Enjoyed reading - and reviewing for ⁦The New Statesman⁩ - Salman Rushdie’s extraordinary memoir, Knife newstatesman.com/the-weekend-es…

“In the process of writing this profoundly life-affirming memoir, it is clear that Rushdie has found his own peace. For the rest of us, it should have the opposite effect. It should shake us from our complacencies.”
Nicola Sturgeon on Salman Rushdie
newstatesman.com/the-weekend-es…

“Sunak, who has also faced questions about the short length of his trousers, said he is “intrigued and amused by the amount of focus on what I’m wearing”. ”

Welcome to the everyday world of a woman in politics 😂

A helpful explanatory thread.

'The culture wars are colliding with the constitutional crisis and in the growing competition for populist insurgency' ... The grotesque coalition that is forming is a threat to devolution ...bellacaledonia.org.uk/2024/04/03/sup…

This is staggering. Beyond words. It's actually very hard to read so please be warned. theguardian.com/world/2024/apr…

I am a huge admirer of Brian’s culture coverage so this is not intended as any kind of jibe, but given the importance of these issues I thought I’d respond briefly.
I totally agree that governments need to prioritise culture more, that it is too often an ‘easy’ casualty when

Really bad news. I know money is tight but very much hope that a way is found to get Aye Write back on track. Books, culture generally, are so vital to our wellbeing - and never more so than in the troubled times we live in today. Book festivals are opportunities to celebrate the

The world is warming faster than scientists expected via Financial Times
on.ft.com/3VwI7MP

Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan review – the Dickens of our post-Brexit pandemic age theguardian.com/books/2024/mar…

Women who were forced to give their babies up for adoption have made an urgent plea for help finding out what happened to their children. buff.ly/497J94L

Sending best wishes to Leo Varadkar. I always enjoyed a good working relationship with him when I was FM. He was a strong leader of Ireland and a good friend to Scotland. I wish him well.

Things I didn’t expect to see today - me in the background of shots of (if reports are to be believed) the new James Bond 🤣

Mark has been an outstanding First Minister of Wales.

Principled, thoughtful, hard-working, he always stood up for Wales and for those in society who most need government on their side. He will be the hardest of acts to follow.

I will always be grateful for his counsel and

Henry was an extraordinary human being. While the world is a poorer place for his passing, there is no doubt that his life made it better. Alongside his beloved wife, Ingrid, Henry educated thousands about the horrors of the Holocaust and the lessons from it that we must never

I am deeply sad and upset to learn of the death of The SNP legend, Gerry Fisher. Gerry was one of a kind - clever, thrawn, stubborn, a stickler for (his interpretation of) the party constitution (as anyone whoever attended a party conference will attest to) and a man of great