Category Archives: Op-eds

The English bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, is one of the most distinctive plants in the world. Even its name — “non-scripta,” meaning “unwritten” — separates it from the hyacinth of Greek legend, as something apart, and somehow it is, in more ways than one. Amazingly, the UK’s woodlands contain nearly half of the world’s population of […]

  Leys present a tantalising glimpse of mystical significance in the British landscape, an indeterminate realm where geography and archaeology meet legend and mysticism. Leys have captured the imagination of enthusiasts and historians alike, generating popular and cultural interest for their connection to ancient sites such as stone circles and other man-made landscape features, and […]

Just 50 years ago, most large companies saw brands as the prime creators of value, but they hardly troubled to assess corporate reputation. It did not seem to create or even affect value. Investors focussed on share price, profit, turnover; connections were made through stockbrokers, agents and financial media. The practice of communications used to […]

  Long before the boundaries of England’s parishes were definitively mapped, people would walk around the boundaries of their local community every year, a few days before Ascension Day, often on Mayday or Beltane. They would be equipped with sticks, branches or switches and would physically beat the items that marked the boundary, such as […]

For most of the last 45 years, the UK was the object of envy from its EU member state colleagues. Many felt that the UK had been able to influence EU institutions, policies and activities far more intelligently than any other member state. It was a widespread view, shared privately by many European politicians and […]