Sophie Fennelly
@sophiefennelly.bsky.social
PhD researcher at the University of Leeds exploring literary representations Black British mental health under Hostile Environment. I also talk about chronic illness and disability. She/Her
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Even with my bedrock low opinion of Labour, I was clinging to some shred of hope that even they would realise that stealing the last remaining possessions of people who have fled for their lives was a disgusting policy. Turns out there isn't a bottom to this particular barrel they are scraping.
For fairly obvious reasons when people flee their countries of origin to seek asylum elsewhere they can't carry much. Often things like jewellery are all they have to hold onto. This isn't just stripping people of "assets", it is stealing their memories. 57/
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Asylum seekers’ jewellery could be seized to pay for processing costs, says Home Office minister
Idea borrowed from Denmark is latest attempt to reduce number of people seeking asylum in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Even with my bedrock low opinion of Labour, I was clinging to some shred of hope that even they would realise that stealing the last remaining possessions of people who have fled for their lives was a disgusting policy. Turns out there isn't a bottom to this particular barrel they are scraping.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Really sad to hear that Alice Wong has died. A brilliant activist and writer who made the world a better place.
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down. I love you all.”
November 15, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Really sad to hear that Alice Wong has died. A brilliant activist and writer who made the world a better place.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
This by Mahmood is frankly not only disgusting, but also massively disingenuous. It equates seeking asylum with illegality, there's nothing illegal about seeking asylum no matter the route. It ignores that Labour's policies penalise those in need of protection, and plays to hard right rhetoric.
On Monday, Shabana Mahmood will announce an overhaul of the asylum system, here’s why ⬇️
November 15, 2025 at 7:33 PM
This by Mahmood is frankly not only disgusting, but also massively disingenuous. It equates seeking asylum with illegality, there's nothing illegal about seeking asylum no matter the route. It ignores that Labour's policies penalise those in need of protection, and plays to hard right rhetoric.
Yesterday marked the inaugural School of English PGR Symposium. This event was the result of months of hard work from myself and the other organisers including @nrhopwood.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Yesterday marked the inaugural School of English PGR Symposium. This event was the result of months of hard work from myself and the other organisers including @nrhopwood.bsky.social
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
We're blown away by the level of interest so far and looking forward to a great couple of days exploring accessibility and/in archives and collections!
As we come to the end of our @edicaucus.bsky.social funded 'Divergent Minds in the Archive' project, we're delighted to invite you to 'Accessing Archives and Collections: Disability, Neurodivergence, Chronic Illness' - a free online symposium on 17th and 18th November. 1/n
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:55 PM
We're blown away by the level of interest so far and looking forward to a great couple of days exploring accessibility and/in archives and collections!
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Remember guys, @pcsunion.bsky.social staff at the BL are on strike for the next two weeks. Please don't cross the picket line to go to reading rooms, attend exhibitions or anything else. They've endured so much on low pay since the cyberattack in 2023 and the least we can do is have their backs now.
Secret Maps opens today! 🤫 🗺️
From medieval manuscripts to Cold War espionage, our new exhibition explores how maps have hidden as much as they revealed for over 600 years.
Book now: bit.ly/BLSecretMaps
From medieval manuscripts to Cold War espionage, our new exhibition explores how maps have hidden as much as they revealed for over 600 years.
Book now: bit.ly/BLSecretMaps
October 26, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Remember guys, @pcsunion.bsky.social staff at the BL are on strike for the next two weeks. Please don't cross the picket line to go to reading rooms, attend exhibitions or anything else. They've endured so much on low pay since the cyberattack in 2023 and the least we can do is have their backs now.
The School of English PGR Symposium is taking place on 11th November, featuring over 10 papers from SoE PGRs! Sign up here to come along forms.office.com/e/75eFxbbbiY
October 31, 2025 at 11:48 AM
The School of English PGR Symposium is taking place on 11th November, featuring over 10 papers from SoE PGRs! Sign up here to come along forms.office.com/e/75eFxbbbiY
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Spread the word! A new postgraduate and early career researcher seminar series at @universityofleeds.bsky.social! For those studying the Late Antique, Medieval, and Early Modern periods. We look forward to reading your proposals! #medievalsky #earlymodern #lateantique
October 30, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Spread the word! A new postgraduate and early career researcher seminar series at @universityofleeds.bsky.social! For those studying the Late Antique, Medieval, and Early Modern periods. We look forward to reading your proposals! #medievalsky #earlymodern #lateantique
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Worth mentioning, there's nothing illegal about seeking asylum. Indeed the need for those doing so to use irregular routes is recognised in law, provided they present themselves, as they have to, to seek asylum to the relevant authorities. This is a grotesquely misleading comment by the Home Office.
October 27, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Worth mentioning, there's nothing illegal about seeking asylum. Indeed the need for those doing so to use irregular routes is recognised in law, provided they present themselves, as they have to, to seek asylum to the relevant authorities. This is a grotesquely misleading comment by the Home Office.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
"We absolutely need to stop the boats,” Polanski said, “but let’s stop the boats by offering safe and legal routes to asylum and not having people clinging on to dinghies for dear life.*
www.newstatesman.com/politics/gre...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/gre...
Zack Polanski: “We absolutely need to stop the boats”
The Greens’ Zack Polanski on facing up to Reform
www.newstatesman.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:41 PM
"We absolutely need to stop the boats,” Polanski said, “but let’s stop the boats by offering safe and legal routes to asylum and not having people clinging on to dinghies for dear life.*
www.newstatesman.com/politics/gre...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/gre...
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Could we please stop pretending that the flags being hung from streetlamps or painted on roundabouts are innocent expressions of patriotic pride? This is the far right marking out its territory. It uses these flags to intimidate its traditional victims and opponents. 🧵1/3
September 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Could we please stop pretending that the flags being hung from streetlamps or painted on roundabouts are innocent expressions of patriotic pride? This is the far right marking out its territory. It uses these flags to intimidate its traditional victims and opponents. 🧵1/3
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Yvette Cooper looked at current British asylum policies and thought, what we need is for *more* children to die in the English Channel
BREAKING: Yvette Cooper says she is suspending all applications to bring family members to the UK under the asylum system.
September 1, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Yvette Cooper looked at current British asylum policies and thought, what we need is for *more* children to die in the English Channel
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Extending the "move on period" came at the end of lengthy campaigning, and reams of evidence showing how 28 days led to homelessness, and more pressure on local authorities.
This is a counterproductive, retrograde, move by Labour designed to chase Reform. Despicable!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
This is a counterproductive, retrograde, move by Labour designed to chase Reform. Despicable!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Home Office set to halve time asylum seekers spend in hotels
The time given to people granted asylum to move from hotels to their own accommodation will be cut from 56 to 28 days.
www.bbc.com
August 28, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Extending the "move on period" came at the end of lengthy campaigning, and reams of evidence showing how 28 days led to homelessness, and more pressure on local authorities.
This is a counterproductive, retrograde, move by Labour designed to chase Reform. Despicable!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
This is a counterproductive, retrograde, move by Labour designed to chase Reform. Despicable!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Where government has failed - Taylor Swift might succeed: knocking migration stories off the front pages...
August 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Where government has failed - Taylor Swift might succeed: knocking migration stories off the front pages...
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
The Polari Prize issued a statement saying it believes its longlistees can hold “different positions on substantive issues.” This is like long listing a racist with authors of color then telling everyone it’s a mere “different position on a substantive issue”. Trans people are a fact. Not an “issue”
You can't call yourself "a prize for LGBTQ+ literature" and longlist a self-proclaimed terf. Anyone can give any prize to anyone they like, of course. But don't pretend you're a prize for my community when you're platforming someone who's actively fighting against it.
August 7, 2025 at 11:23 AM
The Polari Prize issued a statement saying it believes its longlistees can hold “different positions on substantive issues.” This is like long listing a racist with authors of color then telling everyone it’s a mere “different position on a substantive issue”. Trans people are a fact. Not an “issue”
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
It's indefensible, says man who repeatedly defended it.
July 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM
It's indefensible, says man who repeatedly defended it.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
We can do better than the relentless misery this guy promises; do not let him or his people persuade you this is the best it can be.
So, they are going to share the locations of where highly vulnerable individuals live with firms which have suffered massive data breaches? Hmm, what could possibly go wrong.
July 23, 2025 at 9:53 PM
We can do better than the relentless misery this guy promises; do not let him or his people persuade you this is the best it can be.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
oh absolutely fuck these moral fucking cowards
July 23, 2025 at 9:53 PM
oh absolutely fuck these moral fucking cowards
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Today, after 14 years, I’m resigning from the Labour Party.
Jeremy Corbyn and I will co-lead the founding of a new party, with other Independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country.
Join us. The time is now.
Sign up here to stay updated: actionnetwork.org/forms/join-t...
Jeremy Corbyn and I will co-lead the founding of a new party, with other Independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country.
Join us. The time is now.
Sign up here to stay updated: actionnetwork.org/forms/join-t...
July 3, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Today, after 14 years, I’m resigning from the Labour Party.
Jeremy Corbyn and I will co-lead the founding of a new party, with other Independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country.
Join us. The time is now.
Sign up here to stay updated: actionnetwork.org/forms/join-t...
Jeremy Corbyn and I will co-lead the founding of a new party, with other Independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country.
Join us. The time is now.
Sign up here to stay updated: actionnetwork.org/forms/join-t...
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Frankly I would believe Starmer regretted paraphrasing Enoch Powell somewhat more if he wasn't pushing ahead with the some of the most anti-immigration, anti-asylum, policies in decades. His "regret" doesn't make a difference when his actions are the same.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Keir Starmer says he ‘deeply regrets’ island of strangers speech
Immigration speech was criticised for echoing Enoch Powell’s ‘rivers of blood’ rhetoric
www.theguardian.com
June 27, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Frankly I would believe Starmer regretted paraphrasing Enoch Powell somewhat more if he wasn't pushing ahead with the some of the most anti-immigration, anti-asylum, policies in decades. His "regret" doesn't make a difference when his actions are the same.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
Today’s morning panel focused on the impact of the Hostile Environment on/in community spaces. With stunning papers by Sophie Fennelly, Peach Hoyle, and Subhadip Mukherjee.
June 24, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Today’s morning panel focused on the impact of the Hostile Environment on/in community spaces. With stunning papers by Sophie Fennelly, Peach Hoyle, and Subhadip Mukherjee.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
GM 🖤
Please take care of yourself
Please take care of yourself
May 28, 2025 at 10:29 AM
GM 🖤
Please take care of yourself
Please take care of yourself
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
“Each nasty reactionary comment by Reform followed by the reward of an electoral gain feels as if it eats away at a diverse and decent society, pulling back hard-won tolerance whilst validating the worst prejudices.”
My col. on the local election aftermath. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My col. on the local election aftermath. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Look at how Reform speaks about minorities. Why would Labour want to mimic this nasty party? | Frances Ryan
The British public is more liberal and tolerant than you would believe from our politicians. Time for Keir Starmer to appeal to Britain’s best side, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan
www.theguardian.com
May 5, 2025 at 4:53 PM
“Each nasty reactionary comment by Reform followed by the reward of an electoral gain feels as if it eats away at a diverse and decent society, pulling back hard-won tolerance whilst validating the worst prejudices.”
My col. on the local election aftermath. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My col. on the local election aftermath. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
You’re telling me that right wing voters that Labour was trying to appeal to voted for a right wing party anyway and left wing voters decided not to vote for Labour because they’re too right wing now? Who could have possibly predicted this.
May 2, 2025 at 7:07 AM
You’re telling me that right wing voters that Labour was trying to appeal to voted for a right wing party anyway and left wing voters decided not to vote for Labour because they’re too right wing now? Who could have possibly predicted this.
Reposted by Sophie Fennelly
if you are a cis person it costs you nothing to just say today that you see & hear your trans sisters & brothers & others over in the UK today -- and around the world, too, knowing that rulings like today's ripple out in ugly ways.
April 16, 2025 at 12:18 PM
if you are a cis person it costs you nothing to just say today that you see & hear your trans sisters & brothers & others over in the UK today -- and around the world, too, knowing that rulings like today's ripple out in ugly ways.