SNP still the tartan Tories?

The SNP is in government in Scotland and claims to be the real opposition to the Conservative Party in Westminster. Why has the SNP dragged its feet over addressing raptor persecution in Scotland and why did it not take a more useful part in the debate over driven grouse shooting down south? Only the SNP…

Election comment 4 – Fineshade wood

Local politicians have generally been very supportive of the local and national opposition to the plans to wreck Fineshade Wood by building holiday chalets on this wildlife-rich site (for previous blogs see: Dear Mr Pursglove, 6 May 2016;  Fineshade Wood should be an SSSI, 15 April 2016; Fineshade Wood should be an SSSI, 28 March…

Election comment 3 – compare and contrast

Here is an exam question for a politics course – and some notes to help you answer it. Q: compare and contrast the winter fuel payments to pensioners with CAP payments to farmers. Some notes to help your revision: similar annual sums of money are involved – around £2bn per annum all pensioners are eligible…

Liberal Democrat party manifesto

  The Liberal Democrat Party manifesto has been consistently good on the environment for many years – how does this one shape up? Here are my thoughts on likes and gripes (restricted to the environmental issues): Good things: ‘when the terms of our future relationship with the EU have been negotiated (over the next two…

Sunday book review – The Butterflies of Sussex by Michael Blencowe and Neil Hulme

This is a superb book and of interest to a much wider audience than those who are lucky enough to live in the butterfly-rich county of Sussex. The photographs are wonderful, the text is interesting, the graphics are intelligible and the data are voluminous.  Everyone involved with this book deserves to feel proud; and to…