Jack Walker

I am a Masters journalism graduate from Leeds Trinity University with NCTJ and BCTJ accreditation. I am currently working freelance but I am looking for a permanent position.

Election Central •

Electoral College: How Does It Work?

The Electoral College is perhaps the most unique element to elections in the United States. Aside from the power of the White House and the amount of money that goes into campaigns, the way in which votes are counted is unique to the United States. This article is designed to be a refresher for American audiences, and an introduction for worldwide audiences, into the history of the Electoral College, how the system works, and what to look out for on Election Day.
Election Central •

If Texas Turns Blue, How Do Republicans Win The Presidency?

With recent polling indicating that Texas might be closer in 2020 than in 2016, and demographics in the state trending favorably towards the Democrats, it seems that the Republicans’ largest bank of Electoral College votes might be vulnerable. The question then looms, if Texas turns blue (and stays blue) in the next decade, how can Republicans expect to win elections? Let’s look at some of the strategies that the GOP might consider if Texas no longer sits in the Republican column.
Yorkshire Bylines •

US election 101: everything you need to know –

US election 101: everything you need to know Tuesday 3 November will see incumbent President Donald Trump of the Republican Party square off against former Vice-President Joe Biden of the Democratic Party in the 2020 presidential election. There are a number of differences between elections in the United States and those in the United Kingdom, so read on for everything you need to know come Election Day … When is the election? The election is traditionally always held on the first Tuesday aft
Fuzzy •

Taylor Swift - Folklore Album Review | FUZZY

"From the moment this album was announced on Swift’s social media, fans got the feeling things were going to be different. Why? Because there was no promotion." You may be forgiven for thinking that 2020 was already a write-off. We have already witnessed a global pandemic; international riots in response to police brutality in the US, and the plague of murder hornets that invaded Africa (remember that?). All this and it’s only July . Yet one woman thought differently. One woman recorded her eig
Election Central •

There's So Much More At Stake In 2020 Than The Presidency

Election fever is quite rightly reaching boiling point – after all, it’s not every day (or indeed every year) that something quite so momentous as an election to decide the next President of the United States comes around. With all the attention rightly directed at the White House, it can sometimes be easy to forget what else is decided when voters turn out at the ballot boxes. In the United Kingdom, we don’t have a Senate or a House of Representatives (hell, one of our chambers of the legislat
Election Central •

Lessons From 2016: It’s Not Over Until It’s Over

This is the final piece in my Lessons from 2016 series, and like most good writers, I’ve saved the best lesson for last. This piece was published on July 14, exactly 111 days until the presidential election on November 3. Which means there is still a lot of time left until Election Day. Many more campaign pledges to be put forward. More mud to be sling between the two parties. Never mind the presidential debates.
Election Central •

Statehood For D.C. Is Complicated. Really Complicated.

House Democrats passed the Washington, D.C. Admission Act last Friday to begin the process of officially admitting the District of Columbia (D.C.) into the Union as a state. It is likely to be rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate, and President Trump has threatened to veto the bill should it arrive on his desk anyway. But why would Republicans not want to give statehood to an area that has become symbolic with the United States as a whole? The area is one of the most recognizable places
Election Central •

The 'Power' of a Donald Trump Endorsement

Just over a week ago, JT Lewis, a candidate for Connecticut’s 28th District at the State Senate level, claimed that President Trump was “73-0” when it comes to election endorsements in the cycle from 2016-2020. Ironically enough, the reply from Lewis was in response to an endorsement handed down from the President to Matthew Mowers, the Republican candidate for New Hampshire’s 1st congressional district. The questionable accuracy of Lewis’ tweet is not what came to mind when I decided to write
Election Central •

Lessons From 2016: The Swing States Really Do Matter

It’s probably the biggest cliché around when it comes to U.S. presidential elections, but it’s a cliché for a reason. The swing states will ultimately determine the fate of every presidential election. Safe states are not enough, by themselves, to win an election for either of the main parties. Most pollsters recognize that in 2020, there will be six key swing states. Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Between the six, they total 101 Electoral College votes
Yorkshire Bylines •

What will our transport systems look like after Covid-19? –

What will our transport systems look like after Covid-19? The government has recently announced new powers for local councils to protect cyclists and target drivers who misuse cycle lanes. The announcement comes as more people have taken to cycling as an alternative method of transport during lockdown. Cycling minister Chris Heaton-Harris has given local authorities the power to use CCTV cameras to issue fines to drivers who park illegally in mandatory cycles lanes. Heaton-Harris said: “Giving
Yorkshire Bylines •

Leeds City Centre goes purple in George Floyd tribute –

Three prominent buildings in the centre of Leeds were lit purple last night as a tribute to George Floyd, the African-American man whose death at the hands of police has sparked international protests. The Civic Hall, Town Hall and Leeds City Museum were all bathed in purple light, the colour of anti-racism protests worldwide. In a joint statement issued yesterday Councillor Judith Blake, the leader of Leeds City Council and Eileen Taylor, lord mayor of Leeds, said, “We are incredibly proud of
Election Central •

How To Do Mail-in Voting Properly – The UK Case Study

Recently, President Trump has stepped up his attacks on voting by mail, suggesting that ballots cast this way will lead to “massive fraud and abuse”, and that it would lead to the “end of our great Republican party.” But if you dig a little deeper, research into voting by mail, as well as examples of past elections, demonstrates that the only thing voting by mail leads to is an increase in the total number of ballots cast. Twitter took the unprecedented step of marking two tweets from the presi
Yorkshire Bylines •

Teachers feel unsafe returning to school today –

Today, 1 June 2020, is a bittersweet day for teachers. It is the day that many Reception, Year One and Year Six pupils return to school and so too will they. Of course, some teachers have remained in schools throughout the pandemic for the children of key workers, but now they will be joined by more colleagues and more children. The process has been anything but straightforward so far and it is unlikely to be a smooth return for staff or pupils. One thing is clear: teachers are hesitant about re
Yorkshire Bylines •

After Covid-19, the economy needs to turn green –

After Covid-19, the economy needs to turn green Across the globe, society is beginning to wonder what the world might look like when Covid-19 is under control. One of the key questions is how to kick-start the economy once we come out of lockdown. Many companies are already looking at how to get thousands of people back into work; many people are also concerned about looking after the environment at the same time. For years, the focus of any environmental policy has been its financial burdens a
Yorkshire Bylines •

British Airways pulls out of Leeds Bradford airport leaving expansion plans in chaos –

British Airways pulls out of Leeds Bradford airport leaving expansion plans in chaos British Airways has announced it will terminate all of its flights between Leeds Bradford airport and Heathrow. The announcement deals a blow to the controversial expansion plans, recently submitted by Leeds Bradford airport’s owners, AMP Capital. A spokesperson for British Airways said, “We are sorry to suspend our flights to Leeds Bradford after many years. We regularly evaluate our routes based on where our
Yorkshire Bylines •

Yorkshire air quality improves during coronavirus lockdown –

Global carbon dioxide emissions fell by 17 per cent thanks to coronavirus lockdown measures, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Yorkshire Bylines can now report that air quality across the county has also improved. The World Air Quality Index project (AQICN) has installed sensors across the world – in Yorkshire, they can be found in Leeds, York, Sheffield, Middlesbrough and Hull. The project measures the levels of various pollutants to check air quality. One o
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