Edinburgh Book Festival Severs Ties with Baillie Gifford

It was perhaps inevitable after the Hay Festival dropped its sponsorship with Baillie Gifford last week, but environmental campaigners will claim another major victory today after the Edinburgh Book Festival announced it too will break, declaring: “The Edinburgh International Book Festival and Baillie Gifford have ended their 20-year partnership.”

In a strange statement the two organisations seemed to completely miss the point and – in PR terms alone – failed to gain credit from the situation. The EIBF stated: “The board and management of Edinburgh International Book Festival believe their ability to deliver an event this August that is safe and successful for audiences, authors and staff has been severely compromised, following the withdrawal of several authors and threats of disruption from activists.”

But protests and walkouts had been 100% peaceful, The action was simply writers withdrawing their labour, as is their right. To portray themselves as victims was just weird.

Allan Little, chair of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “Our team cannot be expected to deliver a safe and sustainable festival this August under the constant threat of disruption from activists. This was a pragmatic response to that reality.”

Again, there was no threat. The protests had been 100% peaceful. This has echoes of the demonisation of mass peaceful protests against the war on Gaza, sidestepping the issue and portraying your self as victim while framing peaceful protest as violent.

Nick Thomas, partner, Baillie Gifford, said: “Our collaboration with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, spanning decades, was rooted in our shared interest in making Edinburgh a thriving and culturally vibrant place to live and work. In recent years we have been proud to support the Schools’ and Children’s programmes, providing free books and creating opportunities for young readers to meet authors.”

I mean, that’s great, but it’s worth repeating that the Edinburgh Festival happens when Scottish schoolkids are back at school.

Thomas continued: “The activists’ anonymous campaign of coercion and misinformation has put intolerable pressure on authors and the festival community.”

The campaigners were not anonymous. So not anonymous they signed open letters of protest and took the hit by withdrawing. Saba Sams, Mikaela Loach, Zadie Smith, Jessica Gaitán Johannesson, all Not Anonymous.

Here’s them being Not Anonymous last year (‘Writers Threaten Book Festival Boycott‘):

This year writers were Not Anonymous either.

Here’s this years list of Not Anonymous writers:

Signed,

• A K Blakemore, author
• A. Y. Chao, author
• Aamina Ahmad, author
• Abi Andrews, author, bookseller
• Adam Clifford, writer
• Adam Foulds, author
• Adam Steiner, author
• Adam Weymouth, writer
• Adele Walton, journalist
• Adiba Jaigirdar, author
• Agnes Monod-Gayraud, author
• Ahdaf Soueif, author
• Aisha Bushby, author
• Al Innes, poet
• Alex Haydn-Williams, editor
• Alex Mullarky, author
• Alex Orr, publisher
• Alexa Winik, writer
• Alexandra Gilliam, author
• Alia Trabucco Zeran, author
• Alice Guthrie, translator, editor
• Alice Jolly, author
• Alice Vincent, author
• Alice Willitts, author
• Alison Layland, author
• Alison Rumfitt, author
• Allie Oldfield, designer, illustrator
• Alom Shaha, author, teacher
• Alycia Pirmohamed, author
• Alyson Kissner, poet
• Amaan Hyder, author
• Amaryllis Gacioppo, author
• Amber Lone, writer, editor
• Amelia Horgan, author
• Ami Tian, data analyst (Hachette Book Group)
• Amy Abdelnoor, author
• Amy Liptrot, author
• Anahit Behrooz, author
• Anahita Karthik, author
• Anbara Salam, author
• Andrés N Ordorica, author
• Andrew Bowie, author
• Andrew McMillan, author
• Andrew Simms, author
• Aneesha Angris, editorial assistant
• Anita Felicelli, author
• Anita Sethi, author
• Anna Doherty, illustrator, author
• Anna Jones, author
• Anna Metcalfe, writer
• Anna Terreros-Martin, author, illustrator
• Annabel Campbell, author
• Anne Grange, author, editor, creative writing facilitator
• Annie Hayter, poet
• Annie Taylor, author
• Anoosha Syed, author, illustrator
• Ansa Khan Khattak, editor
• Anthony Anaxagorou, poet, publisher
• Anthony Vahni Capildeo FRSL, author
• Aoife Greenham, author, illustrator
• Arden Jones, author, literary agency assistant
• Ashley Thorpe, author, editor
• Asia Khatun, marketer
• Aura García-Junco, author
• Averie Watson, chair of SYP Scotland
• Axmed Maxamed, writer
• Ayça Türkoğlu, translator
• Ayesha Ansari, bookseller
• Ayesha L. Rubio, author, illustrator
• Ayling Dominguez, writer
• Aysha Malik, author
• Azad Ashim Sharma, writer, publisher
• Barry Spence, artist
• Beatriz Lopez, editor
• Becky Palmer, author, illustrator, educator
• Bekah B., library worker
• Ben Rawlence, author
• Benedict Anning, author
• Bernadette Stringer, author
• Beth Hickling-Moore, literary translator
• Bethan Roberts, author
• Bhakti Shringarpure, writer, editor
• Bianca Skrinyar, writer, editor
• Bibi Senthi, author illustrator
• Billie Walker, writer, bookseller
• Birukti Tsige, author
• Blindboyboatclub, author
• Blue Kirkhope, writer
• Bo Mandeville, artist, writer
• Bonnie Radcliffe, author
• Bonnie Wright, author
• Bret Johnson, bookseller, event producer
• Brian Lewis, publisher (Longbarrow Press)
• Briana Pegado, author
• Cailean Steed, author
• Calum Barnes, writer, bookseller
• Camille Whitcher, illustrator, author
• Caoilinn Hughes, author
• Caro Clarke, literary agent
• Caroline Davies, poet
• Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion, author, politician (Green Party)
• Catarina Pinto Vicente, admin assistant (Oxford University Press)
• Catherine Barter, bookseller, author
• Catherine Oliver, author
• Cathy Reay, author, editor
• Cecile Pin, author
• Cecilia Knapp, writer
• Cerrie Burnell, author
• Charles Lang, poet
• Charles Theonia, poet
• Charlot Kristensen, illustrator, author
• Charlotte Church, musician
• Cherise Lopes-Baker, editor
• China Miéville, author
• Chitra Ramaswamy, author, journalist
• Christina Mills, editor
• Christina Sharpe, author
• Christopher Tracy, poet and library worker
• Claire Askew, author
• Claire Collison, poet
• Claire Kohda, author
• Claire Ratinon, author
• Clara Vulliamy, author, illustrator
• Clare Connerton, bookseller
• Clare Harlow, author
• Clare Pollard, author
• Clare Povey, author
• Clare Richards, translator
• Clementine Ford, author
• Coll Rowe, associate content manager, trade book publishing
• Corrie Locke-Hardy, author, bookseller
• Crystal Bennes, author
• Daisy Hildyard, author
• Daisy Hirst, author, illustrator
• Daisy Lafarge, author
• Daisy Salinas, zine publisher
• Daniel Evans, author
• Daniel York Loh, writer, performer
• Danielle Davis, author
• Danielle Foley, bookseller
• Danielle Giles, author
• Dapo Adeola, author, illustrator
• Darran McLaughlin, bookshop manager
• Dave Coates, writer, book worker
• David Ross Linklater, poet
• David Wheatley, author
• Denise Rose Hansen, editor
• Devon Holzwarth, illustrator, author
• Dionne Brand, author
• Divya Ghelani, writer
• Diyala Zada, illustrator
• Dom Hale, poet
• Dominique Palmer, writer
• Doreen Cunningham, author
• Dr Camilla A Nelson, author, publisher
• Dr Christina Neuwirth, author, academic, bookseller
• Durre Shahwar, writer, editor
• E.G. Alaraj, author
• E.M. Faulds, author
• E.M. Potts, writer
• Éadaoín Lynch, author
• Ed Garland, Writer
• Ed Luker, author
• Eilish Spear, bookseller, writer
• Eishar Kaur, editor
• Eleanor Shearer, author
• Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, author
• Eley Williams, author
• Elhum Shakerifar, translator
• Elizabeth Fraser, assistant editor
• Elizabeth Lymer, author
• Elizabeth Perry, bookseller
• Ella Gordon, editor
• Elle Sorridente, illustrator
• Ellen Adamson, bookseller
• Ellen Desmond, editor
• Ellen King, publishing worker
• Ellen Miles, author
• Ellen White, library assistant
• Ellie Wyatt, author
• Eloise Rickman, author
• Elsa Costa, author
• Elsa van der Wal, bookseller
• Elys Dolan, author, Illustrator
• Emely Rumble, author
• Emilia Beatriz, artist who writes, zine maker, transcriptionist
• Emily Rand, illustrator
• Emily Unwin, book worker
• Emma Cameron, author
• Emma Jane Hawkes, illustrator
• Emma Lee, poet, reviewer
• Emma Nagouse, writer and producer
• Emma Reynolds, author, illustrator
• Emma Wallace, editorial assistant
• Emmeline Pidgen, author, illustrator
• Emmie Price-Goodfellow, assistant editor
• Eric Thurso Boyd, editor
• Eric Yip, author
• Erika Parker-Smith, author
• Eris Young, author, book worker
• Esther Woolfson, author
• Etzali Hernandez, author
• Eva Griffin, poet
• Farah Ali, writer
• Farhana Yamin, author
• Fariha Roisin, author
• Felicity Callard, author, journal editor
• Flavia Zorrilla Drago, author, illustrator
• Florence H R Scott, author, academic
• Francesca Bratton, author
• Francesca Brooks, author
• Francesca Reece, author
• Frankie Boyle, writer
• Freya Harrison, book designer
• Gabriel Flynn, author
• Gabriel Polley, author
• Gail McConnell, author
• Gary Alan Howkins, author
• Gary Budden, author, publisher
• Gavin Everall, publisher
• Gayatri Sethi, author
• Genista Tate-Alexander, marketer
• George Monbiot, author, journalist, environmental activist
• Gina Martin, author, activist, aacilitator
• Gita Ralleigh, author
• Glenda Marie Velez, book artist, writer
• Gordon Peters, author
• Grace Blakeley, author
• Grace Sandford, illustrator
• Gracie Mae Bradley, author
• Gray Harper, author
• Greer Claybrook, publishing worker
• Greta Thunberg, Author
• Guy Gunaratne, author
• Hafsah Aneela Bashir, poet, performer, playwright
• Hamza Jahanzeb, freelance editor
• Hanan Issa, author
• Hanna Thomas Uose, author
• Hannah Bannister, publisher
• Hannah Blackmore, library worker
• Hannah Copley, writer, editor
• Hannah Khalil, playwright, screenwriter
• Hannah Lavery, author
• Hannah Nicholson, writer, library assistant
• Hannah Proctor, author
• Hannah Vincent, writer
• Haricha Abdaal, publishing assistant, translator, illustrator
• Harriet Jae, poet
• Harry Gallon, author
• Harry Josephine Giles, author
• Harry Woodgate, author, illustrator
• Hassan Ali, publishing services (Faber & Faber)
• Hatem Aly, illustrator
• Hayley Wells, author, illustrator
• Heidi James, author
• Heidi Nazem, author
• Heike Boldt, translator
• Heledd Williams, authour on the Representing Wales Cohort
• Helen Banks, editor
• Helen Charman, author
• Helen Hancocks, illustrator, writer, bookseller
• Helen Jukes, author
• Helen Weir, editor
• Helenka Stachera, author
• Hester Fox, author
• Holly Exley, illustrator
• Holly Pester, author
• Holly Ryan, author
• Hugh Dunkerley, poet
• Hussein Mitha, writer and artist
• Ilona Jasiewicz, librarian, editor
• Imogen West-Knights, author
• Imogen Whiteley, publishing worker
• Inda Ahmad Zahri, author, illustrator, doctor
• Ingrid Brubaker, writer, critic
• Irene Bindi, writer, editor
• Isabel Waidner, author
• Isabella Hammad, author
• Isabelle Baafi, author, editor
• Isha Karki, writer
• Jack Shenker, journalist
• Jack Young, writer, participatory artist
• Jacques Tsiantar, author
• Jake Nicholls, editor
• Jamal Mahjoub, author
• James Marriott, author
• James W. Neal, writer
• Jane King, poet
• Janne Teller, author
• Jasmine Isa Qureshi, author, journalist
• Jason Allen-Paisant, author
• Jay Bernard, writer
• Jay Gao, author
• Jay Griffiths, author
• Jazz Cook, editor
• Jean Menzies, author
• Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, author
• Jeda Pearl, author
• Jen Calleja, author, literary translator, publisher
• Jen Crawford, poet, academic
• Jenna Clake, author
• Jennifer Hodgson, writer
• Jennifer Neal, author
• Jenny Lau, writer
• Jeremy Poynting, publisher
• Jerry Simcock, author
• Jess Brough, writer
• Jess Chandler, publisher
• Jess French, author
• Jess Mc Kinney, writer
• Jessica Andrews, author
• Jessica Craig, literary agent
• Jessica Gaitan Johannesson, author, bookseller
• Jessica Glaisher, author
• Jessica Hernandez, author
• Jessica J. Lee, author
• Jessica Lee, associate agent
• Jessica Townsend, author
• Jessica Traynor, poet and editor
• Jessica Widner, author
• Jessie Spivey, publicist
• Jillian Thalman, illustrator
• Jim Monaghan, poet
• Jim Taylor, bookseller
• Jj Fadaka, author
• JLM Morton, poet
• Jo McMillan, author
• Joan Passey, writer, editor
• Joanna Arnold, reviewer, author
• Joanna Biggs, author
• Joanna Walsh, writer, artist
• Joanna Wolfarth, author
• Joanne Limburg, author
• Joe Vaughan, author, publisher (Strange Region)
• Joel Auterson, poet
• Joelle Taylor, author
• Johanna Russell, bookseller
• John Freeman, writer, editor
• John Merrick, editor (Verso Books)
• Joma West, author
• Jonathan Nunn, editor
• Jonathon Porritt, author
• Joshua Jones, author
• Joycelyn Longdon, author
• Judith N. Brooke, author
• Julia Crouch, author
• Julia Laite, author
• Juliana Mensah, author
• Julie Adams, bookseller
• Julie Gourinchas, literary agency assistant
• Julie Macias, author
• Julie Rowan-Zoch, author, illustrator
• Juliet Diaz, author, publisher (Spirit Bound Press)
• Justin Hopper, author
• K Patrick, author
• Kaliane Bradley, author
• Karin Celestine, author, illustrator
• Karl Newson, author
• Kate Bradbury, author
• Kate Campbell, author
• Kate Perris, librarian
• Kate Potts, author
• Kate Potts, author
• Katharine Halls, translator
• Katherine Meehan, author
• Katherine Venn, bookseller, editor
• Kathleen Wenaden, author
• Kathrine Sowerby, poet
• Kathrine Sowerby, poet
• Kathryn Maris, writer
• Katie Ailes, poet, producer, researcher
• Katie Goh, author, editor
• Katie Holten, artist and author
• Kayleigh Jayshree, poet
• Keith Ridgway, writer
• Kelly O’Brien, assistant editor
• Kenny Ethan Jones, author
• Kerri ní Dochartaigh, author
• Kerry Andrew, author
• Kevin Mclean, poet
• Kevin Williamson, author, editor
• Khairani Barokka, author
• Kinsey Foreman, bookseller
• Kip Alizadeh, illustrator
• Kirsty Capes, author
• Kishani Widyaratna, publisher
• Kit Caless, author, publisher
• Kit Heyam, author
• Laline Paull, author
• Lamorna Ash, author, editor
• Larissa Dziedzan, blogger
• Laura Chamberlain, illustrator, book designer
• Laura Chung, author
• Laura Noakes, author
• Laura Reeves, editor
• Lauren Aimee Curtis, author
• Lauren Chadwick, bookseller
• Lauren Hossack, library worker
• Lauren James, author, founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League
• Lauretta Wong, publisher
• Layla Mohamed, editor
• Layla Saad, author
• layla-roxanne hill, writer
• Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, author
• Leif Bersweden, author
• Len Lukowski, writer
• Leo Murray, author
• Leona Skene, freelance editor
• Leonie Taylor, author
• Liam Bates, poet
• Liam Harrison, editor
• Liam-Lucille Wright, poet
• Lily Williams, author, illustrator
• Lina Meruane, author
• Linda Quiquivix, author
• Lindsay Wagner, desk editor
• Lindsey Collen, novelist, essayist
• Livia Franchini, author
• Liz Flanagan, author
• Liz Jensen, author
• Lola Olufemi, author
• Lorraine Wilson, author
• Louise Kenward, author
• Luciana Francis, author
• Lucie Elven, author, journalist
• Lucy Coats, author
• Lucy Farfort, author, illustrator
• Lucy Mercer, author
• Luke Kennard, author
• Luke Roberts, poet
• Luke Williams, author
• Lydia Wilson, author, editor
• Lyndsey Croal, author
• M J Lee, author
• Ma’suma Amiri, agent’s assistant
• Maaza Mengiste, author
• Madeleine Hindes, editor
• Maeve Scullion, sales manager
• Maggie Setterfield, school librarian
• Maia Elsnef, author
• Maia Elsner, author
• mandi furaji, sales executive
• Mandisa Apena, poet
• Manolo De Los Santos, author, publisher
• Marchelle Farrell, author
• Marcia Lynx Qualey, publisher
• Margaux Vialleron, author
• Marged Elen Wiliam, author
• Marguerite Dabaie, illustrator
• Maria Grau-Perejoan, literary translator, academic
• Maria Stoian, illustrator, author
• Marianne Brooker, author
• Marigold Atkey, publisher
• Mariska Gewald, author, illustrator
• Mark Steven, author
• Marta Altes, author illustrator
• Marta Fernández Campa, author
• Martin MacInnes, author
• Martin Reed, author
• Martin Vincent, bookseller, publisher
• Mary Jean Chan, author
• Maryam Rimi, editor
• Matt Rowland Hill, author
• Matt Rowland Hill, author
• Maud Pryor, author
• Maurice Riordan, author
• Max Liu, journalist
• Max Porter, author
• Maxine Hellenkamp, head of retail
• Maya Caspari, writer, academic
• Maya Osborne, publicist
• Meg Bertera-Berwick, writer
• Megan Angharad Hunter, author
• Megan Booth, writer, editor
• Melanie Ramdarshan Bold, chair, academic
• Melissa Tombere, editorial assistant
• Miah-Lee Lloyd, bookseller
• Micha Frazer-Carroll, author
• Michael LaBorn, author, publisher
• Michael Magee, writer
• Michael Malay, author
• Michael Marder, author
• Michael Marten, author
• Michael Rosen, author
• Michal Schatz, assistant editor
• Michel Moushabeck, publisher
• Michelle MiJung Kim, author
• Mikaela Loach, author
• Mike Brooks, author
• Mike Small, writer
• MiMi Aye, author, editor
• Mique Moriuchi, illustrator
• Mira Mattar, writer
• Mireille Harper, editorial director
• MK Hardy, author
• Mo Hafeez, commissioning editor (Faber & Faber)
• Mohamed Tonsy, author, event chair, bookseller
• Molly Crabapple, author, artist
• Molly Smith, author
• Monica Heisey, author
• Monique Roffey, author
• Munir Hachemi, writer
• Mya-Rose Craig, writer
• Myles Howard, publishing worker
• Nadia Henderson, author
• Nadine Monem, author; editor; publisher
• Nancy Roberts, translator, editor
• Naomi Foyle, author, editor
• Naomi Head, writer
• Naomi Klein, author
• Naomi shimada, author
• Narges Nojoumi, publishing worker
• Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, writer, editor
• Nat Raha, poet and lecturer
• Natalie Diaz, author
• Natalie Gutierrez, author
• Natalie Jayne Clark, author
• Natasha Bell, author
• Natasha Brown, editor
• Natasha Soobramanien, writer
• Nathalie Olah, author
• Naush Sabah, editor
• Neil Williamson, author
• Nichola Smalley, translator
• Nicholas Blincoe, author
• Nicholas Blincoe, author
• Nick Bano, author
• Nick Estes, author
• Nick Hayes, author, illustrator
• Nick Hunt, author
• Nicola Chester, author
• Nicola Dinan, author
• Nicola Penfold, author
• Nicola Spurr, writer
• Nicole Miles, illustrator
• Nidhi Eipe, poet, editor
• Nikesh Shukla, author
• Nikkitha Bakshani, author
• Nina Mingya Powles, writer
• Nisha Ramayya, writer
• Noor Hemani, bookseller
• Noreen Masud, author
• Novita Elisa Fahmi, author, illustrator
• Nurten Mehmet Murphy, reader
• Nuzhat Bukhari, author
• Octavia Bright, author, broadcaster
• Odhran O’Donoghue, freelance editor
• Oisín McKenna, author
• Olivia Fitzsimons, author
• Olivia Sudjic, author
• Ollie Simpson, bookseller
• Omar Abed, author
• Omar Bagasra, author
• Omar Berrada, author
• Omar Robert Hamilton, author
• Ore Agbaje-Williams, author
• Oscar Guardiola-Rivera, author
• Patrick James Errington, author, translator, academic
• Patrick Langley, author
• Paul Ewen, author
• Paul John Nelson, bookseller, graphic designer
• Paula Akpan, writer, journalist
• Pearl Hannaford, bookseller
• Penny Lapenna, author
• Pete Mercer, editor
• Peter Collins, publisher (Polari Press)
• Peter Mitchell, author
• Phoebe Blatton, writer
• Polly Atkin, writer, bookseller
• Pragya Agarwal, academic scholar, writer
• Prerana Kumar, author
• Preti Taneja, writer
• Priya Guns, author
• Prof Sunny Singh, author, academic
• Professor Samantha Walton, author, academic
• Rabia Barkatulla, production editor
• Rachael Allen, author, editor
• Rachel Claire Birchley, author
• Rachel Connolly, author
• Rachel Holmes, writer
• Rachel Holmes, writer
• Rachel Malik, author
• Rani Selvarajah, author
• Rawiyah Tariq, author
• Raymond Antrobus, poet
• Reba Khatun, author
• Rebecca Ferrier, author
• Rebecca Sharp, author
• Rebecca Stonehill, author
• Rebecca Tamás, author
• Rehab Bassam, author
• Rhiannon Hooson, poet
• Richard Georges, author
• Richard Madden, author
• Richard Phoenix, author
• Rikin Parekh, illustrator
• Rina Kikuchi, poetry translator
• Rob Myatt, translator
• Robbie MacLeòid, author
• Robert Eric Swanepoel, author
• Robert Hamberger, author
• Robert Kiely, author, publisher
• Robert Macfarlane, author
• Robert Welbourn, author
• Robin Stevens, author
• Robin Wall Kimmerer, author
• Robin Yassin-Kassab, writer, editor
• Roisin Davis, literary agent
• Roisin Dunnett, author, publisher, bookseller
• Roman Krznaric, author
• Ros Ball, author
• Rosa Campbell, writer, academic
• Rosalind Harvey, literary translator, writer
• Rose Biggin, author
• Roseanne Watt, author
• Rosie May and Sarah Scales, directors (Juno Books)
• Rosie Warren, editor
• Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp, translator
• Ruth Allen, author
• Ruth Charnock, author
• Ryan Davey, writer, lecturer
• Saba Ahmed, editor
• Saba Sams, author
• Sabrina Mahfouz, writer
• Sadia Pineda Hameed, writer, editor
• Saira Shah, author
• Salena Godden, author
• Sally Huband, author
• Sally Rooney, writer
• Sallyanne Rock, author
• Sam Lee, writer, singer, nature activist
• Samantha Rizzo, author
• Samhita Foria, editor
• Samuel Earle, author
• Samuel Fisher, writer, publisher, bookseller
• Samuel Tongue, author
• Samuel Torres, writer
• Sana Goyal, editor
• Sanah Ahsan, author, psychologist
• Sandra Alland, writer
• Sandra Dieckmann, author, illustrator
• Sandra Proudman, author, agent
• Sandy Winterbottom, author
• Sanjeev Braich, inventory manager
• Sara Mostafa, literary agent’s assistant
• Sarah Bernstein, author
• Sarah Cummings, bookseller
• Sarah Dyer, illustrator, author
• Sarah Enany, translator
• Sarah Fishburn, author
• Sarah Jacobs, editor
• Sarah Marr, bookseller
• Sarah Shaffi, author, journalist
• Sarah Winman, author
• Sarina Caragan, general book worker
• Sarona Abuaker, writer
• Sascha Akhtar, author
• Sasha Baker, freelance proofreader, copy editor
• Saskia Vogel, Dialogue Books
• Scarlet Furness, editor
• Scout Phillips, author, illustrator
• Season Butler, writer
• Selali Fiamanya, author
• Selma Dabbagh, author
• Seni Seneviratne, poet
• Shaneen McGurnaghan, librarian
• Shannon Galpin, author
• Sharada Keats, author
• Sharan Dhaliwal, author, editor
• Sharon Duggal, author
• Shash Trevett, poet
• Shazleen Khan, illustrator
• Shell Bryson, writer, (co-founder, ‘Edinburgh SFF’ writers community)
• Shelley Trower, author
• Shola von Reinhold, author
• Shona Shirley Macdonald, illustrator/author
• Shze-Hui Tjoa, author
• Siddharth Mehrotra, author
• Simon Maddrell, author
• Simone Amelia Jordan, author
• So Mayer, author, bookseller, publisher
• Sofía FR, author
• Sophie Anderson, author
• Sophie Benson, author
• Sophie Buchaillard, author
• Sophie Chauhan, author
• Sophie Franklin, author, academic
• Sophie K Rosa, author
• Sophie Lewis, translator, editor
• Sophie Mackintosh, author
• Soula Emmanuel, author
• Stefan Mohamed, author
• Stephanie Holland, author, illustrator
• Stephanie Sy-Quia, author
• Stephen McLaren, writer
• Steven French, author
• Suad Kamardeen, writer
• Susana Medina, writer
• Susannah Dickey, author
• Susannah Lloyd, author
• Susie Campbell, author
• Suswati Basu, editor (How To Be Books)
• Suyin Haynes, freelance writer, journalist, editor
• Suzannah Evans, poet
• Suzannah V. Evans, author
• Swapna Haddow, author
• Tansy Hoskins, author, journalist
• Tanya Jones, author
• Tara Tobler, editor (And Other Stories)
• Taran Khan, writer
• Tariq Goddard, author and publisher
• Tashmia Owen, artist, writer, women’s safety campaigner
• Tawseef Khan, author
• Taylor Edmonds, author
• Terezia (Telka) Pelová, bookseller
• Terry Macalister, author
• Tessa McWatt, author
• Thomas Morris, author
• Tia Ali, marketer
• Tian Yi, writer, book worker
• Tim Tim Cheng, author
• Titilayo Farukuoye, writer
• Toby Litt, author
• Tom Bailey, author, editor
• Tom Benn, author
• Tom Jeffreys, author
• Tori Tsui, author
• Tove Holmberg, bookseller
• Tristan Gray, author
• Vanessa Kisuule, author
• Victoria Adukwei Bulley, poet, writer
• Victoria Brittain, author, journalist
• Vida Adamczewski, author
• Viki Cheung, sales
• Vikki Patis, author
• VM Fuentes, author
• Will Harris, author
• Wiz Wharton, author
• Yara Rodrigues Fowler, author
• Yasmin Bseiso, author
• Yousif M. Qasmiyeh, author
• Yves Donlon, author
• Zeena Gosrani, author
• Zoe Lorimer, writer

The people who are appalled that protest works are in denial about the level of change we are confronted with and the scale of the crisis we face.