos](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/one-venue-two-speeches-how-mark-carney-left-donald-trump-in-the-dust-in-davos/) - Mark Carney warned of a rupture in the world order and got a standing ovation, the contrast to the speech by Trump was striking.
- [From fedoras and guns to crypto and AI](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/from-fedoras-and-guns-to-crypto-and-ai/) - Organised crime no longer dominates headlines as it once did but it hasn't gone away, it's just changed
- [Climate disaster – an up ‘HILL' struggle](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/climate-disaster-an-up-hill-struggle/) - We have a planning framework for most anticipated threats of climate change, but what about High Impact, Low Likelihood (HILL) events?
- [A long time in politics: week 3 – defections and farce ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/a-long-time-in-politics-week-3-defections-and-farce/) - A regular digest and commentary on key UK political events in the recent week
- [Austerity has a powerful impact on children's mental health](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/austerity-has-a-powerful-impact-on-childrens-mental-health/) - The legacy of British austerity can’t be understood without considering the effects on mental health, especially childhood trauma
- [New Birmingham food hub gets £2mn donation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/new-birmingham-food-hub-gets-2mn-donation/) - With a donation of £2mn, the new Coronation Food Hub in Birmingham will tackle poverty with increased food distribution
- [Contamination at the old Tollerton Airport site – and plans to build homes and a school](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/contamination-at-the-old-tollerton-airport-site-and-plans-to-build-homes-and-a-school/) - Radioactive radium-226 and benzo(a)pyrene, but even so planning permission was put in for up to 2,000 homes and a school
- [A long time in politics: week 2 – noise, scandal and distraction](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-long-time-in-politics-week-2-noise-scandal-and-distraction/) - A digest and commentary on the UK’s key political events in the recent week – policy, posturing and the politics that dominate headlines
- [Politics, social media, and the curse of allostatic overload](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/politics-social-media-and-the-curse-of-allostatic-overload/) - Exposure to stress leads to allostatic overload and serious health problems, both physical and mental; toxic social media is part of the problem
- [A long time in politics: week 1](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-long-time-in-politics-week-1/) - A regular digest and commentary on the key political events of the recent week
- [The rise and fall of Babycham – the sparkling pear drink that sold the champagne lifestyle at a small price](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/the-rise-and-fall-of-babycham-the-sparkling-pear-drink-that-sold-the-champagne-lifestyle-at-a-small-price/) - Cultural historian takes a nostalgic look at one of Britain's favourite tipples of the past - Babycham
- [Reform UK Ltd cancels net zero in Nottinghamshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/reform-uk-ltd-canceles-net-zero-in-nottinghamshire/) - The Reform UK led council in Nottinghamshire is turning its back on climate action and is threatening to funnel funding away from net zero
- [Donald Trump’s raid on Venezuela foreshadows a new ‘great power’ carve-up of the world](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/donald-trumps-raid-on-venezuela-foreshadows-a-new-great-power-carve-up-of-the-world/) - Donald Trump and his operation in Venezuela, what does it mean for the world's future?
- [Dudley Council to review grit bin removal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/dudley-council-to-review-grit-bin-removal/) - Online backlash as cold snap bites sparks rethink from Dudley council leader on removing grit bins
- [Northamptonshire Net Zero: a no go under Reform](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/northamptonshire-net-zero-a-no-go-under-reform/) - Despite concerning climate change evidence in Northamptonshire, the county’s Reform-led councils have abandoned all previous Net Zero plans
- [The great 2025 Bylines Christmas Quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/the-great-2025-bylines-christmas-quiz/) - Take the quiz, check your results, and cheat to your heart's content
- [A Very Bylines Christmas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/a-very-bylines-christmas/) - A Bylines twist on the classic Jingle Bells
- [Crime Chronicles part 11: the heist of the millennium](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-11-the-heist-of-the-millennium/) - The mysterious art heist of the millennium: a tale of the Ashmolean and a £3mn Cezanne
- [UK to re-join Erasmus+ – here are six benefits of the European exchange scheme](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/uk-to-re-join-erasmus-six-benefits/) - Brexit didn't have to mean the end of Erasmus+, and the government has now announced we will join the scheme again
- [Trump unveils new dystopian visa plans, but where will it end?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/trump-unveils-new-dystopian-visa-plans-but-where-will-it-end/) - The Trump administration intends to make visitors provide five years of social media, a decade of email addresses and DNA, where will this all end?
- [Populism](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/populism/) - Populism is a threat we all need to turn away from
- [Climate change denial: why words and language matter](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/climate-change-denial-why-words-and-language-matter/) - While climate change deniers exploit misunderstandings, California’s recent wildfires have proved the deadly reality of climate change
- [£90bn a year is too much to ignore in the next election](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/90bn-a-year-is-too-much-to-ignore-in-the-next-election/) - The harsh financial reality of Brexit and what it means for Labour in the next election
- [Farage’s Reform UK attack on the young: austerity revisited](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/farages-reform-uk-attack-on-the-young-austerity-revisited/) - Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK Ltd is taking aim at the young over the minimum wage, voting age and mental health support
- [East Staffordshire councillors call for resignation of fellow county councillors](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/east-staffordshire-councillors-call-for-resignation-of-fellow-county-councillors/) - Community leaders in East Staffordshire have called for two county councillors to resign following allegations of racist social media posts
- [Gaza now, two years on: West Midlands activists get involved](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/gaza-now-two-years-on-west-midlands-activists-get-involved/) - The continuing conflict in Gaza has prompted the West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign to raise awareness and provide support
- [The truth about weight loss – it's not a reason for shame](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-truth-about-weight-loss-its-not-a-reason-for-shame/) - Weight loss is a huge challenge; so why are people ashamed of success and then criticised when there's an easier option with drugs like Monjaro?
- [India shows how BritCard Digital ID could be weaponised](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/india-shows-how-britcard-digital-id-could-be-weaponised/) - Starmer’s BritCards have cited India’s Digital ID system as a positive example – here’s why that should scare you
- [Rising from the ashes: a survivor reclaims her voice](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/rising-from-the-ashes-a-survivor-reclaims-her-voice/) - In the second part of Calleigh’s story she and I discuss the aftermath of her trauma and the wider rape culture that permeates society
- [Shattering the silence: a survivor speaks out](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/shattering-the-silence-a-survivor-speaks-out/) - In the first part of a two-part series I talk to Calleigh who tells her story of trauma and the night everything changed
- [Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/cinderella-at-the-theatre-royal-nottingham/) - Oh no she isn’t! Oh yes she is! Cinderella, "The Fairy Godmother of all pantos" has come to Theatre Royal in Nottingham
- [Veteran speaks out against flags on lampposts](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/veteran-speaks-out-against-flags-on-lampposts/) - Staveley Town Cllr and war veteran warns Derbyshire County Council that Union and St George flags on lampposts pose conflict and safety risks
- [Guide Dogs Charity calls for zero tolerance](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/guide-dogs-charity-calls-for-zero-tolerance/) - Recommendations aim to help taxi drivers understand the law when it comes to allowing guide dogs or other service dogs in their car
- [After the licence fee? Three alternatives to the BBC’s current model](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/after-the-licence-fee-three-alternatives-to-the-bbcs-current-model/) - The BBC licence fee has become a controversial issue, so what alternatives are there?
- [The meaning of life: The wheel fell off and I kept singing](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/the-meaning-of-life-the-wheel-fell-off-and-i-kept-singing/) - Does the answer to the search for life’s meaning lie on the terraces of the world’s football fields?
- [The AI machines that loved us to death](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/the-ai-machines-that-loved-us-to-death/) - A chilling near-future thriller of AI rule, rebellion, and survival – read it as a warning, or a prophecy; the future is watching either way
- [Whamageddon: Britain's most ridiculous annual descent into festive paranoia](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/whamageddon-britains-most-ridiculous-annual-descent-into-festive-paranoia/) - Why do the British love playing Whamageddon, and what started it in the first place?
- [Crime Chronicles part 10: the death of Sir Fulke Greville](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-10-the-death-of-sir-fulke-greville/) - From loyal service to brutal betrayal, the tragic fate of Sir Fulke Greville is woven into the whispers that drift through Warwick Castle
- [Keep out: what flags mean to community NHS workers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/keep-out-what-flags-mean-to-community-nhs-workers/) - Frontline NHS staff are feeling an increasing sense of exclusion and intimidation from the surge of St George’s flags displayed on homes
- [Reform councillor’s ‘I love Jesus’ Christmas flag idea rejected](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reform-councillors-i-love-jesus-christmas-flag-idea-rejected/) - Warwickshire County Council: Flag requests rejected - including Reform councillor's 'I love Jesus' Christmas idea
- [The X Effect and the dangers of social media bias](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/the-x-effect-and-the-dangers-of-social-media-bias/) - Sky News' investigation The X Effect has exposed a right-wing bias in X's algorithm, which boosts extreme content over left-wing voices
- [A bleak future without volunteers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/a-bleak-future-without-volunteers/) - Without its regular army of volunteers, the UK could quickly become a “dystopian state”
- [Liberal Democrats vs Reform UK Ltd: who's really the underdog?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/liberal-democrats-vs-reform-uk-ltd-whos-really-the-underdog/) - The Liberal Democrats hold 72 parliamentary seats, yet the media have sidelined Ed Davey while Reform UK Ltd hogs column inches and airtime
- [Forget me not: unravelling the mystery of poor memory](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/forget-me-not-unravelling-the-mystery-of-poor-memory/) - Forgetfulness is a frustrating trait, but delving deeper into the complexities of memory dispels many myths around failure to remembe
- [A bomb basks in a living room](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/a-bomb-basks-in-a-living-room/) - A bomb in Belfast or in Gaza, the result is chaos and destruction
- [Derbyshire in full reverse on climate change](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/derbyshire-in-full-reverse-on-climate-change/) - Derbyshire is the “spiritual heartland” of Reform UK Ltd but is its climate change policy putting the people of Derbyshire at risk?
- [Have Reform UK Ltd's county councils delivered on their promises?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/have-reform-uk-ltds-county-councils-delivered-on-their-promises/) - A six-month review of Reform-led county councils explores how effectively they have delivered what they promised to their electors
- [Blue light capers: a nostalgic account of police life](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/blue-light-capers-a-nostalgic-account-of-police-life/) - Bygone days in the police with ‘emergency’ capers are less likely to feature in the policing of today
- [A new survey reveals negative attitudes to Reform UK Ltd](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-new-survey-reveals-negative-attitudes-to-reform-uk-ltd/) - Reform UK Ltd gets 92% of its funding from climate change deniers and fossil fuel corporate interests, provoking negative reactions
- [Reform UK Ltd's net zero incoherence in Staffordshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reform-uk-ltds-net-zero-incoherence-in-staffordshire/) - Under Reform UK Ltd, the county council is at odds with the other local authorities in Staffordshire on climate policy
- [Iodine, UK policy and brain growth: a question of intelligence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/iodine-brain-growth-and-uk-policy-a-question-of-intelligence/) - While we fixate on AI, government has neglected natural intelligence: iodine, crucial for children's brains and their future potential
- [Moral Tribes: towards better public and private debate](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/moral-tribes-towards-better-public-and-private-debate/) - Does Joshua Greene's book Moral Tribes offer any solutions to our lack of agreement in public debate and private discussions?
- [The Alfredo Lounge in Louth: a relaxing venue with great food](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/the-alfedo-lounge-in-louth-a-relaxing-venue-with-great-food/) - The Alfredo Lounge has turned an empty high street building into a laid-back venue for all, breathing life back into a dying high street
- [After the Leveson Inquiry, is the press now beyond control?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/after-the-leveson-inquiry-is-the-press-now-beyond-control/) - The Leveson Inquiry was meant to usher in a new era of press regulation, but have we gone from one ineffective regulator to another?
- [How to have a healthy brain: avoid ultra-processed foods](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/have-healthy-brain-avoid-ultra-processed-foods/) - Ultra-processed foods can negatively affect your brain function; choose natural whole foods instead
- [Crime Chronicles part 9: John 'Babbacombe' Lee, the man they couldn't hang](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-9-john-babbacombe-lee/) - The strange case of John 'Babbacombe' Lee, accused of murder, defies belief with his miraculous escape from the gallows
- [How to dismantle a democracy in just six months: part two](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/how-to-dismantle-a-democracy-in-just-six-months-part-2/) - In this second of two articles, the creeping shadow of attacks on 21st century democracy is growing; we have failed to learn from history
- [How to dismantle a democracy in just six months: part one](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/how-to-dismantle-a-democracy-in-just-six-months-part-1/) - The first of two articles looks at the rise of the populist NSDAP party and the end of German democracy; what are the lessons for today?
- [The stunning Buxton Crescent Hotel offers luxury and adventure](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/the-stunning-buxton-crescent-hotel-offers-luxury-and-adventure/) - A five-star hotel break at the Buxton Crescent Spa Hotel with an optional e-bike add-on proves a perfect combination
- [Derby nightlife scene feeds the threat of toxic microplastics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/derby-nightlife-scene-feeds-the-threat-of-toxic-microplastics/) - Derby city centre nightlife poses a major environmental concern with littering of waste leading to pollution by microplastics
- [The forgotten Shropshire tragedy that inspired The Mousetrap](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/the-forgotten-shropshire-tragedy-that-inspired-the-mousetrap/) - The death of 12-year-old Dennis O’Neill in 1945 shocked Britain and led Agatha Christie to write her famous play The Mousetrap
- [Climate change in the Midlands is a serious local concern](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/climate-change-in-the-midlands-is-a-serious-local-concern/) - Climate change is a global emergency, but its impacts and solutions must also be a local priority for the Midlands
- [Putting racism on the RADAR: a new anti-racism service](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/putting-racism-on-the-radar-a-new-anti-racism-service/) - A rise in racist attacks over recent years has led one man to set up a new anti-racism monitoring service - RADAR
- [The Water That May Come: fiction and climate reality collide](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/the-water-that-may-come-fiction-and-climate-reality-collide/) - Amy Lilwall’s novel The Water That May Come speaks to contemporary concerns about climate breakdown and anti-migrant rhetoric
- [Stoke-on-Trent Council launches new plans to cut youth crime](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-council-launches-new-plans-to-cut-youth-crime/) - The new Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Youth Justice plan aims to reduce the number of young people caught up in criminal offending
- [Breast cancer survivor starts a new life: a degree, a career and politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/breast-cancer-survivor-starts-a-new-life-a-degree-a-career-and-politics/) - A Leicestershire woman who radically transformed her mindset and career after surviving breast cancer is now taking on a new approach to politics
- [Canada calling: tuning into the wavelength of the wilderness](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/canada-calling-tuning-into-the-wavelength-of-the-wilderness/) - Canada's magnificently diverse landscapes and relatively uninhabited land highlight humanity's insignificance against the power of nature
- [The Lincolnshire Fens desperately need new flood defences](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/the-lincolnshire-fens-desperately-need-new-flood-defences/) - The iconic landscape of the Fens faces an uncertain future unless funding is urgently secured to protect them
- [Pride in Place funds breathe new life into North Warwickshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/pride-in-place-funds-breathe-new-life-into-north-warwickshire/) - Local MPs and Council Leader hail £1.5mn Pride in Place funding for Nuneaton and Bedworth
- [Ed Davey and his Liberal Democrats march on Bournemouth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/ed-davey-and-his-liberal-democrats-march-on-bournemouth/) - The Liberal Democrats want to be seen as the main opponents of Reform UK but recent success is presenting wider challenges
- [The death of truth and accuracy in the mainstream media](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-death-of-truth-and-accuracy-in-the-mainstream-media/) - Politicians and the media are distorting the truth; how can we avoid being duped?
- [The Poisonwood Bible: when Africa meets Christian faith](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/the-poisonwood-bible-when-africa-meets-christian-faith/) - Barbara Kingsolver's novel The Poisonwood Bible exposes colonialism in Africa and Western attitudes to exporting their culture and religion
- [Crime Chronicles part 8: the theft of a Da Vinci masterpiece](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-8-the-theft-of-a-da-vinci-masterpiece/) - Our armchair detective tells the story of a daring theft of the Madonna of the Yarnwinder from Scotland’s Drumlanrig Castle
- [Crime Chronicles part 7: Agatha Christie disappears](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-biggest-mystery-of-them-all-where-did-agatha-christie-disappear-to/) - The curious case of the vanishing Dame: the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie, Britain’s favourite mystery writer
- [Seeking silence in sacred places: an agnostic’s love affair](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/seeking-silence-in-sacred-places-an-agnostics-love-affair/) - An epiphanic moment of silence, stillness and solitude in Liverpool Cathedral led an agnostic to investigate what he had experienced
- [Critical choice for Europe: stand strong or succumb to Trump](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/critical-choice-for-europe-stand-strong-or-succumb-to-trump/) - A new report advises Europe to take a stand for its autonomy against ideological attack from Donald Trump and allies
- [Calls grow to axe Russian titanium imports](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/calls-grow-to-axe-russian-titanium-imports/) - Pressure is mounting on Western leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, to finally pull the plug on the Russian lucrative titanium trade
- [Birmingham libraries in crisis: council fights for survival](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-libraries-in-crisis-council-fights-for-survival/) - Closure of Sutton Coldfield Library and other cuts to library services call into question the future of Labour-run Birmingham City Council
- [A child asks (when will my arm grow back?)](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/a-child-asks-when-will-my-arm-grow-back/) - A message to a child gives hope that, despite a tragedy, there is a future
- [Mayor Andrea Jenkyns asks for extra £147k to help answer emails](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/mayor-andrea-jenkyns-asks-for-extra-147k-to-help-answer-emails/) - Greater Lincolnshire Mayor Dame Andrea Jenkyns wants to hire staff to handle residents' issues
- [A Staffordshire moorland tale of fire, peat and helicopters](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/a-staffordshire-moorland-tale-of-fire-peat-and-helicopters/) - The Peak District National Park has deployed a creative solution to moorland fire prevention
- [Reform UK’s new 'deportation' plan: a pathway to autocracy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reform-uks-new-deportation-plan-a-pathway-to-autocracy/) - Reform UK’s plan for mass deportations would have devastating effects for British democracy and align the country with autocratic states
- [Shropshire Council urged to list plans to avoid bankruptcy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/shropshire-council-urged-to-list-plans-to-avoid-bankruptcy/) - The Green Party leader has called on Shropshire Council to provide workable strategies to avoid a section 114 notice for bankruptcy
- [Fear for my life: an asylum seeker speaks](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/fear-for-my-life-an-asylum-seeker-speaks/) - We hear the voice of an asylum seeker escaping from danger, his views on the current protests and his gratitude for shelter in the UK
- [Seven Derbyshire Shirebrook councillors resign](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/seven-derbyshire-shirebrook-councillors-resign/) - Seven Shirebrook Town Councillors have resigned during football club's struggle to take over running the village hall
- [The Leek Nicholson War Memorial: a centenary reminder](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-leek-nicholson-war-memorial-a-centenary-reminder/) - The Nicholson memorial in Leek, Staffordshire, reminds us of the folly of war and the need to remember the fight for democracy
- [The fallacy of energy generation: saving energy use matters too](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/the-fallacy-of-energy-generation-saving-energy-use-matters-too/) - Energy generation projects are expensive and threaten agricultural land and wildlife; energy saving methods need more promotion
- [From criminal to victim: prostitute's cautions must go now](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/from-criminal-to-victim-prostitutes-cautions-must-go-now/) - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is being urged by campaigners to abolish 'prostitute's cautions', which leave sex workers criminalised for life
- [Flags and crosses: patriotism or racism?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/flags-and-crosses-patriotism-or-racism/) - Flags and graffiti on roundabouts and now even churches have made one West Midlands resident angry; when will it all cease?
- [Labour delivers!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/labour-delivers/) - After only thirteen months in power, the papers have written off the Labour Government, but why is that and is it fair?
- [Can the Casey Commission cure the social care crisis?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/can-the-casey-commission-cure-the-social-care-crisis/) - Social care is on the brink of collapse - will the government’s plans be enough to save it?
- [Stoke-on-Trent Council develops homelessness plan to help more people at risk](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-council-homelessness-plan/) - Stoke-on-Trent City Council has committed to a new five-year policy to help rough sleepers and those at risk of becoming homeless
- [Sticks and stones: but how harmful are nicknames?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/sticks-and-stones-but-how-harmful-are-nicknames/) - Can we really not be harmed by words, or can they be as damaging and hurtful as sticks and stones can be?
- [Visit the last remaining Leicestershire Post Mill in September](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/visit-the-last-remaining-leicestershire-post-mill-in-september/) - Free guided tours of 'fascinating' ancient Leicestershire landmark, the Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill and other venues
- [These St George crosses](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/these-st-george-crosses/) - Painted St George crosses on roundabouts – honestly, where are our British standards for honouring the dragonslayer?
- [Walsall Council facing wave of fury](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/walsall-council-facing-wave-of-fury/) - Anger in Walsall as Tory councillors block deputy mayor nomination on mental health grounds
- [On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder is a timely warning](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/on-tyranny-by-timothy-snyder-is-a-timely-warning/) - Timothy Snyder's reflections on history in his book On Tyranny provide an excellent lens through which to view the dangers of modern tyranny
- [Birmingham bin workers' strike: inside Perry Barr's megapicket](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-bin-workers-strike-inside-perry-barrs-megapicket/) - Birmingham refuse workers gathered for a second 'megapicket' at Perry Barr on 25 July, supported by MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Ayoub Khan
- [The forgotten lessons of World War II](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-forgotten-lessons-of-world-war-ii/) - On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, we ask: have we forgotten the demands for a more equal society made by the combatants?
- [Coventry councillor fears disposal of museum artefacts](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/coventry-councillor-fears-disposal-of-museum-artefacts/) - A number of museum artefacts, including plates and old tools, are to be disposed of; a Coventry councillor calls for a rethink
- [Stoke-on-Trent to get funding of £1.5mn for listed buildings](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-to-get-funding-of-1-5mn-for-listed-buildings/) - Historic England funding will pay for repairs to Burslem Indoor Market and Bethesda Chapel to bring these two listed buildings back into use
- [The death of my funeral: have a celebration instead!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/the-death-of-my-funeral-have-a-celebration-instead/) - A funeral marks the inevitability of death, a sombre event; a joyous alternative is to celebrate with photos, music and personal tributes
- [Manuela Perteghella: Stratford MP's whirlwind year of firsts](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/manuela-perteghella-stratford-mps-whirlwind-year-of-firsts/) - Stratford-on-Avon's first elected non-Conservative for 70 years and first ever female MP, Lib Dem Manuela Perteghella reviews her first year
- [Why Reform UK's conspiracism should worry you](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/why-reform-uks-conspiracism-should-worry-you/) - Reform UK appear to embrace conspiracism as an ideology to gain power but it brings an underlying threat to UK democracy
- [The Cure by Eve Smith: deadly secrets and dystopian fears](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/the-cure-by-eve-smith-deadly-secrets-and-dystopian-fears/) - Eve Smith's new novel The Cure shows us a future where science has found a cure for ageing, with catastrophic consequences
- [Brexit referendum's 10th anniversary: time to think again?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-referendums-10th-anniversary-time-to-think-again/) - With 10 years of the Brexit referendum on the horizon, should a second referendum be in our sights?
- [The Byline Festival: a beautiful day above a broken landscape](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/the-byline-festival-a-beautiful-day-above-a-broken-landscape/) - The Byline Festival hosted an inspiring programme but the voices of the deprived people of Staffordshire were not heard
- [Crime Chronicles part 6: the real Peaky Blinders](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-6-the-real-peaky-blinders/) - The Peaky Blinders may have been portrayed in a dramatic and glamorous light on television, but the real story is quite different
- [Can Tories learn from Musk's war on Trump and beat Reform?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/can-tories-learn-from-musks-war-on-trump-and-beat-reform/) - Caricaturing Farage as Corbyn with a pint is a better bet for Badenoch than playing the populist
- [Bait](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/bait/) - The visceral horror of war targets innocent civilian victims just trying to stay alive
- [Diary of a Somebody: an engaging tale of a loveable misfit](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/diary-of-a-somebody-an-engaging-tale-of-a-loveable-misfit/) - Brian Bilston’s novel, Diary of a Somebody, creates a sympathetic anti-hero in a novel that's unusual and entertaining
- [SOS Biscathorpe faces a new fight to save the Lincolnshire Wolds](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/sos-biscathorpe-faces-a-new-fight-to-save-the-lincolnshire-wolds/) - After a High Court win to save the Lincolnshire Wolds from oil drilling, SOS Biscathorpe campaign group now face a new public consultation
- [Stoke-on-Trent council praised for building strong communities](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-council-praised-for-building-strong-communities/) - Stoke-on-Trent council has been praised for its work building strong communities after a visit from Baroness Hilary Armstrong
- [A road well-trodden](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/a-road-well-trodden/) - The genocide in Gaza provokes reactions of horror and protest, but if voiced in public, prosecution may follow
- [Solar storms are increasingly threatening our life on Earth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/solar-storms-are-increasingly-threatening-our-life-on-earth/) - We live in the Sun’s atmosphere and space weather is closer than you think; solar storms can have serious impacts on our life on Earth
- [The resilience test: is the UK prepared for more heatwaves?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/the-resilience-test-is-the-uk-prepared-for-more-heatwaves/) - As the UK swelters in an ever-increasing number of heatwaves with record temperatures, building resilience to their impact becomes critical
- [Why the world's far-right is becoming more religious](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/why-the-world-s-far-right-is-becoming-more-religious/) - From America and Hungary to India and Israel, the relationship between religion and the populist far right should be troubling for us in the UK
- [Students left in the dark: DMU's lack of consultation on cuts](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/students-left-in-the-dark-dmus-lack-of-consultation-on-cuts/) - With a host of issues coming to light, students at Leicester's De Montfort University have taken it into their own hands to get answers
- [DMU Leicester faces a new threat from DMU Dubai](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/dmu-leicester-faces-a-new-threat-from-dmu-dubai/) - De Montfort University Leicester now faces new challenges: legal and financial threats from its former partner, Study World in Dubai
- [Colours](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/colours/) - The colours of war are clear but the suffering is beyond understanding
- [Breaking the code: Blaise Metreweli appointed first female chief of MI6](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/breaking-the-code-blaise-metreweli-appointed-first-female-chief-of-mi6/) - As the 18th leader of the Secret Intelligence Service, Metreweli steps into the role at a pivotal moment with the UK facing rising global security challenges
- [Government spending plans: fury from Birmingham and beyond](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/government-spending-plans-fury-from-birmingham-and-beyond/) - From Birmingham and around the country, thousands protest against the Labour government’s spending plans for welfare and defence
- [Crime Chronicles part 5: a diamond heist in Knightsbridge](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-5-a-diamond-heist-in-knightsbridge/) - Our armchair detective tells the story of The Monk and The Brain and the most audacious diamond heist in British history
- [The fundamentals of fascist Britain: a turbulent history](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-fundamentals-of-fascist-britain-a-turbulent-history/) - The approval of three new fascist parties continues the 100-year legacy of the British far-right movement
- [In search of the Labour Party’s principles](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/in-search-of-the-labour-partys-principles/) - After decades of voting Labour, I’ve reached a point when the soul of the party, once rooted in social conscience, now feels adrift
- [Solving the refugee crisis: A UK-France returns agreement](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/solving-the-refugee-crisis-a-uk-france-returns-agreement/) - A returns agreement between the UK and France could reduce the number of asylum-seekers arriving in the UK, and offer a safe route across the Channel
- [What's happening in Gaza now is nothing less than genocide](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/whats-happening-in-gaza-now-is-nothing-less-than-genocide/) - Speaking out against what the Israeli government is doing now in Gaza is more imperative than ever
- [Re: The fundamentals of fascist Britain: a turbulent history](https://centralbylines.co.uk/letters-to-the-editor/re-the-fundamentals-of-fascist-britain-a-turbulent-history/) - A reader offers observations on, and corrections to the article on the history of British fascism
- [Closing in on cannabis: the fight for security in Stoke](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/closing-in-on-cannabis-the-fight-for-security-in-stoke/) - Cannabis farms in Stoke-on-Trent are being targeted in a joint initiative between police and the local council to create a safer community
- [Warwickshire police under fire over inadequate response to public](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/warwickshire-police-under-fire-over-inadequate-response-to-public/) - Warwickshire Police are blaming a shortage of officers after a government report slammed its poor record of attending callouts
- [Surreal serendipity: looking for meaning in random events](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/surreal-serendipity-looking-for-meaning-in-random-events/) - Is good fortune purely down to serendipity or are other forces at play? Re-discovered gems from the past conspire to give life meaning
- [A new poll reports the UK is declining; how can we fix it?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-new-poll-reports-the-uk-is-declining-how-can-we-fix-it/) - A report by Hope Not Hate and The Co-operative Party cites the UK as "declining", but halting the slide starts at local level
- [Parking charges in Sutton Park provoke strong local opposition](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/parking-charges-in-sutton-park-provoke-strong-local-opposition/) - Birmingham City Council has announced that Sutton Park and others are expected to charge for parking; local councillors and residents are outraged
- [Fact-check or get out: how to expose lying politicians](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/fact-check-or-get-out-how-to-expose-lying-politicians/) - In a digital world where facts can be verified in seconds, we have no excuse to let politicians get away with lying. Are we part of the problem?
- [Reform UK in local government: be careful who you vote for](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reform-uk-in-local-government-be-careful-who-you-vote-for/) - Reform UK's local election successes raise questions – and some eyebrows
- [Thinking of voting Reform UK because you want a change?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/thinking-of-voting-reform-uk-because-you-want-a-change/) - Be careful what you wish for – Reform UK are salespeople offering simplistic solutions that come with baggage that would cost you and the country
- [Brexit: Labour's lethal weapon to see off Reform?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/brexit-labours-lethal-weapon-to-see-off-reform/) - Labour is searching for the tools to fight Reform's rise, and the biggest chink in their armour could be the catastrophe that is Brexit
- [Restoring ex-British Rail Class 50 locomotives part 5: electronic control units](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/restoring-ex-british-rail-class-50-locomotives-part-5-electronic-control-units/) - Renown Repulse Restoration Group are rebuilding the electronic control systems of a Class 50 complex but completely obsolete locomotive
- [Entering Club Wormhole's alternative comedy community](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/entering-club-wormholes-alternative-comedy-community/) - Club Wormhole's Nottingham-based comedy venue provides both laughter and community
- [Crime Chronicles part 4: The Birmingham Boys: racetrack kings](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/crime-chronicles-part-4-the-birmingham-boys-racetrack-kings/) - The notorious Birmingham Boys rose to power from working class streets to dominate the bookmaking trade at racetracks across the country
- [Farage's 'policies': a tasteless recycling of Tory theatre](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/farages-policies-a-tasteless-recycling-of-tory-theatre/) - Farage's latest promise to stop working from home is just another rerun of Tory policies
- [Trump and Kennedy have scary new plans for the neurodiverse](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/trump-and-kennedy-have-scary-new-plans-for-the-neurodiverse/) - With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reshaping the nation's health policy, families of neurodiverse children are facing a new alarming reality
- [Families Like Ours – when climate fiction feels all too real](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/families-like-ours-when-climate-fiction-feels-all-too-real/) - Danish TV drama Families Like Ours posits a timely and unsettling premise of a dystopian world devastated by climate change
- [Scores of charity shops facing closure](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/scores-of-charity-shops-facing-closure/) - Charity shops face rising costs: is another high street institution under threat?
- [Jonasson’s madcap romp across the world is a winner again](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/jonassons-madcap-romp-across-the-world-is-a-winner-again/) - The Prophet and the Idiot by Jonas Jonasson is a wildly creative summer read
- [New Stoke health strategy: an unrelenting focus on prevention](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/new-stoke-health-strategy-an-unrelenting-focus-on-prevention/) - Stoke-on-Trent councillors are set to approve a new strategy that will guide health policy in until 2028
- [The real costs of economic migration and a model for change](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-real-costs-of-economic-migration-and-a-model-for-change/) - Hope Beyond Harm offers a powerful model for change in the way we deal with economic migration, led by a refugee turned advocate
- [ECOWAS at 50: a legacy of lost opportunities  ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/ecowas-at-50-a-legacy-of-lost-opportunities-and-the-rise-of-the-sahel-alliance/) - The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must evolve or dissolve as Africa shifts towards true self-determination
- [The new pope, Leo XIV, may be an inspired choice](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-new-pope-leo-xiv-may-be-an-inspired-choice/) - Pope Leo XIV, the first North American elected to the highest office in the Vatican, may be a uniting force with his moderate stance
- [Thunderbolts* film review: what the world needs now is anti-heroes](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/thunderbolts-film-review-what-the-world-needs-now-is-anti-heroes/) - In the worlds of Marvel it’s not unusual for the good guys to be treated as the bad guys; that narrative is reversed in Thunderbolts*
- [Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival: 5 days of laughs!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/shrewsbury-international-comedy-festival-5-days-of-laughs/) - Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival features an exciting showcase of stand-up comedians at a number of venues around the town
- [Lincolnshire's beaches praised again but brown flags increase](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/lincolnshires-beaches-praised-again-but-brown-flags-increase/) - 19 English beaches win Brown Flag Awards (46% more than last year) but Lincolnshire's beaches are some of England's cleanest
- [Tollerton airfield café closes its doors for the last time](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/tollerton-airfield-cafe-closes-its-doors-for-the-last-time/) - Beloved café Chocks Away shuts as Tollerton Airfield faces closure – but campaigners vow the fight to save it is far from over
- [Restoring ex-British Rail Class 50 locomotives part 4 – the task begins!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/restoring-ex-british-rail-class-50-locomotives-part-4-the-task-begins/) - Renown Repulse Restoration Group's journey to tackle faded paint, engine overhauls and source rare parts to revive Class 50 locomotives
- [Nathan Heller: exciting mix of fact and detective fiction](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/nathan-heller-exciting-mix-of-fact-and-detective-fiction/) - True Detective, the first novel in the Nathan Heller series by Max Allan Collins, blends history with mystery in 1930s Chicago
- [Do we still need Barbie in 2023?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/do-we-still-need-barbie-in-2023/) - How can a doll, created in 1959, conforming to a narrow, dated stereotype, teach us anything in 2023? The Barbie movie might surprise you.
- [Heritage sites in Stoke and Newcastle to benefit from major investment](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/heritage-sites-in-stoke-and-newcastle-to-benefit-from-major-investment/) - Heritage sites will benefit from funding that will preserve history and provide local communities with cultural centres
- [Me and my uterus part 3: if men had periods, this would be cured by now](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/me-and-my-uterus-part-3-if-men-had-periods-this-would-be-cured-by-now/) - A clerical error cost me years of agony – turns out, a tiny pill could’ve saved me from a decade of pain with adenomyosis and endometriosis
- [Me and my uterus part 2: blood, sweat, and ovaries](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/me-and-my-uterus-part-2-blood-sweat-and-ovaries/) - After years of agony, I crawled into my GP’s office and said I couldn’t go on – finally, someone listened, and the fight for answers began
- [West Midlands businesses face losses from disabled customers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/west-midlands-businesses-face-losses-from-disabled-customers/) - A new report reveals poor access is driving away disabled shoppers, costing West Midlands businesses tens of millions yearly
- [Fears from Nottingham City Airfield contamination sparks protests over housing development](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/fears-from-nottingham-city-airfield-contamination-sparks-protests-over-housing-development/) - As building homes on top of ex-military sites poses risks, should new homeowners be made aware of the history of contaminated land?
- [Crime Chronicles part 3: The Tale of Half-Hangit Maggie – the woman they couldn’t hang](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/crime-chronicles-part-3-the-tale-of-half-hangit-maggie-the-woman-they-couldnt-hang/) - Hanged, buried, and back from the dead – Half-Hangit Maggie lived to tell the tale that baffled a nation and changed the law
- [Speeding toward the end of democracy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/speeding-toward-the-end-of-democracy/) - The first 90 days of Trump’s presidency have reshaped the United States and the world as we know it
- [Do the Liberal Democrats get their fair share of press coverage?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/do-the-liberal-democrats-get-their-fair-share-of-press-coverage/) - The Liberal Democrats are often said to get disproportionately low press coverage relative to their electoral support, but is this true and if so why?
- [Britain’s open borders: the Brexit that can’t get done](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/britains-open-borders-the-brexit-that-cant-get-done/) - Brexit’s broken border plan turned the UK into a smugglers’ haven – chaos looms if Boris Johnson’s deal is ever fully enforced
- [The conclave: in search of a new pope](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/the-conclave-in-search-of-a-new-pope/) - With the passing of Pope Francis, a conclave is imminent; who might succeed him as head of the Catholic church?
- [Nottingham woman set to be deported on Good Friday over “admin error”](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/nottingham-woman-set-to-be-deported-on-good-friday-over-admin-error/) - Facing deportation on Good Friday, a Nottingham woman battles a Home Office error that split her from her sister and risks her safety
- [David Childs: a life](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/david-childs-a-life/) - Honouring Prof David Childs (1933-2025), expert on East Germany, prolific writer, and tireless champion of citizen journalism
- [Steel, solidarity and survival: Scunthorpe stands firm](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/steel-solidarity-and-survival-scunthorpe-stands-firm/) - Unions and community solidarity halted the abrupt closure of Scunthorpe’s steelworks, forcing a last-minute government rescue
- [Run for the hills](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/run-for-the-hills/) - Run, jump, be active in your twilight years? Time to sit back and enjoy a rest.
- [Dinosaurs still roam the Earth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/dinosaurs-still-roam-the-earth/) - Senator Cory Booker and Volodymir Zelenskyy are not dinosaurs!
- [Young men are now more exposed to extreme incel ideology](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/young-men-are-now-more-exposed-to-extreme-incel-ideology/) - Young men are being influenced more and more by dark media, which may be having a disturbing impact on increasing violence against women and girls
- [Carnivalesque unity opposes Farage and Reform's Birmingham rally](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/carnivalesque-unity-opposes-farage-and-reforms-birmingham-rally/) - Multiple organisations displayed unity in Birmingham to stop racism and the spread of Nigel Farage's political party, Reform
- [Don't worry, be happy: how best to beat anxiety](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/dont-worry-be-happy-how-best-to-beat-anxiety/) - Worry is part of human nature but what are the best techniques for reducing this all too often negative emotion?
- [Government cash to help make Stoke free from smoking](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/government-cash-to-help-make-stoke-free-from-smoking/) - Stoke-on-Trent welcomes government funding to help meet national smoking reduction target amidst city's poverty-related health challenges
- [Will Shakespeare's birthplace become a new town?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/will-shakespeares-birthplace-become-a-new-town/) - To build or not to build? Should Stratford-on-Avon now become home to an entire new town?
- [He did not come to do homage](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/he-did-not-come-to-do-homage/) - A defiant tribute to a leader who stands firm amid war and political gamesmanship
- [Loopfest Shrewsbury: your passport to the best live music](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/loopfest-shrewsbury-your-passport-to-the-best-live-music/) - Loopfest music festival is one of the biggest festivals of its kind in the UK and it's coming to Shrewsbury in May
- [Restoring ex-British Rail Class 50 locomotives part 3 – preservation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/restoring-ex-british-rail-class-50-locomotives-part-3-preservation/) - Many class 50 locomotives were saved for preservation by enthusiasts – but not all that were originally preserved have survived
- [A look at Nottingham’s student film festival lineup](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/a-look-at-nottinghams-student-film-festival-lineup/) - Nottingham's film festival scene welcomed many new faces this March – meet the student teams leading the charge behind this new wave
- [The joy of escapism in a world overwhelmed by Trumpism](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-joy-of-escapism-in-a-world-overwhelmed-by-trumpism/) - With the return of Trumpism, is a touch of escapism the perfect antidote to reality?
- [Shedding light on autism: understanding life in a different world](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/shedding-light-on-autism-understanding-life-in-a-different-world/) - On World Autism Day, taking the time to dig deep and really understand how life is for autistic people can help everyday interactions
- [Labour's new austerity measures: just an illusion of change?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/labours-new-austerity-measures-just-an-illusion-of-change/) - Labour's election victory in July 2024 was a day of hope for many but now new austerity measures bring disillusionment
- [Exploring Marrakech: A Magpie's Moroccan Adventure](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/exploring-marrakech-a-magpies-moroccan-adventure/) - Torn between Notts County and new adventures, I found magic in Marrakech – vibrant souks, stunning views, and an unforgettable trek
- [Climate and nature in peril as bill shelved by Labour](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/climate-and-nature-in-peril-as-bill-shelved-by-labour/) - The climate and nature bill aims to jointly address the climate and nature crisis. Can it still be enacted?
- [Shipston under strain: residents challenge building plans](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/shipston-under-strain-residents-challenge-building-plans/) - Angered residents of Shipston-on-Stour take action against plans for excessive home building without adequate infrastructure
- [Newcastle-under-Lyme council fights for its survival](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/newcastle-under-lyme-council-fights-for-its-survival/) - Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council opposes plans for local government reorganisation unlikely to benefit local area
- [Independent cinema – a thriving alternative to the multiplex](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/independent-cinema-a-thriving-alternative-to-the-multiplex/) - Independent cinema is thriving and offers so many ways to educate, inform and entertain – and they’re closer to you than you think
- [Anti-Musk poster campaign fuels the Musk/Tesla backlash](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-anti-musk-poster-campaign-in-london-a-growing-backlash/) - London's public transport network has become a canvas for unauthorised posters targeting Elon Musk
- [Crime Chronicles part 2: The Forty Elephants, queens of the underworld](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/crime-chronicles-part-2-the-forty-elephants-queens-of-the-underworld/) - The Forty Elephants, a criminal gang of wily women, ruled the streets of London for over 100 years and their story is now a series on Disney
- [Confessions of a klutz: calming a chaotic mind](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/confessions-of-a-klutz-calming-a-chaotic-mind/) - The therapeutic value of clearing the mind: how making confessions can help ease the mental burden
- [Stoke-on-Trent centenary celebrated with exciting year-long events](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-centenary-celebrated-with-exciting-year-long-events/) - Stoke-on-Trent will celebrate its centenary of being granted city status with vodcasts, events and music
- [Restoring ex-British Rail Class 50 locomotives part 2: second career](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/restoring-ex-british-rail-class-50-locomotives-part-2-second-career/) - Once the class 50 locomotives' original role had been made redundant by electrification, a second career was followed by its eventual demise
- [A Unison of Breaths: poetry that rattles the senses](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/a-unison-of-breaths-poetry-that-rattles-the-senses/) - A Unison of Breaths by our regular Central Bylines contributor Lynda Tavakoli is a new book of poems that makes a fascinating read
- [Cinema is truth: the importance of Iranian film](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/cinema-is-truth-the-importance-of-iranian-film/) - Iranian film makes an important statement about freedom of expression and filmmakers are risking imprisonment to tell their truth
- [Children are our greatest teachers and make us better adults](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/children-are-our-greatest-teachers-and-make-us-better-adults/) - Can we accept that children are our greatest teachers? Adults have much to learn from them before they lose their innocence
- [Watching the English: the quirky codes of Englishness](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/watching-the-english-the-quirky-codes-of-englishness/) - Watching the English by Kate Fox dissects the anthropological codes of Englishness with humour and affection
- [Crime Chronicles part 1: The Sloggers: Birmingham's forgotten gangsters](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/crime-chronicles-part-1-the-sloggers-birminghams-forgotten-gangsters/) - Our armchair detective tells the story of The Sloggers, Birmingham's 19th century back-street kings
- [Trump's new closer ties with Putin threaten Europe's defences](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/trumps-new-closer-ties-with-putin-threaten-europes-defences/) - Trump moves closer to Putin; Russia's nuclear arsenal poses an unprecedented defence challenge to the UK and its European allies
- [New Global Risks report delivers a gloomy picture](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/new-global-risks-report-delivers-a-gloomy-picture/) - The new Global Risks report is out; tighten your seatbelts for a stormy ride over the next ten years as the world goes from bad to worse
- [Newcastle-under-Lyme: Super councils challenge independence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/newcastle-under-lyme-super-councils-challenge-independence/) - The government’s plans to create 'super councils' will jeopardise the community, Newcastle-under-Lyme council says
- [A busy week for Trump](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/a-busy-week-for-trump/) - OK, I'm on a par with God. I don't get why that seems so odd
- [Our picks for World Book Day 2025: great books that stay with us](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/our-picks-for-world-book-day-2025-great-books-that-stay-with-us/) - For World Book Day 2025, we present the stories that have left a lasting impression, shaped our thinking, or simply refused to be forgotten
- [Travellers' groups report discrimination to UN rights body](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/travellers-groups-report-discrimination-to-un-rights-body/) - Traveller, Gypsy and Roma community groups have collaborated to report widespread discrimination and set out what action is needed
- [Letter from Lincolnshire part 1: politics and the curious](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/letter-from-lincolnshire-part-1-politics-and-the-curious/) - Lincolnshire’s political issues of the day, its political figures and some odd events are reported from the heart of the county
- [What did you want to be as a child? Career dreams vs reality](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/what-did-you-want-to-be-as-a-child-career-dreams-vs-reality/) - Can a life goal for a career bring you ultimate happiness, or is real success simply making it up as you go along?
- [Firearms amnesty: Staffordshire public urged to hand in guns](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/firearms-amnesty-staffordshire-public-urged-to-hand-in-guns/) - A firearms amnesty is running nationally throughout February and Staffordshire police are appealing for residents to take part
- [Parenthood in a broken world: an anxious choice](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/parenthood-in-a-broken-world-an-anxious-choice/) - In an increasingly unstable world of rising crime rates, climate change and unspeakable violence, is parenthood the right path to take?
- [Deadlock in Ukraine as third anniversary of the war looms](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/deadlock-in-ukraine-as-third-anniversary-of-the-war-looms/) - As the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine approaches, the conflict remains largely deadlocked
- [Loan charge new review announced by Labour shocks victims](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/loan-charge-new-review-announced-by-labour-shocks-victims/) - A new review of the loan charge legislation promised by Labour before the July 2024 election is a different story now they are in government
- [The perfect guide to forming new habits](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/the-perfect-guide-to-forming-new-habits/) - A review of Atomic Habits by James Clear, a self-improvement book which makes breaking old habits and forming new ones simple
- [The loneliness and poverty of long-term unpaid carers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-loneliness-and-poverty-of-long-term-unpaid-carers/) - Long-term unpaid carers face overwhelming personal and financial pressures; how can we all help out?
- [Restoring British Rail class 50 F: part 1: origins](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/restoring-british-rail-class-50-f-part-1-origins/) - Volunteers tackle the revival of a class 50 diesel F, dormant since 1992; discover its origin and the challenges it overcame
- [HVO fuel in refuse trucks: veg oiling the wheels of industry](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/hvo-fuel-in-refuse-trucks-veg-oiling-the-wheels-of-industry/) - HVO may represent an eco-friendly fuel option for local councils seeking to reduce refuse vehicle emissions
- [Walsall brings late Queen’s visits to book](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/walsall-brings-late-queens-visits-to-book/) - Walsall is celebrating the publication of a book chronicling the visits of Queen Elizabeth II to the town during her long reign
- [Stoke launches Citizens’ Assembly to address city’s issues](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/stoke-launches-citizens-assembly-to-address-citys-issues/) - Stoke-on-Trent Council calls for volunteers to join a new Citizens’ Assembly to help build community and solve problems in the city
- [Journey of hope: a football fan’s surprise reflections](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/journey-of-hope-a-football-fans-surprise-reflections/) - Unlikely reflections on the power of hope are inspired by an avid football fan’s journey to Cleethorpes
- [Long Covid: why we need better terms than ‘brain fog’](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/long-covid-why-we-need-better-terms-than-brain-fog/) - Why the terms ‘brain damage’ and ‘brain inflammation’ better describe the cognitive limitations of my long Covid brain, not ‘brain fog’
- [Elon Musk and the fascist salute controversy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/elon-musk-and-the-fascist-salute-controversy/) - Elon Musk’s arm gestures are reminiscent of the Nazi salute, and ignite widespread controversy
- [When nothing makes scents: losing my sense of smell](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/when-nothing-makes-scents-losing-my-sense-of-smell/) - The sense of smell enriches human life but is often only appreciated when lost. I now have some personal experience of that
- [Saving services: Council’s budget for stability and growth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/saving-services-councils-budget-for-stability-and-growth/) - Council leaders in Stoke-on-Trent propose stabilising budget to safeguard services and generate future financial security
- [Badenoch's heritage comments spark outrage in Nigeria](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/badenochs-heritage-comments-spark-outrage-in-nigeria/) - Kemi Badenoch's recent comments on her Nigerian heritage have polarised opinion in both the African country and the UK
- [Letter to Donald Trump on the Chagos Islands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/letter-to-donald-trump-on-the-chagos-islands/) - Here's why Keir Starmer thinks he has to hand over the Chagos Islands: a satirical explainer for the curious
- [Derren Brown tricks used by world leaders to exploit populist fears](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/derren-brown-tricks-used-by-world-leaders-to-exploit-populist-fears/) - Like mentalist Derren Brown, politicians expertly use psychological manipulation, and they do so to exploit the public's populist fears
- [The Philosophers' Yard: exploring the big questions in life](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/the-philosophers-yard-exploring-the-big-questions-in-life/) - The Philosophers' Yard in Birmingham is a unique space for everyone to create community and explore existential questions
- [It is time to end the special relationship with Trump](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/it-is-time-to-end-the-special-relationship-with-trump/) - Donald Trump in the White House: a relationship with a dishonest sexual predator and convicted criminal isn't a relationship. It's abuse
- [Engaging on social media with those you disagree with](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/engaging-on-social-media-with-those-you-disagree-with/) - This year let's work on engaging with people we strongly disagree with on social media in a more productive manner
- [The assisted dying bill raises complex questions about death](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-assisted-dying-bill-raises-complex-questions-about-death/) - Prompted by Parliament's historic decision on assisted dying, a personal reflection reveals how emotional a death in the family can be
- [Long Covid: 'rest and pacing' isn't that easy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/long-covid-rest-and-pacing-isnt-that-easy/) - Many people suffering from long Covid find rest and pacing a useful tool to cope with low energy, but real life can get in the way
- [What your pee tells you: don't ignore the warning signs](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/what-your-pee-tells-you-dont-ignore-the-warning-signs/) - Older men need to watch for signs in their pee which might indicate serious health issues with type 2 diabetes and the prostate
- [Trump goes to war over global health agenda](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/trump-goes-to-war-over-global-health-agenda/) - Plans by Trump to withdraw from WHO threatens global world health efforts to combat new pandemics
- [Government wrong to say back to 'normal by Easter'](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/government-wrong-to-say-back-to-normal-by-easter/) - A letter signed by 48 MPs, peers and clergymen has been sent to PM Boris Johnson.
- [Earning half the minimum wage: new report reveals pressures on artists to sustain creative life](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/earning-half-the-minimum-wage-pressures-on-artists/) - Artists are living on less than minimum wage, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is threatening their survival.
- [Marco Pierre White's popular restaurant in Meriden is good value](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/marco-pierre-whites-popular-restaurant-in-meriden-is-good-value/) - Marco Pierre White's Meriden restaurant offers a relaxed atmosphere, good food and an attentive service
- [Christmas presents are both a pleasure and a pain](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/christmas-presents-are-both-a-pleasure-and-a-pain/) - Christmas presents seem to bring both pleasure and stress; three members of our team have a few thoughts to share
- [Christmas films: the less-known and the old classics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/christmas-films-the-less-known-and-the-old-classics/) - This Christmas you may prefer to watch your favourite films; we offer you two alternatives you may make your new classic must-watch movies
- [Central Bylines 2024: a year of powerful citizen journalism](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/central-bylines-2024-a-year-of-powerful-citizen-journalism/) - At the start of 2025, we take a look at the Central Bylines stories that shaped last year in our region
- [Birmingham Christmas: an unapologetically festive time](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-christmas-an-unapologetically-festive-time/) - As the arrival of consumer Christmas seems to creep earlier and earlier, head to Birmingham to enjoy an unapologetically festive time
- [Christmas food: stick with the classic or try something else?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/food/christmas-food-stick-with-the-classic-or-try-something-else/) - Our team tackles Christmas food by looking at vegan alternatives and outlawing Christmas pud
- [Christmas treats are not always about money](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/christmas-treats-are-not-always-about-money/) - What do Christmas treats mean to you? Is it a present, food or something money can't buy?
- [Christmas presents: Santa says "Ho! Ho!" I say "Oh no!"](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/christmas-presents-santa-says-ho-ho-i-say-oh-no/) - Disillusioned by Santa at a young age, a change of heart brings a Christmas present with meaning
- [The 2024 Trump election: the end of democracy in the US?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-2024-trump-election-the-end-of-democracy-in-the-us/) - Three university academics discuss Donald Trump's 2024 US election win and what it means for the future of American democracy
- [Re: Fainting at the sight of pylons: the green energy 'threat'](https://centralbylines.co.uk/letters-to-the-editor/re-fainting-at-the-sight-of-pylons-the-green-energy-threat/) - A letter from a reader to the editor, about the article on Fainting at the sight of pylons
- [Relocation survival in Switzerland: a trailing spouse’s tale](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/relocation-survival-in-switzerland-a-trailing-spouses-tale/) - Husband’s longed-for job security leaves spouse with mixed feelings on relocation and new life in Switzerland
- [Winter quiz: what do you know about religious festivals?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/winter-quiz-what-do-you-know-about-religious-festivals/) - Christmas is coming round again but what do you know about the celebrations of different faiths?
- [Big Bumper News Quiz of the Year 2024](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/big-bumper-news-quiz-of-the-year-2024/) - How much of the news in 2024 do you remember? Try our interactive quiz!
- [Drama has a powerful positive impact on young people](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/drama-has-a-powerful-positive-impact-on-young-people/) - As drama teaching faces cuts at school, it must be remembered the profound effect on society’s youth it has, and the force for good it is
- [Syria rebels capture Aleppo and move on Hama in rapid attack](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/syria-rebels-capture-aleppo-and-move-on-hama-in-rapid-attack/) - In Syria, after four years of fixed front lines, a sudden rebel offensive has captured the key city of Aleppo and routed government forces
- [Overcoming inequality: a path to improved wellbeing](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/overcoming-inequality-a-path-to-improved-wellbeing/) - Wellbeing in the UK is being held back by a "tidal wave of inequality and poverty" and an unfit political system, a report says
- [A jolly look at Christmas Jumper Day in the UK](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/a-jolly-look-at-christmas-jumper-day-in-the-uk/) - Christmas Jumper Day is a day for merriment, laughter, the spreading of some festive fun, all in the name of charity
- [BRICS expansion: African nations now look for global influence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/brics-expansion-african-nations-now-look-for-global-influence/) - BRICS expansion to include several new African countries provides a new path to economic sovereignty amid changing global power structures for Africa
- [A great British bookshelf revolt buries Johnson’s Unleashed](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/a-great-british-bookshelf-revolt-buries-johnsons-unleashed/) - A new craze is sweeping the nation’s bookshops up and down the country in a peaceful protest about a certain disgraced ex-PM’s book Unleashed
- [Eight ways for men to alleviate women's gender-based fear](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/eight-ways-for-men-to-alleviate-womens-gender-based-fear/) - With gender-based fear and violence on the rise, here's what men can do to make women feel safer in public
- [Merry Quizmas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/merry-quizmas/) - ‘Tis the season to learn knowledge fa la la la la, la la la la la.’ Have fun with this Christmas quiz!
- [Emilia Pérez: a sensational genre-defying film in every respect](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/emilia-perez-a-sensational-genre-defying-film-in-every-respect/) - Emilia Pérez is a spectacularly entertaining film that defies traditional genres. Just let it sweep you away
- [The Christmas spirit: is it now about consumerism or caring?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-christmas-spirit-is-it-now-about-consumerism-or-caring/) - Are we using Christmas as a chance to show kindness, or are we getting swept away with the need to buy, buy, buy, buy?
- [Dahomey: a masterful film on the return of Benin’s lost heritage](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/dahomey-a-masterful-film-on-the-return-of-benins-lost-heritage/) - Dahomey review: director Mati Diop brings to life 26 looted artefacts, masterfully telling their story as they return to Benin from France
- [Resisting expats: alternative labels in a globalised world ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/resisting-expats-alternative-labels-in-a-globalised-world/) - A British resident in Spain makes the case for a change in the use of language: are we expats, migrants, or something else?
- [Let's help Joyce’s Quiz raise over £300,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/will-joyces-quiz-raise-over-300000-for-macmillan-cancer-support/) - Joyce’s Quiz has been going for 28 years, raising over £275,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and is now aiming to break through £300,000
- [The power of a new therapeutic approach to foster care](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-power-of-a-new-therapeutic-approach-to-foster-care/) - A Shropshire fostering agency believes a therapeutic approach to supporting children in foster care has been key to its success
- [Guy Fawkes: celebrating failure on an epic scale](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/guy-fawkes-celebrating-failure-on-an-epic-scale/) - Guy Fawkes: failed terrorist, accidental folk hero, and the only man to be posthumously hanged, drawn and quartered for good measure
- [Redefining Muslims in the media: questioning misrepresentation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/redefining-muslims-in-the-media-questioning-misrepresentation/) - In an era where representation is vital, how we portray Muslims is crucial. So, what holds filmmakers back from creating authentic stories?
- [Inter Faith Week highlights its important contribution to communities](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/inter-faith-week-highlights-its-important-contribution-to-communities/) - Inter Faith Week, first celebrated in 2009, continues to bring communities together with a diversity of activities for the common good
- [Blue plaques: remembering the interesting, overlooked and forgotten](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/blue-plaques-remembering-the-interesting-overlooked-and-forgotten/) - Commemorative blue plaques in England honour the most iconic figures in British history; we delve into some of the lesser-known hidden gems
- [Why Muslims really matter: Baroness Warsi’s powerful message](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/why-muslims-really-matter-baroness-warsis-powerful-message/) - One of Britain’s best-known female Muslims tackles the tendency to a growing acceptance of racism and Islamophobia
- [Fainting at the sight of pylons: the green energy ‘threat’](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/fainting-at-the-sight-of-pylons-the-green-energy-threat/) - Lincolnshire is frightened of change and is fighting the government over renewable energy infrastructure
- [How to win at budget analysis: five tips to help you understand it](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/how-to-win-at-budget-analysis-five-tips-to-help-you-understand-it/) - The mainstream media will publish their reactions to the budget; here are five tips to help our readers draw their own conclusions
- [Secular weddings: in the name of love, not God](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/secular-weddings-in-the-name-of-love-not-god/) - Secular weddings can possess all the love and reverence of church weddings: do we still need religion?
- [Secretive US tech firm Palantir scoops contract with Leicestershire Police](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/secretive-us-tech-firm-palantir-scoops-contract-with-leicestershire-police/) - The same software used by the NHS is now in use at Leicestershire Police – and the contract is with Palantir
- [What does disability really cost? An extra £1,000 a month](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/what-does-disability-really-cost-an-extra-1000-a-month/) - A new report quantifies the price of disability, with disabled households in the UK paying an extra grand per month to survive
- [Netanyahu's erosion of true Zionism: a call for peace now](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/netanyahus-erosion-of-true-zionism-a-call-for-peace-now/) - Netanyahu’s hardline policies distort Zionism's ideals, deepening conflict; liberal Jews must advocate for justice, peace, and coexistence
- [The power of the digital voice: Africa’s time is now](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/the-power-of-the-digital-voice-africas-time-is-now/) - The banning of African Stream by Google, Meta and YouTube has highlighted the need for the development of homegrown social media platforms
- [Historic closure: fascinating photos record the end of coal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/the-sun-sets-on-coal-a-photo-celebration/) - The last coal power station in the UK was closed on 30 September 2024; this selection of photos marks this historic occasion
- [Netanyahu’s folly: a liberal Jewish view on the conflict](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/netanyahus-folly-a-liberal-jewish-view-on-the-conflict/) - Netanyahu’s policies and common misconceptions are examined from a liberal Jewish perspective (part one of two articles)
- [Tory triumph to Conservative collapse: an exclusive interview](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/tory-triumph-to-conservative-collapse-an-exclusive-interview/) - A former Tory questions a Conservative party member on where it all went wrong
- [Putting out the fire: UK coal electricity generation ends](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/putting-out-the-fire-uk-coal-electricity-generation-ends/) - Britain becomes the first nation in the G7 to stop burning coal in power stations after 142 years
- [McLaren: Are they Formula 1’s new top dogs?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/mclaren-are-they-formula-1s-new-top-dogs/) - McLaren’s upturn in form and Red Bull’s struggles indicate a changing of the guard in Formula 1
- [Hidden faces of poverty: unpaid carers’ struggle for survival](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/hidden-faces-of-poverty-unpaid-carers-struggle-for-survival/) - Britain’s army of carers are underpaid and undervalued despite their extraordinary contribution to the economy
- [New reservoirs will hike bills for Anglian Water customers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/new-reservoirs-will-hike-bills-for-anglian-water-customers/) - A major infrastructure project would herald a decade of disruption for people in South Lincolnshire
- [Lost and found: a child’s journey through the care system](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/lost-and-found-a-childs-journey-through-the-care-system/) - A child in the care system is deeply affected by the experience; this personal story reveals the heartbreaking reality
- [Central Bylines: four years of informative articles and dedicated volunteers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/central-bylines-four-years-of-informative-articles-and-dedicated-volunteers/) - Today, Central Bylines turns four years old; to celebrate, we take a retrospective look at the variety of articles published since our launch
- [Pyramid Scheme: the problem with Glastonbury](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/pyramid-scheme-the-problem-with-glastonbury/) - Why Glastonbury is a nostalgia-washed hellscape of elitist hypocrisy and why I’ve written a musical about it.
- [Rebuilding public faith in healthcare: Wes Streeting's challenge](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/an-open-letter-to-wes-streeting-solving-the-problems-of-the-nhs/) - As Wes Streeting grapples with his new job and the problem of a failing NHS, an open letter calls for more public input to find solutions
- [Dogma and pragmatism in the age of Covid-19](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/dogma-and-pragmatism-in-the-age-of-covid-19/) - Covid should be a game changer for our government in its thinking towards exiting the European Union.
- [Failing farming](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/save-british-farmers-opposing-the-agriculture-bill/) - Covid-19 and Brexit have one thing in common. They can fully consume our minds and displace everything else.
- [Covid-19: nothing new under the sun](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/covid-19-nothing-new-under-the-sun/) - The government's response to Covid-19 implies that pandemics are new and unexpected but that we will survive through world beating innovation
- [Will East Midlands health and social care workers get support for long Covid?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/will-east-midlands-health-and-social-care-workers-get-support-for-long-covid/) - will debate whether frontline workers should receive support for long Covid, the still poorly-understood consequence of Covid-19 which leaves many unable to work.
- [Covid-19: the long road to an arts recovery](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/covid-19-the-long-road-to-an-arts-recovery/) - “our website is filling up with digital and online activities”. Some of this is work designed to be digital and interactive, and some might be made for Zoom. There is experimentation and some work that is more traditional, audio only work and also film.
- [Covid-19 and health inequalities in Leicestershire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/covid-19-and-health-inequalities-in-leicestershire/) - The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated inequalities in health. People living in the most deprived areas of the UK are more than twice as likely to die from contracting Covid-19, than people living in the least deprived areas
- [Welcome to the United Kingdom](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/welcome-to-the-united-kingdom/) - When I arrived in the UK in November 2019, I was delighted that finally after 18 months of a hard and dangerous journey, I arrived to my dream land looking for human rights, freedom, justice and freedom of speech.
- [8 March 2021: International Women’s Day - Janet Lane-Claypon, Lincolnshire’s public health pioneer](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/8-march-2021-international-womens-day-janet-lane-claypon-lincolnshires-public-health-pioneer/) - To celebrate this international women's day, we wanted to identify an eminent woman from the Midlands
- [Whisper who dares](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/whisper-who-dares/) - We will have no recourse when the police silence us. No-one will have to resign or explain.
- [Vaccine Fog](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/vaccine-fog/) - The vaccine environment is a complex mixture of commercial and political interests, investment in novel science and technologies, substantial commercial profit, collapsing national economies and geopolitical reputations in the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Thus creating ‘Vaccine Fog’.
- [Just not cricket](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/just-not-cricket/) - Despite the Big Bash League, the razzamatazz of the Indian Premier League, cricket remains the quintessential game of the English summer.
- [It’s a gas, gas, gas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/its-a-gas-gas-gas/) - The Royal College of Anaesthetists has given clear warnings that the profession is universally undermanned in England. It’s crazy.
- [Covid-19 cases rising in East Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/latest-news-covid-19-cases-rising-in-east-midlands/) - Just days before a raft of Covid restrictions are due to be eased, a Derbyshire town has become England’s Covid hotspot.
- [If not now, then when? – Enough of the excuses](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/if-not-now-then-when-enough-of-the-excuses/) - In the early stages of the pandemic, excuses centred around its unexpected nature. Fast forward and suddenly making excuses is much harder.
- [Central Bylines ‘rona round up](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/central-bylines-rona-round-up/) - Our region has been in one sort of lockdown almost continually since last November bar a brief and lethal giddy spell over Christmas. It’s been hard but it’s worked.
- [The Midlands After Brexit](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/the-midlands-after-brexit/) - Trade figures recently released for the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021) provide worrying clues as to the impact of both COVID-19 and Brexit on the Midlands economy.
- [Covid-19 in India: 'If you benefit from global markets, then you need to participate in global solidarity'](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/covid-19-in-india-if-you-benefit-from-global-markets-then-you-need-to-participate-in-global-solidarity/) - As politicians in the UK are mired in vaccine complacency and people enjoy a sense of returning normality, India is suffering a devastating new wave of Covid-19
- [National Audit Office report on England’s test and trace service: “Could do better.”](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-national-audit-office-report-on-englands-test-and-trace-service-could-do-better/) - The National Audit Office’s second report on test and trace services in England does not make for reassuring reading.
- [Student Life: reflecting on university during the pandemic](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/student-life-reflecting-on-university-during-the-pandemic/) - Molly Woodcock reflects on the trials and tribulations of student life during the pandemic lockdown and the damage it leaves behind.
- [Supermarket sweep](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/supermarket-sweep/) - Supermarket shortages deepen as Britain’s supply chain is on the brink of collapse.
- [Dad's Covid Army](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/dads-covid-army/) - The battle against Covid increasingly resembles a rather bizarre episode of Dad’s Army mocking the idea of British genius and resolve.
- [Back to school - dangerous threats, creative opportunities](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/back-to-school-dangerous-threats-creative-opportunities/) - The start of the new school year threatens a rapid rise in Covid infections, risking children’s health and safety. But schools could take advantage of this situation to create a more flexible and effective way of working.
- [HGV driver shortage and the wider industry – what got us here?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/hgv-driver-shortage-and-the-wider-industry-what-got-us-here/) - There are many reasons for the shortage of HGV drivers and Covid is certainly a factor, but what has proved to be more significant is Brexit
- [Derby public health director breaks ranks with national guidance](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/derby-public-health-director-breaks-ranks-with-national-guidance/) - Dr Robyn Dewis, Public Health Director for Derby issues a common sense plea for us to help each other keep safe with covid-19
- [Why are supermarkets letting their masks slip?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/featured/why-are-supermarkets-letting-their-masks-slip/) - Why won’t supermarkets keep their customers safe? Staff are often without face masks and this makes visiting supermarkets unsafe.
- [Covid-19: millions of families lose their freedom as Boris Johnson gives some lives priority over others](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/covid-19-millions-of-families-lose-their-freedom-as-boris-johnson-gives-some-lives-priority-over-others/) - Last week in the House of Commons, Boris Johnson announced that all Covid restrictions in England would be dropped by 1st April.
- [The challenges faced by long covid sufferers as we “learn to live” with covid](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-challenges-faced-by-long-covid-sufferers-as-we-learn-to-live-with-covid/) - Kelly Heath is a long-covid sufferer. She explains what impact this has had, particularly now the government has abandoned the fight.
- [No excuses Boris. Most people obeyed  lockdown rules](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/no-excuses-boris-most-people-obeyed-lockdown-rules-2/) - Edward Cartwright provides evidence that most people obeyed lockdown rules, what’s Boris’ excuse?
- [Why is long Covid being ignored?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/why-is-long-covid-being-ignored/) - Sam Williams describes what it’s like to suffer from long Covid which no one – not even the Covid inquiry – wants to talk about
- [Covid-19: hopes fade for global pandemic treaty](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/covid-19-hopes-fade-for-global-pandemic-treaty/) - Last ditch attempts are being made to save the proposed Global Pandemic Treaty before the next World Health Assembly at the end of May
- [Newcastle council unveils plans to redevelop sites in the town centre.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/newcastle-council-unveils-plans-to-redevelop-sites-in-the-town-centre/) - Newcastle Council plans to redevelop two town centre sites and build houses, retail and office spaces, as well as a hotel a and carpark.
- [Cancer Research Cold Water Challenge](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/cancer-research-cold-water-challenge/) - Cate Dudley tells us her experiences of doing the Cancer Research cold water challenge throughout November for 30 days.
- [No taxation without representation! Oh sorry, unless you’re from . . . A case for residence based voting rights](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/no-taxation-without-representation-oh-sorry-unless-youre-from-a-case-for-residence-based-voting-rights/) - Mark Vaughan on how tax-payers are not represented when they have no voting rights. How do we decide who votes?
- [What does losing the North Shropshire by-election mean for Boris Johnson?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/what-does-losing-the-north-shropshire-by-election-mean-for-boris-johnson/) - What does losing the North Shropshire by-election mean for Boris Johnson?
- [EU Citizens face dysfunctional settlement scheme](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/eu-citizens-face-dysfunctional-settlement-scheme/) - Settled, an organisation supporting EU Citizens with settled status, makes its Christmas appeal for funds to support their work
- [Twas the Time Before Recess](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/twas-the-time-before-recess/) - Richard Hall offers up a seasonal verse on a Conservative Christmas as the sunsets on a year of Tory chaos and MPs get three weeks for Xmas
- [It’s time to throw the book at Piers Corbyn and his misinformation mob](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/its-time-to-throw-the-book-at-piers-corbyn-and-his-misinformation-mob/) - Jack Dart analyses the latest events around anti-lockdown and anti-vaxx demos
- [My little global village](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/my-little-global-village/) - Central Bylines editor, Simon Ferrigno, looks back on a year when cowardice, cronyism and cruelty squandered opportunities for genuine progress
- [Bringing Cricket, Tea and Love and Spice to Worcester](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/bringing-cricket-tea-and-love-and-spice-to-worcester/) - Fresh from a successful world premiere of new work Cricket Green, Balbir Singh Dance Company are performing at Worcester Mela.
- [Swan Lake by Georgia State Ballet is sensational](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/review-swan-lake-by-georgian-state-ballet-takes-flight/) - At their debut in London, the State Ballet of Georgia set a high barre with their extraordinary production of Tchaikovsky’s iconic Swan Lake
- [Guerilla artivism: The world of @fokawolf](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/guerilla-artivism-the-world-of-fokawolf/) - Art and activism combine in the work of the artist known online by the handle @fokawolf. Its unexpected appearance on tube trains, billboards, shop windows and bus shelters is part of its allure.
- [Art in the Park](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/art-in-the-park/) - Mark Cunliffe interviews festival director Kate Livingston about the Art in the Park 2022 festival in Royal Leamington Spa. Exhibitors are invited to apply now
- [Exhibition charts a roadmap to recovery](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/exhibition-charts-a-roadmap-to-recovery/) - Community arts organisation B arts is paving the way to recovery from mental health
- [Why is AI talking the UK down?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/why-is-ai-talking-the-uk-down/) - A light-hearted, human/AI collaborative photo essay that explores our perceptions of reality and might just leave you asking "what the actual…?"
- [Hanging in the balance: Birmingham’s cultural heritage at risk of sacrifice in recovery plan](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/hanging-in-the-balance-birminghams-cultural-heritage-at-risk-of-sacrifice-in-recovery-plan/) - A possible sacrifice of Birmingham’s cultural treasures to support the city’s financial recovery is a short term and misguided idea.
- [A celebration of clay and creativity comes to Stoke](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/a-celebration-of-clay-and-creativity-comes-to-stoke/) - An impressive exhibition for the British Ceramics Centennial shows a variety of work in four Stoke-on-Trent venues
- [Shakespeare, central England's eternal bard: the enduring legacy of the First Folio](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/shakespeare-central-englands-eternal-bard-the-enduring-legacy-of-the-first-folio/) - The 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio reminds us of Shakespeare’s cultural legacy and Stratford-upon-Avon as its centre
- [Parthenon Sculptures: the Greek response to Sunak’s snub](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/parthenon-sculptures-the-greek-response-to-sunaks-snub/) - Sunak’s cancellation of the meeting with the Greek prime minister on the Parthenon Sculptures aroused feelings of mistrust in Greece
- [Quiz: Nero or Johnson?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/quiz-nero-or-johnson/) - So do you know your Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson from your Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus?
- [Academic blog deleted, as it was “not the view of the Government”](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/academic-blog-deleted-as-it-was-not-the-view-of-the-government/) - A blog post by a UK Government adviser was deleted shortly after its publication on the LSE website as it didn't fit with government views.
- [Oh yes, I’m the Great Debaser: Peter Hennessy, our foremost constitutional scholar, delivers his verdict on Boris Johnson](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/oh-yes-im-the-great-debaser-peter-hennessy-our-foremost-constitutional-scholar-delivers-his-verdict-on-boris-johnson/) - “Tuesday 12 April, 2022 will be forever remembered as a dark, bleak day for British public and political life.” Peter Hennessy delivers his verdict on Boris Johnson
- [History lessons – from Watergate to Partygate](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/history-lessons-from-watergate-to-partygate/) - Parallels between Watergate and Partygate are easily drawn. Will Boris Johnson suffer the same fate as Richard Nixon and be brought down by his own hubris?
- [Reflections on Boris Johnson’s ‘high skill, high wage future’ speech: I love you, you pay my rent..](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reflections-on-boris-johnsons-high-skill-high-wage-future-speech-i-love-you-you-pay-my-rent/) - Robert John explains why there will never be a high skill, high wage future without radical societal, constitutional, political and economic change. Part 4 of 5.
- [Johnson's Rwanda asylum scheme draws praise from fascists](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/johnsons-rwanda-asylum-scheme-draws-praise-from-fascists/) - Mike Stafford looks at the conservative's plan to send Asylum seekers to Rwanda and finds it has some unsavoury supporters
- [Boris and the baroness](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/boris-and-the-baroness/) - Did Nadine Dorries’ love-in with Boris Johnson on her debut TalkTV show live up – or down – to the hype?
- [This writer’s life: a diary. Part 13: change](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-13-change/) - In this thirteenth instalment of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli writes about change and new beginnings in life.
- [Getting the most from solar panels](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/getting-the-most-from-solar-panels/) - You’re lucky enough to have solar panels, but are you getting the most out of them? Bryan Manley-Green reflects on his experience of having a solar array.
- [Alcohol and parenting](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/alcohol-and-parenting/) - Rhiannon George Daniel cautions against mixing alcohol and parenting based on her experience as a therapist.
- [The Question of Scottish Independence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/the-question-of-scottish-independence/) - If Shakespeare's Hamlet were here today he would no doubt have pondered the question of Scottish independence: "To be or not to be, that is the question.
- [Sparkhill versus Scully: Birmingham defended](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-defended-sparkhill-versus-scully/) - Birmingham people have defended the area of Sparkhill, as Conservative MP Paul Scully claims it’s a ‘no-go’ area
- [Farming at a crossroads – a film of no words that speaks volumes](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/farming-at-a-crossroads-a-film-of-no-words-that-speaks-volumes/) - A practically wordless documentary about a dairy cow poses some very difficult questions for those who farm the land and look after the countryside
- [A Cotswold Diary: Farmer Clarkson](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/a-cotswold-diary-farmer-clarkson/) - Post-Brexit, high profile farmer, Jeremy Clarkson, is furious with the Conservative government. And he’s by no means the only one.
- [Floods and Brexit damage our food supply](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/floods-and-brexit-damage-our-food-supply/) - Storm Henk’s recent heavy rain and new Brexit rules are damaging UK farmers’ capacity to feed the nation and threatening our food security
- [Early spring brings a ‘hungry gap’ for bees – here’s how you can help](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/early-spring-brings-a-hungry-gap-for-bees-heres-how-you-can-help/) - Bees need weeds and wild flowers in earlly spring, otherwise they won't be around to pollinate our crops later on
- [Smug autumn lord](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/smug-autumn-lord/) - Is David Cameron’s appointment a good idea?
- [Small businesses in the East Midlands hit hard by Brexit trade barriers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/small-businesses-in-the-east-midlands-hit-hard-by-brexit-trade-barriers/) - Leicestershire and Rutland European Movement has conducted research into the impacts of Brexit in the local area.
- [Pandemic start-up success story hampered by Brexit barriers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/pandemic-start-up-success-story-hampered-by-brexit-barriers/) - Simon Ferrigno catches up with Adam Bamford of Colleague Box, a successful pandemic start-up confronting the difficulties of post-Brexit exports
- [Bad news for Newark: 110 jobs lost as town’s top employer withdraws to the EU ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/bad-news-for-newark-110-jobs-lost-as-towns-top-employer-withdraws-to-the-eu/) - 110 jobs lost in Newark. The town’s largest employer shifts all business to its EU sites because of challenging trading conditions in the UK
- [Brexit, the cost-of-living crisis and me](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/brexit-the-cost-of-living-crisis-and-me/) - The cost-of-living crisis on top of the damage already done by Brexit is threatening the livelihood of a small business owner in Market Harborough
- [Fake footy kits and illegal tobacco seized in Stoke shop swoop](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/fake-footy-kits-and-illegal-tobacco-seized-in-stoke-shop-swoop/) - Trading standards officers seized a large cache of fake football kits, illegal cigarettes and rolling tobacco when they raided five shops in the Stoke-on-Trent area
- [East Midlands Tory MPs: how much bang for our buck?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/east-midlands-tory-mps-how-much-bang-for-our-buck/) - Here at Central Bylines, we have been tapping our foot impatiently. Our East Midlands Tory MPs (on whom we generally rely for a regular supply of comedy pratfalls) have been suspiciously quiet of late. Luckily, the imminent arrival of silly season seems to have prodded them into life. All of which we have faithfully recorded
- [West Midlands: GKN’s Erdington plant to close](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/west-midlands-gkns-erdington-plant-to-close/) - The GKN plant in Erdington will close next year as the UK’s car making industry struggles in the face of growing demand for electric vehicles
- [Big Oil v the World](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/big-oil-v-the-world/) - The recent spell of extreme heat has reminded us of the challenges of climate change. As the evidence that it’s a reality grows, a timely three-part documentary from the BBC points a finger of blame at the culprits.
- [Fresh out of the box: BBC Three goes on the frontline with young police officers in Leicester](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/fresh-out-of-the-box-bbc-three-goes-on-the-frontline-with-young-police-officers-in-leicester/) - Against a backdrop of an undermanned police force, rising public mistrust in the service and recent disruption in Leicester, Fresh Cops, BBC Three’s new behind-the-scenes police series, couldn’t be more timely.
- [Fear and loathing in Skegvegas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/fear-and-loathing-in-skegvegas/) - Brexit was all about taking back control of “our borders, money and laws” but the migrant crisis has revealed a painful truth to some of its most ardent supporters.
- [Fear and Loathing in Skegvegas: the sequel](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/fear-and-loathing-in-skegvegas-the-sequel/) - After a public meeting with MPs, a march was organised in Skegness to demonstrate that opposition over migrants in hotels hasn’t gone away.
- [A real Local Welcome with food and good company](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/a-real-local-welcome-with-food-and-good-company/) - Local Welcome brings together people from near and far to bond over food
- [Nigeria: a beacon of hope](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/nigeria-a-beacon-of-hope/) - Can Nigeria realise its full potential, despite being hampered by its internal issues?
- [A miscellany of magic in the Middle East](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/a-miscellany-magic-in-the-middle-east/) - Four countries in the Middle East bordering the Persian Gulf may not all be on the tourist top-ten list but they are really worth exploring
- [Children's social care: rising demand, declining quality](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/childrens-social-care-rising-demand-declining-quality/) - The poor state of the care system has an enormous impact on children
- [Racism: the complicity of our unconscious bias](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/racism-the-complicity-of-our-unconscious-bias/) - Racism in our society is nothing new; our unconscious bias may be part of the problem
- [“Poland is not yet lost”: Poland’s struggle for freedom](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/poland-is-not-yet-lost-polands-struggle-for-freedom/) - The outbreak of the Second World War, 85 years ago this month, would mark the beginning of a very long march back to freedom for Poland
- [Recovering from cancer: a time to heal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/recovering-from-cancer-a-time-to-heal/) - The Princess of Wales’ recent news on being free of cancer is welcome, but the journey is not over yet
- [How patterns of conversation could help identify early signs of autism in children](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/how-patterns-of-conversation-could-help-identify-early-signs-of-autism-in-children/) - Conversation patterns and creativity in language could help early identification of autism
- [Your brain can reveal if you’re rightwing – plus three other things it tells us about your politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/your-brain-can-reveal-if-youre-rightwing-plus-three-other-things-it-tells-us-about-your-politics/) - Can you tell someone's politics by looking at their brain? Some neuroscientists say just that.
- [Lee Anderson, Nigel Farage and the dog whistles of division and hate](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/lee-anderson-nigel-farage-and-the-dog-whistles-of-division-and-hate/) - Should Anderson, Farage and others be held to account for amplifying false information on social media that may have led to rioting?
- [The Flixborough disaster and its legacy for workplace safety](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/the-flixborough-disaster-and-its-legacy-for-workplace-safety/) - June 1974, an explosion at the Flixborough chemical plant killed 28 people. The Health and Safety at Work Act was passed a few weeks later
- [The Tour of Mont Blanc: the ultimate hiking challenge](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/the-tour-of-mont-blanc-the-ultimate-hiking-challenge/) - The Tour of Mont Blanc, a long-distance hiking adventure, presents a real challenge, both physically and mentally
- [The Olympics: courage and excellence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/the-olympics-courage-and-excellence/) - The Olympics and Paralympics inspire, amaze and are a display of courage and excellence but politics has no place
- [Strange rituals in a British summer](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/strange-rituals-in-a-british-summer/) - The UK’s ridiculously obscure national celebration days define the silly season, with strange rituals and frivolous festivities
- [Elon Musk has a problem](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/elon-musk-has-a-problem/) - With Tesla sales down and X’s ad revenue halved, the apparent support from Musk for the far right in Europe may mean things are only likely to get worse
- [Rethinking ADHD: disorder or variance?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/rethinking-adhd-disorder-or-variance/) - There is wide controversy about ADHD and many people are cynical about the use of labels, overdiagnosis, even its very existence
- [Voter ID: this is populist policy at its very worst](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/voter-id-this-is-populist-policy-at-its-very-worst/) - Voter ID was billed as a means of securing our elections; in reality, it's an example of populism at its very worst
- [Cycling in Spain: Pyrenees and Picos de Europa](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/cycling-in-spain-pyrenees-and-picos-de-europa/) - Cycling part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain was a challenging 400 mile ride with over 7,958 metres of ascent – a great adventure!
- [Iran and western perceptions of the country and its people](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/iran-and-western-perceptions-of-the-country-and-its-people/) - The people of Iran, just like us in the UK, are much more than their depiction on the nightly TV news
- [AI saves hospitals millions](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/ai-saves-hospitals-millions/) - AI is being used by NHS volunteers to both save money and improve patient access to appointments
- [Busted at Trentham Live: what a great show!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/busted-at-trentham-live-what-a-great-show/) - Busted featured at Trentham Live this August celebrating the 22nd anniversary of their career in music, to the delight of the audience
- [Aya Nakamura: a Francophone pop star’s Olympic glory](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/aya-nakamura-a-francophone-pop-stars-olympic-glory/) - French-Malian singer/songwriter Aya Nakamura defies racist abuse and dazzles her home crowd at the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris
- [Lincoln deters rioters with peace, love and cups of tea](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/lincoln-deters-rioters-with-peace-love-and-cups-of-tea/) - As disorder gripped the country, the community of Lincoln united to reject anti-migrant street violence
- [The Caledonian Sleeper to the heart of scenic Scotland](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-caledonian-sleeper-to-the-heart-of-scenic-scotland/) - If you prefer to let the train take the strain, the Caledonian Sleeper offers a pleasant way to reach the heart of scenic Scotland
- [Sunday lunch in the French Alps](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sunday-lunch-in-the-french-alps/) - Lunch the French way, high in the French Alps in summer, with superb views and local cuisine
- [Lincoln Jazz Festival 2024 decidedly cool](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/lincoln-jazz-festival-2024-decidedly-cool/) - Now in its third year, Lincoln Jazz Festival confirms the continuing popularity of the genre
- [Better buses: an interesting problem for the East Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/better-buses-an-interesting-problem-for-the-east-midlands/) - Labour’s new Better Buses Bill offers opportunities and challenges for the new East Midlands mayor
- [Far-right riots: the price of freedom](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/far-right-riots-the-price-of-freedom/) - The far-right riots recently sweeping across the UK prompt a reflection on similar times in history
- [Bakewell Tart Day: the truth about puddings and tarts](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/bakewell-tart-day-the-truth-about-puddings-and-tarts/) - Is there such a thing as Bakewell tart day? What’s the difference between the pudding and the tart? A little sleuthing uncovers the truth
- [Riots by the far-right must not be described as ‘protest’](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/far-right-riots-must-not-be-described-as-protest/) - We can defeat the far-right as we did once before, but to do so we must be organised and not afraid to call them out for what they are
- [Many languages unite the kingdom](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/many-languages-unite-the-kingdom/) - The many languages that featured in the recent MP swearing-in ceremony showcased the fascinating linguistic diversity of the UK
- [Power to the pylons: National Grid vs NIMBYs in Derbyshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/power-to-the-pylons-national-grid-vs-nimbys-in-derbyshire/) - National Grid proposals to erect a chain of pylons along the length of Derbyshire have provoked local hostility
- [Walking in Shropshire: hillforts add a special element](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/walking-in-shropshire-hillforts-add-a-special-element/) - With rolling hills, ancient woodlands and dozens of hillforts to explore, Shropshire is rich in easy walks that exercise both body and mind
- [Employment tribunal judges in the spotlight](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/employment-tribunal-judges-in-the-spotlight/) - Employment tribunal judges come under scrutiny in the fourth part of the Silent Epidemic series
- [Chartist Festival marks anniversary of 1984-85 miners’ strike](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/chartist-festival-marks-anniversary-of-1984-85-miners-strike/) - The second Potteries Chartist Festival this year highlights the part women played in the miners’ strike of 1984-85
- [Military bases in Africa: the West needs to keep its hold](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/military-bases-in-africa-the-west-needs-to-keep-its-hold/) - Military bases in Africa are an essential part of the West’s strategy to maintain commercial interests and international security
- [Bleed kits: helping stab victims survive](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/bleed-kits-helping-stab-victims-survive/) - Could a bleed kit have saved the lives of Digbeth stabbing victim Cody Fisher and 2017 stabbing victim from Birmingham, Daniel Baird?
- [Kamala Harris’s ‘Brat summer’: how memes can change a political campaign](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/kamala-harriss-brat-summer-how-memes-can-change-a-political-campaign/) - Kamala Harris's endorsement as as 'brat' lent a hand to jokes and memes on the internet that increased her popularity
- [Phone ban for under-16s: where does public opinion stand?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/phone-ban-for-under-16s-where-does-public-opinion-stand/) - Calls for a blanket ban on phone ownership for under-16s and phone usage at school has met with mixed reactions
- [Green energy: a revolution in the making](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/green-energy-a-revolution-in-the-making/) - The statements on green energy from the new Labour government show it is determined to be transformative
- [Hospices in financial crisis](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/hospices-in-financial-crisis/) - Palliative care hospices are in financial crisis, blaming years of government underfunding, and are seeking urgent action
- [Richard III at Shakespeare’s Globe](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/richard-iii-at-shakespeares-globe/) - Elle While’s innovative production of Richard III breathes new life into Shakespeare’s most famous villain
- [Hamilton wins Formula 1 2024 British Grand Prix](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/hamilton-wins-formula-1-2024-british-grand-prix/) - The British Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton take an emotional win after a gripping race at Silverstone
- [The Gaza vote: Starmer needs to listen](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-gaza-vote-starmer-needs-to-listen/) - By supporting independent candidates, voters have made the Israeli offensive in Gaza a red line; now Labour needs to act
- [The Conservative government’s top five failures](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-conservative-governments-top-five-failures/) - With so many failures to choose from, we select our top five failures of the previous, Conservative, government
- [General election shock for a British/EU citizen](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/general-election-shock-for-a-british-eu-citizen/) - I’m an EU citizen with dual Italian and British nationality, and I’ve been turned down from voting in the general election
- [The first 100 days in office: what would you do as prime minister?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-first-100-days-in-office-what-would-you-do-as-prime-minister/) - As the Labour Party begin their first 100 days in office, the nation is waiting for change; what should their priorities be?
- [Rory Stewart vs dysfunctional Westminster](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/rory-stewart-vs-dysfunctional-westminster/) - Rory Stewart, one of our best political commentators, describes his experiences of our dysfunctional political system
- [Wellingborough and Rushden general election hustings 27 June](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/wellingborough-and-rushden-general-election-hustings-27-june/) - Wellingborough and Rushden hustings presented six candidates for the general election; will Labour hold the seat?
- [How do you solve a problem like low voter turnout from young people?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-low-youth-voter-turnout/) - Low youth voter turnout is an issue that threatens UK democracy; why is this happening?
- [Lincolnshire is no longer a Conservative stronghold](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/lincolnshire-is-no-longer-a-conservative-stronghold/) - South Holland and The Deepings, the safest Conservative seat in the country, may no longer be reliably Tory
- [Hustings in High Peak: carefully holding the party line](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/hustings-in-high-peak-carefully-holding-the-party-line/) - The hustings in Buxton revealed nothing new about the candidates but did underscore which issues most concerned constituents
- [Listed building application could secure the future of fire hit landmark](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/listed-building-application-could-secure-the-future-of-fire-hit-landmark/) - The Leopard Inn in Burslem – reputed to be one of the most haunted public houses in the UK – has submitted new development plans
- [Birmingham Yardley constituency: a closer look](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-yardley-constituency-a-closer-look/) - Birmingham’s Yardley constituency has been in Labour’s hands since 2015: will the challengers come close to unseating Jess Phillips?
- [Bassetlaw hustings: is the writing on the (red) wall?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/bassetlaw-hustings-is-the-writing-on-the-red-wall/) - The Bassetlaw hustings indicate that the red wall is swinging firmly back to Labour, after the resounding Conservative victory in 2019
- [The economic realities of Egypt’s cost-of-living crisis](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-economic-realities-of-egypts-cost-of-living-crisis/) - Egypt is dealing with a cost-of-living crisis of pharaonic proportions and its citizens are struggling to weather the storm
- [We need to talk about adult social care](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/we-need-to-talk-about-adult-social-care/) - How are the main political parties responding to the vital question of social care? Can they offer any realistic hope?
- [Decline and fall of Brexit Britain](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/decline-and-fall-of-brexit-britain/) - Brexit is akin to a slow puncture or a slow virus silently but surely damaging the bodies politic and economic
- [‘Belper Goes Green’ festival hosts the European Movement ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/belper-goes-green-festival-hosts-the-european-movement/) - European Movement Derbyshire sets up its stall at ‘Belper Goes Green’ and hears stories of loss and hope from festival goers
- [More in common at Derby North hustings in Chaddesden](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/more-in-common-at-derby-north-hustings-in-chaddesden/) - Chaddesden hustings: a part of the Derby North constituency learns they are not “all the same”, but do have some things in common
- [Camino de Santiago from Santander to Gijón](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/camino-de-santiago-from-santander-to-gijon/) - Walking a stretch of the Camino de Santiago might have brought sore feet and rain but it was a truly unforgettable experience
- [Is the ‘third sector’ finally going to sit at the top table?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/is-the-third-sector-finally-going-to-sit-at-the-top-table/) - Starmer pledges to harness the power of government to help the voluntary and charity sector unleash its full potential
- [The Lincoln hustings](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/the-lincoln-hustings/) - Rigid moderation and lack of enthusiasm from candidates results in a stilted and unengaging Lincoln hustings
- [Refugee Week is celebrated with a family story](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/refugee-week-is-celebrated-with-a-family-story/) - In Refugee Week, the story of one family’s flight from political oppression and certain death serves as a cautionary tale for today
- [Stapleford hustings: a glimpse of our political future](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/stapleford-hustings-a-glimpse-of-our-political-future/) - In the bellwether of Broxtowe, the third and biggest hustings points to our politics moving away from traditional two-party domination
- [Introducing England’s Euro 2024 squad](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/introducing-englands-euro-2024-squad/) - With such high hopes and expectations going into the Euro Championship 2024, who are the players representing us in Germany?
- [Stratford’s political comedy of errors – just for laughs](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stratfords-political-comedy-of-errors-just-for-laughs/) - While Stratford is known for its Shakespeare theatre, the candidates for the general election are putting on their own show
- [Conservative Party has toxic culture says outgoing Stoke MP](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/conservative-party-has-toxic-culture-says-outgoing-stoke-mp/) - Conservative MP Jo Gideon has criticised colleagues for being unsupportive and described the party as having a ‘toxic’ culture
- [The Lincoln Grand Prix weekend](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/the-lincoln-grand-prix-weekend/) - The Lincoln Grand Prix is an annual cycling event of national importance
- [National Service: will it affect how young people vote?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/national-service-will-it-affect-how-young-people-vote/) - The Conservative Party’s proposal to reintroduce National Service has proven controversial, but what do young people think?
- [General election 2024: more about the West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/general-election-2024-more-about-the-west-midlands/) - As part of our coverage of the 2024 general election, we take a more detailed look at some of the areas across our region
- [Supported exempt accommodation: privatising poverty](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/supported-exempt-accommodation-privatising-poverty/) - Supported exempt accommodation provided by private landlords in Birmingham exploits the benefits system – and the vulnerable
- [Brexit and the climate crisis: why the silence?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-climate-crisis-silence/) - The two issues most likely to dominate domestic politics in the next parliament: why are they not being talked about?
- [General election 2024: the West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/general-election-2024-the-west-midlands/) - As part of our coverage of the 2024 general election, we take a more detailed look at some of the areas across our region
- [D-Day ‘Funnies’ were no laughing matter](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/d-day-funnies-were-no-laughing-matter/) - D-Day’s 80th anniversary is commemorated by the story of how a ‘Dad’s Army’ lance-corporal played a crucial role in its success
- [Student protesters in the Midlands face eviction](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/student-protesters-in-the-midlands-face-eviction/) - Students at universities in the Central Bylines region may be forcibly removed after setting up pro-Palestinian encampments on campus
- [Derbyshire Conservative Robert Largan investigated by police](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/derbyshire-conservative-robert-largan-investigated-by-police/) - High Peak Conservative Robert Largan’s ‘blatantly deceptive’ social media posts are being reviewed by Derbyshire police
- [Nature’s in a state – can people power save it?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/natures-in-a-state-can-people-power-save-it/) - The Restore Nature Now campaign takes the power of the people to Westminster to confront politicians’ weak stance on biodiversity
- [General Election 2024: the East Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/general-election-2024-the-east-midlands/) - As part of our coverage of the 2024 general election, we take a more detailed look at some of the areas across our region
- [Broxtowe: the constituency you never knew you needed to know](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/broxtowe-the-constituency-you-never-knew-you-needed-to-know/) - As part of our general election coverage, our man on the ground in Nottinghamshire takes a wry look at the constituency of Broxtowe
- [The news and young people: scrolling through](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-news-and-young-people-scrolling-through/) - Young people are known to rely on social media for their news, but is there still a chance for traditional outlets?
- [International student grateful for crowdfunding support](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/international-student-grateful-for-crowdfunding-support/) - International student Joanna Idowu, in her third year at Birmingham City University, successfully raised £14,500 in order to graduate
- [Oil drilling in Lincolnshire: D-Day for Biscathorpe](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/oil-drilling-in-lincolnshire-d-day-for-biscathorpe/) - Oil drilling in the Lincolnshire Wolds has been challenged by SOS Biscathorpe, with a date set for a hearing at the High Court
- [Face the music of Brexit barriers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/face-the-music-of-brexit-barriers/) - A ‘Face the Music’ campaign is urging politicians to find solutions for UK artistes trying to tour in Europe after Brexit
- [Levelling up scheme: Birmingham sees no changes](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/levelling-up-scheme-birmingham-sees-no-changes/) - The levelling up scheme in Birmingham has been ongoing for four years now and locals say they see no changes
- [Behavioural insights: how the government gets you to behave](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/behavioural-insights-how-the-government-gets-you-to-behave/) - Behavioural insights, used in David Cameron’s Nudge Unit, have been influencing public behaviour since 2010
- [Four police forces in West Midlands told to improve](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/four-police-forces-in-west-midlands-told-to-improve/) - Staffordshire Police is one of four police forces in the West Midlands told to improve by the policing inspectorate
- [Fibromyalgia: a daily battle with invisible pain](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/fibromyalgia-a-daily-battle-with-invisible-pain/) - Fibromyalgia affects every aspect of life for those who suffer, from simple daily tasks to long-term plans
- [A Boy From Bolton](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/a-boy-from-bolton/) - Bolton was the birthplace of Professor Childs who describes his early childhood in the first part of his autobiography
- [General election 4 July – are you ready?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/general-election-4-july-are-you-ready/) - The general election announced today means that the country will be gearing up for an important vote – are you prepared?
- [Lincolnshire’s beaches praised in clean water league table](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/lincolnshires-beaches-praised-in-clean-water-league-table/) - Lincolnshire beaches in top ten for England clean water listings
- [D-Day Quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/d-day-quiz/) - Central Bylines marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day with this interactive quiz – how much do you know?
- [Sanctuary Housing: charges spiral while services fail](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/sanctuary-housing-charges-spiral-while-services-fail/) - Sanctuary Housing in Birmingham has hiked charges for their tenants while failing to provide vital services
- [Electric vehicles will drive Midlands’ boom](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/electric-vehicles-will-drive-midlands-boom/) - Electric vehicles and infrastructure investment could bring billions of pounds to the Midlands by 2030, as well as thousands of new jobs
- [Nigeria: from brand stigma to pride](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/nigeria-from-brand-stigma-to-pride/) - Nigerian migrants can be powerful agents of change, challenging negative narratives and highlighting the country's rich cultural heritage
- [Reflections on Boris Johnson’s ‘high skill, high wage future’ speech. Fashion – Fix up, look smart! ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reflections-on-boris-johnsons-high-skill-high-wage-future-speech-fashion-fix-up-look-smart/) - Robert John explores how the UK can take a world lead on fashion which could result in world peace.
- [Strasbourg – what’s it really like?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/strasbourg-whats-it-really-like/) - Strasbourg is the epicentre of European Union power, but would a pair of post-Brexit Brits be welcome eight years on from the UK’s exit?
- [Ska music: a staple sound of the Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/ska-music-a-staple-sound-of-the-midlands/) - Ska music band Lobster’s drummer Joe Cook highlights the cultural significance of ska in Birmingham’s underground music scene
- [Eurovision 2024: a celebration of peace and harmony?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/eurovision-2024-a-celebration-of-peace-and-harmony/) - The Eurovision Song Contest, now in its 68th year, once again tries its best to bring the continent and beyond together in harmony
- [The Rwanda Bill proves parliament always was sovereign](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-rwanda-bill-proves-parliament-always-was-sovereign/) - The Rwanda Bill is the final nail in the myth of Brexit
- [Around the Baltic by public transport](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/around-the-baltic-by-public-transport/) - Can a summer holiday on public transport match the ideal of jetting off to an exotic location? There’s only one way to find out…
- [Birmingham City University working to help students vote](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/birmingham-university-students-vote/) - Birmingham City University is helping its students vote in local elections despite difficulties imposed by the new Voter ID requirements
- [The March budget: policies and the next election](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-march-budget-policies-and-the-next-election/) - The March budget is the focus of the latest Bylines podcast – is it a pre-general election budget or serious policy?
- [Post-truth in UK politics: navigating misinformation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/post-truth-in-uk-politics-navigating-misinformation/) - Post-truth is something we all have to navigate these days; what is it and how can we separate the truth from fake news?
- [Stoke-on-Trent crackdown on reckless drivers in Hanley](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-crackdown-on-reckless-drivers-in-hanley/) - Stoke-on-Trent City Council is taking action against pedestrian area parking and reckless driving in the city centre
- [Birmingham residents fight to save community spaces](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/birmingham-residents-fight-to-save-community-spaces/) - Birmingham City Council budget cuts inspire a Save Birmingham campaign to rescue services that are a lifeline for the community
- [Stratford council getting tough with antisocial behaviour](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stratford-council-getting-tough-with-antisocial-behaviour/) - Stratford-upon-Avon has been blighted by antisocial behaviour over recent years; now the local council are fighting back
- [Prison reform in the UK: a failing system](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/prison-reform-in-the-uk-a-failing-system/) - Prison overcrowding needs new ideas to stop the issue says writer and ex-prisoner Christopher Atkins
- [Tim Evans, anti-Brexit protester – a celebration of his life](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/tim-evans-anti-brexit-protester-a-celebration-of-his-life/) - Tim Evans sadly passed away recently – we speak to his anti-Brexit friends and celebrate the life of a unique man
- [Council promises warmer homes for tenants in Stoke](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/council-promises-warmer-homes-for-tenants-in-stoke/) - The council in Stoke-on-Trent has been awarded essential funding to improve damp, cold, uninsulated homes, with a hope to end fuel poverty
- [Car crimes go unpunished in Nottinghamshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/car-crimes-go-unpunished-in-nottinghamshire/) - Car crime is on the rise but in one Nottinghamshire area, there were no convictions at all last year
- [Africa: rising from the ashes of western division](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/africa-rising-from-the-ashes-of-western-division/) - Africa was divided in the past by western powers on economic, political and strategic grounds, but is now determined to shape its own future
- [Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis: a personal response](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-princess-of-waless-cancer-diagnosis-is-hard-a-personal-response/) - The Princess of Wales deserves time and space after her cancer diagnosis
- [HMRC out of control? The loan charge scandal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/hmrc-out-of-control-the-loan-charge-scandal/) - HMRC and the way it has conducted itself over the loan charge has been examined in an APPG document which suggests an organisation out of control
- [Easter quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/easter-quiz/) - Easter brings spring, chocolate eggs and celebrations – try our interactive quiz!
- [Surviving sarcoma – so far](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/surviving-sarcoma-so-far/) - For Sarcoma Awareness month and the 75th anniversary of the NHS, an oncological odyssey with – so far – a happy ending
- [Police Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire: who will it be?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/police-crime-commissioner-for-staffordshire-who-will-it-be/) - The new Police Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire will face challenges from budget cuts and worsening crime rates
- [20 Days in Mariupol](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/20-days-in-mariupol/) - The Oscar-winning film 20 Days in Mariupol, shows the reality and brutality of the war in Ukraine – a must-see, lest we forget
- [Hickory’s Smokehouse: a taste of the deep south in Nottingham](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/food/hickorys-smokehouse-a-taste-of-the-deep-south-in-nottingham/) - Hickory’s Smokehouse restaurant review praises the American southern-ranch style of the building, the atmosphere and the food
- [Surgeon training: how I became an exam question](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/surgeon-training-how-i-became-an-exam-question/) - The Royal College of Surgeons held an examination day for trainee surgeons, and I was an exam question.
- [Hypothyroidism: my relentless fight to stay well](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/hypothyroidism-my-relentless-fight-to-stay-well/) - A hypothyroidism diagnosis for one patient has meant 15 years fighting for the only effective medication for her case
- [Israel and Palestine: what path to peace?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/israel-and-palestine-what-path-to-peace/) - Israel and Palestine maintained an uneasy status quo which has been destroyed by the 7 October attacks and subsequent conflict
- [The beautiful game: Notts County generations](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/the-beautiful-game-notts-county-generations/) - Notts County, the oldest professional football club in the world has an important legacy, supported through generations of fans
- [Inter Faith Network closed as Michael Gove withdraws funding](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/inter-faith-network-closed-as-gove-withdraws-funding/) - The Inter Faith Network that promotes understanding between different faiths in the UK is forced to close as government withdraws funding
- [Iceland: an unexpected call from a faraway island](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/iceland-an-unexpected-call-from-a-faraway-island/) - Iceland was an unusual place to visit but its history in World War II revealed the reasons for East German expert Professor Childs’ visit
- [Satire: packing a punchline](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/satire-packing-a-punchline/) - Satire can be controversial; is political satire freedom of speech, challenging commentary or just offensive?
- [Inspector Imanishi Investigates: reissue of a crime classic](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/inspector-imanishi-investigates-reissue-of-a-crime-classic/) - Imanishi Eitaro, the mild-mannered Tokyo detective, has returned to print in a well-deserved reissue of Seichō Matsumoto’s classic novel
- [Sleep Navalny Sleep](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/sleep-navalny-sleep/) - How will history remember Alexei Navalny?
- [Polarisation: understanding its impact, causes and solutions](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/polarisation-understanding-its-impact-causes-and-solutions/) - Polarisation, aggravated by stress, can affect relationships, the workplace and politics; the solution is empathy and collaboration
- [The right to vote: voting drought ends for Brits overseas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-right-to-vote-voting-drought-ends-for-brits-overseas/) - The right to vote in general elections for long-term residents overseas has been restored and thousands signed up on the first day
- [West Midlands groups unite to target sustainable tourism](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/west-midlands-groups-unite-to-target-sustainable-tourism/) - Sustainability is at the heart of the strategy of three major tourist organisations uniting for a greener future
- [Mark Ashton: gay working-class hero remembered](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/mark-ashton-gay-working-class-hero-remembered/) - Mark Ashton, socialist gay rights activist was remembered in Manchester 37 years after his death
- [‘Together for Humanity’: Birmingham interfaith group vigil](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/together-for-humanity-birmingham-interfaith-group-vigil/) - ‘Together for Humanity’ brought people of all faiths and none in a vigil for peace in Israel and Gaza and against antisemitism and Islamophobia
- [Demagogues and the immigration wedge](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/demagogues-and-the-immigration-wedge/) - Demagogues are using immigration to weaken democracy, rather than valuing what immigrants can bring to the country
- [Young people deterred from voting by government restrictions](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/young-people-deterred-from-voting-by-government-restrictions/) - Young people voice their concerns as unfair restrictions placed on them at polling stations deter them from voting
- [Trigger warnings](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/trigger-warnings/) - Trigger warnings might be necessary in modern life, but are they always necessary?
- [Same-sex marriage in Greece legalised](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/same-sex-marriage-in-greece-legalised/) - Same-sex marriage is now legal in Greece, although LGBTQ+ couples’ rights are still disputed by the church and certain political figures
- [Book club: literary chat with a side of chips](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/book-club-literary-chat-with-a-side-of-chips/) - Book clubs, libraries and pubs are all part of a social ecosystem that is coming under increasing threat
- [Living with HIV can mean stigma, discrimination and violence](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/living-with-hiv-can-mean-stigma-discrimination-and-violence/) - Living with HIV can bring significant levels of discrimination, shame and even violence according to a new government report
- [Child service cuts: Birmingham parents speak out](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/child-service-cuts-birmingham-parents-speak-out/) - Birmingham City Council has announced it will be cutting around 25% of its child service sector funding, as parents voice their concerns
- [Thyroid disease and Liothyronine: a petition asks for funds](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/thyroid-disease-and-liothyronine-a-petition-could-change-the-lives-of-patients/) - Thyroid disease treatment could be revolutionised with a parliamentary petition requesting research funds from the Advanz Pharma fine
- [Bistrot Pierre restaurant: a touch of French flair in Birmingham](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/bistrot-pierre-restaurant-a-touch-of-french-flair-in-birmingham/) - Bistrot Pierre’s Birmingham restaurant brightens our reviewer’s dreary evening with a welcome serving of French culinary class
- [Pigeon Food](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/pigeon-food/) - Feeding the birds in a quiet garden brings the horrors of war into sharp contrast
- [The LGBTQ+ community: Western and African perspectives](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-lgbtq-community-western-and-african-perspectives/) - LGBQT+ communities in Africa can be excluded but Western critiques require understanding of different norms if inclusion is going to improve
- [The loan charge scandal: parliament debates the issues](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-loan-charge-scandal-parliament-debates-the-issues/) - Cross-party backbench MPs recently debated the controversial loan charge legislation in parliament while victims await resolution
- [The loan charge scandal: the victims and HMRC](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-loan-charge-scandal-the-victims-and-hmrc/) - Victims of the loan charge tax demands hope the upcoming parliamentary debate will address the injustice they’ve suffered
- [The loan charge scandal: my story](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-loan-charge-scandal-my-story/) - I thought my life was mapped out – retirement, happily married and financially stable, but then along came the loan charge.
- [Miners’ Strike 1984: the Battle for Britain](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/miners-strike-1984-the-battle-for-britain/) - Channel 4’s documentary tells the story behind the rage and raw emotion of the vicious miners’ strike confrontation in Shirebrook, Derbyshire
- [Valentine's Day Quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/valentines-day-quiz/) - On the day of lovers, try our interactive quiz about all things Valentine!
- [Fresh Cops on BBC Three spotlights Leicestershire recruits](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/fresh-cops-on-bbc-three-spotlights-leicestershire-recruits/) - We talk to the stars of Fresh Cops, back on BBC Three for a second season to showcase Leicestershire’s youngest police officers in action
- [This Writer’s Life: a diary. Part 23: South Africa](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-23-south-africa/) - A South African holiday proved a fitting anniversary and retirement celebration with incredible scenery, weather and hospitality
- [Wellingborough by-election: Less Bone more Ben](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/wellingborough-by-election-less-bone-more-ben/) - Will Reform UK beat the stricken Conservatives into third place in Wellingborough or is their recent impressive polling all smoke and mirrors?
- [The mechanics of populism: understanding how it works](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-mechanics-of-populism-understanding-how-it-works/) - Populism has become a dominant force in contemporary politics, influencing leaders and movements across the globe
- [United Kingdom corruption officially at its worst in modern times](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/united-kingdom-corruption-officially-at-its-worst-in-modern-times/) - Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Why has the UK just been awarded its lowest ever corruption index score?
- [The shocking rise of foodbanks and poverty in the UK](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-shocking-rise-of-foodbanks-and-poverty-in-the-uk/) - Nearly 22% of the UK population were living in poverty last year and foodbank use is on the rise: the government must do more to tackle this
- [Birmingham locals call out the city’s downgrade](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birmingham-locals-call-out-the-citys-downgrade/) - A new report shows Birmingham has downgraded in the last ten years, as fewer job opportunities and increased child poverty hit locals
- [Winning in Wellingborough? Peter Bone’s by-election blues](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/winning-in-wellingborough-peter-bones-by-election-blues/) - Voters in Wellingborough will go to the polls on 15 February to choose the replacement for their disgraced Tory MP, Peter Bone
- [Common misconceptions in western media about Africa](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/common-misconceptions-in-western-media-about-africa/) - The biased view of Africa portrayed in western media can be changed by a visit to the continent
- [Tackling ageism: cancer screening discrimination](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/tackling-ageism-cancer-screening-discrimination/) - As a new campaign addresses casual ageism in the UK, organisations are highlighting issues, including the NHS cancer screening policy
- [Beirut Station review: a chilling spy novel](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/beirut-station-review-a-chilling-spy-novel/) - Paul Vidich sets Beirut Station in a past war, but his novel asks questions about the human impact that matter right now
- [Twenty years of Beautiful Days](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/twenty-years-of-beautiful-days/) - Volunteering as a Beautiful Days Festival steward offers a new perspective, great music, and helps raise money for charity.
- [New West Midlands flood defences needed in the future](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/new-west-midlands-flood-defences-needed-in-the-future/) - Households in the West Midlands are more prone to flooding – new methods are needed quickly for what’s to come
- [Dishoom restaurant review ‒ from Bombay to Birmingham](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/dishoom-restaurant-review-‒-from-bombay-to-birmingham/) - Dishoom in Birmingham delivers on its mission to pay homage to the food of Bombay and its disappearing Irani cafés
- [Manfred von Ardenne: an encounter with a strange genius](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/manfred-von-ardenne-an-encounter-with-a-strange-genius/) - Professor Childs’ memoirs continue with an account of a meeting with multi-talented Manfred von Ardenne
- [Glaring errors: the impact of LED headlights?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/transport/glaring-errors-the-impact-of-led-headlights/) - Vehicle LED headlights should be regulated to reduce glare and dazzle – will governments act?
- [Medical cannabis: government rejects call for increased access](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/medical-cannabis-government-rejects-call-for-increased-access/) - Cannabis products for medical use are licensed in the UK, yet they are virtually unobtainable on the NHS
- [Living standards drop due to UK tax inflation](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/living-standards-drop-due-to-uk-tax-inflation/) - Government reports show Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government to be the biggest tax-raising parliament on record
- [James Sunderland, Thames Water and sewage dumps in Bracknell](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/james-sunderland-thames-water-and-sewage-dumps-in-bracknell/) - Conservative MP for Bracknell, James Sunderland defends Thames Water despite thousands of hours of sewage dumps into local rivers
- [Being a band in the 21st century: more bad than good?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/being-a-band-in-the-21st-century-more-bad-than-good/) - The lack of vital financial support for new bands is stifling upcoming talent
- [Stoke-on-Trent council launches a review of the city’s music and entertainment venues](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-on-trent-council-launches-a-review-of-the-citys-music-and-entertainment-venues/) - Challenging times lead Stoke-on-Trent council to review its performing arts locations
- [Life or knife in the West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/life-or-knife-in-the-west-midlands/) - Recent statistics put the West Midlands at number one for knife crime in the UK. Locals feel unsafe and say more needs to be done
- [Pizzamisu – a slice of Naples in Nottingham](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/food/pizzamisu-a-slice-of-naples-in-nottingham/) - Finding the seductive flavours of Italy in the East Midlands is a quick route to a traveller’s delight
- [Christmas general knowledge quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/christmas-general-knowledge-quiz/) - Who said? Who wrote? Who ate? Where Is? What is? – these are your starters for ten!
- [Charles Darwin’s voyage of discovery](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/charles-darwins-voyage-of-discovery/) - A voyage that started on 27 December 1831 took a man from Shrewsbury around the world and ultimately led to our understanding of evolution
- [Understanding separation of powers in the UK](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/understanding-separation-of-powers-in-the-uk/) - The Simple Politics Guide this week looks at the separation of powers: legislature, executive and judiciary
- [Obituary: Benjamin Zephaniah – the People’s Laureate](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/obituary-benjamin-zephaniah-the-peoples-laureate/) - Birmingham poet and activist, Benjamin Zephaniah, died on 7 December. We look back at his life and work
- [Will conversion therapy now be banned in the UK?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/will-conversion-therapy-now-be-banned-in-the-uk/) - First reading of a bill to ban conversion therapy takes place in the House of Lords after LibDem Peer Lady Burt wins Private Members’ Bill ballot
- [Councils in crisis](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/councils-in-crisis/) - Lincolnshire and Derbyshire county councils both face gaping financial black holes which will have serious implications for residents
- [Word of the Year: The Rizz-Bizz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/word-of-the-year-the-rizz-bizz/) - With regard to 'rizz' n. style, charm or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner (derived from ‘charisma’) (Oxford languages Dictionary)
- [UNKNOWN 99](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/unknown-99/) - A poem for war’s Little Miracle
- [Writing a personal manifesto](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/writing-a-personal-manifesto/) - The Simple Politics Guide this week outlines a step-by-step guide on how to write a personal manifesto
- [Christmas Quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/christmas-quiz/) - Get into the Christmas spirit and test your knowledge with our interactive multiple choice quiz
- [End of Year Quiz](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/end-of-year-quiz/) - As 2023 draws to a close, our end of year quiz tests your knowledge of events of the year
- [Improving lives in Stoke-on-Trent](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/improving-lives-in-stoke-on-trent/) - Council leaders in Stoke-on-Trent announce a four-year draft plan to improve the wellbeing of people living in the city
- [Stop Killing Cyclists: the anatomy of a successful protest](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/stop-killing-cyclists-the-anatomy-of-a-successful-protest/) - With protesting increasing in popularity in the UK, successful campaigns need to be looked at as a recipe for success
- [The views of Yachab on the conflict in Gaza](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/the-views-of-yachab-on-the-conflict-in-gaza/) - As the Israeli Defence Force continues attacking Gaza, we spoke to Yachab, a British Jewish charity calling for peace and a two state solution
- [Review 2023: Joyland – "the patriarchy hurts everyone."](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/review-2023-joyland-the-patriarchy-hurts-everyone/) - Joyland is a feminist film that challenges our assumptions: it deserves to be seen
- [Christmas in Germany and Poland](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/christmas-in-germany-and-poland/) - Some European countries celebrate Christmas in a different way, and some have a place at the table for strangers, the lonely, and the poor
- [A glossary of words in UK politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-glossary-of-words-in-uk-politics/) - Here you'll find a list of terms commonly used in UK politics
- [Anti-Islam hate crimes up 68% in the West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/anti-islam-hate-crimes-up-68-in-the-west-midlands/) - Israel-Hamas conflict sees religiously-motivated hate crimes rise in the UK, with Islamophobic offences in the West Midlands up 68%
- [The significance of manifestos in UK Politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-significance-of-manifestos-in-uk-politics/) - The Simple Politics Guide this week examines political parties’ manifestos with their vision of future government policies
- [Driving home for Christmas: think before you drink](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/driving-home-for-christmas-think-before-you-drink/) - Analysis from Abbey Care Foundation reveals that Wolverhampton, Leicester and Coventry are the top drink driving hotspots in the UK
- [Lincoln West End Lights in December](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/lincoln-west-end-lights-in-december/) - A Lincoln district enjoys creativity, community spirit and a celebration of light.
- [COP28 needs to avoid the slow march to climate apocalypse](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/cop28-needs-to-avoid-the-slow-march-to-climate-apocalypse/) - As world leaders address the climate crisis at COP28, is humanity drifting inexorably towards the point of no return?
- [Building a better future: improving the UK political system](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/building-a-better-future-improving-the-uk-political-system/) - The Simple Politics Guide this week explores key improvements in our political system that could deliver significant benefits to us all
- [A Scandinavian Christmas tradition: celebrating St Lucy’s Day](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/a-scandinavian-christmas-tradition-celebrating-st-lucys-day/) - St Lucy’s Day, a Scandinavian festival of light, originally held on the shortest day of the year, brightens homes and schools during December
- [Review 2023: The Inquiry](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/theatre/review-2023-the-inquiry/) - The debut production at Chichester Festival Theatre of Harry Davies’ first play was extended for an extra week this autumn due to high demand
- [Review 2023: The Ocean at the End of the Lane](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/review-2023-the-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane/) - The National Theatre production of Neil Gaiman’s story toured the country in 2023 to delight audiences young and old
- [Review 2023: Moby-Dick](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/review-2023-moby-dick/) - A monstrous captain on an all-consuming quest for revenge versus a malignant and wily white whale, Moby-Dick remains a classic for the ages
- [Local politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/local-politics/) - The simple politics guide continues this week with an exploration of how local politics works in the UK
- [UK government draws the line with protesting](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/uk-government-draws-the-line-with-protesting/) - With the new Public Order Act, the right to protest is under threat as never before: it must be allowed to continue
- [Girls less likely to be diagnosed with special educational needs – new research](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/girls-less-likely-to-be-diagnosed-with-special-educational-needs-new-research/) - Is gender bias at play in assessing children for special educational needs? Girls seem to go under the radar.
- [Esther McVey, the Minister of Common Sense – whatever that is](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/esther-mcvey-the-minister-of-common-sense-whatever-that-is/) - We’re spending £118,264 a year on a Minister of Common Sense, but the government has failed to explain what that will pay for
- [How to lose a by-election](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/how-to-lose-a-by-election/) - Two recent by-elections are Tory masterclasses in how to lose votes and annoy people
- [Face the music: it’s time to admit the damage done to our touring industry by Brexit](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/face-the-music-its-time-to-admit-the-damage-done-to-our-touring-industry-by-brexit/) - Since Brexit, the red tape needed for UK freelancers to work in the EU is causing significant damage to the creative touring industry
- [Getting engaged in UK politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/getting-engaged-in-uk-politics/) - The Simple Politics Guide this week provides some simple steps for participating in UK politics
- [The role of voting in the UK](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-role-of-voting-in-the-uk/) - This week the Simple Politics Guide examines the way we vote in the UK
- [Africa's population set to double by 2050](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/africas-population-set-to-double-by-2050/) - A rapidly-growing African population can harness a valuable demographic dividend, but it needs to get its house in order first
- [How Lincoln Film Society rebounded after Covid](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/how-lincoln-film-society-rebounded-after-covid/) - Cinema is “the best medium for understanding the world” but when Covid lockdowns forced it to close, Lincoln Film Society refused to be beaten
- [Afghanistan Appeal](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/afghanistan-appeal/) - In this week's diary, Anne Holland talks about the need to support the people of Afghanistan and how you can donate
- [Liverpool in Paris](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/liverpool-in-paris/) - Ann Holland reflects on the events of Saturday 28 May 2022 at the UEFA Champions League in Paris.
- [Could Eurovision return to Birmingham?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/could-eurovision-return-to-birmingham/) - Birmingham has made the shortlist to host Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine in 2023
- [Stratford-on-Avon’s MP doesn’t pay his taxes](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/stratford-on-avons-mp-doesnt-pay-his-taxes/) - Nadhim Zahawi was sacked over the weekend for not paying taxes.
- [Central Bylines is three years old today!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/central-bylines-is-three-years-old-today/) - For Central Bylines’ third anniversary, we take a look at its beginning and offer a selection of articles chosen by the team.
- [Finding Father Christmas: my journey of discovery with the Small Folk](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/finding-father-christmas-my-journey-of-discovery-with-the-small-folk/) - A trip to a Christmas immersive experience reminded an old unbeliever of the powerful effect of Christmas on children’s imagination
- [Sanctuary Housing: more surplus, less service](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/sanctuary-housing-more-surplus-less-service/) - Sanctuary Housing Association doubles pre-tax surplus while tenants in Birmingham suffer higher charges and shoddy service
- [Bankrupt Birmingham: neglected local residents speak out](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/bankrupt-birmingham-neglected-local-residents-speak-out/) - Birmingham local residents speak out about their daily lives affected by the bankrupt city council
- [Over £250,000 raised by Joyce’s Quiz for Macmillan Cancer Support](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/over-250000-raised-by-joyces-quiz-for-macmillan-cancer-support/) - Joyce Rothschild has raised over £250,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support with her annual quiz, now in its 27th year
- [The Swindon survivor and the former arsonist Home Secretary](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-swindon-survivor-and-the-former-arsonist-home-secretary/) - An ill-timed nap gives a chastening insight into the wretched life of the homeless – not a recommended ‘lifestyle choice’
- [Braverman, Braverman](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/braverman-braverman/) - Suella Braverman statements about hate reveal her own personal feelings
- [Red Arrows: narcissism, immorality and lack of empathy are behind the dark psychology that can poison elites](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/red-arrows-narcissism-immorality-and-lack-of-empathy-are-behind-the-dark-psychology-that-can-poison-elites/) - Sexism, harassment and bullying are rife in the UK’s Red Arrows
- [Black History Month in Lincoln: changing perceptions](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/black-history-month-in-lincoln-changing-perceptions/) - With only 4% of the population from an ethnic minority background, Lincolnshire’s Black History Month events aimed to change perceptions
- [Stoke council leaders meet with minister over city’s risk of bankruptcy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/stoke-council-leaders-meet-with-minister-over-citys-risk-of-bankruptcy/) - Council leaders in Stoke-on-Trent start consultations to avoid the city declaring bankruptcy
- [The silent epidemic: part 3: Employment tribunals – the court of no record](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/the-silent-epidemic-part-3-employment-tribunals-the-court-of-no-record/) - An employment tribunal should be a place for justice to prevail, but can be a troublesome experience for some
- [The tragic loss of the Erasmus+ scheme](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/the-tragic-loss-of-the-erasmus-scheme/) - The Erasmus+ scheme has offered life-changing opportunities to students across Europe, yet the UK chose to leave the scheme after Brexit.
- [It’s a road to ruin: HS2 cancellation means funds for Shrewsbury transport scheme](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/transport/its-a-road-to-ruin-hs2-cancellation-means-funds-for-shrewsbury-transport-scheme/) - The cancellation of HS2 has given Shrewsbury a blank cheque to build a controversial new road, raising environmental concerns
- [Empire of darkness – AI’s existential threat to humanity](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/technology/empire-of-darkness-ais-existential-threat-to-humanity/) - Rishi Sunak’s warm words about developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) may not be enough – some words of warning against AI
- [Smaller political parties in the UK](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/smaller-political-parties-in-the-uk/) - The smaller political parties in the United Kingdom have their own distinct ideologies and policy priorities.
- [Out of the night](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/out-of-the-night/) - The night sky is powerful and the universe immense, evoking memories
- [My life in writing](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/my-life-in-writing/) - Professor Childs' memoirs continue with his experiences of putting pen to paper.
- [The ideology of the Green Party](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-ideology-of-the-green-party/) - The Simple Politics Guide introduces the key elements of the ideology of the Green Party
- [Migrants take a stand against extortionate increases in visa fees](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/migrants-take-a-stand-against-extortionate-increases-in-visa-fees/) - Migrant Voice is coordinating a national day of action to raise awareness of the devastating impact extortionate visa fees have on migrants
- [The huge challenges to achieving net zero](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/the-huge-challenges-to-achieving-net-zero/) - Net zero is the single biggest industrial and economic challenge modern society has set itself.
- [Labour’s Annual Conference 2023: Getting Britain’s future back](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/labours-annual-conference-2023-getting-britains-future-back/) - If ‘Seven Bins Sunak’ thinks he’s the Change candidate, Labour’s got news for him
- [MPs investigate DWP’s failure to safeguard claimants](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/mps-investigate-dwps-failure-to-safeguard-claimants/) - A committee of MPs is investigating the DWP’s approach to safeguarding and how it supports vulnerable benefit claimants
- [The ideology of the Liberal Democrats](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-ideology-of-the-liberal-democrats/) - The Simple Politics Guide introduces the key elements of the ideology of the Liberal Democrats party
- [The ideology of the Conservative Party](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-ideology-of-the-conservative-party/) - Our Simple Politics Guide continues with a general overview of the key ideological elements of the Conservative Party in the UK.
- [The ideology of the Labour Party](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-ideology-of-the-labour-party/) - This week, our Simple Politics Guide offers an overview of the key elements of the Labour Party’s ideology.
- [Winding-sheet](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/winding-sheet/) - The victims of war are often the innocent
- [The Green Party Conference 2023](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-green-party-conference-2023/) - A report from the Green Party Conference outlines plans for the next general election, amid growing concerns about the climate crisis
- [Does reaction to the National Rejoin March demonstrate its success?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/does-reaction-to-the-national-rejoin-march-demonstrate-its-success/) - Mass media in the UK failed to report on the thousands that marched to rejoin, yet it was headline news elsewhere in the world – is this proof of the rejoin movements’ success?
- [Net zero’s Achilles’ heel: the uncertain future of nuclear energy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/net-zeros-achilles-heel-the-uncertain-future-of-nuclear-energy/) - Nuclear energy can contribute to net zero targets, but economic and political policy may endanger its chances of saving the planet
- [This Writer’s Life: a diary. Part 22: Lowden Guitars – a home-grown story of success](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-22-lowden-guitars-a-home-grown-story-of-success/) - In part 22 of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli shares her story of visiting the Lowden Guitars factory.
- [“A small earthquake in Chile”: Chilean history through film](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/a-small-earthquake-in-chile-chilean-history-through-film/) - The first 9/11 wasn’t in the US, but in 1973 in Chile, when Allende’s government was overthrown by a military coup
- [The Wounded Healed](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/the-wounded-healed/) - Shirley Martin ponders what makes us who we are.
- [The Labour Party’s progress towards proportional representation – part 4: road to the manifesto](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-labour-partys-progress-towards-proportional-representation-part-4-road-to-the-manifesto/) - Despite halting progress, hopes of the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform are still higher than they have been for 25 years
- [This Writer’s Life: a diary. Part 21: All being well](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-21-all-being-well/) - Acceptance, self-care and facing reality may be the key to coping with unexpected illness and loss.
- [The structure of the UK Parliament: a democratic labyrinth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/the-structure-of-the-uk-parliament-a-democratic-labyrinth/) - Our Simple Politics Guide continues with how our political system works
- [The case for inheritance tax](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-case-for-inheritance-tax/) - Who would benefit if the prime minister promised to reduce or even abolish inheritance tax in the next Conservative manifesto?
- [The silent epidemic: part 2 – whistleblowing in the public interest](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/the-silent-epidemic-part-2-whistleblowing-in-the-public-interest/) - Whistleblowing is a risky business for employees: a personal account of how it can go wrong
- [Why I joined Central Bylines and the Bylines Network](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/why-i-joined-central-bylines-and-the-bylines-network/) - In the week Central Bylines celebrated its third anniversary, one of our founding members tells us why he got involved
- [Local Greens speak out about Derbyshire County Council’s financial black hole](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/local-greens-speak-out-about-derbyshire-county-councils-financial-black-hole/) - Services at risk in Derbyshire as county council faces £46mn black hole. Local Green Party says county council has questions to answe
- [Migration and the making of the NHS: a Leicester exhibition](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/migration-and-the-making-of-the-nhs-a-leicester-exhibition/) - A free ‘must see’ exhibition in Leicester tells human stories of how the NHS could not have functioned without migration.
- [Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete: more damage to our life chances](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-more-damage-to-our-life-chances/) - The RAAC crisis heralds another period of school disruption that will affect my generation’s health and future.
- [Protecting the whistleblowers Part 2](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/protecting-the-whistleblowers-part-2/) - Retired senior social worker Barbara Schaefer was discredited for whistleblowing in an NHS Trust - here she continues her story
- [Remembering our history could have spared us the seven lean years of Brexit](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/remembering-our-history-could-have-spared-us-the-seven-lean-years-of-brexit/) - Back in the 1960s, a study by EFTA foretold that Brexit would make Britain the sick man of Europe for the second time around.
- [The Conservative Party and the law of holes](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-conservative-party-and-the-law-of-holes/) - The Conservatives have dug themselves into the deepest of holes
- [Malnutrition in early childhood and its long-term effects](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/malnutrition-in-early-childhood-and-its-long-term-effects/) - Children deprived of food will suffer long-lasting consequences: the government must ensure an end to food poverty
- [Central Bylines: The heart of the matter](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/central-bylines-the-heart-of-the-matter/) - On the first anniversary of Central Bylines the team look back on what it means to them and the difference it has made to their lives.
- [A Teletubby unmasked: a review of Over the Hills and Far Away](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/a-teletubby-unmasked-a-review-of-over-the-hills-and-far-away/) - Nikky Smedley lifts the lid on her time as a Teletubby in her hilarious new book
- [The silent epidemic: part 1 — bullying in the workplace](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/the-silent-epidemic-part-1-bullying-in-the-workplace-2/) - Employees are still being bullied, with employers often turning a blind eye, or worse, working against them
- [Proportional representation in the UK: a path to fairer elections](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/proportional-representation-in-the-uk-a-path-to-fairer-elections/) - Proportional representation is a voting system designed to make sure more diverse political views are represented in Parliament and government
- [Greenbelt at 50: a festival like no other](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/greenbelt-at-50-a-festival-like-no-other/) - Along with 11,500 others, Graham Palmer drops into one of the UK’s most eclectic festivals and finds inspiration, imagination and inclusivity.
- [River pollution, housebuilding and government green credentials](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/river-pollution-housebuilding-and-government-green-credentials/) - The government is seeking to allow developers to dump more sewage into our rivers to increase profits, while we foot the bill to clean it up
- [Festival mania](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/festival-mania/) - Chris Collins rediscovers her love of festivals at Purbeck Valley
- [Simple politics guide](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/) - Welcome to our series of articles on politics, specially designed for those who prefer a simpler language style.
- [Expectations from the UK Party Conferences 2023](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/simple-politics-guide/expectations-from-the-uk-party-conferences-2023/) - The 2023 party conferences will take place in September and October – what can you expect?
- [Birmingham’s bankruptcy is only the tip of the iceberg – local authorities across England are at risk](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/birminghams-bankruptcy-is-only-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-local-authorities-across-england-are-at-risk/) - Birmingham Council is bankrupt. What does this mean, what will happen next, are more councils at risk?
- [Is the move to join the EU again patriotic?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/is-the-move-to-join-the-eu-again-patriotic/) - Patriotism and pragmatism both suggest that joining the EU again is the best course for the UK
- [Exams, cheating and AI](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/exams-cheating-and-ai/) - In the 21st Century, are traditional exams still the best way of assessing our students?
- [The government’s attitude to climate change: Rishi’s wrong again](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/the-governments-attitude-to-climate-change-rishis-wrong-again/) - The Uxbridge by-election response and new licences for drilling in the North Sea reveal the government’s lack of commitment to net zero
- [True blue news or party propaganda? Conservative leaflets ape local press.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/true-blue-news-or-party-propaganda-conservative-leaflets-ape-local-press/) - The latest leaflets being distributed by Conservative MPs have been styled as local newspapers. Will the public be deceived?
- [Tennis courts in Stoke-on-Trent to benefit from funding injection](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/https-centralbylines-co-uk-tennis-courts-in-stoke-on-trent-to-benefit-from-funding-injection/) - Work begins to upgrade Stoke-on-Trent public tennis courts as major investment from the government and the LTA comes to fruition
- [The New Conservatives and the rise of the far right in politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-new-conservatives-and-the-rise-of-the-far-right-in-politics/) - There is a new dark force brewing in UK politics – the extreme right-wing ideology of the New Conservatives
- [The Lost Opportunities List](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/the-lost-opportunities-list/) - Since 1 January 2021 the European Union has not stood still. It continues to offer new opportunities, funding and benefits to its citizens and businesses that we, in the UK, are now excluded from.
- [Why the Prague Spring mattered](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/why-the-prague-spring-mattered/) - The Prague Spring of 1968 mattered: we should make more of an effort to remember and learn from it
- [One step closer: looking back at the 2023 Women’s World Cup](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/one-step-closer-looking-back-at-the-2023-womens-world-cup/) - Shock exits, proud performances, unexpected champions and England in the final: we look back at the 2023 Women’s World Cup
- [A Fenland Garden by Francis Pryor: perfect for every gardener and nature lover](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/a-fenland-garden-by-francis-pryor-perfect-for-every-gardener-and-nature-lover/) - Distinguished Fenland archaeologist charts an emotional journey transforming a denuded landscape into a flourishing haven.
- [Blue Tit Green](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/blue-tit-green/) - A small bird brings a taste of summer
- [Big Pharma pays the price, but some thyroid patients are still paying](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/big-pharma-pays-the-price-but-some-thyroid-patients-are-still-paying/) - Advanz Pharma will finally have to pay millions in fines for price hikes, but many patients still have problems getting the drug they need.
- [Festival to mark the death of Chartist Josiah Heapy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/festival-to-mark-the-death-of-chartist-josiah-heapy/) - The first Chartist festival will be celebrated by local trades unionists, musicians and other performers in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.
- [The price unpaid carers pay ‘looking after’ loved ones](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-price-unpaid-carers-pay-looking-after-loved-ones/) - The majority of people living with dementia rely on family or friends as their primary carers, who face many challenges in this unpaid work
- [Closing railway ticket offices: an existential threat to many](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/transport/closing-railway-ticket-offices-an-existential-threat-to-many/) - The threat to close railway ticket offices will affect many disabled travellers who rely on ‘real’ people to help them on their journeys
- [Western firms still doing business in Russia finance the war – here’s how to recoup the huge cost to taxpayers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/western-firms-still-doing-business-in-russia-finance-the-war-heres-how-to-recoup-the-huge-cost-to-taxpayers/) - Western firms still doing business in Russia finance the war – here’s how to recoup the huge cost to taxpayers
- [Out of the Blue: but to where exactly?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/out-of-the-blue-but-to-where-exactly/) - A Central Bylines article about a personal journey of a former Conservative party member prompted this response about our political future.
- [Has the time come to allow assisted dying?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/has-the-time-come-to-allow-assisted-dying/) - A select committee of MPs is considering changes to the law on assisted dying – can this be the breakthrough campaigners hope for?
- [A bleak midwinter and then some](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-bleak-midwinter-and-then-some/) - A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation report finds that it’s a bleak midwinter for far too many.
- [Mansfield isn't racist, racists are racist](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/mansfield-isnt-racist-racists-are-racist/) - Conservative politicians in Nottinghamshire are now openly condoning far right extremists. The ordinary people of Mansfield feel differently.
- [Warm Hubs – a new people’s movement](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/warm-hubs-a-new-peoples-movement/) - A nation-wide community-led initiative is giving lonely and isolated people a place to go for warmth, social contact and advice.
- [Time for an older people’s champion?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/time-for-an-older-peoples-champion/) - After a report highlighting ageism in our society, it’s time to listen to charities and appoint a Commissioner for Older People.
- [‘Cracking down’ on antisocial behaviour is a classic pre-election strategy – but this government owes young people better](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/cracking-down-on-antisocial-behaviour-is-a-classic-pre-election-strategy-but-this-government-owes-young-people-better/) - The government's latest plan to crack down on antisocial behaviour by young people is designed to create moral panic.
- [Birmingham’s housing emergency](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/birminghams-housing-emergency/) - Birmingham is in the grips of a housing emergency. Shelter and IKEA are trying to raise public awareness of just how bad it is.
- [Can Pride continue to be a celebration?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/can-pride-continue-to-be-a-celebration/) - As Birmingham Pride is celebrated, there are concerns about an erosion of LGBTQ+ rights
- [Mass participation in international marathons: the running costs ](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/mass-participation-in-international-marathons-the-running-costs/) - World Environment Day prompts a reflection on the environmental damage of ‘big running’ races.
- [Food banks in Newcastle-under-Lyme have seen a 66% rise in demand over the past year](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/food-banks-in-newcastle-under-lyme-have-seen-a-66-rise-in-demand-over-the-past-year/) - The Newcastle-under-Lyme Trussell Trust Food Bank has seen an alarming rise in the need for food banks due to the cost of living crisis.
- [No more Girl Guides at Glenbrook? Five activity centres to close across the country](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/no-more-girl-guides-at-glenbrook-five-activity-centres-to-close-across-the-country/) - In High Peak, local people are devastated that Glenbrook, a popular Girlguiding activity centre, is to be closed and sold off.
- [Chaos theory: how a small slip can lead to a big problem](https://centralbylines.co.uk/society/chaos-theory-how-a-small-slip-can-lead-to-a-big-problem/) - How do disasters happen? One of the causes of the Alpha Piper disaster was a small but catastrophic mistake that unleashed chaos.
- [Don't panic, we’ve been here before](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/dont-panic-weve-been-here-before/) - The recent furore over whether teenagers do or don’t identify as cats is a classic moral panic, but who benefits from all the fuss?
- [With MPs on a 1958 fact-finding visit to East Germany](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/with-mps-on-a-1958-fact-finding-visit-to-east-germany/) - Professor David Childs continues his memoirs with his visit to East Germany with three MPs, looking for answers.
- [Is this a 1945 Attlee moment? Searching for answers at the Byline Festival](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/is-this-a-1945-attlee-moment-searching-for-answers-at-the-byline-festival/) - Hosted at Dartington Hall, where Attlee’s post-war manifesto was drafted, are there grounds for an optimistic outlook or are we all doomed?
- [When Faith is Gone](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/when-faith-is-gone/) - A loss of faith opens a vast world of wild darkness
- [How Westminster Works … and Why It Doesn’t by Ian Dunt: a review](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/how-westminster-works/) - If you were a political activist and could only put a handful of items in your toolkit, this book should probably be one of them
- [The woe of WhatsApp groups](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/the-woe-of-whatsapp-groups/) - While WhatsApp is a boon for fast communication, community groups might be a forum for scare-mongering
- [There’s a festival for everyone (if you look hard)](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/theres-a-festival-for-everyone-if-you-look-hard/) - Lincoln’s summer festival offerings mean everyone can find something entertaining
- [“Now I am become Death’’...](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/movies/oppenheimer-film-review/) - Cillian Murphy dominates Christopher Nolan's new film Oppenheimer. See it on the biggest screen possible.
- [You’re a Celebrity. Get out of here!](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/youre-a-celebrity-get-out-of-here/) - Why are certain well-known politicians uniquely scandalous, compared with the politicians who came before them?
- [Less plastic, more fantastic](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/less-plastic-more-fantastic/) - Buxton in Derbyshire is the 165th community in the country to have been awarded Plastic Free Community status by Surfers Against Sewage
- [Birmingham’s First Climate Festival](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/birminghams-first-climate-festival/) - Birmingham’s first ever climate festival runs from 18-20 February 2022 and aims to give marginalized people a platform to speak about climate change.
- [What price culture? Lincoln marks 400 years since the death of William Byrd](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/what-price-culture-lincoln-marks-400-years-since-the-death-of-william-byrd/) - A week-long festival in Lincoln marked 400 years since the death of composer William Byrd, but some of the event was priced out of reach
- [Buxton: a tale of two festivals](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/buxton-a-tale-of-two-festivals/) - As part of our series on summer festivals around the region, we look at this year’s Buxton International Festival and Buxton Festival Fringe
- [Summer festivals: The Shrewsbury Flower Show](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/summer-festivals-the-shrewsbury-flower-show/) - Shrewsbury Flower Show, held in a beautiful setting, has something for everyone
- [Leaving Glenurquhart](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/leaving-glenurquhart/) - A poem about a poignant parting from a home and the memories it holds
- [Something nasty in the woods](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/books/something-nasty-in-the-woods/) - There’s something nasty, and most likely deadly too, out there in the woods in the two novels reviewed here…
- [The Real Mo Farah: a retrospective documentary](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-real-mo-farah-a-retrospective-documentary/) - Sir Mo Farah’s story reaches far beyond Olympic gold medals and traverses years of mental struggle, resilience, and heart.
- [Politicians drag their heels as the climate crisis intensifies](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/politicians-drag-their-heels-as-the-climate-crisis-intensifies/) - Is the world’s climate entering a more erratic and dangerous phase with the onset of an El Niño event on top of human-made global heating?
- [Rail companies to close ticket offices across the country](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/transport/rail-companies-to-close-ticket-offices-across-the-country/) - Planned closures of most English rail ticket offices threaten disability freedoms, passenger safety, and jobs
- [With God on their side](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/with-god-on-their-side/) - Secular liberals can and should respond robustly to the conflation of faith and conservatism used by religious politicians on the right
- [A night to remember: Oxford Speedway](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/a-night-to-remember-oxford-speedway/) - In praise of speedway, a thrilling and fast-moving spectacle in the company of a friendly crowd and that’s making a welcome comeback
- [A new vision for adult social care: the value and practice of relational care](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/a-new-vision-for-adult-social-care-the-value-and-practice-of-relational-care/) - Adult social care is in need of a re-think: relational care is an approach that considers the human side of caring and offers evidenced benefits
- [When is a hospital not a hospital?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/when-is-a-hospital-not-a-hospital/) - A bitter row in Shipston, Warwickshire, has broken out over whether a new NHS hospital development is actually a hospital
- [Words of wisdom: advice to my younger self?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/words-of-wisdom-advice-to-my-younger-self/) - A thought experiment: if you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?
- [Happy Birthday NHS and thank you](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/happy-birthday-nhs-and-thank-you/) - Central Bylines editor reflects on 75 years of the NHS
- [How to make your lawn wildlife friendly all year round](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/how-to-make-your-lawn-wildlife-friendly-all-year-round/) - An ecology professor from Aberystwyth University provides some tips to encourage wildlife in your garden
- [How Nottingham College censored the alphabet](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/how-nottingham-college-censored-the-alphabet/) - A Fine Art student in Nottingham turns the censorship of his own work against the people he says silenced him.
- [Yuzu if you want to – how I went exotic in the garden](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/yuzu-if-you-want-to-how-i-went-exotic-in-the-garden/) - A yuzu plant may be exotic, but it can be grown successfully in the UK
- [PE plays a vital role in the wellbeing of our children](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/pe-plays-a-vital-role-in-the-wellbeing-of-our-children/) - National School Sports Week (19-26 June) saw the launch of British Triathlon’s Active Skills for Life Campaign in primary schools
- [Lincolnshire landscape under attack from sun and water](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/lincolnshire-landscape-under-attack-from-sun-and-water/) - Plans for a giant reservoir and multiple solar parks are transforming traditional farming countryside in the flatlands of Lincolnshire.
- [Out of the blue: how the Conservative Party lost my support](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/out-of-the-blue-how-the-conservative-party-lost-my-support/) - A few weeks ago, I stood down as a Conservative councillor, and have no intention to ever again cast a vote for the Conservative Party in a general election
- [Incommodious Conundrum](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/incommodious-conundrum/) - A slippery Johnson avoids scrutiny at all costs
- [Protecting the environment is about being good for more than just one week a year](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/protecting-the-environment-is-about-being-good-for-more-than-just-one-week-a-year/) - A joint campaign in Staffordshire aims at changing hearts and minds on the issue of climate change.
- [1953: another Berlin adventure](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/1953-another-berlin-adventure/) - The East German uprising in Berlin on 17 June 1953 brings back memories of some dramatic events.
- [This writer’s life: diary. Part 20: say a little prayer](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/this-writers-life-diary-part-20-say-a-little-prayer/) - A near accident, a wandering stranger, a fall and a memory of a parent.
- [War: what is it good for?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/war-what-is-it-good-for/) - On the anniversary of D-Day, Ian Kirke looks back at a visit to the Imperial War Museum and contemplates the nature of war.
- [Encounters with former Tito partisans](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/encounters-with-former-tito-partisans/) - Professor David Childs continues his memoirs with an account of the prominent Croatian economist, Jakov Sirotković.
- [Mark Coleman: Reverend jailbird, and good neighbour](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/mark-coleman-reverend-jailbird-and-good-neighbour/) - “It's about the power of love to change the world": retired vicar and climate activist Mark Coleman has his reasons for breaking the law.
- [“God, Guts and Guns”: America’s firearms culture](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/god-guts-and-guns-americas-firearms-culture/) - An examination of American gun culture and why change requires a deeper understanding of the role firearms play in the nation's history
- [The curious tale of Dan Jellyman’s rise to leadership of Stoke Conservatives](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-curious-tale-of-dan-jellymans-rise-to-leadership-of-stoke-conservatives/) - An irreverent reflection on the changes in leadership of Stoke-on-Trent Conservatives since their epic loss of power in the local elections.
- [The Climate and Ecology Bill could make the UK truly world-leading in tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/the-climate-and-ecology-bill-could-make-the-uk-truly-world-leading-in-tackling-the-climate-and-biodiversity-crisis/) - The UK has a real opportunity to lead the way on the climate and biodiversity crisis - will it seize the moment?
- [Why our canals matter – and why we need to act now to save them](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/why-our-canals-matter-and-why-we-need-to-act-now-to-save-them/) - The Canal & River Trust work hard to maintain our historic waterways while facing many challenges.
- [Labour officially takes control in Stoke-on-Trent](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/labour-officially-takes-control-in-stoke-on-trent/) - Labour has regained power in Stoke-on-Trent council where they face legacy issues and new challenges to deliver their vision for the city.
- [Local migrant numbers: nobody seemed to care](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/local-migrant-numbers-nobody-seemed-to-care/) - The migrant crisis has led to a number of demonstrations in the Midlands from a group calling itself Patriotic Alternative. Are they having an impact?
- [Make the change: how to support menopause in the workplace](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/make-the-change-how-to-support-menopause-in-the-workplace/) - Employers are increasingly recognising the win-win nature of supporting colleagues going through menopause. Theresa Winters at Santander UK shows us how it’s done.
- [Automotive anxiety: Brexit and batteries mean trouble in the West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/automotive-anxiety-brexit-and-batteries-mean-trouble-in-the-west-midlands/) - Warnings that leaving the EU would damage the car industry are getting louder as a West Midlands manufacturer calls for changes to our Brexit deal.
- [Drama doesn’t even come close to defining it: Notts County’s return to the English Football League](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/sport/drama-doesnt-even-come-close-to-defining-it-notts-countys-return-to-the-english-football-league/) - Ian Kirke gives us an insider’s story of Notts County’s nail-biting effort to return to the English Football League (EFL).
- [Bank robbery central](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/economy/bank-robbery-central/) - Top economists are taking central banks to task over ‘hurtful’ inflation-busting strategy: the wrong diagnosis and the wrong treatment.
- [Long Covid - what is it and who gets it?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/long-covid-what-is-it-and-who-gets-it/) - Long Covid is a debilitating disease in some Covid 19 victims. What is it, who gets it and how might it affect society in the long term?
- [Outcry at Serco bailout by local council](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/outcry-at-serco-bailout-by-local-council/) - Derbyshire Dales council bailout Serco for the third time as the company fails to provide adequate refuse collection service.
- [National Trust grouse shooting ban leaves wildlife to flourish](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/national-trust-grouse-shooting-ban-leaves-wildlife-to-flourish/) - The National Trust has withdrawn from the management of driven grouse shooting at Park Hall estate to prevent the threat to wildlife.
- [Should we take the WHO warning with a pinch of salt?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/should-we-take-the-who-warning-with-a-pinch-of-salt/) - Millions of deaths a year worldwide are linked to high salt intake, but most governments are failing to respond strongly enough
- [Local election results in Shakespeare’s Stratford: playing the blame game](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/local-election-results-in-shakespeares-stratford-playing-the-blame-game/) - Stratford Conservatives blame Nadhim Zahawi for their poor results at the local elections, ignoring deeper problems in the town.
- [The Biggest BLOB of All](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/the-biggest-blob-of-all/) - Who is the blob?
- [Is Britain becoming like 1930s Germany? No – it already is](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/is-britain-becoming-like-1930s-germany-no-it-already-is/) - The National Conservatism Conference took place this week. Mark Cunliffe considers what happened.
- [This writer’s life: a diary. Part 19: The birthday lunch](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-19-the-birthday-lunch/) - In part 19 of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli meets a dear friend in a poignant last birthday celebration.
- [The central region is the new electoral battleground. Part 2: the West Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-central-region-is-the-new-electoral-battleground-part-2-the-west-midlands/) - May’s local election results revealed that the Midlands is likely to be a crucial area during the next general election
- [The central region is the new electoral battleground. Part 1: the East Midlands](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/the-central-region-is-the-new-electoral-battleground-part-1-the-east-midlands/) - May’s local election results revealed that the Midlands is likely to be a crucial area during the next general election.
- [This Writer’s life: a diary. Part 18: Gettin’ Hitched](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/gettin-hitched/) - In this eighteenth instalment of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli looks back on the day that she got married.
- [This Writer’s life: a diary. Part 17: Hush-a-bye Baby](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/hush-a-bye-baby/) - In this seventeenth instalment of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli writes about her experience of miscarriage.
- [The structure of immortality: the Pharaohs’ fantasy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-structure-of-immortality-the-pharaohs-fantasy/) - A Pharaoh. A God on Earth, and, like all contemporaries believed, destined to be immortal in the afterlife. Ian Kirke visits Egypt and ponders immortality.
- [ME Awareness Day: what is myalgic encephalomyelitis?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/me-awareness-day-what-is-myalgic-encephalomyelitis/) - Florence Nightingale’s birthday and International Nurses Day is celebrated on 12 May. It is also ME Awareness Day. Rob Jones tells us more about this poorly-understood condition.
- [Conservatives wheel out new totalitarian laws to stop coronation protests](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/conservatives-wheel-out-new-totalitarian-laws-to-stop-coronation-protests/) - The coronation will be remembered by some not as a celebration of British values but as an attack on liberty & our democracy.
- [Solidarity and biscuits on the picket line with striking nurses in Stoke](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/solidarity-and-biscuits-on-the-picket-line-with-striking-nurses-in-stoke/) - Six months into their strike, the nurses are fighting for what matters.
- [No key change, but a seismic shift for the United Kingdom](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/music/no-key-change-but-a-seismic-shift-for-the-united-kingdom/) - Yes, it’s THAT time of year again. Time to gather with friends and family and watch a show like no other. The 67th Eurovision Song Contest is about to take place.
- [Hamburg interlude: part one](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/hamburg-interlude-part-one/) - Professor David Childs adds to his memoirs with his experiences in Switzerland and Germany in the 1950s.
- [Hamburg interlude: part two](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/hamburg-interlude-part-two/) - In the second part of his Hamburg interlude, Professor David Childs remembers talk of World War II and Conrad Adenauer
- [Repair](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/repair/) - A poem written in response to Joe Biden’s Belfast speech about the Good Friday Agreement.
- [Travelling abroad? Don’t be tempted to pay your way using your home currency](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/travelling-abroad-dont-be-tempted-to-pay-your-way-using-your-home-currency/) - Paying in your own currency by card when on holiday can work out a lot more expensive than paying by cash!
- [Why Voter ID is Detrimental to Democracy in the UK.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/why-voter-id-is-detrimental-to-democracy-in-the-uk-a-focus-on-staffordshire/) - The debate on voter identification laws has led to conflicting opinions; some argue it safeguards electoral integrity, while others maintain it suppresses voter turnout.
- [Always check the small print](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/always-check-the-small-print/) - With the local elections taking place across England this week, we take a romp through the surprisingly cut-throat world of campaign leafleting.
- [All aboard: Remembering the Orient Express](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/all-aboard-remembering-the-orient-express/) - News that Brexit has led to the closure of the UK leg of the Orient Express prompts a reminiscence of a memorable journey.
- [Powering Up Britain: when is a plan not a plan?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/powering-up-britain-when-is-a-plan-not-a-plan/) - The government’s new report, Powering Up Britain, contains little that is new and seems likely to result only in a further action in the High Court.
- [Is Britain really becoming like 1930s Germany?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/is-britain-really-becoming-like-1930s-germany/) - The recent three-way row between Gary Lineker, the BBC and the government has prompted people to wonder if Britain is becoming like the Germany of the 1930s
- [The Long Tread – first the UK, then the end of the world](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/the-long-tread-first-the-uk-then-the-end-of-the-world/) - Dominic Renshaw is about to pull a van tyre from John O’Groats to Land’s End in his latest challenging adventure to raise awareness for mental health.
- [Loughborough climate activists have picketed their MP’s office for almost two years: part one](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/loughborough-climate-activists-have-picketed-their-mps-office-for-almost-two-years-part-one/) - In a two-part piece, Joshua Thory-Rao reports on the members of the public engaged in the Loughborough Climate Vigil.
- [Review: How to Blow up a Pipeline](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/review-how-to-blow-up-a-pipeline/) - (USA 2022. Dir: Daniel Goldhaber, Cert 15) A new eco-thriller by Daniel Goldhaber sees a committed gang of activists intent on blowing up a pipeline in Texas.
- [Canal Boat Diaries: have a plan, even if it doesn’t work out](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/tv/canal-boat-diaries-have-a-plan-even-if-it-doesnt-work-out/) - Hard ice and burning fire. Turgid rivers and distant cities. Solitude and unpeopled space.
- [An Ocean of Forests](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/an-ocean-of-forests/) - To celebrate National Poetry Month, Shirley Martin leads us on a pensive journey across the water.
- [Loughborough climate activists have picketed their MP’s office for almost two years: part two](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/loughborough-climate-activists-have-picketed-their-mps-office-for-almost-two-years-part-two/) - In the second part of Joshua Thory-Rao’s report, the political implications of the Loughborough Climate Vigil are discussed.
- [Extinction Rebellion – making a nuisance or making a difference?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/extinction-rebellion-making-a-nuisance-or-making-a-difference/) - Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil have attracted a lot of criticism for the tactics they have used to draw attention to the climate crisis.
- [Longton trader sentenced after selling vapes to children, as government launches crackdown](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/longton-trader-sentenced-after-selling-vapes-to-children/) - A Longton vape shop owner was sentenced for selling vapes to children after a North Staffordshire Justice Centre trial earlier this month.
- [Time Team makes an important discovery in Shropshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/time-team-makes-an-important-discovery-in-shropshire/) - Time Team returns to fans' delight – with University of Chester professor leading the hunt for a Knights' Hospitallers preceptory at Halston Hall in Shropshire
- [Climate pledges are crucial to mitigating UK’s future flood risk](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/climate-pledges-are-crucial-to-mitigating-uks-future-flood-risk/) - Annual damage caused by flooding in the UK could increase by more than a fifth as a result of global warming unless all international pledges to reduce carbon emissions are met.
- [Hay fever: why some people suffer from it and others don’t](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/hay-fever-why-some-people-suffer-from-it-and-others-dont/) - Our genetics, immune systems and conditions in the environment around us can all play a role in susceptibility to hay fever.
- [From secret war to Blue Nun](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/from-secret-war-to-blue-nun/) - Professor David Childs continues his memoirs with a World War II story of a film and meeting its hero, Peter Sichel.
- [What’s in a name?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/whats-in-a-name/) - Ian Kirke explores how our given names have an effect on our lives.
- [BBC Question Time: perspectives on panel, audience and question selection bias](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/bbc-question-time-perspectives-on-panel-audience-and-question-selection-bias/) - The BBC has come under criticism for its political debate programmes Question Time and Any Questions. Three authors explore the issues of bias.
- [Cancer change of plan – England sets out to be different](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/cancer-change-of-plan-england-sets-out-to-be-different/) - The government’s proposed new plan for major conditions healthcare may lead to more deaths from cancer.
- [Jonathan Gullis: an obituary of a short political career](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/jonathan-gullis-an-obituary-of-a-short-political-career/) - The Rev Anton Mittens provides a thoughtful obituary for the political career of Stoke-on-Trent North MP, Jonathan Gullis.
- [Bravo Mr Johnson, Nice to See You; To See You Not Nice](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/bravo-mr-johnson-nice-to-see-you-to-see-you-not-nice/) - Shirley Martins reacts to Boris Johnson 'giving evidence' on the partygate scandal.
- [Lincoln Christmas Market is cancelled](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/festivals/lincoln-christmas-market-is-cancelled/) - Lincoln Christmas Market, the forerunner of similar events across the UK, has become a victim of its own success
- [Starmer could regret continuing his war on the left](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/starmer-could-regret-continuing-his-war-on-the-left/) - Will Keir Starmer’s war against the left wing of his party prove damaging to Labour’s chance of victory at the next election?
- [United in purpose; divided in fear](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/united-in-purpose-divided-in-fear/) - The European Movement elections are an opportunity to heal divisions in the organisation and lay the ground for its much needed campaigns.
- [Casey review: key steps the Met police must take to address its institutional racism and sexism](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/casey-review-key-steps-the-met-police-must-take/) - The casey review of the Met police indicates institutional racism and sexism.
- [Coventry couple reflect on new campaign that reveals how dementia tests the ultimate vow of ‘in sickness and in health’](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/coventry-couple-reflect-on-new-dementia-campaign/) - “After the initial shock, we soon realised that we couldn’t beat it, or cure it, but mutually decided we wouldn’t let it damage our relationship”
- [The power of community action: Supreme Court victory for Greenfields](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/the-power-of-community-action-supreme-court-victory-for-greenfields/) - A Shrewsbury community group has achieved a landmark victory in the Supreme Court.
- [Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: Helen’s story](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/ovarian-cancer-awareness-month-helens-story/) - I knew nothing about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, but we all need to know them.
- [Brexit: a very British Greek tragedy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-a-very-british-greek-tragedy/) - Even previous leave voters now agree that Brexit has been a tragedy for Britain, almost on a par with the epic myths of destruction from Ancient Greece.
- [This Writer’s life: a diary. Part 16: Bazaar](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-16-bazaar/) - In this sixteenth instalment of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli looks back on a visit to a bazaar in Esfahan, Iran.
- [Beware the Jabberwock! Fossil fuel pension protest planned in Matlock](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/beware-the-jabberwock-fossil-fuel-pension-protest-planned-in-matlock/) - A giant oil monster will perform an oil-themed Jabberwocky in Matlock on Wednesday 22 March, to mark National Divestment Day.
- [Birmingham School first in class with International Child Press](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/education/birmingham-school-first-in-class-with-international-child-press/) - Woodthorpe School in King’s Heath, Birmingham becomes the first in the UK to publish children’s press and media work as part of International Child Press.
- [Did You Enjoy Your Swim Prime Minister?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/did-you-enjoy-your-swim-prime-minister/) - I like swimming Splash, splash, splash!
- [Outrage at controversial TV star Katie Hopkins’ planned tour dates in Stafford and Stamford](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/outrage-at-controversial-tv-star-katie-hopkins-planned-tour-dates-in-stafford-and-stamford/) - As Katie Hopkins prepares to tour towns in our region next year, people in Stafford and Stamford are making it clear that she isn’t welcome.
- [To a Turnip](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/to-a-turnip/) - Don't you just love turnips?
- [Hearts and minds are moving on Brexit](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/hearts-and-minds-are-moving-on-brexit/) - A recent Stratford4Europe street stall in Stratford-upon-Avon shows that people are changing their mind about the benefits of EU law in England.
- [Did Stan Cullis pave the way for Gary Lineker?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/did-stan-cullis-pave-way-for-gary-lineker/) - Gary Lineker is not the first sports person to be cancelled for speaking from his conscience, footballer Stan Cullis paved the way in the 1930s
- [We only old (A fogey rap)](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/we-only-old-a-fogey-rap/) - Only old, not out of date
- [Will Gary Lineker get his first red card? Not if we have anything to do with it.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/will-gary-lineker-get-his-first-red-card-not-if-we-have-anything-to-do-with-it/) - The BBC Match of the Day presenter, Gary Lineker, is determined to continue to speak out about the government’s immigration policy.
- [A UKIP tail still wags the Conservative dog](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/a-ukip-tail-still-wags-the-conservative-dog/) - Those now discussing how to clear up the Brexit mess should prepare for things to get worse before they are in a position to make them better
- [Illegal immigration bill does more than ‘push the boundaries’ of international law](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/illegal-immigration-bill-does-more-than-push-the-boundaries-of-international-law/) - The UK Government has plans to change the law, so they can remove asylum seekers without giving them a chance to be granted asylum, even if this plan contravenes with International law.
- [Two women trailblazers from West Midlands win national award](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/two-women-trailblazers-from-west-midlands-win-national-award/) - These West Midlands women entrepreneurs are amongst this year's 50 winners of Innovate UK's Women in Innovation Awards
- [Menopause matters](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/menopause-matters/) - For International Women’s Day, we compare the two main parties’ contrasting approaches to supporting menopausal women in the workplace.
- [Save Our Rivers campaign](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/save-our-rivers-campaign/) - Only 14% of England’s rivers can be classified as having a ‘good’ ecological status. Without action, that figure will drop to just 6% by 2027. It’s time to Save Our Rivers.
- [Tree-mendous: barrister protests illegal destruction of iconic Wellingborough trees](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/tree-mendous-barrister-protests-illegal-destruction-of-iconic-wellingborough-trees/) - Rights of nature and climate activist, barrister Paul Powesland climbs a tree to protest against the destruction of protected Wellingborough Walks trees.
- [This writer’s life: a diary. Part 15: getting old](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-15-getting-old/) - In this fifteenth instalment of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli ponders the benefits and disadvantages of growing older.
- [Warwick University plans world class ‘Innovation Campus’](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/warwick-university-plans-world-class-innovation-campus/) - Warwick University looks to the future with an ambitious development plan
- [Wine with a hero of Malta – Dom Mintoff](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/wine-with-a-hero-of-malta-dom-mintoff/) - Professor David Childs continues his reminiscences with his story of meeting Dom Mintoff, the ex-prime minister of Malta.
- [The day you go to Mars](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/the-day-you-go-to-mars/) - What is it about these money-makers Profiteering like Vanity Fair Is it something to do with the dream of Mars And their hope to settle there?
- [Open letter to the Today programme](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/open-letter-to-the-today-programme/) - Mike Cashman queries his ejection from the BBC before the Today programme debate.
- [Bus ticket prices should be cut](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/transport/bus-ticket-prices-should-be-cut/) - Greens call for bus ticket prices to be cut to a pound as services continue to shrink
- [The Lyme wars](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-lyme-wars/) - Lyme disease can be hard to diagnose, and if untreated for some time, patients may suffer chronic symptoms, known as post treatment Lyme disease syndrome.
- [Government action endangers bees with approval of pesticide use](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/government-action-endangers-bees-with-approval-of-pesticide-use/) - Pesticides don’t just affect pests, they affect bees too – the approval of a pesticide from the government is a backstep in bees' safety
- [Finding a long-term solution to the energy crisis in West Bromwich](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/finding-a-long-term-solution-to-the-energy-crisis-in-west-bromwich/) - Jamie Sims looks at potential long-term solutions for the energy crisis, how the crisis is impacting West Bromwich and what local campaigns are doing to help
- [Up them bike sheds](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/up-them-bike-sheds/) - Capstan Woodbine or Park Drive, you’ll feel good to be alive. Senior Service, Player’s Weights up them bike sheds with me mates. This is how we got our fix, smokin’ Player’s Number Six. Up them bike sheds with no bike. Camel, Marlborough, Lucky Strike. Embassy or Craven A, growin’ up the easy way. Rothman’s King
- [Nine Just Stop Oil protesters hear “You should feel guilty for nothing” from judge.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/nine-just-stop-oil-protesters-hear-you-should-feel-guilty-for-nothing-from-judge/) - A Judge sentences Just Stop Oil supporters but says they have done nothing to feel guilty about.
- [Everything’s more brutal than it used to be](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/everythings-more-brutal-than-it-used-to-be/) - Everything is more brutal than it used to be
- [These strikes are just the beginning of the fight for our rights](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/these-strikes-are-just-the-beginning-of-the-fight-for-our-rights/) - A discussion of how the government’s proposed anti-strike legislation is an assault on worker’s rights and how strikers and key figures feel about it
- [Rewilding in Gloucestershire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/rewilding-in-gloucestershire/) - The University of Gloucester has been awarded £40,000 for a new research project aimed at improving the wellbeing of urban communities
- [Sometimes I think I don’t know suffering at all](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/sometimes-i-think-i-dont-know-suffering-at-all/) - Depression since God knows when, a fight life long
- [Birmingham City Council's route to zero annual report](https://centralbylines.co.uk/letters-to-the-editor/birmingham-city-councils-route-to-zero-annual-report/) - A letter to Birmingham City Council from Birmingham Friends of the Earth to call for them to implement a recycling plan
- [Voter ID: a gated democracy](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/voter-id-a-gated-democracy/) - Fears that new Voter ID legislation will lead to disadvantaged communities being disproportionally affected
- [The Rwanda policy and Madagascar](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/the-rwanda-policy-and-madagascar/) - Mike Stafford compares the Rwanda policy to one used by the Third Reich for deporting people to Madagascar.
- [COP 26 and the rise of green politics](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/cop-26-and-the-rise-of-green-politics/) - With COP 26 climate change is firmly on the political agenda and it won’t be allowed to go away. Green politics is on the rise.
- [How do you vote? Let me count the ways](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/how-do-you-vote-let-me-count-the-ways/) - New voter ID requirements mean a risk of mayhem at the polling stations, during May’s local elections. Here’s how to avoid it.
- [Heating Earth drives more extreme weather](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/heating-earth-drives-more-extreme-weather/) - NASA is firmly focussed on looking at our own planet’s environment and how it can alert and help save humanity from the ravages of climate change
- [The Cotswolds has lost out since we left the EU](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/the-cotswolds-has-lost-out-since-we-left-the-eu/) - There are no advantages to Brexit. Ann Holland looks back on how our decision to leave the EU has affected the Cotswolds and the rest of the country.
- [A brilliant idea](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/a-brilliant-idea/) - A poem about a brilliant idea.
- [Say hello, wave goodbye](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/say-hello-wave-goodbye/) - A steady trickle of MPs have announced that they will not be standing at the next general election – how does this affect the Midlands region?
- [UK runs aground in Brexit's murky fog](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/uk-runs-aground-in-brexits-murky-fog/) - A new poll to mark the third anniversary of the UK leaving the EU has suggested most voters think voting for Brexit in the 2016 referendum was now a mistake
- [Has the Online Safety Bill been taken over by those that hate migrants?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/has-the-online-safety-bill-been-taken-over-by-those-that-hate-migrants/) - Will our government use the Online Safety Bill to turn up its attacks on migrants rather than solve the problems, many of which are of its own making?
- [The US and the Holocaust](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/the-us-and-the-holocaust/) - A new documentary series by the legendary filmmaker Ken Burns sheds new light on the idea that America is a country that welcomes immigrants.
- [There’s something about Nadine - Update](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/theres-something-about-nadine-update/) - On the day Nadine takes up her new role at TalkTV, we thought we would remind you of some of her sterling work.
- [Two-minute timer](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/two-minute-timer/) - Lynda Tavakoli’s first experience of going through a radiotherapy session.
- [International Holocaust Remembrance Day](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/international-holocaust-remembrance-day/) - In the latest piece for her diary, Ann Holland reflects on International Holocaust Remembrance Day
- [Just when you think you’ve heard it all, the Tory Party find a new low](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/just-when-you-think-youve-heard-it-all-the-tory-party-find-a-new-low/) - It takes a lot for a Tory MP to shock me these days such is the cesspit of hate their party has become but Jonathan Gullis MP has managed just that
- [Burslem indoor market secures Grade 2 listed status](https://centralbylines.co.uk/business/burslem-indoor-market-secures-grade-2-listed-status/) - Is Grade 2 status enough to protect Burslem’s historic indoor market? Adam Colclough goes over some of the history behind the abandoned hall.
- [“Tell her to take a running jump…”: encounters with Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/tell-her-to-take-a-running-jump-encounters-with-peter-otoole-and-omar-sharif/) - Professor David Childs tells the story of two encounters with Peter O’Toole, one involving a raffle prize mix-up in Nottingham.
- [Brexit and the Ukraine invasion: the public response](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-and-the-ukraine-invasion-the-public-response/) - It might seem absurd to attempt a comparison of Brexit and the invasion of Ukraine, but there are similarities in how the citizens of each country reacted to the situation.
- [Testament to Lincolnshire](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/testament-to-lincolnshire/) - Lincolnshire comes under the literary spotlight in an evocative book about landscapes and wildlife, alongside reflections on its history, countryside and people
- [Are Conservative MPs greenwashing their hands of their own party?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/are-conservative-mps-greenwashing-their-hands-of-their-own-party/) - Conservative MP for High Peak, Robert Largan has found himself at the centre of a social media storm, accused of greenwashing his image.
- [Thank you, Rabbi Jacobi](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/thank-you-rabbi-jacobi/) - Coinciding with Holocaust Memorial Day, after 28 years, Rabbi Margaret Jacobi will be retiring from her role at Birmingham Progressive Synagogue.
- [Galanthus](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/galanthus/) - A poem about the changing seasons and new life emerging.
- [Guzzgog Pie](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/guzzgog-pie/) - The latest poem from A B Wyze
- [Actress Vicky McClure joins 3,300 people across East Midlands demanding the government make dementia a priority](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/make-dementia-a-priority/) - An open letter was delivered to prime minister Rishi Sunak today, with more than 3,300 people across the East Midlands supporting the cause.
- [Ruin](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/ruin/) - A poem written in response to the start of the Ukraine war, and yet is still relevant now
- [Children bring Christmas joy to the residents of a local care home](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/children-bring-christmas-joy-to-the-residents-of-a-local-care-home/) - Seeing children and the elderly enjoying each other’s company really brings home the true spirit of Christmas
- [Stoke council launches consultation on budget cuts and higher bills for households](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/stoke-council-launches-consultation-on-budget-cuts-and-higher-bills-for-households/) - Adam Colclough looks at the how Stoke-on-Trent is preparing for the coming financial year
- [Are dogs left- or right-handed? What the science says](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/are-dogs-left-or-right-handed/) - Deborah Wells investigates if 'handedness' is unique to humans, or could animals display it as well?
- [Taking control of “taking back control”](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/taking-control-of-taking-back-control/) - Sydney Nash considers the implications of Keir Starmer’s recent policy speech
- [Spared](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/spared/) - Be thankful you were spared – a poem
- [The King’s Christmas Broadcast](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/the-kings-christmas-broadcast/) - Did King Charles’ first Christmas broadcast signal the passing of Christianity as the established faith of the nation?
- [One day in January](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/one-day-in-january/) - Lynda Tavakoli looks back on a day that changed her life
- [An encounter with Margaret Thatcher, when she was lost for words (for a few seconds)](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/an-encounter-with-margaret-thatcher-when-she-was-lost-for-words-for-a-few-seconds/) - An encounter with Margaret Thatcher in 1970 revealed her true ideology.
- [Politics needs more nomads: discuss](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/politics-needs-more-nomads-discuss/) - Are local candidates best placed to serve as constituency MPs? It’s a question worth pondering.
- [Rail firm paid shareholders £500m before asking workers to take wage cut.](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/transport/rail-firm-paid-shareholders-500m-before-asking-workers-to-take-wage-cut/) - CEOs of the six biggest train companies took home a combined salary of more than £5m in 2020
- [Hitler, General Speidel and Rudolf Hess: plots and speculations](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/history/hitler-general-speidel-and-rudolf-hess-plots-and-speculations/) - Professor David Childs details General Speidel’s plot against Hitler and speculates whether Rudolf Hess died from suicide or murder
- [Icicle Bicycle](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/icicle-bicycle/) - Jack Frost is riding an icicle bicycle painting the planet throughout this dark night.
- [Is your hospital or GP surgery about to fall down?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/is-your-hospital-or-gp-surgery-about-to-fall-down/) - Decades of under-investment in NHS infrastructure and IT systems is putting patients’ lives at risk
- [March of the Mummies](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/march-of-the-mummies/) - 15,000+ angry parents across the country protested about the financial impossibility of raising children and pursuing a career in the UK
- [Hi-tech Mars system helps identify leaky underground pipes on Earth](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/environment/hi-tech-mars-system-helps-identify-leaky-underground-pipes-on-earth/) - Anglian Water is deploying the latest space technology to help it get to grips with the problem of how to detect leaky underground water pipes
- [Leek – the French connection](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/leek-the-french-connection/) - Leek is a strange place therefore to find a plaque “To the memory of sons of France” but the connections go back to Napoleonic times.
- [Bridgetown’s third Living Advent Calendar](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/west-midlands/bridgetowns-third-living-advent-calendar/) - A seasonal community arts project allows people to explore and express their creativity, without fear of judgement.
- [Memories of Ischia](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/memories-of-ischia/) - Climate change, illegal building and deforestation lead to catastrophe, after flash floods on Ischia.
- [Newcastle-under-Lyme council unveils plans to celebrate the town’s 850th anniversary in 2023](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/newcastle-under-lyme-council-unveils-plans-to-celebrate-the-towns-850th-anniversary-in-2023/) - Newcastle-under-Lyme was granted its royal charter in 1173. The borough council is planning a raft of inclusive and engaging events to mark the town’s 850th anniversary.
- [Little shrew](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/little-shrew/) - Lynda Tavakoli reminisces on memories and the demise of an injured shrew.
- [Twitter is dead. Long live Twitter](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/twitter-is-dead-long-live-twitter/) - Can Twitter survive either Musk’s management or the mass exit of users he has caused?
- [Where will it end?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/where-will-it-end/) - Ann Holland deplores the effect that twelve years of Conservative government has had on our country.
- [This Writer’s Life: a diary. Part 14: Christmas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/this-writers-life-a-diary-part-14-christmas/) - In this fourteenth instalment of her diary, Lynda Tavakoli muses on some nostalgic Christmas memories she had with her family over the years.
- [Wordsearch – Queen Elizabeth II's fifteen prime ministers](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-games/queen-elizabeth-iis-fifteen-prime-ministers/) - Find the names of the fifteen UK prime ministers that served during Queen Elizabeth II's reign
- [Police warn fans to leave the kick off to the professionals as the World Cup starts](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/police-warn-fans-to-leave-the-kick-off-to-the-professionals-as-the-world-cup-starts/) - Staffordshire Police are keeping an eye on the local area to ensure football fans are safe and able to enjoy the World Cup game safely
- [Where have all the flowers gone?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/where-have-all-the-flowers-gone/) - A successful new distillery in the Cotswolds has led to a big increase in heavy traffic through Ann Holland’s Cotswold village
- [People in Stoke-on-Trent are worried about keeping warm this Winter](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/people-in-stoke-on-trent-are-worried-about-keeping-warm-this-winter/) - Warm This Winter began their campaign to improve fuel poverty awareness – several people in Stoke-on-Trent are struggling to stay warm already this Winter
- [Observing Christian faith](https://centralbylines.co.uk/opinion/observing-christian-faith/) - The decline in church attendance has been inexorable over recent years and statistics from ONS shows that those observing Christian faith is now less than 50%
- [The big C… and you?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/the-big-c-and-you/) - One in two people in the UK will get cancer in their lifetime. Both the pandemic and Brexit have had detrimental effects on the NHS’s capacity to diagnose and treat it.
- [Christmas Passover](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/christmas-passover/) - What he's doing just cannot be right. He is cleaning his car, shiny bright.
- [Struggling families to get food vouchers at Christmas](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/struggling-families-to-get-food-vouchers-at-christmas/) - As part of a Winter support package, families struggling in Stoke-on-Trent are to be given food vouchers to support them during Christmas
- [Tolerance – a new approach to cancer care](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/tolerance-a-new-approach-to-cancer-care/) - Drug developers are taking steps to reduce toxicity and increase tolerability of new drugs, which alongside greater effectiveness means that the new drugs coming into clinics are easier for the patient to take
- [Stoke Council creates welcoming spaces to offer warmth, connection, and community](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/stoke-council-creates-welcoming-spaces-to-offer-warmth-connection-and-community/) - In Stoke-on-Trent a community has come together to provide support during the cost-of-living crisis as part of the Stronger Together Through Winter initiative
- [The #No2NoDeal Campaign](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/the-no2nodeal-campaign/) - ShareEmailTwitterFacebook When the East Midlands Bylines team heard there was to be a ‘No 2 No Deal’ action day on Thursday 8 October we decided to find out more. After all, the polls make it quite clear that only a very small minority of people, regardless of how they voted in 2016, want to leave
- [White feathers for cowardly MPs](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/white-feathers-for-tory-cowardice/) - Anna Girolami and Garry Lawrence report on the rise of the White Feather Project for cowardly MPs.
- [East Mids MPs won't help hungry children](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/east-midlands/east-mids-mps-wont-help-hungry-children/) - Central Bylines compiles a list of all the East Midlands MPs who voted against free school meals for vulnerable children.
- [A lawyer with courage: an interview with Lady Hale](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/a-lawyer-with-courage-an-interview-with-lady-hale/) - Carolyn Thornborow attended an online interview with Lady Hale about courage.
- [Kent: what lorry parks tell us about Brexit](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/uk/kexit-what-lorry-parks-tell-us-about-brexit/) - Recent weeks have seen a flurry of bad news for those in Kent on how Brexit will affect the county: queues at the border and permits.
- [Delay in gambling reforms is causing more deaths](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/delay-in-gambling-reforms-is-causing-more-deaths/) - The government is expected to publish the White Paper at some point but campaigners are worried that the promised reforms will fall short
- [Wanda](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/wanda/) - A new adventure in verse from AB Wyze
- [What it does to you](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/what-it-does-to-you/) - A poem about trolling
- [Birmingham remembers those affected by AIDS/HIV with a stunning memorial](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/health/birmingham-remembers-those-affected-by-aids-hiv-with-a-stunning-memorial/) - A stunning memorial will be unveiled outside the Hippodrome Theatre, Birmingham on 1 December 2022 to remember all those affected by AIDS/HIV
- [The staff strikes at Staffordshire and Keele universities](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/the-staff-strikes-at-staffordshire-and-keele-universities/) - “I’m working a 35 hour week for 18 hours wages” says young academic on the UCU picket line
- [Joyce’s Quiz: On the way to raising £250,000](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/world/humaninterest/joyces-quiz-on-the-way-to-raising-250000/) - Joyce Rothschild has been raising money with her quiz for over a quarter of a century and is now set to top £250,000 in total donations
- [On election standby: A conversation with Dr Adam Thompson](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/on-election-standby-a-conversation-with-dr-adam-thompson/) - Jenny Kartupelis catches up with Dr Adam Thompson, Labour candidate for the Erewash constituency.
- [Last week's Autumn Statement](https://centralbylines.co.uk/region/a-cotswold-diary/last-weeks-autumn-statement/) - Ann Holland highlights the most interesting commentary about last week’s Autumn Statement.
- [The song of Robin Hood](https://centralbylines.co.uk/lifestyle/poetry/the-song-of-robin-hood/) - AB Wyze reflects on the circular economics of Robin Hood
- [The BBC has been around for a century but are its days numbered?](https://centralbylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/the-bbc-has-been-around-for-a-century-but-are-its-days-numbered/) - The BBC recently had its 100th birthday but the BBC’s future is uncertain with the proposed local radio cuts
- [Brexit: the elephant is now visible in the room](https://centralbylines.co.uk/politics/brexit-the-elephant-is-now-visible-in-the-room/) - At long last, the UK is waking up to Brexit reality. ‘What happens now?’ asks Richard Hall

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- [About us](https://centralbylines.co.uk/about-us/) - Central Bylines is a not-for-profit regional online newspaper that supports citizen journalism. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in Central and beyond. In doing so, we seek to demonstrate democracy in action by giving a voice to local people and holding our elected representatives
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- [The Largan List](https://centralbylines.co.uk/largan-list/) - Welcome to The Largan List - our rolling record of the slips, trips and mishaps that seem, so very often, to befall our East Midlands MPs. Think of it as their blooper reel, if you will. Here at Central Bylines, we are unashamedly partisan so we will be predominantly focussing on our own MPs. However,
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- [Back Editions](https://centralbylines.co.uk/back-issues/) - On the 26th February 2021 East Midlands combined with the new West Midlands group to create Central Bylines. Central Bylines Editions 2021-2022: Launch Edition - 26th February 2021Second Edition - 12th March 2021Third Edition - 1st April 2021Fourth Edition - 16th April 2021Fifth Edition - 7th May 2021Sixth Edition - 22nd May 2021Seventh Edition -
- [Seventeenth Edition 29th January 2022](https://centralbylines.co.uk/seventeenth-edition-29th-january-2022/) - Is the NHS overwhelmed? Jake’s last Friday on Earth June Roche Latest Should all the party people resign? Mark Cunliffe Mallard Pass Solar Plant: who benefits? Jo Carr The Hillsborough disaster and the Sheldon Tapestries Ann C Holland The government is doing massive damage to farming Richard Hall Art in the Park Mark Cunliffe A
- [Sixteenth Edition 31st December Looking back on 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/sixteenth-edition-31st-december-looking-back-on-2021/) - The UK is now a third country – Britain’s supply chain crisis David Letts Latest Out of line – EMR axes local train services Matt Turpin North Shropshire is just the beginning, of the end Jack Dart Nightingale hospitals – just sheds full of beds Anna Girolami LGBT+ community protest against homophobic attacks in Birmingham
- [Boxing Day Special Edition 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/boxing-day-special-edition-2021/) - Is The Party Over For Johnson? Mark Cunliffe Join our mailing list [yikes-mailchimp form="2"] Latest EU Citizens face dysfunctional settlement scheme Alec Herron Those who live in squalor Ann C Holland Is China the enemy? Ann C Holland Exactly what does “Next” mean for E.on? Bryan Manley-Green Twas the Time Before Recess. Richard Hall What
- [Fourteenth Edition 14th December 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/fourteenth-edition-14th-december-2021/) - The Elections Bill is messing with EU citizens’ right to vote Horn Arnarsdottir Latest We need to talk about the rule of law John Cotter How Brexit is going: Returning to the streets of Hanley Liz Baker Avian flu spreads across the Midlands Anna Girolami Cancer Research Cold Water Challenge Cate Earnshaw Dudley The truth
- [Thirteenth Edition 26th November 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/twelth-edition-20th-october-2021/) - When the government gambles we are left to pay the price Sydney Nash Latest It’s not easy being green Meg Gain Whatever happened to integrity and ethics: is there a conflict of interest with MPs second jobs? John Bland West Midlands: GKN’s Erdington plant to close Anna Girolami We need to talk about cows, carbon
- [Twelfth Edition 26th October 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/twelfth-edition-26th-october-2021/) - For Argument’s Sake: Taking Dominic Cummings’ Tweets Seriously John Cotter Latest Clutching at straws: has there been an increase in wages for the poor? Edward Cartwright Postcards from Brighton shore: a party member at the Labour conference Ann C Holland Brexit bingo: Operation Yellowhammer’s full house Anna Girolami Black History: an ever-present aspect of British
- [Anniversary Edition 23rd September 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/anniversary-edition-23rd-september-2021/) - Central Bylines: The heart of the matter Andy Nash Latest Can a Trumpian Candidate Win the US Presidency in 2024? Scott Weigle Shit creek – Britain’s supply chain crisis is polluting our rivers Anna Girolami Being human: remembering Professor Hans Eysenck Clark Renney Back to school – dangerous threats, creative opportunities Richard Hall Those were
- [Tenth Edition 27th August 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/tenth-edition-26th-august-2021/) - The Death of ‘Global’ Britain Richard Hall The UK is now a third country – Britain’s supply chain crisis David Letts Latest Untangling the U.S. Senate filibuster: Part 2 Scott Weigle The heart of village life in the Stour Valley Ann C Holland Levelling up the Red Wall – how’s that going then? Anna Girolami
- [Ninth Edition 5th August 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/ninth-edition-5th-august-2021/) - Untangling the U.S. Senate filibuster: Part 1 Scott Weigle Latest Where have all the HGV drivers gone? Anna Girolami Ask Sir John Hayes where the fruit and veg have gone? Richard Hall For those in peril on the sea: the Seafarers Centres Ann C Holland F1 sponsor to deliver a loss to Towcester? Ann C
- [Eighth Edition 9th July 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/eighth-edition-9th-july-2021/) - Leave peat where it belongs – in the ground MJ Kellman Latest The death of Dalian Atkinson – manslaughter verdict Anna Girolami How Britain Lost Its Weigh Bryan Manley-Green Book Review Dogged review Jimmy Andrex 2021 NBA Playoff – A change of scenery John Tenido Brexit and our British identity John King The Lost Opportunities
- [Seventh Edition 16th June 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/seventh-edition-16th-june-2021/) - Breaking news or broken news? Bryan Manley-Green Latest ‘Britain’s ongoing relationship with racism’ Joel Bates Tackling climate change and loss of nature via the Commitments of Derby & West Midlands citizens Dan Greenwood Review: James O’Brien, How not to be wrong Jayson Winters Euro 2021 – it’s war (minus the shooting) Richard Hall Turning the
- [Sixth Edition 22nd May 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/sixth-edition-22nd-may-2021/) - Midlands farming sold out: ‘it’s crass and it’s wrong’ Simon Ferrigno Latest “IDAHOBIT” day: progress for LGBT+ rights stalls Bryan Manley-Green The Midlands After Brexit Cliff Mitchell A Union disunited? James Lindsay Safety first Anna Girolami Boris's culture war Stephen Wilmot Central Bylines ‘rona round up Anna Girolami Covid-19 cases rising in East Midlands Anna
- [Fifth edition 7th May 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/fifth-edition-7th-may-2021/) - Amen, Amen, it’s Eurovision time! Bryan Manley-Green Latest Carrie Antoinette’s Dead Cat Diary Central Bylines Team Reading the room: the European Super League fiasco Richard Hall Liberation through libation: why pubs underpin radicalism Matt Turpin Not so super now Tom Pratt The Lost Opportunities List Cliff Mitchell The downgrading of our right to protest Central
- [Fourth edition 16th April 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/fourth-edition-16th-april-2021-new-articles-added-regularly/) - Adapting to life as a business in a third country: Aztec Oils Simon Ferrigno Yes, we have no bananas Richard Hall Latest European Movement Conference: 27th March 2021 Kate Warsop Latest News Lamport Hall lambasted over lack of payment Anna Girolami A threat to treasured rights Jenny Kartupelis Currie Purdah Anna Girolami ‘Extreme hoarders –
- [East Midlands Fourth edition 21 November 2020](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-fourth-edition-21-november-2020/) - Dear Prime Minister Cath Moss 17 November 2020 Robert Jenrick – a Perfectly Normal Cabinet Minister Anna Girolami 12 November 2020 Whatever happened to the Norway option? Carol Weaver 15 November 2020 Ashfield deserves better than Lee Anderson Anna Girolami 19 November 2020 No place to be – my country has ‘ceased to exist’ Stephen
- [Third edition 1st April 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/third-edition-1st-april-2021/) - The conversation men should have with each other Simon Ferrigno The Commitment – How a Derby based initiative aims to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss Ruth Marshall Latest Remembrance of Empires Past John King Changes to EU citizens’ rights should concern us all Mark Vaughan Home Office hubris, hulks and cutting off your nose
- [Second edition 12th March 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/second-edition-12th-march-2021/) - The End of the Line? Richard Hall 8 March 2021: International Women’s Day – Janet Lane-Claypon, Lincolnshire’s public health pioneer Anna Girolami Latest Mr Drake goes to Siberia part 4: in Ekaterinburg with the new Russian army Carolyn Thornborow Why the Electoral Reform Movement Needs Nigel Farage Stewart Tolley There’s something about Nadine Anna Girolami
- [Launch edition 26th February 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/launch-edition-26th-february-2021/) - Æthelflæd – our lady, from Lincoln to Ledbury Anna Girolami Latest Coothie Row Shirley Martin LGBT+ History Month: More relevant than ever Bryan Manley-Green Bamford’s Brexit donations leave more questions than answers Sam Chandler East Midlands MPs pushing for new coal mine EM Bylines Team Mr Drake goes to Siberia: Part 3 in Omsk Carolyn
- [East Midlands Eighth edition 12 February 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-eighth-edition-12-february-2021/) - JD Sports: “Brexit is considerably worse than expected.” Anna Girolami 12 February 2021 Latest Latest news: Covid-19 cases rising again in the East Midlands Anna Girolami 8 February 2021 Small businesses in the East Midlands hit hard by Brexit trade barriers Hania Orszulik 9 February 2021 An evening with Dominic Grieve George Smid 10 February
- [East Midlands Seventh edition 22 January 2021](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-seventh-edition-22-january-2021/) - Robert Largan MP’s voting record: the whole truth EM Bylines Team 21 January 2021 Latest I will not hesitate Shirley Martin 19 January 2021 Quiz: Nero or Johnson? EM Bylines Team 20 January 2021 The need for action is now MJ Kellman 16 January 2021 Free school meals Anna Girolami 12 January 2021 Post-transition travails
- [Boxing-Day-Special-Edition](https://centralbylines.co.uk/boxing-day-special-edition/) - Remaining optimistic in Rutland despite a sticky wicket for farming! Andrew Brown 21 December 2020 British overseas aid: cutting off our nose to spite our face? Janet Boucher 13 December 2020 Latest Blood on their hands Anna Girolami 17 December 2020 The Excluded – 3 million UK taxpayers EM Bylines Team 20 December 2020 Local
- [East Midlands Fifth Edition 11th December 2020](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-fifth-edition-11th-december-2020/) - Could a Dad’s Army government do more for farmers? Andrew Brown 9 December 2020 Nightingale hospitals – just sheds full of beds Anna Girolami 3 December 2020 Latest From zero to hero Anna Girolami 23 November 2020 Settled status – help needed Carolyn Brown 6 December 2020 Open letter to East Midlands MPs Hania Orszulik
- [East Midlands Bylines Launch edition                                   25 September 2020](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-launch-edition-25-september-2020/) - Failing farming George Smid, Lisa Brewin, Andrew Brown 21 September 2020 Populists, libertarians, kleptocrats … and where to find them Carol Weaver 21 September 2020 Time to get extradition right Stewart Tolley 21 September 2020 Local media matters David Rae 23 September 2020 Leicester, Xinjiang Simon Ferrigno 24 September 2020 Feeling unsettled Carolyn Brown 22
- [East Midlands  Third edition 30 October 2020](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-third-edition-30-october-2020/) - Covid-19: nothing new under the sun Philip Thornborow 21 October 2020 Farmers feel abandoned by the Tories Phil Bennion 28 October 2020 Join our mailing list Blue wall rebellion begins as East Midlands MPs back Northern Research Group Reece Stafferton 27 October 2020 Kexit: what lorry parks tell us about Brexit Edward Cartwright 26 October
- [East Midlands Second edition 16 October 2020](https://centralbylines.co.uk/east-midlands-second-edition-16-10-20/) - HS2: Is your train delayed indefinitely? David Rae 12 October 2020 White feathers for cowardly MPs Anna Girolami & Garry Lawrence 13 October 2020 Hopelessly hooked Richard Parker 10 October 2020 Can we ever agree on Brexit? George Smid 14 October 2020 Rules of origin and the last Brexit straw Carol Weaver 3 October 2020

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