'It’s a wonderful tribute to the Anglo-Celtic isles...So entertainingly provided.' Thoughtful review of 'These Isles' in the Mail by writer and critic Christopher Hart. www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/a...

Netanyahu Calls Iran Strikes Necessary To Prevent War He Just Started

Amid all the talk about why this or that party won or lost, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that Hannah Spencer was a great candidate - pretty nearly the perfect pick for this constituency.

This was a very nice evening with @groomb.bsky.social - despite having been here a while now first time at the Portico Library too.

Publishing May 2026 - the irresistible story of a one-man cultural phenomenon, @johnrobbofficial.bsky.social. Following a life lived in music, this memoir charts John's adventures on the cultural frontline, chronicling the making of a DIY icon. Pre-order your copy today! #music #memoir #booksky

This is a massive shift which would upend the lives of millions - not just the nearly half million directly threatened but their families. It would abandon a basic principle of law that changes are not retrospectively applied.

As Reform is pushing another set of insane deportations policies today.... here's my post from last year on what would happen if they actually tried to do this stuff in government. samf.substack.com/p/the-route-...

No. Next question.

‘Farage has already unveiled plans to deport up to 600,000 migrants. “Remigration” – a fancy term for the “send them back” motif that has defined far-right rhetoric for decades – is back on the political agenda. Do they mean me? Who is them? Where is back?’ www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

This coming Thursday evening, publication day. Just a few tickets left.

I reckon the last time the son of a sovereign was taken into custody in Britain was the Duke of Monmouth in 1685.

Or you could have fish fingers, if you live in the real world.

Lovely piece. Where even is Brentford?

‘Goodwin’s campaigners have expressed clear support for the far-right group Britain First, baselessly suggested that 60-70% of transgender people are paedophiles or posted online that Muslims are only in the UK because they wish to “conquer” it.’

My thoughts on Sir Jim Ratcliffe

I wrote for the Guardian about why Jim Ratcliffe's talk of Britain being "colonised" by immigrants crosses the line between legitimate debate and inflammatory rhetoric. It fuses echoes of Powellism with great replacement conspiracies of "civilisational erasure" www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Manchester’s trendy Northern Quarter wasn’t always coffee bars and record shops. In 1885, it was full of illegal gambling dens. Story here:

!! … ah

I could watch this all day

‘Jim Ratcliffe has moved to Monaco to save £4 billion worth of tax in this country one might question whether he is the patriot we need to comment on this issue' Home Office minister Jake Richards speaks to #BBCBreakfast Ratcliffe claimed UK had been "colonised by immigrants"

What a beautiful cover

Speaking as a match going Red, these are not our values as a club and you should sell up and go back to Monaco. Cheerio.

'In May 2026, community and faith groups, plus charities big and small, will come together to celebrate and inspire A Million Acts of Hope across Britain. There is far more that connects us than divides us.' millionactsofhope.org#newsletter

The last time a clip made me feel this murderous it was the Marsh family singing a little ditty about Gisele Pelicot

Look what's arrived! It seems crass to be talking about it after everything that's happened this week, but I think my new book on the Blair years is fair, balanced and judicious. Available at all good bookshops: www.amazon.co.uk/New-Labour-B...

🧵 On Thursday 26th February, we're thrilled to be hosting bestselling author @groomb.bsky.social for a conversation surrounding his new book, These Isles: The Fascinating Story of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...

'Brian Groom’s whistlestop reminder of the tensions which have always existed between the peoples of these isles could hardly be more timely' - James Hawes @jameshawes.bsky.social. 'These Isles' due Feb 26th (HarperNorth), can be preordered from bookshops and websites.

Kyiv residents share photos and videos on social media showing their freezing apartments and how they are trying to keep warm.

If Bilbo had Chat GPT

The greatest to ever do it. Who said protest music was dead?

The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions. It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.

'These Isles: A People’s History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales' features in the Financial Times' What to Read in 2026. Due out Feb 26th. Available for preorder from bookshops and websites.

A great tool to say no to Palantir in your local health service.

I'll be at House of Books & Friends in Manchester next month, discussing Broken Biscuits and Other Male Failures. Come along. It's on pancake day but you can eat those before or after. Or during actually, I won't mind. #booksky houseofbooksandfriends.com/event/author...

Sunday Times travel section

It's time to Go All In for the National Year of Reading! 📚✨ Whether it's football, music, baking, family-time, sci-fi, or... anything, reading helps you get more out of the things you love. Head over to goallin.org.uk and find out more today. #GoAllIn2026 #NationalYearofReading2026"

Labour have secured a record breaking 8.4GW of additional offshore wind capacity. The auction is the biggest in European history, with long term prices secured at about 20% lower than the maximum. The sites, off England, Scotland and Wales, are enough to power 12 million homes! 1/2

White smoke coming out of the National Football Museum. The first sign a new interim has been chosen #mufc

Blanket ban on social media for MPs who will later defect in order to regain some semblance of political power so we don’t have to go through the audit of idiocy every time

We used to be a proper country

'Lowles has example after example of real-world campaigns, thorny challenges and hard-won insights into what works and what doesn’t. An absolute must-read.' Shortlist picks @nicklowles.bsky.social's HOW TO DEFEAT THE FAR RIGHT as a book of the year for 2025 www.shortlist.com/books/the-be...

Stephen Hendry does The Official World Snooker Tour Quiz Book www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucLa...

HOPE not hate's @nicklowles.bsky.social discusses his work and his new book, HOW TO DEFEAT THE FAR RIGHT www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ8U...

BBC first broadcast Top of the Pops on this day 1964, from an old church hall on Dickenson Road, Manchester. Featured the Rolling Stones and the Dave Clark Five. First song played was by Dusty Springfield.

my list of the finest books of 2025 (Fiction, Non Fiction & Memoir) for Shortlist feat. @vincenzo.bsky.social @olgaravn.bsky.social @benpester.bsky.social @michaelpedersen.bsky.social @leaypi.bsky.social @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social @nicklowles.bsky.social www.shortlist.com/books/the-be...

My Oasis ‘Live Forever’ book is back at number one in the Amazon music book charts. www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Forever...

I tell you what, that Santa Claus has got real presence about him

John Robb's 'fabulous' Live Forever is top of the list of Oasis books chosen by the inimitable Mark Hart. www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Forever...