Jill Rowan
@jillrowan.bsky.social
Author of The Legacy, The Dream, Angelica Died, Christmas at Killanara, and several short stories. Loves reading, learning, nature, photography, and of course writing. Lifelong socialist. No longer Labour for obvious reasons. Shropshire, UK.
Reposted by Jill Rowan
The largest labor strike in history is happening today in Minnesota. Yes they are suppressing the information but if enough of us talk about it off and online they can’t hide it. Tell every person you encounter about Minnesota.
January 23, 2026 at 5:44 PM
The largest labor strike in history is happening today in Minnesota. Yes they are suppressing the information but if enough of us talk about it off and online they can’t hide it. Tell every person you encounter about Minnesota.
What we hoped would happen in Gaza: Israeli withdrawal, rebuilding by Palestinians with help from agencies. What's proposed: effectively a slave-labour camp for the Palestinians under complete surveillance and control by Israel/US. No freedom, no self-determination. Slavery.
January 23, 2026 at 11:25 AM
What we hoped would happen in Gaza: Israeli withdrawal, rebuilding by Palestinians with help from agencies. What's proposed: effectively a slave-labour camp for the Palestinians under complete surveillance and control by Israel/US. No freedom, no self-determination. Slavery.
Me to Starmer: "Do I have a big bum?"
Starmer: "Big bums are really important."
Me: "You're not going to say whether I have or haven't?"
Starmer: "I'm going to be clear that I believe in big bums. I've long been an advocate of big bums."
Starmer: "Big bums are really important."
Me: "You're not going to say whether I have or haven't?"
Starmer: "I'm going to be clear that I believe in big bums. I've long been an advocate of big bums."
Beth Rigby: "Has the US violated international law?"
Keir Starmer: "Intl law is really important..."
"You're not going to say whether they have or they havn't?"
"I'm going to be clear that I believe in intl law, I've long been an advocate of intl law"
Keir Starmer: "Intl law is really important..."
"You're not going to say whether they have or they havn't?"
"I'm going to be clear that I believe in intl law, I've long been an advocate of intl law"
January 5, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Me to Starmer: "Do I have a big bum?"
Starmer: "Big bums are really important."
Me: "You're not going to say whether I have or haven't?"
Starmer: "I'm going to be clear that I believe in big bums. I've long been an advocate of big bums."
Starmer: "Big bums are really important."
Me: "You're not going to say whether I have or haven't?"
Starmer: "I'm going to be clear that I believe in big bums. I've long been an advocate of big bums."
Reposted by Jill Rowan
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.
January 5, 2026 at 12:27 PM
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.
My latest Substack post.
open.substack.com/pub/jillrowa...
open.substack.com/pub/jillrowa...
For the Beauty of the Earth
And the tragedy of our species
open.substack.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:16 PM
My latest Substack post.
open.substack.com/pub/jillrowa...
open.substack.com/pub/jillrowa...
Just realized this is the first Christmas when I haven't even heard Fairytale of New York once. My favourite Christmas song, not even played on local radio when I've been driving. I'll have to seek it out just to hear it, I suppose.
December 25, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Just realized this is the first Christmas when I haven't even heard Fairytale of New York once. My favourite Christmas song, not even played on local radio when I've been driving. I'll have to seek it out just to hear it, I suppose.
Prototaxites lived for 45 million years & became extinct. We don't even know for sure what kind of life it was, but no god saved it and it couldn't save itself. Humans in current form have only existed for 300,000 years. We *can* save ourselves, but won't.
www.livescience.com/animals/gian...
www.livescience.com/animals/gian...
Scientists baffled at mysterious ancient creature that doesn't fit on the tree of life as we know it
An ancient and enormous organism called Prototaxites, initially found to be a type of fungus, may actually be an unknown branch of life, researchers say.
www.livescience.com
December 23, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Prototaxites lived for 45 million years & became extinct. We don't even know for sure what kind of life it was, but no god saved it and it couldn't save itself. Humans in current form have only existed for 300,000 years. We *can* save ourselves, but won't.
www.livescience.com/animals/gian...
www.livescience.com/animals/gian...
Reposted by Jill Rowan
🎄 Clun Castle is the subject of Day 12 in our #Shropshire advent calendar. In the distance is Sowdley Wood, which is part of Black Hill. I waited a long time to get a picture of the castle in snow, and I finally managed to tick it off my to-do list a couple of years ago. 🎅
December 12, 2025 at 7:33 AM
🎄 Clun Castle is the subject of Day 12 in our #Shropshire advent calendar. In the distance is Sowdley Wood, which is part of Black Hill. I waited a long time to get a picture of the castle in snow, and I finally managed to tick it off my to-do list a couple of years ago. 🎅
Reposted by Jill Rowan
A month is a very long time to go without food.
So has anyone heard about this hunger strike via the mainstream media?
When will it get a mention, if or when someone dies?
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
So has anyone heard about this hunger strike via the mainstream media?
When will it get a mention, if or when someone dies?
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
The hunger strike is not being televised – nor will the last gasps of our dying freedoms
Six political prisoners who targeted factories arming Israel's genocide are weeks into a hunger strike. But in contrast to the IRA's 1980s hunger strike, this one is being blanked by the media
open.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A month is a very long time to go without food.
So has anyone heard about this hunger strike via the mainstream media?
When will it get a mention, if or when someone dies?
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
So has anyone heard about this hunger strike via the mainstream media?
When will it get a mention, if or when someone dies?
open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...
Not enough money for a decent NHS, not enough money for decent benefits, not enough money for pothole repairs, not enough money for jury trials, but hey, we can shake that magic money tree for digital ID and facial recognition cameras.
December 4, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Not enough money for a decent NHS, not enough money for decent benefits, not enough money for pothole repairs, not enough money for jury trials, but hey, we can shake that magic money tree for digital ID and facial recognition cameras.
Remember the (not so) far-off days when you could just book an appointment and there was no 'triage' to stop you? Your reasons were private and there was no gatekeeping? Hard to believe now that that's how it was until fairly recently. Still is, in a decreasing number of practices.
Katie Bramall, chair of BMA GeneralPractice, explains that simply creating another way for people to book GP appointments doesnt increase the number of appointments available, and the sheer volume of people now booking online is taking GPs away from face to face appointments to triage those bookings
December 3, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Remember the (not so) far-off days when you could just book an appointment and there was no 'triage' to stop you? Your reasons were private and there was no gatekeeping? Hard to believe now that that's how it was until fairly recently. Still is, in a decreasing number of practices.
This is well worth a read.
open.substack.com/pub/shibley/...
open.substack.com/pub/shibley/...
The contorted stories we tell ourselves?
Or "give your head a wobble" episode 8475743
open.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:19 AM
This is well worth a read.
open.substack.com/pub/shibley/...
open.substack.com/pub/shibley/...
If it weren't for the fact that some people are taking it seriously I'd be rolling on the floor with my legs in the air laughing over the Hobbit story. It's just so comical. Imagine our villages full of idealised tree houses instead of bungalows and new builds and Hobbits instead of commuters...
November 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
If it weren't for the fact that some people are taking it seriously I'd be rolling on the floor with my legs in the air laughing over the Hobbit story. It's just so comical. Imagine our villages full of idealised tree houses instead of bungalows and new builds and Hobbits instead of commuters...
Reposted by Jill Rowan
Almost nobody in the Cons Party or beyond it had noticed that the Shadow Home Secretary with two other frontbenchers and 5 backbenchers tabled a bill in May to deport 3 million people - stripping almost every pensioner, parent or nurse who did not take out citizenship of their right to live here
October 23, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Almost nobody in the Cons Party or beyond it had noticed that the Shadow Home Secretary with two other frontbenchers and 5 backbenchers tabled a bill in May to deport 3 million people - stripping almost every pensioner, parent or nurse who did not take out citizenship of their right to live here
Greeted when coming on here with supposedly having to verify my age, but can't be bothered as I can guess it will involve ID at some point. I've signed the petition to repeal the Online Safety Act.
July 26, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Greeted when coming on here with supposedly having to verify my age, but can't be bothered as I can guess it will involve ID at some point. I've signed the petition to repeal the Online Safety Act.
Watching an old episode of Top Gear on terrestrial TV as a temporary relief. It's the US trip and I've just got to the part where Alabama gets a little cross with them. This was one stunt they really didn't set up. 😄
May 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Watching an old episode of Top Gear on terrestrial TV as a temporary relief. It's the US trip and I've just got to the part where Alabama gets a little cross with them. This was one stunt they really didn't set up. 😄
I didn't watch, but no way did the British public give Israel the 12 points in Eurovision.There's fraud going on here. The voting system is ridiculous. One person can vote 20 times - and more than that if you have several phones. I really think Eurovision has had its day, and I used to love it once.
May 18, 2025 at 1:04 AM
I didn't watch, but no way did the British public give Israel the 12 points in Eurovision.There's fraud going on here. The voting system is ridiculous. One person can vote 20 times - and more than that if you have several phones. I really think Eurovision has had its day, and I used to love it once.
Nigel Farage will never be British PM. Four years is a long time.
British Voters Increasingly Believe Nigel Farage Will Be Prime Minister
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/britis...
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/britis...
British Voters Increasingly Believe Nigel Farage Will Be Prime Minister
One-in-three voters now think Reform will form the next government.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
May 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Nigel Farage will never be British PM. Four years is a long time.
Reposted by Jill Rowan
The government was wrong to cut winter fuel payments.
It was wrong to keep the 2-child benefit cap.
It was wrong to slash disability benefits.
Pushing people into poverty is the wrong thing to do. The right thing to do is redistribute wealth and power so that everyone can live in dignity.
It was wrong to keep the 2-child benefit cap.
It was wrong to slash disability benefits.
Pushing people into poverty is the wrong thing to do. The right thing to do is redistribute wealth and power so that everyone can live in dignity.
May 6, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The government was wrong to cut winter fuel payments.
It was wrong to keep the 2-child benefit cap.
It was wrong to slash disability benefits.
Pushing people into poverty is the wrong thing to do. The right thing to do is redistribute wealth and power so that everyone can live in dignity.
It was wrong to keep the 2-child benefit cap.
It was wrong to slash disability benefits.
Pushing people into poverty is the wrong thing to do. The right thing to do is redistribute wealth and power so that everyone can live in dignity.
Reposted by Jill Rowan
Israel continuing its mass murder of the Palestinians, backed by the USA, UK, France and many other western nations.
The blood will never wash off. They are tainted forever.
#FreePalestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸 🇵🇸
The blood will never wash off. They are tainted forever.
#FreePalestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸 🇵🇸
Israel is starving us in Gaza. This is what that feels like | Aya Al-Hattab
Because of the blockade, hunger is part of our daily reality now. It is deep and cruel, and there is no relief, says Palestinian writer Aya Al-Hattab
www.theguardian.com
May 6, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Israel continuing its mass murder of the Palestinians, backed by the USA, UK, France and many other western nations.
The blood will never wash off. They are tainted forever.
#FreePalestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸 🇵🇸
The blood will never wash off. They are tainted forever.
#FreePalestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸 🇵🇸
Condemning and urging are not enough - they never were. Does the world want Gaza to become a concentration camp? This is clearly the new plan. There will be no end to the torture for Palestinians except through death. Is the world going to stand by, wringing its hands and letting that happen?
May 6, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Condemning and urging are not enough - they never were. Does the world want Gaza to become a concentration camp? This is clearly the new plan. There will be no end to the torture for Palestinians except through death. Is the world going to stand by, wringing its hands and letting that happen?