Daniel Trilling
@trillingual.bsky.social
Journalist and author in London. LRB, Guardian Long Read and others. Books about refugees in Europe and Britain's far right. danieltrilling.co.uk for contact details etc
Pinned
Inside the BBC’s Gaza Fiasco • EQUATOR
How the world’s most trusted media organisation fell apart
www.equator.org
I spoke to two dozen BBC journalists, from frontline reporters to senior staff, about how the BBC came to symbolise the West's failure to prevent genocide in Gaza - and how the row over its coverage fed directly into its current meltdown.
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
A few weeks ago I wrote a piece on the 75th anniversary of the ECHR - and how it is threatened by the vicious politics of resentment that Labour and the Tories have enabled/encouraged in the past 20 years. This to me is what lies beneath the asylum "debate".
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
How the European convention on human rights became a battleground between the centre and the right | Daniel Trilling
For 20 years, populists have been blaming the ECHR for endangering Britain by offering basic protections to immigrants, says author Daniel Trilling
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:42 AM
A few weeks ago I wrote a piece on the 75th anniversary of the ECHR - and how it is threatened by the vicious politics of resentment that Labour and the Tories have enabled/encouraged in the past 20 years. This to me is what lies beneath the asylum "debate".
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
In 2023 @tom-clark.bsky.social got me to write a chapter for his book on UK poverty about how immigration limbo, which Labour wants more of, makes people destitute. It was the most distressing piece I've ever worked on. We sent a copy to every MP. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/society/6081...
Destitute by design: trapped in the immigration system
Migration policy is not only failing people forced to arrive in Britain by
boats. In an extract from a new edited volume, Daniel Trilling reports on t...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 8:36 AM
In 2023 @tom-clark.bsky.social got me to write a chapter for his book on UK poverty about how immigration limbo, which Labour wants more of, makes people destitute. It was the most distressing piece I've ever worked on. We sent a copy to every MP. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/society/6081...
For the @equatormag.bsky.social newsletter, I talked about how I reported my piece on the BBC and Gaza, and what's at stake in the current crisis. You can read/sign up below - Equator is a brilliant and necessary new magazine, so give it your support!
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
November 15, 2025 at 10:52 AM
For the @equatormag.bsky.social newsletter, I talked about how I reported my piece on the BBC and Gaza, and what's at stake in the current crisis. You can read/sign up below - Equator is a brilliant and necessary new magazine, so give it your support!
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
This contribution to the volume of human misery is yet another policy from Labour based on a false premise, in this case that refugees are overly attracted to Britain. It will increase bureaucratic limbo, thus making worse the problem of "cohesion" it purports to solve.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays
Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:47 AM
This contribution to the volume of human misery is yet another policy from Labour based on a false premise, in this case that refugees are overly attracted to Britain. It will increase bureaucratic limbo, thus making worse the problem of "cohesion" it purports to solve.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
V pleased to be giving a public talk (two, in fact) at Ulster University later this month:
"How did we get here? The rise of Britain's far right."
Derry, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Belfast, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Please come along, or share with friends.
"How did we get here? The rise of Britain's far right."
Derry, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Belfast, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Please come along, or share with friends.
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
V pleased to be giving a public talk (two, in fact) at Ulster University later this month:
"How did we get here? The rise of Britain's far right."
Derry, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Belfast, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Please come along, or share with friends.
"How did we get here? The rise of Britain's far right."
Derry, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Belfast, 25 Nov: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-did-we...
Please come along, or share with friends.
I spoke to two dozen BBC journalists, from frontline reporters to senior staff, about how the BBC came to symbolise the West's failure to prevent genocide in Gaza - and how the row over its coverage fed directly into its current meltdown.
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
Inside the BBC’s Gaza Fiasco • EQUATOR
How the world’s most trusted media organisation fell apart
www.equator.org
November 14, 2025 at 8:01 AM
I spoke to two dozen BBC journalists, from frontline reporters to senior staff, about how the BBC came to symbolise the West's failure to prevent genocide in Gaza - and how the row over its coverage fed directly into its current meltdown.
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
www.equator.org/articles/ins...
New: for @equatormag.bsky.social I spent months talking to BBC journalists, from front-line reporters to the former head of the World Service, about how the corporation came unstuck over Gaza. But as I was working on the story, it collided with something... bigger... www.equator.org/articles/ins...
Inside the BBC’s Gaza Fiasco • Articles • EQUATOR
How the world’s most trusted media organisation fell apart
www.equator.org
November 13, 2025 at 2:50 PM
New: for @equatormag.bsky.social I spent months talking to BBC journalists, from front-line reporters to the former head of the World Service, about how the corporation came unstuck over Gaza. But as I was working on the story, it collided with something... bigger... www.equator.org/articles/ins...
Wrote about 'Resistance', Steve McQueen's exhibition on 20th century protest. Some wonderful photographs, and some difficult questions about how to tell this story in our current moment. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Daniel Trilling · At Modern Two: Protest Photography
Although the events depicted in Resistance are familiar territory for an exhibition concerned with social history –...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Wrote about 'Resistance', Steve McQueen's exhibition on 20th century protest. Some wonderful photographs, and some difficult questions about how to tell this story in our current moment. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Piece on how the British right has managed to convince a significant minority that it would be in their interests to get rid of the European Convention on Human Rights. My suggestion: rather than capitulate, make human rights part of a wider politics of equality.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
How the European convention on human rights became a battleground between the centre and the right | Daniel Trilling
For 20 years, populists have been blaming the ECHR for endangering Britain by offering basic protections to immigrants, says author Daniel Trilling
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Piece on how the British right has managed to convince a significant minority that it would be in their interests to get rid of the European Convention on Human Rights. My suggestion: rather than capitulate, make human rights part of a wider politics of equality.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A first foray into podcast script-writing... helped make this series on what to do now that we're overshooting 1.5c global warming. Presented by Laurie Laybourn and produced by Planet B. More things soon I hope!
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...
Episode 1: Uncharted Territory
Podcast Episode · Overshoot: Navigating a world beyond 1.5°C · 05/10/2025 · 35m
podcasts.apple.com
October 6, 2025 at 10:20 AM
A first foray into podcast script-writing... helped make this series on what to do now that we're overshooting 1.5c global warming. Presented by Laurie Laybourn and produced by Planet B. More things soon I hope!
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...
The last time I went into a synagogue, I found out it had the Torah scroll rescued from what had once been my family's synagogue in Berlin, shortly before Kristallnacht. I was the first person in my family to see it in over 80 years.
October 3, 2025 at 7:31 AM
The last time I went into a synagogue, I found out it had the Torah scroll rescued from what had once been my family's synagogue in Berlin, shortly before Kristallnacht. I was the first person in my family to see it in over 80 years.
Will try to have something more constructive to say eventually but this is unbelievably spiteful and stupid.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Starmer to end asylum ‘golden ticket’ of resettlement and family reunion rights
People granted asylum will have to earn right to invite family in plan charities call ‘straight from populist playbook’
www.theguardian.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Will try to have something more constructive to say eventually but this is unbelievably spiteful and stupid.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Once again, if you're interested in how and why a leading human rights barrister can end up suggesting the UK might water down its commitment to such protections as the absolute ban on torture in article 3 of the Human Rights Act, ECHR, etc...
Good morning, I've written a piece about the prime minister. I spoke to several dozen sources, including government insiders, former legal colleagues and campaigners to ask: what happened to Keir Starmer the heroic human rights lawyer? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Starmer v Starmer: why is the former human rights lawyer so cautious about defending human rights?
The long read: Given his career as a human rights barrister, it was hoped Keir Starmer would be the PM to restore the UK’s commitment to international law. The reality tells a different story
www.theguardian.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Once again, if you're interested in how and why a leading human rights barrister can end up suggesting the UK might water down its commitment to such protections as the absolute ban on torture in article 3 of the Human Rights Act, ECHR, etc...
Labour's current position is that it's racist to make life much harder for people who have immigrated to the UK legally, but also that it will make life a little bit harder for people who have immigrated to the UK legally. The morality of that aside, what is the message here to the Reform-curious?
September 29, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Labour's current position is that it's racist to make life much harder for people who have immigrated to the UK legally, but also that it will make life a little bit harder for people who have immigrated to the UK legally. The morality of that aside, what is the message here to the Reform-curious?
Just to illustrate how much worse it's got, I have received more abuse over the past year and a bit - including death threats and a large volume of antisemitism - for what I write than in the previous 15 years of covering migration and the far right put together.
More than 150 lawyers and refugee NGOs report being ‘pressured into silence’ by far-right protesters.
At least two groups supporting UK asylum seekers have closed their offices after credible threats to their safety
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
At least two groups supporting UK asylum seekers have closed their offices after credible threats to their safety
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
More than 150 lawyers and refugee NGOs report being ‘pressured into silence’ by far-right protesters
At least two groups supporting UK asylum seekers have closed their offices after credible threats to their safety
www.theguardian.com
September 22, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Just to illustrate how much worse it's got, I have received more abuse over the past year and a bit - including death threats and a large volume of antisemitism - for what I write than in the previous 15 years of covering migration and the far right put together.
Last year I wrote for @lrb.co.uk about the families of Majella O'Hare, a young girl killed by a British soldier, and Tony Harrison, a British soldier killed by the IRA, who were campaigning together against the Legacy Act - and the vested interests supporting it.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
September 19, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Last year I wrote for @lrb.co.uk about the families of Majella O'Hare, a young girl killed by a British soldier, and Tony Harrison, a British soldier killed by the IRA, who were campaigning together against the Legacy Act - and the vested interests supporting it.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
If you want to know what the UK government's position is on its obligations under the Genocide Convention in relation to its support for Israel, here's what it argued in court this summer.
September 16, 2025 at 8:39 AM
If you want to know what the UK government's position is on its obligations under the Genocide Convention in relation to its support for Israel, here's what it argued in court this summer.
Had a few conversations recently that make me think, for the first time in ages, there are some exciting things happening in media. This is one of the highlights: Equator, a new magazine set up by Nesrine Malik, Pankaj Mishra, Jonathan Shainin and others. Sign up for info here: www.equator.org
September 15, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Had a few conversations recently that make me think, for the first time in ages, there are some exciting things happening in media. This is one of the highlights: Equator, a new magazine set up by Nesrine Malik, Pankaj Mishra, Jonathan Shainin and others. Sign up for info here: www.equator.org
Regardless of whether Reform's deportation plan "works", if they get a chance to try it - like the Tories' Rwanda policy, or Trump's deportations - it will ostentatiously torment thousands of people and further engrain racism in British politics. It must be opposed on that basis.
August 27, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Regardless of whether Reform's deportation plan "works", if they get a chance to try it - like the Tories' Rwanda policy, or Trump's deportations - it will ostentatiously torment thousands of people and further engrain racism in British politics. It must be opposed on that basis.
I wrote this with the aim that it would be a durable piece, relevant every time there's a flare-up of far right violence or as far right ideas make further advances into the mainstream. Hope people find it useful.
‘Are we, as Richard Seymour suggests, “in the early days of a new fascism”? In 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮, Seymour argues that in trying to understand the new far right, we have been looking in the wrong places.’
@trillingual.bsky.social on far-right populism:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@trillingual.bsky.social on far-right populism:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Daniel Trilling · Is this fascism?
Are we, as Richard Seymour suggests, ‘in the early days of a new fascism’? In Disaster Nationalism, Seymour...
www.lrb.co.uk
August 26, 2025 at 7:30 AM
I wrote this with the aim that it would be a durable piece, relevant every time there's a flare-up of far right violence or as far right ideas make further advances into the mainstream. Hope people find it useful.
My long read on Keir Starmer and human rights - for which a I spoke to dozens of current and former colleagues, campaigners and legal experts - is now a podcast. www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
Starmer v Starmer: why is the former human rights lawyer so cautious about defending human rights? – podcast
Many of his supporters hoped the prime minister would restore the UK’s commitment to international law. Yet Labour’s record over the past year has been curiously mixedBy Daniel Trilling. Read by Simon...
www.theguardian.com
August 20, 2025 at 7:30 AM
My long read on Keir Starmer and human rights - for which a I spoke to dozens of current and former colleagues, campaigners and legal experts - is now a podcast. www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
I wrote this to explain how we reached this point, in the hope it would be a resource for people arguing with friends and family, people with questions, perhaps even people thinking of joining a protest. Do share with anyone who might find it useful. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Targeted by the right, Britain’s asylum hotels are places of fear and disorder. Bad political decisions made it so | Daniel Trilling
In the frenzy of racism and culture warring, the issue of why hotels are used gets overlooked, says author Daniel Trilling
www.theguardian.com
August 9, 2025 at 7:42 AM
I wrote this to explain how we reached this point, in the hope it would be a resource for people arguing with friends and family, people with questions, perhaps even people thinking of joining a protest. Do share with anyone who might find it useful. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Daniel Trilling
Adding this very good @trillingual.bsky.social article from a few years back on this very subject: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Cruel, paranoid, failing: inside the Home Office
The long read: Something is badly wrong at the heart of one of Britain’s most important ministries. How did it become so broken?
www.theguardian.com
August 7, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Adding this very good @trillingual.bsky.social article from a few years back on this very subject: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
If you are looking for something to read this weekend...
Good morning, I've written a piece about the prime minister. I spoke to several dozen sources, including government insiders, former legal colleagues and campaigners to ask: what happened to Keir Starmer the heroic human rights lawyer? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Starmer v Starmer: why is the former human rights lawyer so cautious about defending human rights?
The long read: Given his career as a human rights barrister, it was hoped Keir Starmer would be the PM to restore the UK’s commitment to international law. The reality tells a different story
www.theguardian.com
August 2, 2025 at 8:24 AM
If you are looking for something to read this weekend...
Wonderful Arvo Pärt prom last night.
August 1, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Wonderful Arvo Pärt prom last night.