Jonathan Owen

On the face of it, Brits and Californians don't have much in common: one prefers a spot of Earl Grey, the other misguidedly quaffs health-faddish Kombucha. Yet Californians and Englishmen may agree on one thing: self-government. Many golden state separatists see the successful Brexit campaign as an inspiration. In fact, on the official 'Yes California Independence' website, the president of the movement - Louis J Marinelli - mentions Brexit and what it could mean for his fellow Calexiteers: In 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the international community with their 'Brexit' vote. Our 'Calexit' referendum is about California joining the international community. You have a big decision to make.

In the wake of Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton, many embittered Democrats are crying foul. It's a case of sour grapes. For a second day, thousands of protesters chant 'not my president' and repudiate the legitimacy of our centuries-old electoral process. They are vehement in their disapproval of a man who they believe represents ignorance and bigotry. There are calls to banish the Electoral College, insisting we elect a Commander-in-Chief solely on the basis of the popular vote. Protesters marched in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland. During this time of upheaval, Hillary Clinton and many of her supporters are, nevertheless, calling for collaboration in the interests of moving forward.

In recent rallies for Hillary Clinton, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Lady Gaga have all lent their celebrity clout to the embattled Secretary of State. As a candidate somewhat lacking in the charisma of her predecessor Barack Obama, she needs all the help she can get. She hasn't just courted female and minority voters; she has focused on offering a message empowerment to millennials, who feel left out of an American economy they believe only caters to the top 1 per cent.  Clinton understood that reaching more young voters would be a key to her victory. This younger subset is comprised of people born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, but neither candidate has found it easy to engage with them.