HeraldLoop

England — page 4

Place · 920 articles
Share

Coverage, page 4

page 4 of 46

Doom Painting by AK Blakemore review – a dazzling epic of the Peasants’ Revolt

This recklessly ambitious doorstopper follows the 16 days of England’s medieval uprising from a vast array of viewpoints, and in startlingly rich prose AK Blakemore’s third novel tells the story of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, when commoners of all classes – not only peasants, but merchants, servants, smugglers, and some local lords and officials – rebelled at the imposition of a poll tax and rampaged through southern England, burning records of debts, killing their oppressors and laying waste to their homes. The book closely follows the events of the rebellion’s 16 days, employing a vast array of points of view, including the young king Richard II, several of his courtiers, dozens of elements of the rebellious Commons, a porpoise and a runaway horse. The title suggests the novel’s portrayal of these events as an inevitable reckoning; a “doom painting” was a picture of the Last Judgment on the wall of a medieval church. As a book of this scope must be, it’s a doorstopper. As any novel by Blakemore will be, it’s dazzlingly rich in lexical glamour, and this is likely to be any reader’s lasting impression of the book. Sometimes it feels as if the author is out to use every word in the English language in a startling, aestheticised, puckish way that expands both the word and the world. The result can be joyously silly. Who else would give us slugs that “blurb their elementary forms from out of the undergrowth to begin a dank and toothless festa ”, or “lunar-brilliantined mud”? But there is also gravity and passion here, especially when she intimately imagines the lives of the commoners: “they rise, to fry eggs in butter and pork fat; they rise, to whet knives on scarred stone; they rise, to braid the manes of their draught horses; they rise, to count arrows; they rise, setting aside their glitchy dreams of hairy stars and blue-skinned devils; they rise, fearful and powerful, into the bright day.” The cheekily anachronistic appearance of “glitchy” in this medieval scene is typical of Blakemore’s method. All forms of language, high and low, archaic and modern, are here. Her use of detail to convey a historical scene is also extraordinary: the barber’s chair where “a crowd has gathered beneath the ribboned pole to watch the draining of a cyst”; the brewer with “a grotty beard, chlorotic with hops, [that] hangs down almost to his belt”; or “the horseflies waltzing over the liquefying flesh of severed heads”. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Sandra Newman22 Sept

Young people’s Pip claims for ADHD and autism ‘rising fastest in affluent areas’

Experts say trend across England probably reflects swifter access to diagnoses as wealthier families go private Some of the most affluent areas of England have had the sharpest rises in the proportion of young people claiming disability benefits for ADHD and autism since the pandemic, according to new research. Claims for the personal independence payment (Pip) benefit for these health conditions were typically proportionally far higher in deprived areas with higher rates of poverty, low educational outcomes and insecure employment. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Patrick Butler and Will Parman21 Sept

Martha’s rule to be expanded to every A&E in England

System gives patients, loved ones and health workers the right to ask for a second opinion on care Martha’s rule, which lets NHS patients, staff and relatives request a review of their care, is being expanded to every A&E in England, health officials have announced. The system gives patients, their loved ones and health workers the right to ask for a different medical team to examine the care being provided on inpatient wards and to recommend changes. It has already potentially saved hundreds of lives, official figures show . Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Andrew Gregory Health editor21 Sept

Cut NHS red tape and boost productivity to prevent 20,000 early deaths a year in England, report urges

Changes could save £33bn and result in average of four extra years of good health for people, report says The NHS in England could prevent 20,000 deaths and save £33bn a year by cutting red tape and boosting productivity, a report says. Research by the Health Foundation found the health service has been held back for decades by excessive regulation, short-term planning and insufficient capability to deliver major change. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Andrew Gregory Health editor21 Sept
  • neutral toward NHS · 78%

The Guardian view on rape courts: ministers know that victims deserve better | Editorial

New facilities for witnesses who have been sexually assaulted are a step towards halving violence against girls and women The creation of specialist courts to try rape and serious sexual offences in England and Wales is a welcome recognition from the government that the status quo is unacceptable. Victims, the vast majority of whom are women and girls, are being failed by a system that too often appears blind to the obstacles in the way of anyone who wants to see a perpetrator brought to justice. In 2025, rape cases took an average of 424 days after they had reached the crown court . Added to pre‑trial delays, this means thousands of lives being placed on hold for years. Long waits are simply unendurable in many cases; a rape review ordered by Conservative ministers in 2021 found that the proportion of complainants dropping out of cases had risen from 25% to 43% in five years. As well as the harm caused to individuals, there is an obvious impact on public safety when perpetrators go unpunished, and chances to rehabilitate them are missed. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Editorial21 Sept
  • neutral toward The Guardian · 98%

Wildlife will be affected by current drought for years to come, UK government says

The number of potentially damaging environmental incidents triggered by this year’s hot and dry weather has surpassed that of 2025 Wildlife in England and Wales will be affected by the current drought for years to come, the government has said. This summer saw large parts of England and all of Wales plunged into a serious drought, with both recording their driest Julys since records began in 1836. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Pippa Neill Environment reporter21 Sept

Stop relying on chatbots for customer care, UK service providers urged

Citizens Advice says providers of services such as energy, banking, phone and internet should guarantee the ‘right to talk to a human’ Stop relying on AI chatbots for customer care and guarantee the “right to talk to a human”, Citizens Advice has urged essential service providers, as research found they wasted time, caused stress and delayed problem solving for more than half of users. The spread of the AI-powered systems to provide help about the provision of vital services such as energy, banking, phones and internet, is making it harder for millions of already digitally excluded people to handle snags, according to the frontline charity that last year provided more than 2.7 million people with one-on-one help in England and Wales. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Robert Booth UK technology editor21 Sept

Harry Brook says Brydon Carse ‘just needs time away from the international scene’

Captain says bowler ‘is working on a few things’ England v Sri Lanka ODIs come a year before World Cup Harry Brook is hopeful that Brydon Carse will break back into his England white-ball teams once the fast bowler is clear of his ongoing disciplinary, describing him as a “very good mate” who is “working on a few things behind the scenes”. Carse has recently discovered he will not face a criminal charge for the late-night incident in Derby last month that led to him being briefly handcuffed. But while technically available for selection, the 31-year-old has not featured in England’s squads since that night as he awaits the outcome of an investigation by the Cricket Regulator. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Ali Martin21 Sept

Awaab’s law is not working, say social housing tenants stuck in mouldy homes

Residents say new legislation in England forcing landlords to fix dangerous hazards is not improving conditions Sarah Killick has been battling problems in her social home for months, including mould and damp. She says the anxiety has been insufferable and she has permanently damaged her teeth from grinding them due to stress. She thought help would come in the form of Awaab’s law, new legislation designed to force social housing landlords in England to fix dangerous hazards , which came into effect in October last year. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent21 Sept