Latest news from The Bookseller

HMRC climbs down on retrospective colouring book VAT charge Booksellers and publishers can breathe a sigh of relief with news that HM Revenue and Customs has decided not to recover any tax owed on colouring or dot-to-dot books sold before April 2017.

Midnight Gang strikes six as Brexit Island looms on the horizon David Walliams’ The Midnight Gang (HarperCollins) has clocked up its sixth week as the UK Official Top 50 number one, while Five on Brexit Island (Quercus), soared 47% in volume week on week to secure second place.

Academic Book Week to reveal 'books that shaped modern Britain' A list of "Academic Books that Shaped Modern Britain", events organised by Blackwell's, Springer Nature, Cambridge University Press and many others, and the unveiling of the Academic Bookshop of the Year award will mark Academic Book Week.

Government slashes Creative Access funding The future of diversity charity Creative Access, which has placed more than 100 interns from ethnic minority backgrounds in companies across the trade, is in jeopardy after the government pulled more than £2m worth of funding.

Australian author Shirley Hazzard dies Shirley Hazzard, the author of The Transit of Venus, has died at the age of 85.

'Heartbreaking' cuts to Swindon library service finalised Swindon Council's scrutiny committee has passed plans to close two thirds of the town's libraries by the end of August 2017.

MPs to be sent Brexit book after crowdfunding campaign A book warning about the dangers of Brexit is to be sent to all 650 MPs after the public backed an impromptu fundraising campaign set up by a reader.

Beedle the Bard copy raises nearly £370,000 at auction A rare copy of J K Rowling’s Beedle the Bard, previously owned by the first Harry Potter editor Barry Cunningham, has sold for £368,750 at auction.

Solar Bones named Irish Book of the Year 2016 One-sentence novel Solar Bones (Tramp Press) by Mike McCormack has been named the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book of the Year 2016.

Mendeley co-founder Jan Reichelt leaves Elsevier Jan Reichelt, co-founder and managing director of Mendeley, now part of Elsevier, has left the company "to pursue other interests".

Barry Holmes, Cassell editor for Poems on the Underground, dies Barry Holmes, former senior commissioning editor at Cassell, has died after a long illness.

Toolkit for Working Women to 4th Estate HarperCollins imprint 4th Estate is to publish Little Black Book: A Toolkit for Working Women by Otegha Uwagba.