Ella Creamer

Charles Spencer will publish Swan Song: Diana, My Sister on 22 September in the UK, ahead of the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death. The book will recount Diana’s life and the week surrounding her death, offering Spencer’s personal memories and his account of what he considers the truth about his sister. He said he was motivated by repeated interview requests and what he views as long-standing untruths about Diana. The publisher says the book includes significant revelations as well as a tribute to Diana, whom Spencer eulogised at Westminster Abbey in 1997.

Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been criticised for entering the National Eisteddfod of Wales poetry competition under the pseudonym “Y Gelyn” after his 2024 conviction for accessing indecent images of children. Actor and abuse survivor Sera Cracroft said it would have been hurtful if Edwards had won, and urged organisers to reconsider rules allowing anonymous entries. The Eisteddfod said its procedures prevent judges from knowing competitors’ identities and would be reviewed. Edwards defended the poem as an attempt to correct what he called a misleading media portrayal of his relationship with his late father, while attacking Cracroft’s comments.

More than 1,000 books from Raymond Briggs’s personal library have been donated by his estate and put on sale at Oxfam’s Hove bookshop and online. The collection spans comics, illustration, novels, social history and anti-nuclear-disarmament pamphlets, revealing influences ranging from Charles Schulz and E. H. Shepard to Shirley Hughes and Edward Gorey. Oxfam volunteers describe the books as offering insight into the visual and intellectual world behind Briggs’s distinctive work, with prices ranging from £5.99 to £400.

More than 800,000 copies of Katherine Rundell’s bestselling novel Impossible Creatures will be distributed to Year 6 and P6 pupils across the UK as part of The Queen’s Christmas Present initiative, launched by Queen Camilla to coincide with the end of the National Year of Reading. The National Literacy Trust will support distribution through schools, libraries, hospitals and community settings. The programme responds to research showing a sharp decline in reading enjoyment as children transition to secondary school. A special edition of the book will feature a cover stamp and a message from the queen, while Rundell emphasises the importance of access to books in helping children face future challenges.

Iranian novelist Shahrnush Parsipur has died at 80 after a life marked by repeated imprisonment for her feminist writings. Her major works, including Women Without Men and Touba and the Meaning of Night, challenged Iran’s patriarchal norms and became influential despite censorship. Parsipur lived in exile in the US from 1994 and continued to speak critically of the Islamic Republic. English translations of several of her books are scheduled for release in the coming years, and her publisher praised her lasting literary legacy.

A short story by Jamir Nazir, widely accused on social media of being written with AI, won the overall Commonwealth short story prize after the Commonwealth Foundation reviewed drafts and confirmed no AI use. The controversy led Granta to withdraw from publishing the winning stories and fueled debate over the reliability of AI-detection tools. Judges praised the story’s originality and craftsmanship, while critics questioned stylistic elements they viewed as AI markers. Nazir discussed his influences, drafting process, and use of speech-to-text tools. Reactions to the award remained polarized, with some writers expressing diminished trust in the prize.

Ben Lerner’s novel Transcription won the Orwell prize for political fiction for its exploration of technology, memory and human connection, while Karen Bartlett received the nonfiction prize for The Escape from Kabul, highlighting the dangers faced by Afghan women lawyers after the fall of Kabul. Judges praised Lerner’s work as timely and intellectually rich and Bartlett’s as empathetic and compelling. Both awards include a £5,000 prize, with additional shortlisted titles recognized across fiction and nonfiction categories.

Sarah Wynn-Williams has filed a lawsuit against Meta claiming the company unlawfully attempted to silence her memoir by seeking arbitration-based restrictions and conducting coercive surveillance. The complaint argues her severance agreement is unenforceable due to financial duress at the time of signing. Meta pursued sanctions over her silent appearance at the Hay festival and monitored her public movements, while book sales surged following the event. Meta maintains she violated her agreement and is leveraging the legal dispute to sell books. Supporters, including her publisher and legal team, argue Meta’s actions suppress necessary public interest discussions and reveal a pattern of corporate intimidation.

Pope Leo XIV will release an English-language collection of his previously unpublished homilies and addresses from 2001 to 2013, titled Freedom Under Grace, in September. Originally issued in Italian by the Vatican’s publishing house, the book will launch a new spirituality imprint under Cornerstone in the UK and is published in the US by Penguin Random House Christian. Editor Matthew Burdette highlights its chronological structure and themes such as education, leadership and the role of the church in the world. The release follows a February collection of the pope’s sermons since his election.

Granta ended its longstanding practice of publishing Commonwealth short story prize winners after accusations that one of this year’s winning stories was partially generated by AI. The magazine said the controversy undermined its editorial integrity and prompted it to withdraw from external publishing partnerships. The disputed story by Jamir Nazir drew scrutiny on social platforms, though the author denied using AI and said he relied on speech‑to‑text because of health issues. Granta’s publisher suggested the judges might have inadvertently rewarded AI plagiarism, while the Commonwealth Foundation reaffirmed that all shortlisted writers confirmed no AI use. The foundation thanked Granta for its past collaboration and said it will seek new platforms for future winning stories.

A new memoir titled Grand: The Autobiography of Gromit will be released in October, marking the first time the silent canine star of the Wallace and Gromit animations shares his perspective. Publisher Ebury and creator Nick Park describe the book as an opportunity for Gromit to reveal humorous personal insights, including experiences with inventions, opinions on gnomes and even the taste of the moon. The memoir highlights his talents and personality, expanding on the character beloved from Aardman’s animated series.

Kazuo Ishiguro will publish a new spy novel, Miss Lambert Steps Aboard Danger, in March 2027. Set in 1938, the story follows Richard Hadley’s encounters with the mysterious Miss Lambert across England and Scotland. The book marks Ishiguro’s first novel since Klara and the Sun and draws on his interest in music, art and Golden Age cinema. Published by Faber in the UK and Alfred A. Knopf in the US, the announcement comes amid continued adaptations of his earlier works, including an upcoming film version of Klara and the Sun starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams.

Diana Evans won the Jhalak prose prize for her nonfiction collection “I Want to Talk to You,” celebrated by judges for its confidence and thematic depth. Additional awards went to Fidan Meikle for the children’s and young adult prize and Maggie Harris for the poetry prize. Judges highlighted the winners’ literary quality and cultural significance, emphasizing the awards’ focus on writers of colour in the UK and Ireland. Shortlisted works spanned multiple authors and genres, and each prize carries a £1,000 award.

Sales of Sarah Wynn-Williams’s memoir Careless People surged more than 300% after she remained silent during a Hay festival appearance due to Meta’s legal restrictions. Meta had previously secured an order limiting her ability to promote the book, claiming it contained false and outdated accusations about the company. The publisher reported over 140,000 UK sales, crediting public backlash against what it called corporate censorship. Wynn-Williams’s silent appearance drew widespread attention and a standing ovation, with supporters arguing that Meta’s actions aimed to deter other potential critics.

Maureen Duffy, a prolific British writer and pioneering activist for gay and authors’ rights, has died at 92. Celebrated for more than 60 works across fiction, poetry, drama and nonfiction, she was honoured with the inaugural RSL Pioneer prize for her influence. Duffy’s activism helped secure public lending rights and led to the creation of the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society. Her career included landmark works such as The Microcosm and Restitution, and she was widely praised for her lifelong commitment to writers’ rights, gay rights and animal rights.

Helen Phillips’ novel Hum won the Climate Fiction Prize for its depiction of a future shaped by AI, surveillance and the commercialization of nature. Judges praised its themes of environmental privilege and dystopian consumerism, while the prize highlighted its role in prompting reflection on alternative futures. The book was selected from a shortlist of six works, and Phillips drew inspiration from personal experiences with algorithmic surveillance.

Historical patterns of denunciation and rapid escalation from suspicion to conviction are used to explain why contestants on The Celebrity Traitors struggle to identify traitors. David Olusoga highlights parallels with events such as the Salem witch trials, Stalin‑era show trials and the Spanish Inquisition, noting how confident voices can drive groupthink. Clare Balding reflects on the pressure and inability to defend oneself once momentum turns, while she and Olusoga describe how emerging alliances can trigger targeting within the game. Their discussion underscores how psychological and historical dynamics shape player behaviour on the show.

Harriet Harman warned that replacing Keir Starmer with Andy Burnham as prime minister could lead to a snap general election, arguing Burnham may seek his own mandate and face accusations from Nigel Farage of being a usurper. Harman expressed support for Burnham winning the Makerfield byelection but opposed a leadership challenge, stressing the need for political stability. She cited Gordon Brown’s decision not to call an early election as a cautionary precedent and rejected the idea that the UK had become ungovernable, noting that while the job is tough, it remains manageable.

Ian McEwan warned that widespread pessimism poses a greater challenge than climate change, urging optimism as a moral responsibility while highlighting progress in renewable energy. Minette Batters described severe uncertainty for farmers caused by extreme weather and unclear government plans, criticising proposals such as a land value tax. Discussion touched on climate impacts, farming struggles, and infrastructure spending, with calls to redirect investment from HS2 to local services and concerns about pressures on Britain’s historic footpaths.

Jess Phillips criticised Labour for never electing a permanent female leader, attributing it to institutional sexism and broader patriarchal structures. Speaking at the Hay festival, she contrasted Labour’s record with the Conservatives’ three female prime ministers and noted that female leadership has not always translated into better outcomes for women. With potential leadership contenders such as Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting, a change appears unlikely. Phillips discussed party dynamics, defended Keir Starmer’s character, and criticised anti‑politics rhetoric from the Greens and Reform UK while expressing hopes for unexpected candidates should a leadership contest occur.

David Miliband urged Europe to pursue greater strategic autonomy without severing ties with the United States, warning that a full break would be dangerous. Speaking at the Hay festival, he argued Europe must build economic and military agency, particularly in areas such as climate leadership, digital sovereignty and defence procurement. Panelists including Philippe Sands stressed the UK’s heavy dependence on the US and the need for Britain to rebuild political, economic and military ties with Europe, noting that France’s trust must be re‑established. Brexit was described as economically damaging and a lesson in the costs of regulatory divergence. Miliband also warned that the war in Iran has fractured US‑Europe relations more severely than previous conflicts.

Andy Burnham consulted Sue Gray on preparing for a possible Labour government as speculation grows over Keir Starmer’s future following poor local election results. Senior Labour figures view Burnham’s return to Westminster and the upcoming Makerfield byelection as pivotal, while internal tensions emerge over party direction and leadership ambitions. Polling shows Labour’s lead narrowing against Reform UK, prompting prominent party members to rally behind Burnham’s campaign. David Miliband urged a stronger policy agenda, warning that leadership changes without policy shifts would be ineffective.

Gisèle Pelicot recounted her recovery from years of sexual abuse orchestrated by her ex-husband, describing her ability to love and trust again while speaking at the Hay festival about her memoir. She urged greater societal awareness of violence against women and expressed optimism about progress through education. French authorities have reopened an investigation into the reappearance of the website used to facilitate the assaults. Pelicot also highlighted her daughter’s related legal battle and praised her activism against chemical submission.

Keir Starmer urged TNT Sports to allow free nationwide access to the Arsenal–Paris Saint‑Germain Champions League final, arguing that fans should not have to pay for a major sporting event traditionally available without charge. TNT defended its £4.99 HBO Max subscription as offering strong value. The dispute unfolded amid mounting political pressure on Starmer after poor local election results and speculation that Andy Burnham could challenge his leadership, with Labour figures warning that the party lacks clarity and risks losses as support for Reform UK grows.