Yorkshire Bylines

“It’s all Obama’s fault.” Barack Obama’s 2008 victory seemed to herald a transformed America. Instead, it was followed by birtherism, the politics of ‘replacement’ – and Donald Trump. J ‘Masharubu’ Strauss asks how one led to the other.

J'Accuse: how Obama's triumph helped fuel Trump's rise Barack Obama's election was a moment of extraordinary hope. So how did America end up with Donald Trump? By J 'Masharubu' Strauss

On the urgency of reforming our electoral system First past the post no longer works for multiparty politics. The solution exists, so why delay electoral reform? By John Cole

The treatment of Jason Arday horrified many people. Where does legitimate journalistic scrutiny end and a media pile-on begin? Tonight at 7pm, we're bringing together journalists, academics and regulators to ask what responsible media should look like. 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

The treatment of Jason Arday horrified many people. Where does legitimate journalistic scrutiny end and a media pile-on begin? This Wednesday, we're bringing together journalists, academics and regulators to ask what responsible media should look like. 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

Grandad gives back to NHS after life-saving stem cell transplant After surviving leukaemia, Ashley Gray has returned to the hospital that saved his life – this time to help other patients By Kay Johnstone

I spend rather a lot of my life thinking about what good journalism should look like – and occasionally trying to produce some! So I’m looking forward to this on Wednesday: a conversation about who holds the media to account and how we build something better. Details and booking bit.ly/bettermedia

Complaining about bad journalism is easy. Building something better is harder. What changes to regulation, ownership, newsroom culture and journalistic practice could actually make a difference? These are just some of the questions we'll be tackling next Wednesday. 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

Norky’s ramblings: exploring the final frontier Norky takes us on a somewhat longer ramble than usual – to the moon, the Milky Way and beyond! By Peter Norcliffe

California's AI safeguards offer lessons for UK unions California has introduced new safeguards against the use of AI in the workplace, following a successful campaign by trade unions By Tony Burke

The treatment of Jason Arday horrified many people. Where does legitimate journalistic scrutiny end and a media pile-on begin? Next Wednesday, we're bringing together journalists, academics and regulators to ask what responsible media should look like. 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

Burnham has opened the door on Europe – now let the public in A citizens-led national conversation could help Britain decide what it wants from its future relationship with Europe By Dr Mike Galsworthy

Burnham has opened the door on Europe – now let the public in A citizens-led national conversation could help Britain decide what it wants from its future relationship with Europe By Dr Mike Galsworthy yorkshirebylines.co.uk/politics/bur...

We rely on journalism to hold power to account. But who holds the media to account? Join us for Towards a Better Media — a vital conversation about ethics, disinformation, harm and the media Britain needs. 📅 21 Oct, 7pm 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

More power, not more layers: Yorkshire’s chance to get devolution right More power, not more layers: Yorkshire’s chance to get devolution right By John Hall

Where is justice? Survivors' voices in parliament. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/where-is-j...

A free press matters. So does an accountable one. Join Nafeez Ahmed, Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana and Priyamvada Gopal, chaired by Mike Galsworthy, to ask what a better British media could look like. 📅 21 Oct, 7pm 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

Burnham’s bold plan for social care reform Questions remain over whether Burnham’s plans can be funded and delivered By Lucca Di Virgilio

The Dutch baby of Yorkshire puddings What do a Yorkshire pudding, a German pancake and a Seattle café have in common? The answer is a rather delicious Dutch Baby By Meryl White

Skunk Anansie and Darrin Mooney thrill fans at surprise Nothing But Love gig Camden performance was the first in a series of events that will see big names play in small venues to remind us of the joy music can bring | Jennie Kermode @jenniekermode.bsky.social @kentandsurreybylines.co.uk

The new silent majority Republican politicians have had several chances to stop Trump. Their failure to act has helped bring American democracy to a dangerous point By J 'Masharubu' Strauss

A free press matters. So does an accountable one. Join Nafeez Ahmed, Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana and Priyamvada Gopal, chaired by Mike Galsworthy, to ask what a better British media could look like. 📅 21 Oct, 7pm 🎟️ bit.ly/bettermedia

Millionaires and stars line up at Super-Rich Tax Match to tell Chancellor: “Tax extreme wealth” Millionaires, comedians, footballers and content creators are taking to the football pitch to call for a fairer tax system ahead of the Budget @patmillsuk.bsky.social

🚨 In case you hadn’t noticed… …mainstream media is rapidly getting replaced by alternative and grassroots news efforts. That’s a combination of citizen frustration with mainstream media - an increased ability to DIY in digital media. So where is it all going? And how do we ensure standards?

Before you judge the parent: what minority ethnic families need professionals to understand Families across Yorkshire are facing barriers in care as cultural differences lead to assumptions, miscommunication, and misunderstandings By Bunmi Owolabi

Wildfires are becoming a bigger problem. Are we ready for them? As wildfires become more frequent and severe, the UK’s national parks are changing how they prepare for and manage the risk By Kay Johnstone

From the steelworks to the synthesiser: Sheffield’s electronic music scene Sheffield’s pioneering electronic music scene builds on the progress of the past and continues apace thanks to grassroots initiatives By Alex Martin

A second chance to change a life Mooshie the Labrador is one of the young dogs being trained by Support Dogs to give people with disabilities greater independence By Yorkshire Bylines

The tactics and outcomes of a hard-fought war To conclude his WWI series, Norky reflects on the tactics employed in this terrible war, ending on a happier note in modern-day Poperinge By Peter Norcliffe

Landmark Ilkley Literature Festival returns The North’s longest-running literature festival celebrates Yorkshire talent in its 2026 programme By Yorkshire Bylines

Yorkshire's NHS needs authority budgets before AI agents act The NHS faces significant risk if regulations and safeguarding procedures are not put in place to control AI By Dr Gleb Tsipursky

New employment rights open the door to tech workers An agreement between Meta and Prospect could offer an early indication of how unions will approach tech workers under the new rules By Tony Burke

Sheffield’s film industry: an asset to be cherished Sheffield’s film industry brings enormous cultural and economic value, but its future depends on continued investment By Katherine Sansom

Remembering Vicky Seddon: a formidable voice for democratic renewal Yorkshire Bylines remembers Vicky Seddon, a formidable campaigner, writer and friend who devoted decades to making British democracy fairer By Jane Thomas

Culture and nature come together across Kirklees From woodland storytelling to sculpture trails, Kirklees has plenty of ways to get out, get creative and enjoy something different By Yorkshire Bylines

At the next table Who is really speaking when someone loudly declares what they believe? By Steve Pottinger

A solemn ramble to the Ypres memorial sites Part 2 of Norky’s account of a visit to the WW1 battlefields of Ypres. Here, he takes us to some of the key memorial sites By Peter Norcliffe

None of us knows what is around the corner A personal testimonial of the life-saving benefits of a social security system that supports the people, and the dangers of villainising those who find need of it By John Heywood

Sitting gold: the fight for Venezuela's assets to be released by the Bank of England The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign is urging the Bank of England to return gold reserves to Venezuela after the devastating effects of the June earthquakes By Tony Burke

US midterms: the days grow short With November’s midterm elections looming, the battle for control of Congress is already heating up – and Donald Trump is at the centre of it By J 'Masharubu' Strauss

A Modest Proposal: targeting help at the people who need it least Satire: with Reform promising sweeping welfare cuts, one fictional MP offers a modest solution to Britain’s fiscally burdensome By Tarquin Featherstonehaugh-Cholmondley

The Champions of Life have to take on the Broligarchs One Health researchers are inclined towards cooperation and consensus, but they need to challenge the broligarchs’ destructive ideology and solutionism By Natalie Bennett

How has Hawk-Eye changed the game of cricket? Hawk-Eye’s perfect vision bared every fault on the pitch, but what it exposed behind the scenes is much more damning By Dr John Elsom

Will there be enough water to satisfy demand in 2050? Part two England faces a major water shortfall by 2050, with reservoirs, recycling and other measures needed to secure future supplies By Patrick Wright

Will there be enough water to satisfy demand in 2050? Part one of a two-part series: England's reservoirs face a widening water shortfall as population growth and 1.5 million new homes strain storage By Patrick Wright

We have a chance to influence the new government, using the power of our citizen journalism - and the weight, literally, of our Gazette - to make politicians do more to secure justice for those abused by Mohamed Al Fayed. We are raising £6,000 to print and send the Gazette to every MP 👇

What Yorkshire looks like after the family tree crosses the Atlantic A family’s journey from Yorkshire to Canada reveals how migration reshapes ancestry, identity and our understanding of home By Joshua W J Brown

We have a chance to influence the new government, using the power of our citizen journalism - and the weight, literally, of our Gazette - to make politicians do more to secure justice for those abused by Mohamed Al Fayed. We are raising £6,000 to print and send the Gazette to every MP 👇

From cultural revival to devolution: can Yorkshire follow Finland’s lead? Finland’s cultural revival helped forge a nation. Could Yorkshire’s growing cultural confidence pave the way for real devolution? By Colin Speakman

Yorkshire’s dirty business: will the region’s mayors hold polluters to account? Environment Agency disclosures reveal low attendance at reported pollution incidents and sharp changes between initial and final assessments, intensifying questions about oversight and accountability By Kirsty Tucker