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  • [ 23rd October 2026 ] Out of the City of Culture, In With Portsmouth 100 Culture
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  • [ 14th October 2026 ] Planetbuilding Blues: Gosport Time Machine Culture
  • [ 24th September 2026 ] Planetbuilding Blues: A Letter to My Dead Parents Events
  • [ 24th September 2026 ] Local Authors to Launch New Novels at the Portsmouth Guildhall Culture
HomeAuthorsTom Sykes

Articles by Tom Sykes

Politics

Election ’17: A Modest Proposal for a Tory Future

11th May 2017

Teacher, poet and commentator Guy Walker offers an uncompromising personal opinion on the prospect of five more years of Conservative rule. Thinking about voting Tory in June? Do you consider yourself a decent person? What [… read more ]

Memoir

Everyone Goes to Sleep – Except Me

10th May 2017

Claire Pearse reports from the frontline of insomnia where the hardest battle is against boredom and time passing far too slowly.  You would never guess it but being awake in the early hours of the [… read more ]

Politics

Election ’17: Make Your Tactical Vote Count

9th May 2017

Want to stop the Tories from winning yet again in Portsmouth? Writer, historian and S&C regular Matt Wingett argues that tactical voting is the only realistic option. This year’s General Election looks set to bring [… read more ]

Politics

Election ’17: Fake News is Old News

8th May 2017

As the General Election approaches, questions are being asked about the reliability of media reporting and the possible impact of fake news on public opinion. But, argues Katie Roberts, such controversies have been around for [… read more ]

Events

A Superhero Live in Portsmouth

5th May 2017

We invite you to an exhilarating talk by Jamie McDonald, founder of the Superhero Foundation, and whose new book Adventureman: Anyone Can be a Superhero was edited by S&C founding editor Tom Sykes. ‘Jamie was [… read more ]

Politics

From Bosnia to Syria: ‘Fake News’, Imperialist Agendas

4th May 2017

Portsmouth University media lecturer Dr Stephen Harper critiques Western reporting on the Syria conflict, which is worryingly reminiscent of the biased coverage of the Bosnian war in the 1990s. At the end of last year, [… read more ]

Culture

The Southsea Food Tour: T and Thistle

28th April 2017

S&C food critic Emily Priest visits a Scottish-influenced haven of excellent local tea, perfect poached eggs and high-end panini fillings. I didn’t sleep well last night and woke up this morning in a flat mood. [… read more ]

Social Issues

Some People Are Bisexual: Get Over It

28th April 2017

In this frank and personal essay, Siobhan Coleman responds to some of the common misconceptions about bisexuality. I was twelve years old when Rachel Riley replaced Carol Vorderman as the co-presenter of TV’s Countdown. I [… read more ]

Culture

Being a Full Time Mother is Not a Source of Shame

26th April 2017

Madeleine Hagan is a student at the University of Portsmouth studying Creative and Media Writing. Originally from North Carolina, she likes telling stories about her experiences as an international student on her blog The Salt [… read more ]

Culture

Why Yik Yak is the Portsmouth Student’s App of Choice

24th April 2017

Each morning Portsmouth University student Megan Langdon wakes up and has a stretch, before grabbing her phone and finding out the latest news from her friends. While she uses Facebook and Instagram a lot, she’s now convinced that the best app for [… read more ]

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Latest News

Culture

Out of the City of Culture, In With Portsmouth 100

23rd October 2026

Portsmouth may have missed out on making the shortlist for the UK City of Culture, but there’s also good news: from this Monday the city will be celebrating 100 years of history. Veteran journalist Peter [… read more ]

Events

Planetbuilding Blues: A Letter to My Dead Parents

24th September 2026

Writer and planetary modeller David Angus recalls recent global and personal events in a letter to his dead parents, from anti-vaxxers to flying a Spitfire. By now Jill Mole should be with you and Arthur [… read more ]

News

Portsmouth Union Branch Calls on University to Address Pension Inequality

10th September 2026

The Portsmouth branch of the UCU (University and College Union) has passed a motion calling on the management of the University of Portsmouth (UoP) to address pension inequality. The Branch contends that UoP has been [… read more ]

News

Portsmouth Constituents Urge Stephen Morgan to Protest Oil Drilling and Support Fair Energy Transition

21st August 2026

Portsmouth constituents have sent a clear message to their MP Stephen Morgan demanding urgent action to help bring our energy bills down and increase energy security for our communities. The UK government is set to [… read more ]

News

Green Open Homes Week: How Portsmouth Residents are Taking on the Energy Crisis

26th June 2026

Energy prices are a growing concern – but for some, getting ahead of the crisis has paid off. Local residents have been opening their doors to Nicholas Sebley of Portsmouth Climate Action to reveal how they [… read more ]

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