Clarkson's Concerns

Unsurprisingly after so much cool wet weather, it has been a pretty terrible butterfly season so far, especially for those of us not living in the South of England (though around Lichfield at present grassland butterflies like the Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper and Small Skipper are all doing fine). Jeremy Clarkson, petrolhead turned farmer, has noticed the lack of butterflies and other insects on his land, and publicised his concerns. I pass this piece on partly because it has the rare distinction of containing not a single use of the phrase 'climate change' – hurrah for that. I hope this conspicuous absence might be a straw in the wind, but I rather doubt it, especially with the ludicrous 'Ed' Milliband in place as Energy and Climate Change Secretary. The madness will, I fear, go on...