Recent riots across the UK have sparked widespread discussion about the role of social media in spreading hatred and disinformation. However, Dr Simon Peplow, a historian and expert in British race relations at the University of Warwick, argues that these events are part of a much longer and deeper history of racism and scapegoating in Britain.

However ‘otherered’ extremism may feel to us- it is rarely useful to distinguish ‘Us’ and ‘Them’. Ultimately, responsibility is shared across the whole of society and is embedded in the values we espouse.

Dr Kim Summers, Research Fellow, School of Life Sciences at The University of Warwick said, “The pollution seen in the Seine in Paris is sadly all too common in rivers across the world. The levels of bacteria are being monitored daily and there are long-term measures being put in place, such as a reservoir to hold excess sewage waste flow. But in the short-term there is little that can be done, but wait, watch, and hope for levels to fall."

Dr Rebecca Stone, Associate Professor of US Political History from The University of Warwick, said: "In every American election in history where the incumbent of the governing party has chosen not to run, the opposition has won. A more similar comparison, however, might be the election of 1856 – another era of extreme division in US history. The candidacy of incumbent President Franklin Pierce was rejected by his own party at the Convention, but their new nominee, James Buchanan, won comfortably that November."

President Joe Biden withdrawing from his campaign for re-election opens up the Democratic nomination at a crucial time in the election calendar. There are four weeks until the Democratic National Convention where the party will confirm their candidate for the presidency. It's important for the Democrats to show unity now and not descend into a period of damaging in-fighting, so it seems highly likely they will select Vice President Kamala Harris who Biden and other senior Democrats have already endorsed.