I've been asked to publish this statement from some of the families affected by NHS England's decision in Brighton.

Really sad to read this:

I just learnt that almost a year on from its publication, Awakened is only about 800 books away from selling out its first print-run, which as a debut author with an (exceptional) indie makes me very happy. I must now ask you all to buy it so I can say we sold out the run!!! linktr.ee/lauracelliott

somebody’s dream job just dropped

The Fire Brigades Union has made a statement on the proposed EHRC Code of Practice on Services. Our message is clear. Equality matters, solidarity is essential, and we will continue to fight for both.

The claim that AI will be used to boost productivity and improve everyone's lives would have just a little bit more credibility if the big tech companies weren't already using AI exactly as every knows they will, which is to fire people and extract more work from those remaining.

This new guidance is not going to make cis women any safer. It is unworkable & it is discriminatory against trans people.

We've read the new Code of Practice. Here's what you need to know.

Once again I repeat my motto: "Don't comply in advance, but also, don't cry in advance."

NEW: A class action lawsuit is accusing OpenAI of sharing ChatGPT chat queries (!) + other personal data with Meta and Google. Reminder: no matter how friendly your chatbot is, it's probably surveilling you. futurism.com/artificial-i...

I wasn’t going to post for #WorldMEDay as it often feels like screaming into the void, but i decided i’d talk about my experience with ME and the inspiration for my debut novel, Awakened, which was published in June last year

106 years ago today, on May 7th, an undergraduate at Christchurch College, Oxford, drank a glass of port then left through the main gates for a walk. I've been thinking about him, & his walk, for years now. It's taken a long time for me to figure out why - why I've kept returning, near obsessed.

Extremely normal and fine for a company to put this in a public statement

Lovely @iandunt.bsky.social —you’ve been a brilliant ally to the trans+ community over the last few years. The @nionwomen.bsky.social open letter is now just a few hundred signatures away from a MASSIVE milestone. Would you re-share to help us get there? 🙏🙏🙏 Thank you! 🩵🩶💛💗 notinourname.org.uk

Oh: A 2022 study found that children in households that used voice commands with tools like Siri and Alexa became curt when speaking with humans, often calling out “Hey, do X” and expecting obedience, especially from anyone whose voice resembled the default-female electronic voices.

I personally think not safe to remain in any personal relationship with anyone who is using LLMs to analyze your relationship, make conclusions about your motives, or determine how to treat you. I think this is beyond red flag—it should be an immediate dealbreaker.

a just and loving god would have let Hilary Mantel live to hear “the pope is weak on crime”

I do not think it is right to make publicity requirements mandatory in order for authors to receive prize money, full stop. The prize is for the writing, not for their PR skills - or should be. Reading Helen DeWitt's blog on this is upsetting as her mental state was clearly so fragile.

Helen DeWitt on turning down a $175k Windham-Campbell Prize because she wasn't able to handle the prize's mandatory publicity requirements. Imo a moving, deeply relatable, and darkly funny story about money, obligation, mental health, & executive dysfunction paperpools.blogspot.com/2026/04/we-l...

A study from Finland has been used to cast doubt on gender affirming care for youth. But Finland never offered gender affirming care. Perhaps invasive, adversarial, fruitless years of assessment harm trans youth? New opinion by @evanurquhart.bsky.social: www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...

Muriel Rukeyser, always but especially today. Full text at www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47657/...

OK comrades, I am doing a last fundraising push to support Sahar in paying for surgery for her son Odai who was injured a couple of years ago in Gaza. They need $4000 for this surgery. Our giving circle will commit $500 towards this goal. chuffed.org/project/1656... - can you help?

By no means the end of the astonishing inequity in English land ownership, but a big old step change in transparency (and let’s hope, accountability) and the toppling of a significant obstacle to nature protection and restoration. Simply incredible work by @guyshrubsole.bsky.social

What To Know About ‘Sinners’ https://theonion.com/what-to-know-about-sinners/

ICE has arrested and detained a Nashville journalist who reported stories critical of ICE. She’s married to a U.S. citizen and has been seeking asylum here after fleeing death threats in Colombia because of her journalism there. They’ve already sent her to Louisiana.

Reuters Exclusive "U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school." "The strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of U.S. conflicts in the ​Middle East."

Government to further curtail rights of asylum seekers The legal changes to be announced today will revoke the UK’s statutory legal duty under EU law to provide asylum seekers with support and accommodation www.ft.com/content/cac2...

@sarahkendzior.bsky.social is your go-to source for finding out how long everything we are seeing now has been “Hiding In Pain Sight.” out in “Flyover County,” because she knew what “They Knew.” open.substack.com/pub/sarahken...

Scholar, seductress, alchemist: who was the real Cleopatra? Excellent piece from Saara El-Arifi, who’ll be speaking at #HistFest2026 on 18 April. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...

LOVED Red Dwarf. Loved it. Series, books and all. Giving a double Rimmer Salute to the legend Rob Grant ❤️

The timing of the initial strikes is unusual. Often you see these types of operations launched in the pre-dawn hours at the target site partly to limit civilian casualties. This operation began at the beginning of a work and school day, with millions of adult civilians and children in harms way.

I hope someone draws this wonderful story about Tom Stoppard's Arcadia and the power of the arts to help us see things differently, to the attention of our Education Secretary. Do read it, it will lift your spirits.

-small town romance -second chance (love after loss) -enemies (ish) to lovers -looking after a teenager when there's no phone signal! -family loyalty is complicated Belonging - a ##romance ##novella ##britishromance www.books2read.com/u/bzPAZq

It shows that the criticial Goodreads review had gone largely unnoticed, that many couldn't stomach the book privately, but didn't feel able to speak up (how right they were), until Clanchy poured petrol on the review, set it alight for everyone to see, and then blamed everyone else for the fire.

Reminder this all started off when someone quoted her book on Goodreads and she threatened to sue them. For quoting words that she wrote. In her book. That she wrote.

Tried to write a thread on this as Kate Clanchy is back in the news but it won't post. This is a good article on the whole shameful affair, by @michaeljarvie.bsky.social

www.culturematters.org.uk/kate-clanchy... my review.

As the latest rehabilitation tour revs up its engines, here’s something more honest to read. www.theguardian.com/books/2021/a...

57, 100 words now god help me

Sharing again in case anyone is able to help support #LGBTQ+ refugees in the Kakuma camp in Kenya, who are facing extreme hardship & threats to their safety. Donations can help with security, basic needs, education & healthcare: www.gofundme.com/f/the-lgbtq-...

Sharing again in case anyone is able to help support #LGBTQ+ refugees in the Kakuma camp in Kenya, who are facing extreme hardship & threats to their safety. Donations can help with security, basic needs, education & healthcare: www.gofundme.com/f/the-lgbtq-...

It looks like I put the book next to the cat but in fact the cat put herself next to the book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For the whole Her Majesty's Royal Coven trilogy by @junodawson.bsky.social, I've not quite finished this final book (Human Rites) but I love this whole coven of witches ✨

Watched the waning gibbous moon rise up on Glastonbury Tor earlier this week ( actual moon not shown due to crapness of photo)

I wrote to M&S about the stupid lingerie department story - confirms nobody offered a bra fitting to a teenage girl. The Telegraph and JK can (always) do one.