Yesterday, in London, I spent my time with an Indian conservationist, a former colleague from the RSPB, a former Labour Minister, a Turner Prize winner, an expert on marine conservation, a former Greenpeace director, a Hen Harrier enthusiast, a journalist, an employee of WWF-UK and a talented singer. Sounds like I had a busy day but these were only five people and two were brief, but most welcome, chance encounters.
I actually spent much of yesterday sitting in leather armchairs reading copies of Hansard and marvelling at the debates which led to the Protection of Birds Act 1954. The identification of the Curlew and Whimbrel were discussed with some knowledge and more passion; the protection that should be given to the Lapwing and its delicious eggs; the difference between the ‘evil’ Carrion Crow and the rather admirable Hooded Crow (really?); whether egg-collecting should be regulated or banned (you see, we have been here before); the Brent Goose; the Little Owl; and the fact that the Green Woodpecker was apolitical because it laughed its yaffling call through Conservative and Labour governments alike. Priceless stuff! And the names are redolent of a different age. The admirable Lady Tweedsmuir MP was a heroine but Major Tufton Beamish was a right star turn in his way.
As light relief, I dipped into what is becoming my favourite book, Who Owns Britain and Ireland, by Kevin Cahill, almost enough to make communists of us all. I recommend it.
But as I toiled, and giggled, the Hen Harrier sub-group was meeting. No doubt the GWCT and Moorland Association were commiserating with the RSPB on the unfair press coverage it has received. No doubt, shamed by the tawdry behaviour of some shooters the grouse shooters rushed to pile concession after concession on the table? No doubt, the GWCT repledged its undying love of the Hen Harrier, the RSPB and other vermin (I mean, other awkward but full protected life forms). No doubt.
And the e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting passed 19,000 signatures.
It was an enjoyable day.
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£40 to buy the book? Hmm. Perhaps you could give us a summary, day by day, and chapter by chapter?
I think there is something that is not quite fine tuned about the algorithm that Amazon uses to price second hand books. Further investigation reveals that if you are foolish enough you can spend £308 on a copy of this book, shipped from the US or £3000 (plus £2.80 delivery charge!) shipped from Japan. I don’t think this genuinely reflects the market value (i.e what anyone is genuinely prepared to pay for it) of this book.
I note for example that “A message from Martha” – still available as far as I know as a pristine new book – can be purchased in “used – very good” condition for £70.61 from Murray Media via Amazon Market Place. I would hesitate to say here that it isn’t worth that but you can certainly buy it at a vastly cheaper price elsewhere!
Talking of who owns Britain, it always amuses me to browse through the list of Tax-exempt UK heritage assets at this site http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/heritage/lbsearch.htm and read the undertakings of the landowners – particularly about access – where they are actually shown….
The problem, perhaps sadly with Communisim was that they had their Etonian variants?
Perhaps one shouldn’t generalise (it’s getting late), rather that Communism and some of its leading members had their own brand of ‘sharing’?
‘some are more equal than others’