Author: Laura Thompson

The latest issue of the ever-beautiful T and C is out, with a little piece from me about the summer Season.

Which this year I shall be spending indoors, at a desk, writing about a murder that took place on a dark, cold October night in 1922.

This is on Yesterday tonight 25/5/2017 at 8pm – I talk about the Mitford sisters and especially the fraught relationship between Diana and Jessica

https://www.battersea.org.uk/battersea-launches-campaign-tougher-sentences-serious-animal-cruelty

The maximum sentence that can be given is 6 months – no wonder how appalling the crime against an animal. So good that Battersea dogs and cats home has taken up this issue. If you sign the petition it goes to your MP – I’m very glad to say that mine, Sarah Olney, got straight back to me to say that she has written to the relevant minister (Andrea Leadsom) and will be back with updates.

The argument that caring about animals means one doesn’t care enough about people has surely run its course. To put the argument at its simplest, if somebody is capable of kicking a puppy that doesn’t augur well for their treatment of human beings.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/161/891/862/?z00m=28855125&redirectID=2327366592

One could spend one’s life these days signing petitions. But this was sent to me and it got my attention. For obvious reasons. It led on to one from the Humane Society about the dog meat trade, what a world…

I’m deeply thrilled that THE SIX features in this end of year list…

 

The new T and C carries my feature about greyhounds – gloriously illustrated, they really are insanely beautiful dogs. Alongside (and most importantly) is a truly lovely piece by deputy editor Lydia Slater, who adopted a ‘retired’ ie unwanted greyhound and describes the joys of ownership. If only I lived somewhere with space for one, or preferably ten… But we hope that some kind readers will be inspired to take a greyhound into their homes. I feel quite sure that they will.

Retired Greyhound Trust also do very good Christmas cards.

 

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/child-bride-faces-execution-demand-justice-iran-death-penalty?from=issue

I heard this horror story on Woman’s Hour this morning – here’s the petition. Almost 42,000 signatures just now…

http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=4c95cca2af7aa16d5d44b5a9e&id=f847aff888&e=8bbf3c0c75

This is about halal slaughter. I’m too cowardly to watch the clip. Whatever you think about halal (I’m a vegan, so you can probably guess what I think) this abattoir was referred to the Food Standards Agency, which was investigating its treatment of animals; but it has now – apparently – simply changed its name and is continuing to operate in the same manner. Hillside are asking people to protest to the FSA, which I’m about to do…

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=4c95cca2af7aa16d5d44b5a9e&id=911ec8197e&e=54e6e54f6b

I know that there are so many charities in desperate need of our money. But one has to choose – and Hillside is so hands-on and noble!

 

http://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/culture/?module=DropDownNav&action=click®ion=navbar&contentCollection=Books&version=MonthlyLists&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fbooks%2Fbest-sellers%2Fculture%2F&pgtype=Reference