Trump saw the anarcho-syndicalist peasants scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and thought he was watching a documentary.

"I'm not clairvoyant. It's not like the guy said rape victims are to blame or he had a Nazi tattoo or anything how could I know?"

I wrote this essay in 2019, and I didn’t get to choose the title, which I think overpromises, but I what’s here is a checklist for writing fiction about people whose lives might be very different from your own. Three questions to ask yourself.

In case you were wondering, when it happened to me and I came forward, afterward I clocked every single person who gave him opportunities and bylines. Every single one felt like an endorsement of what he had done to me and other women.

Cheer up, USA. One of your soccer teams has won 4 World Cups.

Bung a bag of large milk chocolate buttons in the fridge to chill lightly then consume without sharing.

The Belgian Football Association has said it is 'astonished' and 'investigating all potential options' after it emerged Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino to ask for US striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban to be reviewed

Researchers at UCLA and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health projected that the continuing absence of USAID funding will cause 4.5 million child deaths under the age of five by the year 2030 Via The Lancet

This is the secret main essential true 250th anniversary event: the brave voice of democracy and justice; the brutal forces of silencing; it's all here.

Brilliant. (Attn: @andeversagain.bsky.social )

The International Booker Prize (@thebookerprizes.com) will double the amount the winner gets to £100k, after the grant-giving organisation Bukhman Philanthropies made a commitment to fund the next 10 years of the award. 👇

Fascinating to see the differing responses from Scottish and English progressive readers to this column in which I point out the many faults in the Andy Burnham offering The English seem desperate to give Burnham a chance; the Scots have been bitten before and aren’t buying it Decide for yourself

This is completely outrageous. What a legacy from Starmer and Streeting. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The ban is heinous for what it does to transgender athletes. But if you think cisgender girls and young women won’t be caught up in the fallout, too, you are woefully ignorant

I'm so thankful to Becky and her mom for their trust, generosity, and strength in front of the Supreme Court. No matter what the Court says, Becky is a hero for standing up for herself and trans girls like her. Doing what's right, even when the odds are against you, is the definition of courage.

The Supreme Court today addressed one of the most pressing threats to the nation today: banning this high school sophomore from playing school sports with her friends 🫡🫠🙃

UWS has ranked number one in the UK for Decent Work and Economic Growth in the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings. We are also joint 1st in Scotland for Quality Education, and remain in the top 300 globally. www.uws.ac.uk/news/uws-tops-uk-for-contribution-to-decent-work-and-economic-growth

Absolutely terrific conversation with William Dalrymple unpacking the massive consequences of empire. Worth your time.

I don't know what people are talking about, the Trump State Fair looks lit.

From the always reliable Private Eye.

"the ferris wheel shut down" "the ice cream melted" "a display of the Confederate flag was removed" "almost-empty or understaffed booths" "limited food options" "no lines to get in, the lawn fairly void of people" "entertainers outnumbered guests at points..." www.notus.org/trump-white-...

Labour. What is the point if they are just going to ape Reform? #VoteGreen join.greenparty.org.uk This planet is dying and only the Green Party will do anything about it

1. Major news. Mayor Mamdani has just announced $15 million in direct funding for trans youth care providers, the most concrete action his administration has taken since receiving significant criticism over its handling of trans youth. Subscribe to support our journalism.

"Well joke's on you, Democrats, we don't care if women live or die!"

The Justice Department has been ordered to either unredact names of “potential co-conspirators” mentioned in certain Epstein files by next Thursday.

171. The Bengal Famine: Chaos in Calcutta –Empire: World History – Apple Podcasts share.google/Dliewr3g0Fgo...

I love a summer storm!

Scotland’s public libraries can apply for a share of a new £550,000 fund to support projects promoting reading, tackling digital exclusion and strengthening libraries as community hubs. 👇

A viral advert is inviting Bostonians to head the other way across the Atlantic and visit their 'new Scottish friends'

Crime should pay, what's the big deal?, says criminal.

Private Eye reports over 50 peers have signed a "furious missive to the National Portrait Gallery," angry about its decision to exhibit 'Persistence'. The film is critical of Cromwell's mass killings in Ireland. Tory peer Toby Young signed it. Yep, founder/director of the Free Speech Union...

BREAKING: Alligator Alcatraz has officially closed. A lot of outlets won’t report on this, but the Miccosukee Tribe played a key role in the fight.

Jesus Christ. Run your own fucking campaign how you want. But don't go out of your way to give Republicans ammo against Democrats running in other districts. Such stupid assholes.

I'm confused. Democratic socialism is cool.

Am I going mad or is the Edinburgh Book Festival not on Bluesky?

is there no queueing system for the Edinburgh book festival bookings today?

“You build a novel. You have to build it like a building so that it stays standing when you’re not in it.” —Rachel Cusk

“Suppose it ill paid: the wonder is it should be paid at all. Other men pay, & pay dearly, for pleasures less desirable” —Robert Louis Stevenson, “Letter to a young gentleman who proposes to embrace the career of art” via @gutenberg.org Happy #NationalWritingDay! www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6...

Two-thirds of Brits now believe Brexit has made every single issue they care about - whether it’s cost of living, economic growth, opportunities for young people, trade or managing illegal immigration - worse. Happy Brexit anniversary everyone! www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/brexit...

Yep.

Here is one link to rule them all. A list put together by my publisher @canongate.co.uk of ALL the places you can pre-order the paperback of the Two Roberts (08/10/26): buythebook.online/the-two-robe...

Poor Nige can't get his story straight. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

This is Leah's account of how she worked on creating and passing the Inflation Reduction Act (which is not nearly as dead and gone as people think; stay tuned for more from her on that).

Nancy Lacore, a former Navy admiral who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, won the Democratic nomination for the First Congressional District of South Carolina.

Will the 'king of the north' have the courage to reverse this unmitigated disaster or will he do what Labour did then and sit on the fence? (And folks wonder why we want independence when the UK govt considers Manchester the 'north'.) www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

This is trash. Just say no. These fucking fascists shouldn't get your passport to use their brain-destroying tech.

Fintan O'Toole as always being very wise on the longterm repercussions of the idiotic Brexit debacle. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...