This is Northumberland Calling 20.6.25

The Exposing the Inner Flaws edition

Hello America (particularly Central Ohio) this is Northumberland calling.

The Strategic Defence Review highlighted the very poor security around the perimeter of Brize Norton, a British RAF base. Sure enough Pro-Palestinian protestors broke in and disabled 2 aircraft earlier today. They claim to have got away without being challenged, exposing the flaws in the system Something must be done as they completely compromised UK security. This sort of trespass is a criminal offence. The MOD also need to increase their security as the current flaws are unacceptable! https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/20/pro-palestine-protesters-raf-planes-brize-norton/ or https://archive.ph/agrnR

The fall out from the grooming gang review continues. Certain sections of the media seek to downplay it, but the spell has been broken. The cover up was real (and is ongoing but people are running out of road and places to hide). Micheal Gove has confirmed that Whitehall officials did indeed ask him to go to court to suppress Andrew Norfolk’s story in 2011 about the scandal in Rotherham. Gove refused and the story was duly published. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/whitehall-tried-to-block-rotherham-grooming-scandal-expose-r6vt096mh or https://archive.ph/Ofplz

Pakistan has refused to take back 2 of the Rochdale Grooming gang leaders because they ripped up their passports and supposedly renounced their Pakistani citizenship two days before the Court of Appeal heard their appeal against the stripping of their British citizenship. British law does not allow the state to make people stateless. Pakistan are willing to take them perhaps if Britain drops its ban on Pakistani airlines which happened in 2021 (apparently many Pakistani pilots were flying on fake licenses and the safety standards were not there. PIA is banned from flying into Europe and Britain). The give and take of diplomacy. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/pakistan-blocking-deportation-rochdale-groomers-pjmjgwx5f or https://archive.ph/cZYaY

This from the Times explains how the Grooming Gang report breaks down the numbers. As with most things, it really does depend on your parameters. Are you looking at Grooming gangs or sexual abuse against children overall. Grooming gang activity as horrific as it is only a small part of child abuse offending. However it should not be happening as the State had a duty towards those children. They failed and then attempted to cover up the failures. One way was not to record the ethnicity of the perpetrators or in some cases the victims. The stats do make for interesting reading and one has to be sure one is talking about apples (grooming gangs), and not the whole fruit bowl( child abuse). The deflection tactic is a tried and tested one. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/data-ethnicity-grooming-gangs-6lvwc9d90 or https://archive.ph/1Q5ju

Speaking of deflection tactics and exposing the inner working, the NYT ran a lengthy and very interesting background piece about how the trans-activists wanted to use the Tennessee v Skrmetti case to further trans rights in the US and why it failed. It does give insight into ACLU. The lead lawyer admitted they are a constitutional lawyer who wishes to destroy the US constitution. It does very much pull back the curtain and reveal the inner workings of activists. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/19/magazine/scotus-transgender-care-tennessee-skrmetti.html or https://archive.ph/BQkCK

Jenny Lindsay has written about how GC feminists are not being platformed at Edinburgh Literary Festival. This is despite GC literary events regularly selling out. One of the big problems in the industry is the shadow banning of those authors so the public is not given a chance. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14829927/JENNY-LINDSAY-Scots-women-cancelled-simply-believing-biology-courts-said-right-nations-biggest-book-festival-intent-silencing-us.html

New guidance for universities has been issued by the Office for Students. It is very robust and should result in the scrapping of diversity statements and indeed the anonymous complaints about microaggressions. Compulsion is out. It remains to be seen if the universities comply or if they risk being fined. I am afraid I am a cynic on this and suspect some massive fines will happen. Somehow they don’t think their inner working will be exposed. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/19/universities-told-to-drop-social-justice-rules-for-staff/ or https://archive.ph/EL7N5

In Denmark they have discovered unrobbed Viking era graves, complete with sewing boxes full of gold thread. It is wonderful insight into a lost world. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/17/viking-age-burial-site-full-of-ancient-objects-found-in-denmark-say-experts

Here:

I have reached a parting of ways with my publisher. My new editor wanted changes which I was unprepared to make. I do love my Regency story but want it written the way I want it written, not with added twists of hidden identity or some of the other ‘suggestions’ which were non-negotiable demands and would have made it not my story. For the first time with Harlequin, I felt the new editor had totally missed what I wanted to do and offered little insight. It is really a case of no, that would ruin the story I want to tell, and I am not prepared to do that to my characters. I am sure that editor is a good editor with a great track record, but she wasn’t the right editor for me. She is also the senior editor and has the ultimate power of what is bought for the line so there was no point in requesting a different editor. She is now sweetness and light because I didn’t kick up a fuss, saying how they appreciated all the books I had written for them, and they are so excited about my book which is coming out in November etc.

This can happen when an author becomes orphaned, particularly when they are looking to cull as the number of slots has been dramatically decreased. The number of slots for the line has shrunk by a third under the senior editor’s leadership. I was between contracts, and they only want to publish a very specific sort of historical romance. It is a commercial decision which I don’t agree with, but that is the senior editor’s decision with input from marketing to take the line in that direction.

I had 20 years and one week with them which was good going. As my eldest pointed out, if someone had said that I would have 20 years when I first sold, I would have been over the moon. At the time, I was just hoping not to be a one hit wonder. My backlist is selling well and basically there is no point trying to regain my rights to any of those which is fine.

Publishing has altered in the last 20 years. Luckily there are many more options for my work rather than just the traditional route. (Part of the reason why Harlequin is struggling as they seek to navigate the altered landscape) The great thing about writing is that one can keep doing it. I am going to enjoy exploring the options and seeing where I get to. The first task is to finish the Regency and tell the sort of story I want to tell. Watch this space.

Paddy festooned with seeds

We are in a heat wave and Paddy is busy enjoying himself outside. Seed season has started and he regularly comes in festooned.

The bee nuke appears to have settled. And the other hive did not show signs of swarming, but I will check it today.

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