Fossil Free Books

Open letter. Wednesday 15 May 2024

Our renewed call for Baillie Gifford to divest from the fossil fuel industry and from companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide

To mark the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, we – writers, journalists, editors, illustrators, publishers, and festival and book workers – renew our demand to the asset manager Baillie Gifford, sponsor of Hay Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Edinburgh International Books Festival, Cambridge Literary Festival, Stratford Literary Festival, Boswell Book Festival, Borders Book Festival, Wigtown Book Festival, Henley Literary Festival, Wimbledon BookFest, and The Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction, to divest from the fossil fuel industry and from companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide.

Baillie Gifford currently has between £2.5–£5bn invested in the fossil fuel industry^[1] and nearly £10bn invested in companies with direct or indirect links to Israel's defence, tech and cybersecurity industries, including Nvidia, Amazon and Alphabet^[2]. In December 2023, a coalition of civil society groups named Baillie Gifford a “top European investor in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”.^[3]

As university encampments around the world have pointed out, divestment is not abstract. Until the firm agrees to divest, we call on all literary organisations, including festivals, to end their relationships with Baillie Gifford. If our demand is not met, we reaffirm our commitment to take action through disruption and by withdrawing our labour.

Many of the undersigned book workers have already withdrawn from participation in Baillie Gifford-funded festivals in 2024, including Hay Festival and Edinburgh International Book Festival, keeping the commitment we made in our author statement last year. Others commit to continue to raise our demands. Literary organisations can expect escalation, including the expansion of boycotts, increased author withdrawal of labour, and increased disruption until Baillie Gifford divests.

As of writing, over 35,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including more than 14,500 children.^[4] This is the highest daily death rate of any major conflict this century.^[5] The Israeli military is also destroying the cultural life and heritage of Palestine. Omar Robert Hamilton, the Director of the Palestine Festival of Literature has said “every single university in Gaza has been destroyed, journalists are being killed at an unprecedented rate, cultural centres, archives, printing presses, bookshops, publishing houses – all have been intentionally targeted by Israel's precision bombs”.^[6]

This destruction depends on financing. In addition to companies linked to the Israeli military, Baillie Gifford is also currently invested in Cemex, Cisco Systems, and Booking Holdings. The maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements is illegal under international law and “gives rise to individual criminal liability as war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court”. All three of these companies have been condemned by numerous human rights organisations for their business involvement in the illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine.

Solidarity with Palestine and climate justice are inextricably linked, as emphasised by Friends of the Earth International: “Our liberation struggle is interconnected with global movements advocating for Indigenous rights, land rights, the fight against the fossil fuel industry and climate colonialism”. As well as their investments in Israeli apartheid, occupation, and genocide, Baillie Gifford’s investments include the following fossil fuel companies: Shell*, Petrobras, the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), and Equinor. In accordance with the resolution on fossil fuel divestment passed by the Society of Authors in May 2024 by an overwhelming majority of members, we demand that Baillie Gifford divest from this disastrous process.

A literary industry free from fossil fuels, genocide and colonial violence is possible and it is necessary. Institutional investors far bigger than Baillie Gifford, such as the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, are already divesting. We make these demands in the spirit of a just transition, a process of creating work for all – including work in literature – which does not depend on the profits of colonialism and environmental destruction. We know this will take work. It is work we are committed to, and we are calling on everyone to join us.

This statement is open to all book workers to sign, whether or not you have been invited to a festival. To sign, please fill out this form.

* A Baillie Gifford representative has contacted us to say they divested from Shell three years ago - we have put Baillie Gifford in touch with Urgewald so that they can investigate their data. We are waiting for the results of that conversation.

Signed,

A K Blakemore, author
A. Y. Chao, author
Aamina Ahmad, author
Abeer Ameer, poet
Abi Andrews, author, bookseller
Adam Clifford, writer
Adam Steiner, author
Adam Weymouth, writer
Adele Walton, journalist
Adiba Jaigirdar, author
Agnes Monod-Gayraud, author
Ahdaf Soueif, author
Aisha Bushby, author
Aja Barber, author
Al Innes, poet
Alessandra Duse, event organiser, bookseller
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 Lickens, author, illustrator
Alice Vincent, author
Alice Willitts, author
Alison Layland, author
Alison Rumfitt, author
Allen Fatimaharan, illustrator
Allie Oldfield, designer, illustrator
Alom Shaha, author, teacher
Alycia Pirmohamed, author
Alyson Kissner, poet
Amaan Hyder, author
Amanda Addison, author
Amaryllis Gacioppo, author
Amber Lone, writer, editor
Amelia Horgan, author
Ami Tian, data analyst (Hachette Book Group)
Amir Kassam, author
Amy Abdelnoor, author
Amy Liptrot, author
Anahit Behrooz, author
Anahita Karthik, author
Anbara Salam, author
Andrés N Ordorica, author
Andrew Bowie, author
Andrew Chapman, editor
Andrew McMillan, author
Andrew Simms, author
Aneesha Angris, editorial assistant
Ania Bas, author
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 McGowan, author
Anthony Vahni Capildeo FRSL, author
Aoife Greenham, author, illustrator
Aquayemi-Claude G. Akinsanya, author
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 Frieden, 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
Brett Hetherington, author, translator, journalist, teacher
Brian Lewis, publisher (Longbarrow Press)
Briana Pegado, author
Bruno Valasse, author, illustrator
Cailean Steed, author
Calum Barnes, writer, bookseller
Camille Whitcher, illustrator, author
Canisia Lubrin, author, editor
Caoilinn Hughes, author
Caro Clarke, literary agent
Caroline Davies, poet
Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion, author, politician (Green Party)
Carolynn Bain, bookshop owner (Afrori Books), director (Brighton Book Festival)
Catarina Pinto Vicente, admin assistant (Oxford University Press)
Cath Little, author
Catherine Barter, bookseller, author
Catherine Oliver, author
Catherine Sadler, writer, programmer
Catherine Sadler, writer, programmer
Cathy Reay, author, editor
Cecile Pin, author
Cecilia Knapp, writer
Cerrie Burnell, author
Char Heather, author
Charles Lang, poet
Charles Theonia, poet
Charlie Hertzog Young, author, researcher
Charlot Kristensen, illustrator, author
Charlotte Church, musician
Charlotte Robathan, editor
Cherise Lopes-Baker, editor
China Miéville, author
Chitra Ramaswamy, author, journalist
Christina Mills, editor
Christina Riley, writer, director (The Nature Library)
Christina Sharpe, author
Christopher Marmolejo, author
Christopher Tracy, poet, 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
Coco Hagi, content creator
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
Dan O'Hara, author, editor, academic
Daniel Evans, author
Daniel York Loh, writer, performer
Danielle Davis, author
Danielle Foley, bookseller
Danielle Giles, author
Dapo Adeola, author, illustrator
Darran Anderson, author
Darran McLaughlin, bookshop manager
Dave Coates, writer, book worker
David J Tate, author
David Ross Linklater, poet
David Wheatley, author
Debojyoti Das, author
Degna Stone, poet, editor
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
Dr Kate Rawles, author
Dr Lynne Jones OBE, author
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 Olofsson, 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
Farrah Jarral, writer, doctor, radio broadcaster
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
Gareth Jelley, editor, publisher
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
Guy Mannes-Abbott, author, critic
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
Harriet Talisker, bookseller
Harry Gallon, author
Harry Josephine Giles, author
Harry Woodgate, author, illustrator
Hassan Ali, publishing services (Faber & Faber)
Hatem Aly, illustrator
Hattie Williams, author
Hayley Wells, author, illustrator
Heidi James, author
Heidi Nazem, author
Heike Boldt, translator
Heledd Williams, author on the Representing Wales Cohort
Helen Banks, editor
Helen Charman, author
Helen Hancocks, illustrator, writer, bookseller
Helen Jukes, author
Helen Weir, editor
Helena Heald, editor
Helenka Stachera, author
Hester Fox, author
Holly Bridgeford, writer
Holly Exley, illustrator
Holly McLoughlin, content creator
Holly Pester, author
Holly Ryan, author
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
Isobel Gahan, literary agent
Jack Shenker, journalist
Jack Strange, author
Jack Young, writer, participatory artist
Jacques Tsiantar, author
Jake Bergamin, publishing, marketing
Jake Nicholls, editor
Jamal Mahjoub, author
James Flint, author
James Marriott, author
James W. Neal, writer
Janani Ambikapathy, author, editor
Jane King, poet
Janne Teller, author
Jasmine Isa Qureshi, author, journalist
Jason Allen-Paisant, author
Jason Okundaye, author
Jay Bernard, writer
Jay Drinkall, editor, writer
Jay Gao, author
Jay Griffiths, author
Jazz Cook, editor
Jean Menzies, author
Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, author
Jeda Pearl, author
Jeffrey Boakye, author
Jen Calleja, author, literary translator, publisher
Jen Crawford, poet, academic
Jenna Clake, author
Jennifer Hodgson, writer
Jennifer Neal, author
Jenny Lau, writer
Jente Posthuma, author
Jeremy Poynting, publisher
Jerry Simcock, author
Jess Brough, writer
Jess Chandler, publisher
Jess French, author
Jess Hines, author
Jess Mc Kinney, writer
Jess Murrain, poet
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 Melia, bookseller
Joe Vaughan, author, publisher (Strange Region)
Joel Auterson, poet
Joelle Taylor, author
Johanna Russell, bookseller
John Action, literacy mentor
John Freeman, writer, editor
John Mercer, author
John Merrick, editor (Verso Books)
Joma West, author
Jonathan Emmett, author
Jonathan Nunn, editor
Jonathon Porritt, author
Joshua Jones, author
Joy Hendry, editor, publisher, poet, critic, broadcaster
Joycelyn Longdon, author
Judith N. Brooke, author
Julia Armfield, 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
Karina Lickorish Quinn, author
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
Koki M, bookseller
Kyo Maclear, author
Laila Kassam, author
Laline Paull, author
Lamorna Ash, author, editor
Lar Fermor, author
Larissa Dziedzan, blogger
Laura Chamberlain, illustrator, book designer
Laura Chung, author
Laura Ellen Anderson, author, illustrator
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
Louie Stowell, author, illustrator
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 Hughes, 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
Manda Scott, author, podcaster
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
Marni Appleton, writer
Marta Altes, author illustrator
Marta Fernández Campa, author
Martin MacInnes, author
Martin Reed, author
Martin Vincent, bookseller, publisher
Martine McDonagh, author
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
Mayada Ibrahim, editor, literary translator
Meaghan Delahunt, writer
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 Donkor, novelist
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
Monisha Rajesh, 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
Nia Davies, writer, poet
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
Nicole Olila, author, librarian
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
Paula Blair, writer
Pearl Hannaford, bookseller
Penny Lapenna, author
Pete Mercer, editor
Peter Collins, publisher (Polari Press)
Peter Mitchell, author
Peter Warr, author
Phoebe Blatton, writer
Polly Atkin, writer, bookseller
Pragya Agarwal, academic scholar, writer
Pratyusha, 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
Ramona McCloskey, author
Rani Selvarajah, author
Rawiyah Tariq, author
Raymond Antrobus, poet
Reba Khatun, author
Rebecca Bidgood, poet
Rebecca Ferrier, author
Rebecca Lowe, author
Rebecca Sharp, author
Rebecca Stonehill, author
Rebecca Tamás, author
Red Adair, illustrator
Rehab Bassam, author
Rhiannon Hooson, poet
Rhiannon Tripp, bookshop manager
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
Sameera Patel, publishing assistant
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 Litchfield, author, editor
Sara Mostafa, literary agent’s assistant
Sarah Bernstein, author
Sarah Cummings, bookseller
Sarah Driver, author
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 Day, author
Shelley Trower, author
Shireen Kassam, writer
Shola von Reinhold, author
Shona Shirley Macdonald, illustrator/author
Shze-Hui Tjoa, author
Siddharth Mehrotra, author
Simon Maddrell, author
Simon Moreton, 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 Papa, poet, translator
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
Suzanne Azzopardi, event producer
Swapna Haddow, author
Tam Dean Burn, audiobook reader
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
Taylor Strickland, poet and translator
Terezia (Telka) Pelová, bookseller
Terry Macalister, author
Tessa McWatt, author
Tessa Sheehan, illustrator
Thomas Morris, author
Thomas Stewart, writer
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 de Freston, author, illustrator
Tom Jeffreys, author
Toni Velikova, librarian
Tori Tsui, author
Tove Holmberg, bookseller
Trista Hendren, author, publisher
Tristan Gray, author
Vanessa Kisuule, author
Vanessa Nakate, author
Varaidzo, author
Vic Parsons, journalist
Victoria Adukwei Bulley, poet, writer
Victoria Brittain, author, journalist
Victoria Timperley, author
Vida Adamczewski, author
Viki Cheung, sales
Vikki Patis, author
VM Fuentes, author
Watson MacDornan, bookworker trainee
Will Harris, author
Wiz Wharton, author
Yara Rodrigues Fowler, author
Yasmin Bseiso, author
Yousif M. Qasmiyeh, author
Yves Donlon, author
Zahida Khan, writer
Zeena Gosrani, author
Zoe Lorimer, writer

This statement is open to all book workers to sign, whether or not you have been invited to a festival. To sign, please fill out this form.

Open letter. Wednesday 15 May 2024

Our renewed call for Baillie Gifford to divest from the fossil fuel industry and from companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide

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