17 likes and counting... I think I under-estimated myself.

Was thrilled to be asked to write an essay responding to the current VISUAL Carlow exhibition. I wrote about the genius British Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum and specifically her 1980s video work Eyes Skinned. Read it here: visualcarlow.ie/art-ideas/what…

Hard agree. To opt out of political thinking is as delusional as opting out of human connection. Which is the meaning of life.

Been back on Twitter a week. It's true I've gone from 5,000 followers to, erm, 200 but I'm quite enjoying the punk subversiveness of that. In short, it's good to be back (said to the three folk currently liking my shit.)

Never wanted to see a government go down in flames, no with the weakest of flickers, so badly in my puff.

One thing I've been thinking: did anyone else find the wording of the motion extraordinarily opaque and confusing?! I think it could have been stated so much more simply and I wonder whether (ok hope) this would have changed the outcome.

This. I could write a book, a very sad, angry, admittedly quite shit one, about this stuff, particularly surrounding my last book Homelands. It can come from all directions. All we ask is to be seen as what we are: writers.

The resolution brought forward by Society of Authors members calling for a statement to be made in support of a ceasefire in Gaza, didn't pass.

That means the murder of 40,000+ Palestinians isn't enough to compel a majority vote among British writers. What a time.

What Clare said.

This. Tells a story so many of us know all too well. It is entirely uncontroversial to condemn genocide.

Third largest Tory to Labour swing EVER in Blackpool South. The Tories, the party who partied through the pandemic while so many, my mother included, died alone, are going to be fucking decimated in the general election. Bring. It. On.

Last week we launched The Review w/ Jhalak Prize a new literary magazine focusing on writers of the global majority giving a platform to an exciting plurality of innovative voices, editor Guy Gunaratne design by MichaelSalu in The Bookseller & online here bit.ly/3xRosgB

This by the brilliant colin grant is bang on. And I say this as one of very few brown arts journalists for a UK national newspaper for decades. The Review is a brilliant idea Jhalak Prize BRAVO!

Been to the Society of Authors EGM and I’m disgusted, angry, disillusioned … the resolution wasn’t even demanding anything radical; just a statement of solidarity with Palestinian writers and literary institutions/orgs. What’s the point in a Trade Union that is so conservative?

Completely agree. This is not neutral, it is deeply political, and so very many of us members are deeply opposed to their stance.

I just bought this book on Noreen Masud's recommendation. It's beautiful and true.

This is beautiful Liz Berry

This will be wonderful.

Whhhhhaaaaaaatttt?!

Well, this will be amazing...