This is Northumberland Calling 24.2.23

The clocks strike thirteen edition

This is Northumberland calling 24.2.23

The Clocks strike thirteen edition

Matt Cartoons @MattCartoonist

✍️ 'Is it appropriate, during a fruit and veg shortage, for a Roald Dahl book to mention a giant peach?' My latest cartoon for tomorrow's @Telegraph Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to receive my unseen cartoons: telegraph.co.uk/premium/matt/?…

The problems with the publishing world exploded on people’s conscience with the news that Puffin had very quietly altered/ censored Roald Dahl in the interests of ‘being kind’. Many of the changes made no sense. Being fat is out in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, instead Augustus Gloop is described as enormous. No change to the slightly off colour joke hiding in plain sight – Willy Wonka and while the Oompa Loompas are now gender neutral, they do remain forced labour, kidnapped from some now unmentioned place. Wonka now conducts experiments on himself instead of the Oompa Lompas. Witches now are more likely to behave as a #girlboss than to take mundane jobs to get close to children. And just do not mention the wigs! This archived version of the original reporting details the changes: https://archive.is/qUJJ4

Some in the industry like the chair of the Society of Authors said that it was not censorship, just business. The Bookseller said that she had a very narrow and old fashioned view of censorship https://www.thebookseller.com/comment/good-for-business-its-still-censorship?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20Briefing

Sir Salman Rushdie (and others)  begged to differ with Joanne Harris.

In her first appearance since recovering from COVID the Queen Consort yesterday intervened to signal her support for unadulterated Dahl, distain for censors and suggested that all authors keep a copy of John Steinbeck’s speech accepting his Nobel Prize on their desk. Hint: Steinbeck was very pro freedom of expression. https://archive.is/HRkR2

Steinbeck’s  words include the exhortation: not to speak like a grateful and apologetic mouse, but to roar like a lion out of pride in my profession and in the great and good men who have practiced it through the ages.

Literature was not promulgated by a pale and emasculated critical priesthood singing their litanies in empty churches--nor is it a game for the cloistered elect, the tin-horn mendicants of low-calorie despair.  You can read the whole speech here: https://genius.com/John-steinbeck-nobel-prize-acceptance-speech-annotated

The sensitivity readers Puffin hired to do the mangled job with from Inclusive Minds. Other sensitivity reader firms include Writing Diversely. They say they have limited influence. Authors beg to differ because if a publisher goes to the trouble of hiring one, are they truly going to ignore what they say? They are a real and growing problem within the industry, particularly in children’s publishing which is very captured: https://archive.is/zgqQ7

The very sure of their own views on the rightness of history tried to cancel Kate Forbes the front runner for the SNP leadership as she is a specific type of Christian. Kemi Badenoch intervened to say that the Equality Act 2010 does protect religious belief and being a Christian should not be considered to be a bar to high office. A link to Kemi speaking on the subject: Kemi is a breath of fresh air.

Jack Blanchard @Jack_Blanchard_

Essential viewing: Equalities Minister @KemiBadenoch on the treatment of SNP hopeful Kate Forbes, speaking to me at a Politico UK event last night. Badenoch supports gay marriage, but praises Forbes' honesty and fiercely defends her right to free expression. Watch the clip 👇

Is it a pestle or is it a sex toy? Vindolanda decides one of its objects long labelled a pestle/ darning needle was actually a Roman sex toy. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/feb/20/its-not-a-darning-tool-its-a-very-naughty-toy-roman-dildo-found

Finally, it is a year today that Putin’s Russia decided to become an international pariah and invade the sovereign nation of Ukraine. British support for the defence of Ukraine remains as strong as ever. The Ukrainians are giving their blood, the least we can do is to supply them with the weapons and other goods they require. The US has not done a half bad job in its efforts as well once they realised that the Ukrainians were not for running and Zelensky did not require a lift. In many ways, the war has showcased the superiority of American, British and other Western manufacturer’s weapons and this has to be good for the West and for US manufacturing in general. Why would any country purchase Chinese tyres for example after what happened to the Russians?  Unlike foreign aide, much of the money is being spent in the West. (I do realise that the GOP has a huge Isolationist wing and has done so since pre WW2.)

This details five key weapons in the conflict: https://archive.is/EJTyz