Civilised Society

Analysis, expert opinion, insights, and thought-provoking comment. A respectful forum for debate where you can disagree, so long as you disagree agreeably.

Civilised

Society

Analysis, expert opinion, insights, and thought-provoking comment. A respectful forum for debate where you can disagree, so long as you disagree agreeably.

Charlotte Carpenter

Communities must not be left further behind

The North East of England is at a pivotal moment with the impending establishment of a new Mayor and Combined Authority. This development comes amidst a landscape of both promise and challenge. While the region boasts burgeoning commercial and residential developments, there exists a stark reality of economic inequality and social deprivation. Despite the skyline …

PETER MCCUSKER

Can we prosper without North Sea oil and gas?

It’s polling day — so why doesn’t everyone vote?

Arlen Pettitt

There’s every likelihood that the North East mayor elected today will be chosen with the backing of less than 15% of the region’s electorate. That’s not to say they’ll be illegitimate. The winner will probably get somewhere around 35-40% of the vote, but if previous local elections are a good guide, turnout will be about …

Rob Huggins

A quiet revolution

As CEO of Gosforth Civic Theatre, I have often thought I should start a support group for introverted leaders of arts organisations. I am quite shy; I am more comfortable loitering outside with the smokers or chatting with the technician and front-of-house team when I should be talking to the politicians or the other cultural …

Mourning the decline of the deaths column

Some people start reading their paper on the front page, others at the back for the sport. But I am one of those who has always turned first to the ‘matches, hatches and despatches’ announcements, with my focus progressing through the decades from the engagements and marriages of my contemporaries to the births of their …

Keith Hann

EYES &
EARS

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of what’s happened in the past seven days.
We read everything so you don’t have to.

THE CONVERSATION

Maybe it’s time to create a fuss about freeze on funding for arts subjects

SUE TAYLOR

No such thing as drinking responsibly

Bob Hudson

We need to talk about academies and free schools

Tony Henderson

Tick tock, tick tock….

Since 2016, more than £2.3m has been awarded in grants by the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.

Kate Fox

The freedom of missing out

So, here I am doing the thing that epitomises most people’s idea of the freedom of the single writer. Trundling about on leafy Suffolk lanes in my camper van, Hilda, on a Saturday afternoon with no need to be home for a couple of days, just the open road ahead of me. I’d performed some …

Paul Linford