Stop Freaking Out!
BY BRIAN MONTEITH Can we stop freaking out and just choose for ourselves?! Are the waves of collective hysteria that wash across social media from smart phones and tablets making us lose our marbles? Does the heightened sense of immediacy and intimidating volume of comment undermine our sense of proportion and ability to reflect before we are tempted to react? From politics to personal finance … Continue reading Stop Freaking Out!
From a Flat in Pyongyang
BY ALEX STORY Observing Donald Trump’s inauguration as 47th President of the United States from our current ‘United’ Kingdom is like watching Baywatch from a dinky flat in Pyongyang, North Korea’s sorry capital city. Across the Atlantic is where the fun looks set to be for the next half a decade. Meanwhile, under Starmer’s Titanic captaincy, our decline is assured. It won’t be managed … Continue reading From a Flat in Pyongyang
A Prayer for Gamekeepers
VICAR In the rolling hills, dense woodlands, and open moors of our countryside, where nature’s beauty meets human stewardship, the work of gamekeepers shines as a testament to dedication and care for the land. These skilled individuals play a vital role in preserving wildlife, managing habitats, and ensuring the delicate balance of rural ecosystems. Yet, their work is not without challenges—enduring harsh weather, long hours, … Continue reading A Prayer for Gamekeepers
Conclave
BY ROGER WATSON Why anyone would go to see Conclave, a film about the secretive proceedings behind locked doors at the Vatican – thus ‘conclave’ – in the election of a new Pope, is unclear. But they have, in their droves. It is a box office success netting $75 million worldwide and scoring 93% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and 86% on their Popcornmeter of … Continue reading Conclave
We the People
BY JOHN DREWRY Arise, the 39 United Kingdoms of England! Most of us now are aware of the ever-tightening grip of tyranny, and the erosion of our liberties, occasioned by ever more remote centralisation. To break it, we need a process which prevents power, both political and commercial, from continuing to rise to the top of a pyramid, from where our little lives are run … Continue reading We the People
Suburban Desert: London’s Loss of Local Football Clubs
BY NIALL McCRAE The more people, the fewer amenities. This phenomenon may seem counter-intuitive: surely a booming population in our cities would generate a greater market for goods and services? But that depends on the commodity. Yes, there will be more consumption, but local community life is not necessarily improved by ever-expanding housing development, particularly if the influx is mostly from foreign countries and cultures. … Continue reading Suburban Desert: London’s Loss of Local Football Clubs
Ad Extrema
BY DOMINIC WIGHTMAN These days, the old filters seem broken. Left-Right. Authoritarian-Libertarian. None hold much weight. But one distinction still cuts through: Macro and Micro. Plato captured this divide in his ‘Ship of State’ metaphor. On one side are the macro thinkers – the captains. They chart the course, watching the stars to navigate the vast sea. They make big, bold decisions, like George W. … Continue reading Ad Extrema
A Political Lexicon
BY STEWART SLATER Stewart Slater works in Finance. He invites you to join him at his website. Continue reading A Political Lexicon
No Consequences?
BY ALEX STORY In Blackadder Goes Forth, General Melchett tells Private Baldrick not to worry “my boy”, as another offensive on the Western Front is being planned. “If you should falter, remember that Captain Darling and I are behind you”, says the moustachioed general to which Captain Blackadder responds, “about 35 miles behind you”. There was something of Melchett and Darling in Sir Keir Starmer … Continue reading No Consequences?
A Prayer for Students
VICAR In the quiet corners of our schools and universities, where young minds gather to learn and grow, the lives of students unfold in earnest pursuit of knowledge and understanding. These young individuals face a myriad of challenges—academic pressures, social complexities, and the daunting task of discovering their purpose in a fast-changing world. This week, Dear Readers of Country Squire Magazine, let us turn our … Continue reading A Prayer for Students
The Politics of Perpetual Victimhood
BY DOMINIC WIGHTMAN You may have noticed. The Left often speaks of victimhood. They use it to gain power, silence foes, and hold the stage. They draw on tales of race, gender, class, and the earth itself. At its core, victimhood means feeling wronged, made small by others. In the public sphere, it pulls at the heart and claims the moral high ground. The Left … Continue reading The Politics of Perpetual Victimhood
The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Grouse Shooting in the UK
BY CHARLES HOFFMAN Grouse shooting is a time-honoured tradition in the UK, deeply rooted in the cultural and historical fabric of rural Britain. Beyond its heritage value, grouse shooting significantly benefits the economy, contributes to environmental conservation, and sustains rural communities. Grouse shooting is a major contributor to the UK economy, particularly in rural areas where opportunities for economic growth can be limited. According to … Continue reading The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Grouse Shooting in the UK
How to Draw Ponies
BY JAMIE FOSTER How to Draw Ponies by Norman Thelwell is a delightful and insightful guide that combines expert drawing techniques with the artist’s signature wit and charm. First published in 1982, the book remains an enduring classic for both aspiring artists and fans of Thelwell’s much-loved cartoon ponies. Thelwell, whose illustrations of stubborn, plump ponies and their determined young riders are known around the … Continue reading How to Draw Ponies
The Great Bifurcation
BY ALEX STORY Old Europe and the Americas are set on very different paths. Germany, France and the United Kingdom are visibly stuck. El Salvador, Argentina and the United States, on the other hand, are not. Politically, Germany and France have become difficult places to govern, to say the least. The fragile German three-party coalition government collapsed in November 2024 over the beleaguered country’s economic … Continue reading The Great Bifurcation
The Shame of Human Rights Jihadis
BY GEORGE SIMM DCM Unveiling the Impact of Repealing the 2023 NI Legacy Act: A Catastrophic Blunder In examining the socialist government’s latest political disaster—its repeal of the 2023 Northern Ireland (NI) Legacy Act, as highlighted in the Policy Exchange paper released yesterday—I initially considered describing this move as foolish or ill-advised. However, such adjectives fall woefully short of capturing the deliberate undermining of the … Continue reading The Shame of Human Rights Jihadis
The Age of the Charlatan
BY JOE NUTT We are living in the age of the charlatan. Plenty of others have drawn attention to how little credible or relevant professional experience, so many members of his Majesty’s current government possess. Whether it’s Rachel from accounts or Bridget from…well nowhere really, if you don’t count mum as your employer; many of those currently exerting considerable power over all our lives appear … Continue reading The Age of the Charlatan
Hark the Herald, the Goths Rush in
CITY GRUMP An old City colleague led me to a letter in the Financial Times last week. It is an eye-opening wake-up call to our politicians, civil servants and anyone else who professes to be interested in spurring on what the letter writer calls the “UK tech ecosystem”. It concerns the takeover bid for a £1.2bn UK listed investment company you probably have never heard … Continue reading Hark the Herald, the Goths Rush in
My Covid Diary
BY JAMIE FOSTER Liz Hodgkinson’s My Covid Diary is a bold and thought-provoking reflection on the unprecedented times of the Covid-19 pandemic and the societal, political, and personal upheavals that accompanied it. Through her candid and unapologetic lens, Hodgkinson challenges mainstream narratives, arguing that the pandemic’s true purpose lay not in public health but in financial gain and societal control. Written in an engaging, personal … Continue reading My Covid Diary
Awfully Clever
BY STEWART SLATER The Columnists’ Paradox is that the more one writes, the less one need be read. We all have our relatively fixed biases and a reasonably finite store of stories and references, and it does not take too long (longer than my own writing “career” to date though, obviously…) for those to become sufficiently well-known to readers that they can predict with almost … Continue reading Awfully Clever
Labour: Can of Nonces
BY NICK PEARCE From scout masters to librarians, the Labour Party has a long and sordid history of councillors getting exposed as paedophiles. With former Labour MP (Former Minister of State for Veterans’ Affairs) Ivor Caplin in the news this weekend for his arrest on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child (see video below), the spotlight has shone once again on Labour’s … Continue reading Labour: Can of Nonces