RIP Rachel Cooke, fellow Puffin Club member and evangelist of All the Devils Are Here, formidable critic and true believer in the power and importance of the good stuff, in whatever form it takes. I’m gutted we won’t get to talk about books again. My condolences to Rachel’s friends and family. x

Once more, with feeling. bsky.app/profile/iamm...

Vlog No.1: A day of admin, social media promo and a Hegedu rehearsal 💻🎻🎶

Vote for me for ‘Musician of the Year’ (deadline 16th Nov): projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotstradmus...

Here is the first of several vlogs showing what being a professional musician actually involves (it’s not all music!).

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Listen to a Labour MP making an utter **** of himself on #WestminsterHour from 22.00. Not only trying to match Reform on asylum, but unable to even articulate what the #ECHR is! Quite extraordinary! Oppose them, don't imitate them! @markfergusonmp.bsky.social

Unedifying & depressing to hear Lab & Tory MPs MarkFergusonMP & @AlanMakMP @BBCWestminHour trying to out-match Reform on asylum. Ferguson unable to articulate #ECHR benefits nor what it is!!! No ref to Lab's key role in bringing it into law. Listen & weep at 22.10

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

With 12 days to go, Isla needs £500 per day in kickstarter donations to ensure she raises the needed funds. Have a look at the rewards. This is not charity but advance support for an artistic project in return for meaningful rewards including the album itself www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

I just backed The Scottish Four Seasons - Isla Ratcliff's 2nd Album on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

Vivaldi's Four Seasons is 300 yrs old & this Scottish trad interpretation is a creative & joyful reflection on its key themes. Kickstarter has 14 days 2go with a series of rewards incl the album itself. Please help project get over the line by 4 Sep. Thank you! www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

Check out The Scottish Four Seasons - Isla Ratcliff's 2nd Album by Isla Ratcliff on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/isl...

I won!

'It is just another layer of debacle being heaped upon the burning shambles that has become the oversight and regulation of the water industry.'

Feargal Sharkey reacts as it's revealed that serious water pollution incidents by water companies rose by 60% last year.

@matthew-wright.bsky.social

Monica Lennon MSP lodged amendmnts to Land Reform Bill to abolish Crown rights in foreshore & seabed & transfer 2 local authorities & Scottish Ministers. CabSec claimed this is outwith legislative competence. This is not true (Sch 5 para 3(1) Scotland Act) & as confimed by Scottish Law Commision.

Two years ago, my amazing big brother Niall walked the length of New Zealand to raise money to build an eye clinic in north-west Tanzania. This summer he's walking Lands End to John O'Groats to raise money to equip the clinic. His journey started this week:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT0A...

Now he's in the UK, and he's about to walk from Lands End to John O'Groats (Lizard Point to Dunnett Head, actually), and it would be great if you could chuck a few pennies his way:

www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...

Two years ago my amazing big brother Niall walked the Te Araroa trail to raise money for his charity Eye Care for Africa, which brings optical care to remote parts of east Africa. You can see some of his videos here:

www.youtube.com/@niallmccorm...

Indonesian palm oil company PT Equator Sumber Rezeki has begun clearing critical orangutan habitat in West Kalimantan province, threatening high conservation value forests & the survival of the critically endangered Bornean orangutan.

@mightyearth.org

news.mongabay.com/2025/04/oran...