French president Emmanuel Macron has risked the wrath of his own people by allowing the Bayeux tapestry to spend a sojourn at the British Museum in 2026, much to the delight of historians on this side of the channel. Indeed, Britain appears to be caught up in Norman-conquest mania at the moment. First there was the exciting tapestry announcement in July, and now a brutal and bloody new series from the BBC offers a dramatic retelling of the history surrounding 1066 and all that.

Millie Horton-Insch, who has researched the tapestry, gives her fascinating take on how the two portrayals of the Norman conquest of England both diverge and demonstrate similarities in the way the story is told. And how the depiction of Anglo-French relations and boats crossing the channel is still reverberating in politics today.

Our latest Insights long read explores the harsh reality of life as a migrant in the UK with ‘no recourse to public’ funds. Over six years, researchers worked closely with 25 single-mother families living in the shadow of this policy – which even affects British citizens – and leaves families destitute and fearing starvation.

Donald Trump’s tariffs have sparked fears of a global trade war and slowing economic growth. But his targeting of India in particular will potentially have even bigger geopolitical repercussions, as economics professor Sambit Bhattacharyya explains.