Royal Society of Literature Faces Leadership Resignations Amid Governance and Free Speech Disputes

Director Molly Rosenberg and Chair Daljit Nagra step down following internal conflicts over diversity reforms, governance issues, and allegations of censorship.

Molly Rosenberg and Daljit Nagra have announced their resignations from the Royal Society of Literature, with Nagra stepping down as his term ends this month.
The society has faced criticism over its response to the attack on Salman Rushdie, with members accusing leadership of failing to defend free speech robustly.
Longstanding fellows have raised concerns about perceived dilution of literary standards following reforms to diversify the fellowship and open nominations to the public.
The delayed publication of the society’s annual Review, reportedly due to an article on Israel and Gaza, has led to allegations of censorship, which the RSL denies.
An independent governance review and a referral to the Charity Commission have been initiated to address the growing tensions and transparency concerns.