‘People have had to move house’: Inside the British Library, two years on from devastating cyber attack

Home to more than 170 million items, including Magna Carta, the British Library is one of the world’s largest and most impressive book collections.

However, in October 2023, a major cyber attack plunged it into chaos, shutting down its digital systems and resulting in the leaking of staff details onto the dark web.

Two years on, staff – who are striking due to a pay dispute – have said the disruption is still creating chaos and considerably increasing their workload.

They say they have faced abuse as a result of the ongoing issues, while some have had to make major changes in their personal lives after their personal details were leaked.

One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said staff have “essentially had to become the computer” due to the hack.

“Modern libraries are digitally focused – everything is done online from orders to content – so when the cyber attack happened, library systems were just taken down,” they told The Independent.

“We had to do everything manually. To do orders, we had to write things down on a piece of paper and pass it to the next department, which takes a lot of time.

“Staff have literally had to learn the locations of all the items – they have become the ordering system, become the computer.”

While they now use a digital form to place orders, staff still have to input information manually, which takes considerably longer.

Meanwhile, dozens of services at the library are still unavailable, including ebooks, its archives and manuscripts catalogue, and online journal articles. This has meant staff have suffered abuse from frustrated members unable to access the materials needed.

“As you can imagine, there has been a lot of user frustration as things aren’t working properly, so front-facing staff are facing abuse and have even had things thrown at them,” the staff member said.

At the same time, they have faced having their personal details, including addresses and passport scans, leaked onto the dark web after the library refused to pay a £600,000 ransom fee.

“People have had to move house. There are staff members here who have experienced domestic abuse who are worried their address is available, and it took months to get an apology,” the staff member said.

Staff have also reported constant fraudulent calls, emails, and text messages.

They added: “The cyber attack is on everyone’s minds, it was two years the other day and nothing has improved – there hasn’t really even been a thank you for the hard work people did during those two years.

“It has impacted our work environment, people feel underappreciated, and it’s front-facing staff who have basically been running the organisation.

“Then on top of that, we had a below-inflation pay rise. We have staff who work here during the day, then have to go to another job in the evening. People are really disappointed and upset.”

More than 300 members of the library staff have gone on strike over their wages on the second anniversary of the attack.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), which organised the industrial action, said staff are “forced to work second jobs and take out loans to pay their bills and meet housing costs”.

The union said that while the British Library has increased its pay rise from 2 per cent to 2.4 per cent, it “is still way below inflation”.

Members are demanding an inflation-proof pay rise, restoration of last year’s pay shortfall, and payment of alternative working patterns (AWP) wages for security staff on compressed hours.

The PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “A near unanimous vote for strike action is just a small glimpse into the strength of feeling among our members at the British Library.

“They are livid at yet another insulting pay offer that does little to alleviate the health problems that many suffer from because of low pay. Nor does it come close to ending the need for many to work second jobs and take out loans to pay their bills and meet their housing costs.

“The employer’s well-paid executives need to take the blinkers off and understand that our hard-working members are what make the British Library the vital cultural institution that it is.”

A British Library spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the impact that the devastating criminal cyber attack upon the British Library two years ago has had on our staff and users, and we are continuing to restore systems and services. While we cannot comment on the experiences of individual staff members, we are committed to working with Trade Union colleagues to agree a pay award.”

Is Zarah Sultana a useful idiot? To be that, she’d need to be useful

The new Corbynite party of the left is having difficulty being born. It is months past its due date, we’re not sure who the daddy is, and its head does not yet seem to be engaged.

It was all supposed to happen by the time of last May’s council elections. A coalition loosely constructed around the former Labour leader and a group of Independent Muslim MPs, together with the whipless and dynamic young MP Zarah Sultana, would emerge as a bright, new socialist alternative to the stuttering Labour Party.

But Jeremy Corbyn dithered, and others grew impatient. Sultana unilaterally managed not one but two false starts (usually enough for disqualification), money was raised that according to the Corbynites shouldn’t have been, legal threats were issued, the question of the party name was delayed until a lengthy consultation process was completed, and in the meantime, many potential members were romanced into the Green Party by its new leader, former hypnotherapist Zack Polanski.

Now an inducement date has been set. On the weekend of 29-30 November, several thousand “members” selected by ballot will pitch up to a venue, probably in Liverpool, and over two days will finally found the new party, name and all. It is promised that it will be the exact opposite of Reform UK, where the name and everything else have been decided by one man. Connoisseurs of far-left founding conferences anticipate a shambles. For example, the Muslim independents tend towards social conservatism, seeing no disgrace in private Muslim schools and in being landlords. To many on the left, they would also qualify as being transphobic.

All that is to come. In the meantime, as a curtain-raiser, Zarah Sultana (and not Jeremy Corbyn) has been doing the media rounds to raise public interest in the weeks before the Your Party chrysalis breaks open to reveal the butterfly within. And almost immediately, she ran into trouble.

It was always open to the new party to slough off some of the historic dead skin of Corbynism and make a new kind of appeal to voters looking for something novel and hopeful. In the US, the man who is most likely to become the new “socialist” mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, has rather ruthlessly centred his appeal on domestic issues of affordability and fairness. The 2025 campaign ads haven’t mentioned Gaza at all, and I can find no record of Mamdani ever talking about Ukraine, Russia or Nato.

Sultana has taken no lessons from Mamdani. So in an interview last week with Politico, following on from an X post in which she called for Britain’s withdrawal from Nato, she offered a very Corbynesque take on the war in Ukraine. “Putin is a dictator, a gangster, and there are war crimes that have been committed,” she conceded, “but Zelensky isn’t a friend of the working class either and … the only people that benefit from conflict in Ukraine, in Gaza or anywhere else, are arms manufacturers and people who profit from the arms industry.”

In effect, what Sultana was demanding was that Britain stop supplying arms to Ukraine and reduce its capacity for contributing to any resistance to Russian expansionism, while simultaneously admitting that Putin is an aggressor. The net result of everyone in the West following Sultana’s prescription would be a total Russian victory over Ukraine: a victory whose benefits for Sultana’s imagined “Ukrainian working class” would be hard to discern. It’s all a bit reminiscent of when, in 1939, the Communist Party of Great Britain denounced the war against Hitler as an imperialist adventure, only to do a handbrake turn when he invaded its beloved Soviet Union.

This much any sentient voter is likely to know or have pointed out to them. The fact that this analysis leaves her in the same camp as far-right America First Republicans must be regarded as awkward. But it also shows how hard it is for the British far left to move on from a mash-up of anti-imperialism, pacifism and a prioritising of foreign affairs over making a disciplined appeal to the direct interests of British voters. But then, the hallmark of the British far left over the years has, above all, been self-indulgence.

Will it snow? Met Office gives verdict after temperatures drop

The Met Office has confirmed whether Brits can expect to see snow on the forecast over the coming weeks.

As the days get shorter and colder temperatures move in there has been widespread speculation over potential blizzards and snowfall covering parts of the UK. Some reports have suggested cities as southerly as London and Southampton could be affected.

But speaking to The Independent, Met Office officials said the chance of snowfall is “minimal” and largely confined to the remote Scottish highlands.

“At this stage, for the vast majority of people it looks unlikely,” meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said. “At the moment there is a little bit of snow falling over the Scottish mountains, so anyone in the Cairngorms could be seeing some on the summits up there.”

He added that next week most people across the UK can actually expect “above average” temperatures between 15 and 17 degrees, thanks to a mild southerly airflow passing through. While conditions are expected to be wet, particularly across the north and the west, this will fall as heavy rain rather than as snow, Mr Dewhurst said.

“This weekend we could see temporary coverings of snow on the Scottish mountains, but by Sunday night and through to Monday the whole of next week looks very mild,” he continued. “So there’s nothing in our forecasts at this stage that indicate anything snowy on the way at all.”

Looking ahead to the middle of November, Mr Dewhurst said there are signs of higher pressure building, which can result in a drop in temperatures. “But higher pressure often means dry weather, rather than snowy weather,” he explained, adding temperatures are overall expected to be near or above average.

“It might turn a little bit colder in mid-November towards the end of the month, but more in association with dryer weather rather than any snow.

“At this stage the snow risk looks minimal and confined to the Scottish mountains.”

It comes as the forecaster warned that weather conditions this weekend remain “highly changeable”. While some areas may see brighter and drier conditions, other parts of the country may be subjected to further heavy and blustery showers.

Casemiro heads Man United in front at Nottingham Forest

Follow live coverage as Nottingham Forest face Manchester United today in the Premier League.

United visit the City Ground hoping to make it four successive wins after taking down Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton in the previous three. Rubem Amorim has picked the same XI who delivered three points at Old Trafford last weekend.

Sean Dyche has done likewise, sticking with the side which lost 2-0 at Bournemouth last time out, as Forest aim to give their survival bid a boost.

Nottm Forest: Sels, Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Anderson, Douglas Luiz, Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus. Subs: John Victor, Morato, Sangare, Awoniyi, Kalimuendo, Hutchinson, Yates, Jair Cunha, McAtee.

Man Utd: Lammens, Yoro, de Ligt, Shaw, Diallo, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot, Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko. Subs: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Maguire, Mount, Zirkzee, Dorgu, Ugarte, Heaven, Mainoo.

Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

Wallabies plot more Twickenham success as rivals renew hostilities

England are on top against Australia at the break as the old rivals renew hostilities at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

Ben Earl struck with a fine try underlining early England dominance, but Harry Potter produced a magical 14-point swing for the Wallabies to hit back before the break.

Potter denied Earl a double, then seized possession, as his vision enabled a fine interception before a lung-busting run across almost the entire length of the pitch to score and help the visitors close to within three points at the interval.

Australia are hoping to repeat history 12 months since they snatched a shock victory over their hosts in southwest London, with Joe Schmidt’s side brimming with optimism after a year of encouraging strides forwards, including wins over the British and Irish Lions and South Africa.

Follow all of the latest from the Allianz Stadium with our live blog below:

Explore phone photography plus a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

When it comes to capturing moments that matter, it’s all about our mobiles, with an incredible 92.5 per cent of photos now taken on our phones. And whether you’re an experienced snapper or an enthusiastic amateur, when it comes to taking your images and videos to the next level, the new Samsung Galaxy S25 FE has all the spec and tech you need.

This sleek and impressively lightweight device is leading the way when it comes to real world AI performance, offering software designed to enhance your images and footage from image quality and clarity, to tone and colour, even in tricky conditions, such as low-light or busy, bustling places – meaning you get the perfect image and video every time. What’s more, the device’s functionality and editing features allows you to easily and seamlessly improve what you capture, meaning you can nail the perfect shot or clip every time.

Read on to find out more about the Galaxy S25 FE’s range of photo-first features – and how you can win one of your own…

Let’s start by delving into the assortment of camera options that come with the Galaxy S25 FE. There’s a triple lens set up on the rear of the body to offer varying focal lengths – a 50 MP Wide Camera, 8 MP Telephoto Camera with 3 x optical zoom and a 12 MP Ultra-Wide camera – meaning you get the exact frame you desire at the best possible quality.

Portrait mode is exceptional, beautifully capturing the essence of people, pets, nature and objects with equal splendour. The option of three different lenses and multiple zoom capabilities means you always get the perfect angle and crop – and whether you’re shooting during the day or when the sun goes down, the Galaxy S25 FE’s Night Mode means the results are clear and vivid.

Take strikingly detailed selfies thanks to a 12 MP front camera, which has regular and wide options, and a 20 per cent higher resolution than the previous model. There’s an equally lucid quality for the selfie video mode – so you can make yourself look just as good as your friends and family.

On top of the incredible camera functionality, the Galaxy S25 FE boasts trailblazing AI tech – because even the best photo in the world can be improved with a few little tweaks, right? Introducing Photo Assist*: improve your images using the Generative Edit function, which lets you move around, or even remove, people and objects in your photos – so you can wave goodbye to photobombers once and for all. Or leave it to AI to make the decisions with ‘Suggest Erase’ to instantly remove people and objects that may be crowding your background. Equally, you can fill spaces that look too empty: the AI-powered function will analyse surrounding imagery to create a suitable filler. You can also resize and reposition people or objects to create fun, abstract and quirky images.

Want to get even more creative? Lean into the Sketch to Image** function which allows you to generate new additions to your existing photos. Open up your chosen photo and start sketching simple drawings directly onto the image and let AI Image Generation do the rest, as it fills the space with your chosen item or even a person. Want some surfers in that edgy picture of crashing waves? A heart-shaped cloud in that stunning azure sky? Sketch them in and let Galaxy AI do the rest.

While the Galaxy S25 FE already has a very impressive Night Mode, it can always be tricky capturing the exact shot you want without sunlight. This is where Enhanced Nightography comes in. The smartphone’s AI-powered image processing ProVisual Engine will analyse the scenes in the photos and videos to automatically enhance the visual quality, while Object Awareness can recognise faces and lighting and use that information to optimise skin tones and enhance clarity – making skin look true-to-life whenever you’re shooting.

And it’s not only about making things look better. The Audio Eraser*** function will make your videos sound better too. It works by removing unwanted background noises and disturbances post filming, with the result a more clear and focused final cut.

Aside from the innovative camera and AI features, the Galaxy S25 FE is an all-round impressive smartphone. The stylish design is available in four colours – Navy, Jetblack, Icyblue and White – all with Premium Haze matte finish and rare curved edges. While the body may be the slimmest and most lightweight FE model to date (disclaimer, compared to previous models) – just 7.4 mm thin and 190 grams light – the robust build is encased with Corning® Gorilla® and Glass Victus®+ for drop protection and has an enhanced aluminium frame. The device also boasts an IP68 rating**** for dust and water resistance – the highest rating available.

When it comes to battery life, you’re looking at a 4900mAh capacity† offering up to a whopping 28 hours of video playback, and you can power up the battery to 65 per cent in just 30 minutes with fast-wired charging. Expect smooth and immersive gaming and multimedia viewing thanks to a screen resolution of 6.7” FHD+ and up to 120HZ display refresh rate.

While the Galaxy S25 FE’s AI tech in terms of photos and videos may mean a world of endless creation, the integrated AI capabilities don’t end there. Lean into Gemini to get all the information you could need in real time, ‘Circle to Search with Google’ lets you trace information direct from the pictures and videos on your screen‡, while ‘Browse Assist’ instantly summarises web content and ‘Writing Assist’§ works to polish up your notes and communication. Meanwhile the AI-powered Now Bar◊ delivers helpful daily summaries and weather information to your homescreen so you can schedule the perfect moment to get out and shoot.

For your chance to win one of these game-changing devices, and capture your moments in style, simply fill out the form below.

18+, UK residents only. Promotion closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 30th November 2025. Winners will be drawn at random from all entries received by the closing date. The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is available. Usual promotional rules apply, see independent.co.uk/rules For further information, please write to Customer Care, The Independent, Alphabeta, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AH

By opting in to receive marketing communications from Samsung, you agree to our [Terms of Use] and [Privacy Policy] and consent to receive a varying number of marketing messages via email.

To find out more about the Samsung S25 FE visit Samsung

*Samsung account login is required. Requires network connection.

**Samsung account login and network connection may be required for certain AI features.

***Samsung account login required. Six types of sound can be detected; voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise. Results may vary depending on audio source & condition of the video.

**** IP68 rating based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use.

† Typical value tested under third party laboratory condition. Rated minimum capacity of S25 FE is 4755 mAh.

‡ Requires network connection. Results may vary depending on visual match.

§ Samsung account login is required. Requires a network connection. Must meet length requirements to activate feature. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

◊ Network connection required.

Liam Gallagher furiously condemns fan who launched flare into crowd

Liam Gallagher has issued a furious rebuke to a fan at a recent Oasis gig who discharged a flare in the middle of the crowd.

Gallagher, 53, was performing in Melbourne, Australia when a flare was sent up, landing in the mosh pit of the audience.

As seen in videos of the incident, the roof of the stadium was also closed at the time.

On Thursday (30 October), Gallagher was performing with the Britpop band alongside his brother Noel as part of Oasis’s ongoing world tour.

When the flare was fire, the singer wagged his finger at the crowd, saying: “That was naughty. Naughty, naughty, naughty.”

He chastised the perpetrator further on social media the following day, writing: “To the massive C*** who launched that flare into the crowd last night at the gig in Melbourne you are 1 seriously f***ed up individual and you will get yours trust me.”

Fans also shared their thoughts on the incident in response to Gallagher’s X/Twitter post.

“It really does make you anxious about future shows,” one person remarked. “But honestly, the vast majority of fans are out there to enjoy the music responsibly. We can’t let the sheer stupidity of a few ruin the vibe for the rest of us who just wanna see a great band.”

“How does somebody even get that into the stadium?!” asked another. “Security has some serious questions to answer.”

“It was insane,” someone else commented. “Like how did that even get allowed into the stadium? Someone set a flare off the first night of the tour as well and it seriously baffled me how they were even allowed to take that in.”

Oasis have drawn rave reviews for their 2025 reunion tour, which kicked off in July with their first live show in 16 years.

The group originally disbanded in 2009 after a falling out between the two sibling frontmen.

Reviewing Oasis’s final UK gig in September, Hannah Ewens wrote: “In the way that Charli XCX’s Brat Summer dominated 2024’s sweaty season, Oasis have fundamentally owned it this year[…] Though at Sunday night’s Wembley show, Liam seemed to tease another tour (‘see you all next year’, he said during the encore), there is a sense that all that joy ends tonight. The biggest band in the UK plays its biggest stadium and ends their home run: fun for fun’s sake is over in just two hours.

“It’s worth mentioning that the legacy band is as tight as ever, the sound crystalline and the songs entirely well aged: classic rock but culturally relevant somehow, still so British.”

Family pays tribute to man who died in Doncaster helicopter crash

The family of a man who died in a helicopter crash have paid tribute to him.

Police were called to Ings Road, in Bentley, Doncaster, on Thursday morning after reports that the helicopter had crashed in a field.

Peter Smith, 70, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The pilot, a 41-year-old man, and two other passengers, a 58-year-old woman and a 10-year-old boy, received minor injuries.

In a statement released by South Yorkshire Police Mr Smith’s family have described Mr Smith as “a beloved husband, father and grandfather” and said they were “all devastated by this sudden loss”.

“Peter was one of the smartest men who liked to spend his time making and fixing things. He had a real passion for aviation, and this was something he shared with his family,” his family said in a tribute.

“He particularly liked to spend time with his grandchildren doing crafts and playing. He was a proud family man who spent a lot of his time with his son both working with and socially. Peter loved to have meals out with his wife and had a particularly sweet tooth.

“We understand that a parallel investigation is currently underway between The Air Accidents Investigation Branch and South Yorkshire Police which we are supporting, and we ask members of the public to not speculate on the circumstances surrounding the accident.

“We would like to ask for privacy during this incredibly difficult time to allow us to come to terms with what has occurred and grieve for the loss of Peter.”

Police attended the scene of the crash near Doncaster just after 10am on Thursday. The helicopter, a Robinson R44 Raven II, came down shortly after taking off.

Emergency services were called to the scene and were in attendance alongside police and an air accident investigation team.

The helicopter was a private flight that took off from Gamston airport near Retford shortly before it crashed.

The Robinson R44 Raven II is a four-seater light aircraft. Retford Gamston airport said the helicopter was based at the airport and was operated by an onsite tenant.

Kuki Helicopters, based at Retford Gamston Airport, in Nottinghamshire, is thought to own the aircraft. The firm, which offers flying lessons and experiences, said it would “continue to support relevant agencies concerning the ongoing investigation”.

In a post on Facebook the firm said: “At this very sad time all our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of all those involved in the helicopter incident which happened yesterday.”

The statement continued: “Our heartfelt condolences are sent to everyone affected by this tragedy.”

South Yorkshire Police are asking for anyone with information or who were in the area at the same time and saw the event unfold, to get in touch. The Police are keen to hear from those with footage of the helicopter leading up to the crash.