Also. Everybody listen to the latest edition of @feap.bsky.social's The Stack on Monocle Radio, in which @chrisharrigan.bsky.social introduces the spectacular debut print edition of @thestoryau.bsky.social. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

Much needed – a campaign for better paternity leave in the UK dadshift.org.uk

As a person – and possibly the only person – who supports both Leeds United and Barnet FC, yesterday was the greatest day in the history of sport. Promotion to the Premier League and near-as-dammit promotion to the Football League all in one marvellous afternoon. #LUFC #BarnetFC

The personnel may have changed, but it's the same clown show that booked Four Seasons Total Landscaping. The only surprise is that the Signal group messages weren't full of macho posturing and racism

The contrast between a society that realises democracy is at stake and one that doesn’t.

There's an excellent report on the latest goings-on and fallings-out at Tower Hamlets council by @samgelder.bsky.social for London Spy. The collapse of local media has left us pretty much in the dark during the government’s inspection so thankful for Sam doing this work

“These first two months have been much more aggressively authoritarian than almost any other comparable case I know of democratic backsliding," says Steven Levitsky. (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/w...

Enjoying this Teen Vogue interview with Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter

Most underrated London band right now www.theguardian.com/music/2025/m...

"We need to take back control of the word “journalism” and leave 'content creation' to others."

So here for the dosa coverage at @vittles.bsky.social – a proper treat to get a newsletter about London's best Indian crepes today. I've been busy exploring the east London chaat scene – without doubt the best way to spend £3 or less in the city

This was a good listen, and particularly resonant because it happened at my secondary school, a couple of years before I joined. Was taught by some of the teachers mentioned; not at all surprised that a 14-year-old victim of sexual abuse would have been considered 'lucky' back then

Worth taking the time to reread this NYT story on Rodrigo Duterte's brutal 'war on drugs' from 2016 – and feel glad he's now in the Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity, even if his arrest is more about the Marcos-Duterte family feud than the rule of law www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Jim Ghedi and his band were so good at Moth Club last night. His new album, Wasteland, is perhaps my favourite of 2025 to date – big, bold, dark and ambitious folk-rock, with lyrics worth paying attention to jimghedi.bandcamp.com/album/wastel...

Seen many James Graham plays but The Punch at Young Vic might be the best of the punch. Fantastic acting and incredibly moving www.youngvic.org/whats-on/punch

I've managed to not mention politics on social media for three years because it's not good for my health. But right now I can't hold it in. Fuck Trump. Fuck Vance. They are the worst of humanity and bring shame to America. Solidarity with Ukraine.

Brilliant news. Probably my favourite podcast, though Jonathan Goldstein's CBC show WireTap comes close www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/b...

Sad news about Bill Fay. There's a moment in Mia Hansen-Love's One Fine Morning when Fay's Love Will Remain comes on and it's just perfect pitchfork.com/news/bill-fa...

The Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem was raided today, and its owners, Mahmoud and Ahmed Mona, were arrested. The bookstore is one of the premier Palestinian cultural institutions of East Jerusalem; Mahmoud Mona is among the most inspiring figures in the city. via @nirhasson.bsky.social

I went to Southport three months after the awful events of July to write about the community response and the possibility of healing www.slow-journalism.com/long-reads/p...

Seeing Mainliner, with Kawabata Makoto of Acid Mothers Temple, in a tiny Osaka basement club owned by a guitarist from the Boredoms, was a very worthwhile Japanoise pilgrimage (though my ears are still ringing, despite the earplugs)

A tough read but remarkable reporting.

The only end-of-year list that really matters is finally here. It's my unsolicited, massively self-indulgent, tremendous waste-of-time top 60 albums of the year list

It's my X anniversary! I joined 15 years ago today. I celebrated the big day by deactivating my account.

Use discount code BLUESKY5 to get £5 off a gift subscription to Delayed Gratification. If you have friends or family who find the relentless news cycle exhausting and disheartening, our reflective quarterly review will make the ideal gift www.slow-journalism.com/subscribe

I hope everyone will watch this video from Syria. Extraordinary, terrifying and hopeful moments. It's a reminder of why we fight. www.cnn.com/2024/12/11/w...

Biased Xmas gift advice: nothing beats a subscription to the world's first Slow Journalism publication. Message me for a discount code www.slow-journalism.com/subscribe

Alma's Not Normal is my favourite British sitcom in ages. Eccentric, angry at times heartbreakingly sad; brilliant acting, complex characters, extremely funny.

Surprised to see that Vice News still exists. But less surprised to see Shane Smith pivoting towards far right conspiracy theories

'Cook Pass Babtridge' next time please. Easier to explain to my five-year-old when I stop to take a photo

Heard so many weird, wonderful and beautiful audio stories on Short Cuts over the years, and most of them would never have been aired on national radio without Short Cuts. Hope the BBC reconsider

Twitter/X stopped working for us around the time Musk took over. Feeling positive about Bluesky

Today's uplifting music news: a first album in 19 years from Edith Frost. Her first four are all wonderful, and there's a free album of demos on her website that I've often returned to over the years edithfrost.com/album/275641...

Waited two and a half years for this guy to reach the UK and his near two hour set didn't disappoint. Wild how popular he suddenly is - lots of people (Lenderfans? Lendermaniacs?) singing along to every word

Currently writing an article for Delayed Gratification about the aftermath of the Southport attacks and riots. Last year, when a similar series of incidents happened in Ireland, I focused on the rise of the far right www.slow-journalism.com/long-reads/i...

The likelihood of the world's second-most powerful vindictive thin-skinned narcissist falling out with the world's most powerful vindictive thin-skinned narcissist is somewhere north of 99 percent. I'll give the Musk/Trump partnership a year, and that's being generous

Tell Them You Love Me, a documentary about a white female professor's sexual abuse of a non-verbal black man, is fascinating, disturbing and impressively sensitive and even-handed. One of the best docs I've seen in some time www.sky.com/watch/tell-t...

'Is It Like Today?' is a perfect pop song. Sad news www.theguardian.com/music/2024/m...

How To with John Wilson is the best thing on TV. New series now on iPlayer – have seen it all and it does not disappoint www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

I still haven't settled on my 2023 album of the year, but the record I've listened to the most is Growing at the Edges by Mutual Benefit. It's just gloriously beautiful – perfectly crafted and optimistic – and they're playing in London later this month dice.fm/event/qlpwx-...

Catching up with the last handful of episodes of Jonathan Goldstein's Heavyweight, now it's been released from Spotify's grip. It really is one of the greatest podcasts ever made – exquisite, heartwarming storytelling. Really hope it finds a new home www.ft.com/content/f514...

Just uploaded a great piece my Delayed Gratification colleague @jamespiotr.bsky.social wrote about Jerry Springer, who was born on the platform of Highgate Tube station 80 years ago today www.slow-journalism.com/long-reads/b...

'Putin vs the West' is superb, and I'd love to know how Norma Percy secures interviews with everyone short of Putin himself. The last four British PMs, secretaries-general of Nato/UN, the CIA head, Zelensky… Is this thanks to personal connections, the lure of the BBC, a crack team of reseachers…?