Libby Brooks

theguardian.com‘The response is a beautiful thing’: how Glasgow is squaring up to ReformIn the face of Nigel Farage, flag-waving and a longstanding housing crisis, some Glaswegians are taking on anti-immigration rhetoric

12 Jan

Reform UK has launched repeated attacks on Glasgow - over asylum policy, housing, schools - I spoke to those working at the front line about the realities of a city under pressure www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: How a journalistic hunch revealed the scale of Britain’s problematic cocaine useIn today’s newsletter: Once associated with the wealthy, the drug has become omnipresent, with new Guardian analysis revealing rising crime, record deaths and a troubling link to domestic abuse

First Edition on the cocaine nation - a pleasure to speak to @robynvinter.bsky.social & @michaelgoodier.bsky.social about their excellent investigation into Britain's escalating cocaine use, being mistaken for a cop at a music festival and why sewage doesn't lie www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

theguardian.comBrazil keeps left: what Lula’s victory means for his country and beyondIn today’s newsletter: As Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured victory in the presidential race, we look the implications for democracy, the environment and international relations

If you're waking up to the Lula victory in Brazil, here's what you need to know www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

theguardian.comVučić concedes Serbian election, says Student List will be the largest party – Europe liveStudent List movement projected to have 138 seats in the new parliament, well clear of the 126 required for majority, to Vučić’s 104

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: How a leaderless student group is challenging power in SerbiaIn today’s newsletter: Born from the fury surrounding the deadly Novi Sad station collapse, Serbia’s Student List has taken its protests all the way to the elections in an unprecedented grassroots ca...

Here's the briefing you need on it www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

theguardian.comUnder Fire by Humza Yousaf – a deeply affecting story of being stranded in GazaThe former Scottish first minister writes of his in-laws’ plight and the tragedy of those who weren’t so lucky

"A deeply affecting book" - our review of Under Fire by @humzayousaf.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/books/2026/o...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: Burnham passes first test as Labour heads off Green challengeIn today’s newsletter: Holborn and St Pancras byelection defeat is a blow to Zack Polanski, who ‌has promised to draw support away from Labour

Got up very early to write this one… www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

theguardian.comCruel torment, depraved violence, evil turns: where did TV’s real baddies go?From Carrie’s bullies to Cathy Ames, sympathetic backstories have made villains boring. It’s time to bring back truly awful villains – in all their deliciously sinful glory

This is so clever and true from Rebecca Nicholson www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: How we covered the flydubai incident as it unfoldedIn today’s newsletter: When a passenger plane plunges 17,000ft amid claims of terrorism, hijacking and geopolitical intrigue, Guardian journalists have to try and separate fact from fiction in real ti...

Friday briefing: how the Guardian covered the flydubai incident as it unfolded www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

theguardian.comWednesday briefing: Can Andy Burnham live up to the party’s faith in him?In today’s newsletter: At Labour conference members are basking in the glow of the Burnham bounce. But beneath the enthusiasm lies a growing sense that delivery must follow hopeful messaging

Want to know the chat from Labour conference? My morning briefing here…. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

theguardian.com‘It’s like the Scottish Upper East Side’: shame and snobbery as American students blamed for St Andrews classismOnline comments reflect class tensions at Scottish university between those from lower-income families and wealthier US undergraduates

Gold standard overheard from @pgreenfielduk.bsky.social "An American student walks past the student union loudly explaining to a friend: “Everyone is going to think you’re rich if you have a Ralph Lauren bag. But that doesn’t make you rich.” www.theguardian.com/education/20...

18 Sept

Many congratulations to Eve; can’t wait to see what she does with the role which I still reckon is one of the best jobs in Scotland

Eve Livingston@everebecca.bsky.social

🚨 Professional news klaxon: today is my last day as a freelancer before I start as Scotland Correspondent at @theguardian.com next week! So excited to get started covering the whole range of what's happening in Scotland, from politics and social affairs to arts and culture, & everything in between

Libby Brooks reposted

Eve Livingston

@everebecca.bsky.social

18 Sept

theguardian.comWednesday briefing: Why tech companies might be only too happy for us to believe AI will ‘kill us all’In today’s newsletter: It is hard to tell fact from fiction when it comes to AI. What is really going on – and what should the government do about it?

16 Sept

Such a brilliant newsletter from my co-pilot @hettieobrien.bsky.social on why tech companies might be only too happy for the public to believe AI will kill us all www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

theguardian.comBonnie Greer, writer and cultural commentator, dies aged 77The British-American novelist and playwright who regularly appeared on current affairs shows will be remembered for her ‘warmth, humour and generosity’, says her husband

16 Sept

Rest in power Bonnie Greer: it was my pleasure to edit her on Guardian Opinion & I so admired her capacity to puncture privilege with wit & her talent for active hope www.theguardian.com/books/2026/s...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: How to understand Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland’s joint call for changeIn today’s newsletter: Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Sinn Féin have signed an agreement for greater powers, as pressure grows on Westminster over the UK’s future

15 Sept

This morning’s First Edition: why the Celtic leaders’ Cardiff meet-up was more than just good optics www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: What happens next after Germany’s far-right breakthrough?In today’s newsletter: The AfD’s local election triumph has shocked Europe, and raised questions about how to counter the rising far right

8 Sept

Tuesday's First Edition: with @jonhenley.bsky.social and @kateconnolly.bsky.social in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD's triumph is a klaxon for Europe.... www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

theguardian.comMind games and a ‘toss master’: world stone skimming contest returns to Scotland after cheating scandalMore than 400 competitors battle windy conditions on Easdale, a year after tampered-with stones made headlines

6 Sept

Bringing you the news where you are: @pgreenfielduk.bsky.social at the world stone skimming championships on Easdale www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: Could Meta’s child‑safety settlement open the door to global reform?In today’s newsletter: The vast US payout may reshape teen safety online beyond the borders of America, but there are more lawsuits to come

28 Aug

Final First Edition of the week: what does the US Meta ruling mean for other cases across the globe? www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

surveys.theguardian.comQualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience ManagementThe most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

28 Aug

PLUS please take 5 minutes to fill out our reader survey surveys.theguardian.com/jfe/form/SV_...

theguardian.comWednesday briefing: How Canada has turned a trade dispute into a defence of its sovereigntyIn today’s newsletter: A collapsing trade deal has united Canadians more than ever, in an existential confrontation with the US president

26 Aug

Wednesday briefing: Canada vs Trump PLUS there's a wee reader survey at the end, please take it if you have the time www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

www.theguardian.com/us-news/live...

theguardian.comTributes pour in after country music legend Dolly Parton dies aged 80: ‘Thank you, Lord, for Dolly’ – latest updatesReba McEntire, Lily Tomlin, Dionne Warwick, Kacey Musgraves, Donald Trump and others mourn star’s death

Libby Brooks reposted

John Harris

@johnharris1969.bsky.social

Dolly Parton's Here You Come Again is one of the great pop records. The arrangement is something else, as are the chordal jumps that begin each verse. But the vocal! Every syllable perfect. Imagine hearing the finished thing played back for the first time

theguardian.com‘Never seen this level of objection’: Scotland pushes back against datacentre boomHolyrood ‘inching towards moratorium’ amid concerns over massive proposed developments in Auchtertool and beyond

‘Never seen this level of objection’: my excellent colleague @aishadown.bsky.social on how Scotland is pushing back against the datacentre boom www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: Will UK ministers make policy change to save young lives on the road?In today’s newsletter: A surge in deadly wrong‑way crashes has exposed our failure to protect young drivers, as grieving families and safety experts warn that age, inexperience and lax licensing rul...

Tuesday briefing: why are so many young lads dying on Britain’s roads? www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

theguardian.comWhen I first moved to Glasgow from India, I felt welcomed and included. Now I just feel scrutinised | Sanghmitra SinghThe city that used to be full of kind strangers is increasingly witnessing racist disorder. I hope it can find its way back to its old friendliness, says human rights lawyer and farmer Sanghmitra Sing...

24 Aug

Good to see another #passthemic writer Sanghmitra Singh in Guardian Opinion - thanks to @talatyaqoob.bsky.social who made it happen www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.comMonday briefing: Thousands of sex offenders could be offered libido-suppressing drugs – will they work?In today’s newsletter: The government wants to expand the use of medication among sex offenders – but the plan raises difficult questions about consent, rehabilitation and life after prison

24 Aug

My Monday briefing: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

theguardian.comThursday briefing: What does the mass closure of charity shops tell us about Britain?In today’s newsletter: Charity retail’s crisis is about a sector caught between rising costs, falling donations and a booming online resale economy

21 Aug

Thursday briefing: What does the mass closure of charity shops tell us about Britain? www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Libby Brooks reposted

Guardian NUJ

@gonuj.org

19 Aug

Statement from the Guardian NUJ chapel on the death of professor Jason Arday

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: What the Simon Levy case tells us about the women the justice system keeps failingIn today’s newsletter: The women most at risk of violence are often the least likely to be heard – the murder of two sex workers shows why that must change

19 Aug

Forgot to post this yesterday and it still stands: what the Simon Levy case tells us about violence against sex workers www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

theguardian.com‘I don’t even drink whisky’: Scotland reels in visitors as much of Europe sweltersMore direct flights from North America and, say tourism chiefs, Highland warriors and Tartan Army have helped

15 Aug

‘I don’t even drink whisky’: Scotland reels in visitors as much of Europe swelters www.theguardian.com/business/202...

theguardian.comEdinburgh international film festival showcases a Scottish industry in rude healthThis year’s festival is superpowered by a strong year for Scottish cinema, showing it can thrive under the ‘four dimensional perpetual catch-22’ of global ambitions

14 Aug

Cheering read from Guardian Film.....Edinburgh international film festival showcases a Scottish industry in rude healthhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/13/edinburgh-international-film-festival-scottish-cinema

theguardian.comFriday briefing: Nigel Farage’s Clacton circus is finally over, but his financial reckoning is just beginningIn today’s newsletter: Farage’s byelection has irritated voters and left Reform trapped in a widening scandal over undeclared gifts and suspicious loans

14 Aug

Friday briefing: Nigel Farage’s Clacton circus is finally over, but his financial reckoning is just beginning www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Libby Brooks reposted

Frances Ryan

@francesryan.bsky.social

24 July

It was lovely to talk to @libbybrooks.bsky.social for this morning’s First Edition newsletter on the Design and Disability exhibition. We chat about art, protest and why you should absolutely yell to a receptionist speaking to the non-disabled person behind you. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: How disabled creators are challenging an ableist worldIn today’s newsletter: Amid protests, policy battles and rising hostility, disabled designers and artists show how pleasure, creativity and visibility defy stigma

24 July

Friday briefing: How disabled creators are challenging an ableist world - with @francesryan.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comThursday briefing: Now he has the power to do it, can Andy Burham really end homelessness in the UK?In today’s newsletter: The fight to end rough sleeping now hinges on whether our new PM can match local innovations with a coherent policy of investment

23 July

My Thursday briefing: What will it take to end rough sleeping across the UK? www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: Inside Andy Burnham’s first dayIn today’s newsletter: As the new prime minister enters No 10, our journalists take you through what it was like covering his first hours in power

21 July

What just happened? Let me take you through it hour by hour….. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: Is violence against politicians reshaping democracy in the UK?In today’s newsletter: Years of rising hostility has transformed political work from public service into personal risk, moving MPs even further away from their constituents

17 July

Andy Burnham is calling for a 'new politics' - my Friday briefing has a few thoughts on how to tackle escalating aggression in public life www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comThursday briefing: Why magical kingdoms feel more relatable than real‑world romance for today’s young womenIn today’s newsletter: The boom in romantasy fiction reveals a thirst for escape from the political misalignment plaguing many modern relationships

16 July

Really enjoyed chatting to our brilliant books writer @emmaloffhagen.bsky.social for this First Edition on the rise of romantasy fiction and what it tells us about modern dating www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comWednesday briefing: Do MPs have the will to stop mega-donors interfering in UK politics?In today’s newsletter: The representation of the people bill has become a test of whether Britain can curb the surge in billionaire‑backed donations trying to influence how we run the country

15 July

Here she is! The fabulous @hettieobrien.bsky.social is joining myself and Michael Segalov writing our daily newsletter First Edition - today she's written about MPs vs mega-donors www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: The law that Hillsborough built – and the bitter final battle to get it throughIn today’s newsletter: A new law criminalising public bodies and officials that lie to the British public is expected to complete it final stages in the Commons. Why did it take so long?

14 July

As Hillsborough Law passes its final stages in the Commons, here's my Tuesday briefing on how we got here www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comFriday briefing: Inside our investigation of Nigel Farage and Reform’s deepening financial scandalIn today’s newsletter: A peek behind the curtain of Guardian Towers as journalist Anna Isaac relays the twists and turns of her exclusive reporting

10 July

First Edition this morning takes you under the bonnet of the story that's dominated this week's news www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Libby Brooks reposted

Jonathan Portes

@jdportes.bsky.social

7 July

Some thoughts from me on the Treasury and Ed Miliband... www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: What challenges would Ed Miliband face as chancellor?In today’s newsletter: Former Reasons to Be Cheerful guests on the challenges facing the presumptive next occupant of No 11 Downing Street

6 July

I would really like it if it didn't rain for one day of the Scottish school summer holidays. Just one day

theguardian.comMonday briefing: Who are the people trying to protect our right to protest?In today’s newsletter: One year on from the proscription of Palestine Action, an elderly retired priest steadied herself on the conviction that protest had become a moral duty, while she waited for...

6 July

Does this look like terrorism to you? My Monday briefing on the first anniversary of the proscription of Palestine Action www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

lrb.co.ukDani Garavelli · Short Cuts: Stealing from the SNPPeter Murrell squandered the SNP’s reputation on £42,660 worth of Amazon packages and a necklace from a Shetland...

2 July

This is a precise and thoughtful must-read (as usual) from @danigaravelli.bsky.social on uncomfortable truths for the SNP after Peter Murrell's sentencing www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

2 July

I still find it boggling that both Burnham and Streeting announced their Labour leadership plans via X, a platform that has relentlessly undermined the party

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says DCMS will leave X This follows Elon Musk's radicalisation into the increasingly open advocacy of violence - here pro-assassinations + collective racist violence versus migrants & minorities.

2 July

This comes from a place of love: Manchester is not The North. Manchester is The Middle. Thanks for reading

theguardian.comTuesday briefing: Inside Shabana Mahmood’s new UK asylum reformsIn today’s newsletter: As the home secretary details reforms to the asylum system, a look at the challenges Labour faces – and what better story could be told about immigration

30 June

Tuesday briefing: Inside Shabana Mahmood’s new UK asylum reforms www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...