On writing: THREAD1
A friend asked for tips so here are seven. I've written four novels, 8 non-fict, inc best-selling novels Elephant Moon 200,000 copies and Cold, 60,000 + n/f Scientology:Church Of Fear 25,000.
First, plot your book in your head. You need a worm of a story. On writing: THREAD2
Some plan every chapt. I'm too lazy/like fun of not quite not knowing where we are going. Non-fiction is easier than fiction.
Second, write. I try and write 1,000 words a day. Often fail but that's my goal. To egg me on, I update daily total at the top of ms.

#PanicDiary Science row Thread 1/4

Good piece in The Times setting out the row between Imperial - lockdown and test - and Oxford - it won't be that bad - models projecting #coronavirus path. As it is behind paywall here are last two paras that sum it up. #PanicDiary Science row Thread 2/4

'Most researchers The Times spoke to agreed with Professor Hunter’s [bad] assessment. Or, as one put it, the Oxford team have used “very sophisticated methods for polishing a turd”.

#Coronvirusuk thread /1 Went to Italy on business last wk for 4 days. Was 200 miles from outbreak point so was UK Cat 2 risk: carry on unless you develop symptoms. That advice changed, Cat 2 scrapped. Pre-Italy I had cold'n'cough so better safe than sorry called 111 on Mon. /1 #Coronvirusuk thread /2 Took me 52 mins to get answer. Was asked about symptoms. I told them none apart from pre-existing cough. Told a clinician would phone me back. Asked same set of qs. Then told to go to A&E main reception at St Tommy's. I cycled: no taxi, no tube. 2/

#Kamalgate Thread 1 Prompted by colleagues at BBC and others, I have written a letter to new chair of Commons Media Committee @julianknight15 raising concerns about integrity of BBC Editorial Director @bbckamal, his appointment at The BBC and his conduct before then and since. 1/ 2 Questions include: What role did former Labour minister James Purnell play in Ahmed’s appointment? Ahmed was Purnell’s best man. What was Mr Ahmed’s role in Observer’s infamous front page warning of the dangers of the MMR vaccine when Mr Ahmed was news editor? 2/

THREAD ON JOHN WHITTINGDALE TIPPED FOR NEW CULTURE SEC
At @BBCNewsnight I broke the story for TV about how @JWhittingdale failed to register a freebie for him and his lover who so happened to be a dominatrix - a word I had trouble pronouncing right
/1 Our story was based on a brill investigation by James Cusick for @openDemocracy: opendemocracy.net/en/ourbeeb/rea…

@George_Osborne mocked Whitto at lobby bunfight, discussing Brexit models, "the Albanian model, the Norwegian model... it turns out that John Whittingdale knew them all."

/2

Thread
From my letter to OfCom: "It seems impossible for any reporter on the Today programme to fully investigate widely reported stories that as Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson was seen as a “security risk” because of his attendance at Mr Lebedev’s parties... 1/

https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1198669558162296833

"...if their editor was also a beneficiary of Mr Lebedev’s generosity. Amol Rajan as BBC Media Editor has reported on Mr Lebedev’s business affairs and he too has been a beneficiary of the oligarch’s generosity. None of this non-BBC work or benefits are for the public good."
2/

#RussiaReport Thread
In 2000 I went to Chechnya undercover twice, once for the BBC, once for C4. I saw Putin's war crimes with my own eyes. Three Russians - Anna Politkovskaya, Natasha Estemirova and Boris Nemtsov - warned me over the years about Putin.

They were shot.

1/ In '14 I reported for @bbcpanorama on MH17. 10 Britons were among 298 dead. I challenged Putin in person. Last yr while making "Taking On Putin" Kremlin media accused me of desecrating a shrine to Nemtsov. While being hunted by Moscow police we sought sanctuary at BBC Moscow. 2/