I’d like you to assess how likely it is that Labour and Stonewall are driving “a new homophobia”, and that this is being bravely resisted by some of Britain’s most obviously repellent wingnut cranks, writing in our most poisonously hateful media outlets.

The voter suppression stories out of Mississippi are horrifying and contrary to every meaningful standard of law

Kevin Morris@kevintmorris.bsky.social · yesterday

This was the first election since 1964 without federal protections against race discrimination in voting but, uh, okay

I hope folks can hold two things at once. There was a historic win in Mississippi AND efforts to disenfranchise voters were intense and disgusting. Not a story of democracy working; a story of folks working way harder than they should have had to to squeak by under circumstances that should not be.

John Cluverius@johncluverius.bsky.social · 23h ago

The voter suppression stories out of Mississippi are horrifying and contrary to every meaningful standard of law

I’m beginning to think AI might not be all it’s cracked up to be.

sure it's Friday the 13th, but also, this was *yesterday* gizmodo.com/the-faa-is-r...

The FAA Is Rolling Out Its AI Air Traffic Tool Nationwide

The FAA has reassured the public and airlines that SMART only suggests routes and doesn't affect air safety.

gizmodo.com

This really is turning into FAFO week eh?

Flightradar24@flightradar24.com · 2d ago

⚠️ Issued by the FAA just moments ago, ALL US airports are currently ground stopped. This means NO flights may depart for US airports. Flights already in the air will be allowed to land. This is related to an FAA equipment outage.

Fenny doesn’t seem too disturbed by the adjacent book.

A group including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth broke decorum and was loudly admonished by the Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday.

According to the town crier, King Charles has already made plans to rule without Parliament. Thomas Strafford and Archbishop Laud will run the show.

Anne Applebaum@anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · last wk.

According to @reuters.com, Trump has already made plans to rule without Congress. Stephen Miller and Russell Vought will run the show. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

Pity Alan Garner didn’t win in 2022, but delighted to see the Booker recognising our greatest living novelists.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 6d ago

M John Harrison becomes first science fiction author to win the Booker prize

A superb novel, and deeply unsettling. Mary Beard's take ('a wry smile') suggests something twee and comfortable but it's not like that at all. Tough and protean and as good as anything he's ever written. I didn't feel a twinge of optimism but a shudder of recognition. Best Booker winner in years.

The Bookseller@thebookseller.com · 6d ago

M John Harrison has won the £50,000 Booker Prize 2026 for The End of Everything (Serpent’s Tail), with the novel described by chair of judges Mary Beard as a “book that turns you upside down, raises a wry smile and, surprisingly, given the subject matter, leaves you with a twinge of optimism”.👇

An apocalyptic vision of the Kent coast in the near future "The End of Everything" has won the Booker Prize tonight for M. John Harrison. The 81 year old - born between VE Day & VJ Day in 1945 - is the oldest Booker winner www.theguardian.com/books/2026/n...

M John Harrison becomes first science fiction author to win the Booker prize

The 81-year-old’s postapocalyptic novel The End of Everything takes home the £50,000 award

theguardian.com

I think the first time I’ve ever read a Booker winner before it was shortlisted. Well deserved.

This is so wrong The reason “Trump didn’t steal the elections” is because we & the pro-voter coalition stopped him EIGHT times over the past 21 months Here’s how: a thread (1/x)

This does not seem to have been reported/scrutinised anywhere yet.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · 2w ago

"We have a principle. We don’t believe in making things retrospective" - Kemi Badenoch, 30th October 2025 "If somebody is granted ILR by the Labour govt, and not a net contributor, we would review and stop their ILR", - Kemi Badenoch, 3rd November 2026

also buy Effin' Birds' books, but not from thieves! there's also an excellent calendar (available at @portersqbooks.bsky.social if you're local) bookshop.org/p/books/effi...

Effin' Birds 2027 Wall Calendar

Warning: calendar contains strong language and stronger laughs. Get ready to ruffle some feathers! The Effin' Birds 2027 Wall Calendar combines full-color vintage bird artwork with sweary diatribes by...

bookshop.org

Effin' Birds@effinbirds.com · last wk.

Same goes for me — the administrators for Unbound and Boundless insisted all copies were sent to me and none sold to OOINYA, but they continue to be liars. If you see the blue cover Effin’ Birds paperback or any copies of Greetings From Effin’ Birds on Amazon, those are stolen books.

Please do NOT buy the old Unbound stock of my books being sold by a company called OOINYA on Amazon. If the book is published by @swiftpress.bsky.social that's the version you want. I got sweet fuck all for the final books Unbound sold, & will continue to do so. www.thebookseller.com/news/unbound...

Unbound books sold at a discount by online retailer after publisher's collapse

A number of titles originally published by Unbound are being listed at discounted prices through online retailer OOINYA, as author Tom Cox urges readers to purchase newer editions of his books rather ...

thebookseller.com

I think we’re getting a sense of Trump’s post-midterm priorities now. Give him the ballroom and he’ll agree to anything.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last wk.

Trump signs proclamation to try to prevent changes to gold-covered Oval Office

One of my favourite scam emails to date. I really want to be an undercover operative by day and a Black Isle writer by night. Except that sounds far too much effort.

Now Russell Brand's been convicted of rape, we need to talk about Sylvie Berki. Because she can't speak for herself. In 2014, Ms Berki said she'd been assaulted by Russell Brand. But if she talks about it, even now, she risks jail.

it's has no obvious justification. It doesn't save money - refugees already have access to public funds so delaying settlement doesn't change that and the Home Office will now have 200,000 people being reviewed every 30 months for 20+ years. They're already here, so won't be deterred from arriving.

Jeffries needs to stop characterizing it as "revenge" rather than accountability

Kevin M. Kruse@kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 2w ago

I understand the impulse and Jeffries didn't help with his comments on Morning Joe's Centrist Zoo Crew today, but if you look at the committees and committee chairs that matter when it comes to oversight, they seem ready to roll. Still, doesn't hurt to call your reps and push them there.

"I think we're in for a big surprise tonight..."

WHO OWNS SCOTLAND? Each month I update the >5100 records on who owns Scotland. Together they cover 5.95 million hectares of rural land or 77.3% of rural Scotland. Each month I discover new owners. The October 2026 update has just been published and reveals an interesting sale. 1/3

I'm fucking ashamed of my country

Chenchen Zhang 🤦🏻‍♀️@chenchenzhang.net · 2w ago

a little browsing on skilledworkersUK subreddit tells you that people's lives are upended for no reason. it's hard to imagine anyone who's not limited by family or relationships is not gonna leave. "I'm going home, so I guess the reform voters won".

If you're getting ready to watch the midterms... My guide covers all the key races, hour-by-hour timing, resources to intepret what's going on, and predictions. All updated with the final round of polls. And written for a UK audience. samf.substack.com/p/your-guide...

Your guide to the midterms

Timings, resources, key races, predictions

samf.substack.com

8 months after publishing this entirely fabricated story about Britons "fleeing the country" because of tax rises, the Telegraph has finally (after a comprehensive defeat at @ipso.co.uk) published a correction. archive.ph/xSczO