StokeyLitFest
@StokeyLitFest
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A lit fest right at the heart of the community, inspired by Stoke Newington's radical, rabble-rousing & literary history. 6-8 June 2025
Stoke Newington, London
Joined March 2010
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@lucyinglis
This whole thread needs to be tattooed on Cressida Dick’s desk. Utterly terrifying.
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Regrettably but inevitably, we've taken the decision to cancel the festival in June. With peak CV-19 cases predicted to hit in 10-14 weeks, we can't put audiences, authors, volunteers and other partners at risk. We're gutted esp as it's our 10th anniversary but...
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You could hear a penny drop at the event with
@robdelaney
currently on the main stage. A Heart That Works is really the most astonishing book: heartbreaking, explosively funny, angry. As he says, he wanted it to be a fucking nailbomb of a book’. And it is.
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Delighted to announce that we’re planning a StokeyLit(tle)Fest - see what we did there? - from 1-3 Sept this year. Get it in your diaries!
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Do come and pick up a free copy of Toni Morrison’s Beloved from Stoke Newington Library foyer, courtesy of
@hackneylibs
.
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Now that’s great leadership.
‘Some countries talked about herd immunity as a strategy. In New Zealand we never ever considered that. Herd immunity would have meant 10s of 10000s of New Zealanders dying & I simply would not have tolerated that’
Today New Zealand returns to work
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@fhussain73
What a lovely post. Thanks for being so inclusive. I did a race relations module at uni in the 80s as part of my geography degree and of course the first thing we learned is that racism is born out of fear & ignorance. Every tiny interaction that helps dispel both is 😍
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Delighted to announce we'll be back this year. Put 3-5 June in your diaries and get your bookish party pants on.
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@TabitaSurge
It's so trite and patronising. Men of note never have to be representational of 'everyman'. And let's count the literally thousands of anonymous naked female statues in every museum in the world.
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Stoke Newington, you're a beauty. None of us knew if everyone else would do it so all we all tentatively opened doors and the clapping and saucepan banging (good call, neighbours) began. Unbelievably moving.
#clapforNHS
#NHSheroes
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The event with
@ChelseaClinton
was a real treat for the wee ones as well as for the adults in the audience. Chelsea was so charming, eloquent and inspiring we're a little swoon, really.
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@JohnJCrace
John we can't even express how much you mean to us. Take as much time off as you need. Lots of love xx
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And when this is all over, we're going to help organise a massive party where we can hug one another and talk about all the amazing books we've read in lock-down.
Please remember to support your local bookshop. Most are happy to make recommendations and post to you.
STAY WELL
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The convoy of helicopters ferrying
@realDonaldTrump
from Stansted to Central London just flew over Stoke Newington and hopefully saw us in the garden flicking all the vees.
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So during lockdown, with no festival to organise and having to shield,
@PeteBrownBeer
and I published a book and it’s only gone and won Best Book at the prestigious
@nagbw
Awards. Might have a sherry. I mean a beer.
Best Book
1. Craft: An Argument:
@PeteBrownBeer
2. A Brief History of Lager: 500 Years of the World's Favourite Beer:
@markdredge
3. Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing:
@larsga
HM: Denver Beer: A History of Mile High Brewing:
@ColoBeerMan
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@kimmoorepoet
We had someone we now call Brian The Shit Comedian who came into our green room with his mate, pointed at the woman running author liaison & said ‘look at that, I told you she was hot’. He got told to immediately leave & never come back. Zero tolerance for any sort of creep.
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So full disclosure: before setting up a literary festival I was a corporate comms & crisis management person and Jesus Christ this is a car crash like no other. I’d sack him as a client so hard because he’s such an utter cunt.
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Word of advice for the new
@pret
in Stoke Newington: your staff sneering ‘we’re going to steal all your customers’ to a much-loved, independent, LGBTQ+ friendly coffee shop won’t endear you to our community. Repulsive attitude.
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@BarbaraHearn
@ladyhaja
We understand representational art, Barbara. We just think this representational art is derivative, trite and patronising. Historical men of note never have to be 'everyman'. They also are rarely 'represented' by their penises.
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It’s a wrap! Liz, the magic in human skin and the director of
#stokeylitfest
, giving the final closing speech: ‘‘[One Of the] Thing we’ve learned this year - Ed Miliband is hotter than we all though.’ See you next year!
#stokeylitfest
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The smallest Gala Night celebration ever, but the disco light are on and we shall PARTAY.
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@allisonpearson
@DAaronovitch
They knocked on the door 3 times hoping to get a ‘we’re ok’ response then appropriately reported it to the police. Given that the police then weren’t honest about having attended, they involved the media to be sure it was recorded. This man will be PM & you think this is ok??
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To the middle aged guy in the red polo shirt who kicked off at one of our lovely volunteers in the Town Hall bar yesterday because he couldn't get exactly what he wanted, became incredibly verbally abusive and shouted 'I'll take this up with Liz'...
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Right, don't know about you, but it's Friday afternoon, we're getting quite emotional about our festival anniversary so we're having a beer.
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These heroes pitched up to break the festival down today. We're tired, happy and really really stinky. Luckily Mauritz
@theaxepub
is looking after us. Tomorrow is cancelled.
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One of our favourite post-festival jobs is going through the photos. This is currently our favourite.
@spencebakery
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Highly recommend a shit disco light. It’s immensely cheering. Please don’t @ me about the washing up.
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When Covid struck, as 2 freelancers with no work or income on the horizon.
@PeteBrownBeer
and I self-published Craft: An Argument. It won best book at
@nagbw
& tonight, best self-published book at
@GuildFoodWriter
. Congrats to all the other short & longlisted writers. What a year
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Against the backdrop of the Cummings debacle, it’s sobering to read about Australia’s 102nd death from CV19. Today we’ll be up to at least FORTY THOUSAND. 102 vs 40,000. It’s an omnishambles beyond comprehension. Get rid of the fucking lot of them. They are criminally incompetent
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Well that was nice. Thanks to our ridiculously brilliant guests, visitors, sponsors, partners & our STUPENDOUS volunteers. You rock.
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Absolutely devastating news. George was the very kindest and most humane of people - he'll be horribly missed. He opened the very first festival in 2010 and continued to support it over the years. Sending huge love to his family and friends.
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Ms
@caitlinmoran
is right. You don’t hear sentences like ‘I was living with a guy who had to leave Stockport because he nicked a pound making machine from a gangster called Danny Smite’ at your average literary festival. What a brilliant end to Sat night with
@mrhenrymorris
.
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@eleanorkpenny
Extinguished my flaming sambuca by clapping my palm on it, thus creating a fire vacuum and giving myself an unfortunate booze stigmata.
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IT WAS AMAZING! Thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s festival the best one yet! Our sponsors, partners, suppliers, collaborators and particularly our incredible volunteers ROCK. We love you to the moon and back xx
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Thank god some lads from Fulham are opening Fanny's on the High St, home of some of the best Turkish food outside Turkey, to 'reshape what people think a kebab is'. Best of luck with that, guys.
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Bloody hell. This would have been the worst weather of any festival since 2010. So glad to be indoors.
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We've been called a lot of things, but this is our favourite, by
@i_am_mill_i_am
'Not just the best book festival in Greater London and the best festival in North London but furthermore the greatest literary festival in Middlesex, taking into account the 1965 boundary changes.'
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THANKS to all our incredible volunteers, authors, sponsors, partners, venues and visitors for making it so EPIC this year. 😍📚🍺🍾🍷☀️🎉💊💊💊💊💊
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The festival is broken down, we are broken down, we’ve had our requisite burgers & chips at the
@roseandcrown16
and in one of the most shameful episodes in LitFest history have ordered cake from
@oohloulou
which is probably 3 minutes walk away, if that.
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We’re a bit late to this - busy with glitter curtains and barn dances - but this is a brilliant piece by
@NilsPratley
on the Baillie Gifford debacle. Solidarity with all festivals & arts organisations being battered by the Indignation Crew.
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If you haven't got 7th-9th in your diary for this year's
#StokeyLitFest
, you're missing out on some of the cleverest fun you'll have all year. Tickets via our website:
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Private, not secret.
Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, 86, dies after secret dementia battle
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@MadameGilflurt
@girlhermes
Someone else called it 'Barbie bursting out of a kebab'. So much to see, none of it ideal...
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The 2017 programme has landed! Couple of things being added (we can't help ourselves) but largely, TA DA!
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Phew. During lockdown,
@PeteBrownBeer
and I have written, designed, edited, typeset & published his new book. It's about craft beer but covers Cartesian duality, the counter-culture & Play School. Respect for publishing people 😍😷 An RT would be v welcome
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Urgent appeal to help 130 Afghan families who’ve arrived in Hackney in the last couple of days. Please help / RT.
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IT’S A WRAP! What an absolutely brilliant weekend. Thanks to all the authors, hosts, venues, visitors and most of all our sensational volunteers for creating such a warm, inclusive, thought-provoking and joyous place to be this weekend.
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What an absolute load of chuff. This is a moment to modernise. Totally appreciate the affection & respect for the queen but good lord it’s 2022. The country is on its knees. We need a radical rethink and redistribution of power, wealth & privilege.
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A reminder that every ticket you purchase and drink you buy in one of our fabulous bars (very competitively priced) goes directly to supporting literacy initiatives in Hackney. As a non-profit, volunteer-run festival, every little really does help...bottoms up!
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I don't remember Mary Wollstonecraft's seminal work being called A Vindication of the Rights of Perky-Titted Skinny Women, but then I probably don't understand it because I am not An Artist.
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Dear
@facebook
PLEASE can you let us know how to access our account that was hacked, got us ‘suspended’ and has stolen £400 of charity funds? Literally NO WAY of getting this sorted via yr website which is really shoddy.
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Happy birthday to LitFest Dog Mildred. She is a very good girl.
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THANKS EVERYONE! We had the most incredible weekend thanks to our amazing authors, visitors, partners and most of all, our incredible volunteers, without whom, we'd still be putting the bunting up. YOU ALL ROCK AND WE LOVE YOU.
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Finally,
@salenagodden
is getting the recognition she deserves as one of our most talented, provocative and all-round great egg writers. Mrs Death Misses Death is wonderful, as is she.
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You have to love someone who seems to follow the sage life advice of Pauline Calf. If you like it, do it. If you don’t like it, do it, you might like it.
Thanks to
@mrhenrymorris
&
@caitlinmoran
for an absolutely epic end to Sat night.
Also this happened 😍
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Sneak peak of the book
@PeteBrownBeer
& I have been working on during lockdown published on Thurs by
@CAMRABooks
.
@BeerByDesignUK1
showcases best beer design & branding. Looks fab!
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If you live outside Stokey / aren’t on our mailing list you won’t have seen our line-up. Nigella, Alan Johnson, Zawe Ashton, Sali Hughes, Lauren Laverne, Ed Miliband, Tracey Thorn, Miriam Khan, Stephen Morris (New Order), Sheila Dillon, Roger Robinson & many more..full prog soon
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And now for some good news: Historic England takes 'birthplace of feminism',
@newunity
on Newington Green, off at-risk list.
@HistoryOfStokey
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Look at this amazing bunch of volunteers! They'll be looking after you over festival weekend. They'll be wearing pink. They won't thank us for that but it means you can spot them & give them a hug. 😍
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@carolecadwalla
With you all the way. Utterly scandalous you're even near the courts. Keep on keeping on. We've all got your back.
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World's Coolest Librarian
@booniepops
meets World's Coolest Beardy Author
@PhilipArdagh
at
#5thNovDemo
#saveourculture
#saveourlibraries
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Few more events still to be added, but here *TA DA* is the bulk of our 2016 programme! *OPENS GIN, INSERTS STRAW*.
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Graffiti outside Stoke Newington Library. Spelled correctly, so that's nice.
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Would love to see regular tweets from all our politicians about what they’re reading. Not to criticise, be snotty about or heap with praise, just to be assured that they are actually reading other people’s stories, expanding their minds & valuing the power of books & literacy.
📚 I didn’t plan it, but most of the books I’ve read this year have been by women. So for anyone looking for summer holiday reading recommendations, here’s some of my favourite female-authored books of the year to date. 📚
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You must admit, this is the best author Green Room EVER. 😍🥂🧁
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I’ve seen more sympathetic and peaceful policing of the fucking EDL than this. I mean WHO orders a lot of massive male coppers in to jostle peaceful (largely female) protestors?
#ReclaimTheseStreets
Completely unnecessary and distasteful police intervention to break up the
#Saraeverard
Vigil at Clapham Common
#ReclaimTheseStreets
#ReclaimTheNight
VIDEO:
@AhmedKaballo
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Jeez.
#school
is one of the most stressful programmes I've ever watched. Stressed teachers, stressed pupils, ridiculous academy systems based on fucking profit please let it stop now. Also please cock off, The Government.
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Thanks to
@HackneyAbbott
for her continued support of the festival. She's given great advice and help along the way and we only just found out she bought a weekend ticket for this year. We've grown a lot in 10 yrs but are firmly rooted in the community she's served since 1987.
Ed Miliband on stage at Stoke Newington Literary Festival. Says if he had won in 2010 the main thing he would have done differently was NOT to have the EU referendum
@Ed_Miliband
@StokeyLitFest
@PhilipGlanville
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@nedglasier
@rstrongdoctor
@DBanksy
@twcuddleston
I have been late getting on a flight despite getting there 4 hours beforehand because I’m having too much airport fun.*
*breakfast gin
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What a great photo! Congratulations
@HackneyAbbott
.
33 years ago today,
@HackneyAbbott
made change by becoming the first black woman elected to parliament.
She inspired thousands from BAME backgrounds to stand for office changing the face of British politics - I am one of those.
Thank you for everything, Diane ✊🏽✊🏾
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No-one told us this actually FEELS like a peach. Quite the most gorgeous book we've ever stroked (and we stroke all the books).
@DianaHenryFood
joins us at the festival & we'll try not to stroke her too.
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2018 PROGRAMME ONLINE HERE.
If you can't find something that interests you, we're sorry but you might be dead.
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The utterly inspirational
@Asma_KhanLDN
on cultural appropriation, setting up a union, being cooperative and her exciting new venture.
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Advance copies of The London Pub by
@HoxtonMiniPress
with a foreword by
@PeteBrownBeer
will be available at his event
@PemburyTavern
tonight. Such a gorgeous collection of old photos. A perfect Christmas gift for others and self!
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Michael Morpurgo on his love of elephants, seeded by Rudyard Kipling
@HackneyEmpire
.
@RunningWildLive
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I realise this has been my view for rather a lot of this year. LitFest Dog Mildred wishes you all a very much more straightforward 2021. Until then, another cheese treat thank you very much. 🍷🧀🥂
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Apparently it’s a remarkably low turnout at today’s
@hackneycouncil
Mayoral election: we know the world’s a bin fire but please register your vote and don’t forget the millions who fought for you to have one. ❤️
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Massive shout-out to the team at
@CandHGPConfed
for the incredible organisation and wonderful staff and volunteers at the John Scott health centre (and other vaccine sites across Hackney). Super-efficient, friendly and you even get a sticker.
#VaccinesWork
#getthevax
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Dear
@BeanoOfficial
this is
@robinince
with a vintage copy of The Beano, courtesy of
@timmysmells
in our author green room over festival weekend. Lots of very fond reminiscing about Roger The Dodger and others.
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SAVE THE DATE. This year's festival will run from 7th-9th June, giving half term a swerve. Weekend tickets on sale fairly soon.
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Happy 259th birthday to Mary Wollstonecraft, mother of feminism. We'll be celebrating her life and influence at the Unitarian church she attended on Sat June 2nd.
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World’s Coolest Librarian
@booniepops
springs into action tomorrow with a save the date postcard designed by the fabulous
@malcolmgarrett
. If you see him, take some & pass them on to your grooviest friends. Also available at Stoke Newington’s most discerning retailers.
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Superb news -
@kate_revere
Revere The Residence has won a £10k Small Shop of the Year prize to fund more brilliant art workshops with under-represented artists. Go Kate! 😍😍😍
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Samantha Morton wanted to be PM when she was younger. IF ONLY. She reminds us that the top 10 providers of children’s homes made £300m profit last year. Why aren’t we rioting in the streets about this - and all - shameful profiteering? Superb interview.
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When it's been a really shitty day so you decide to make a lemon drizzle cake and this happens...FFS.
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Fuck this shit. Agree with her, don't agree with her. Absolutely up to you. I regularly do both. But
@guardian
is diminished without
@suzanne_moore
. Still, we'll always have Adrian Chiles to challenge, er, loading the dishwasher, printers & putting his own make-up on.
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Geoffrey Robertson QC says the problem with the current state of the British justice system is 'not just that it's underfunded, it's that it's under-appreciated.'
#stokeylitfest
#TheLawIsBroken
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