Tag Archives: United Kingdom

01Nov/22

From QAnon to The Sandman: how demons found a place in popular culture

Zohar Hadromi Allouche, Trinity College Dublin and S. Jonathon O’Donnell, Queen’s University Belfast

In western culture today, demons exist as something of a paradox. Religious belief in them is often presented as marginal. Many mainstream Christian denominations are silent or give them little prominence.

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01Nov/22

70 years of data suggest the Conservatives will suffer a big defeat at the next election – here’s how I worked it out

Paul Whiteley, University of Essex

With the UK’s new prime minister in office, it looks like the political turmoil of the last few months is likely to ease, at least for the time being. Rishi Sunak and his fellow MPs must put their political differences aside to focus on stabilising the economy and calming financial markets. But Sunak will of course have one eye on the next election, which he must call before January 2025.

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25Oct/22

It matters that Rishi Sunak has become the UK’s first prime minister of Indian descent

Parveen Akhtar, Aston University

Following his uncontested run at the top job, Rishi Sunak acquires the less-than-coveted title of second successive un-elected British prime minister to take office in 2022. However, coming from Punjabi heritage, he also takes on the more esteemed title of the nation’s first British Asian leader.

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25Oct/22

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: who is he and how did he end up with the top job in British politics?

Victoria Honeyman, University of Leeds

When Rishi Sunak lost to Liz Truss in the first Conservative Party leadership race of 2022, few were surprised. Many of the people given the chance to choose between the two candidates blamed Sunak for Boris Johnson’s downfall. They also preferred Truss’s “optimistic” economic policies to Sunak’s sombre assessment of the fiscal outlook. Where she promised generous tax arrangements, he argued that economic circumstances would be hard and taxes could not be cut in the short term. Indeed, he warned, they might even have to rise.

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24Oct/22

Women turn to sex work to survive UK cost-of-living crisis

  • Surging household costs take heavier toll on women
  • Sex workers see earnings shrink as clients stay away
  • Newcomers at risk from lack of information, support

LONDON – Online sex worker Martha blames Britain’s cost-of-living crisis for her dwindling earnings – partly due to increased competition as soaring household bills push more women to sell sex. Continue reading

24Oct/22

Why are so many people delighted by disgusting things?

Bradley J. Irish, Arizona State University

Halloween is a time to embrace all that is disgusting, from bloody slasher films to haunted houses full of fake guts and gore.

But the attraction to stuff that grosses us out goes beyond this annual holiday.

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23Oct/22

Liz Truss resigns as prime minister: the five causes of her downfall explained

Matthew Flinders, University of Sheffield

As Liz Truss stepped away from the lectern outside No.10 Downing Street after resigning as leader of her party, it probably occurred to her that her time as prime minister will have been only as long as the leadership campaign that got her there.

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16Oct/22

Flu is set for a big comeback now COVID restrictions are lifted – here’s what you need to know

Michael Head, University of Southampton

The flu seasons of 2020 and 2021 were mild, mostly thanks to measures people took against COVID, such as wearing masks, social distancing and using copious amounts of hand gel. 2022, however, looks like a whole different kettle of fish.

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15Oct/22

Kwasi Kwarteng: only a desperate prime minister sacks a chancellor

Despina Alexiadou, University of Strathclyde

Having seen her government’s popularity plummet just weeks after taking office, British prime minister Liz Truss has sacked her chancellor of the exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng in a bid to save herself. Kwarteng, widely seen as Truss’s right-hand man, was rushed back to London from New York for the occasion, where he had been meeting with IMF officials on Thursday evening.

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13Oct/22

Redefine Meat unveils major New-Meat expansion with breakthrough premium cuts and first ever culinary-grade “Pulled Meat” category

Ahead of Europe’s largest food exhibition, SIAL (15-19 October), New-Meat™ pioneer Redefine Meat™ today unveils a major product expansion with five new breakthrough New-Meat products. These include two new premium cuts, Redefine Tenderloin and Redefine Striploin, as well as an entirely new category of “pulled” meat featuring Pulled Beef, Pulled Lamb and Pulled Pork. The new products are now available for the food service segment in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Israel. Continue reading