1 October 2025

This England: Hi-de-Who?

This column – which, though named after a line in Shakespeare’s “Richard II”, refers to the whole of Britain – has run in the New Statesman since 1934

By New Statesman

Illustration by Marta Signori

Ed Sheeran has revealed a surprising holiday destination – the budget stay of Butlin’s in Minehead. The singer has said one of his best holidays was a stag-do at the Somerset resort in January, and he is eager to go back. Dressed as Roy Wood from Wizzard, he said he was “off his nut” and the resort was “awesome”. He said, “Butlin’s go hard, and I need to be here more often.”
Somerset Live (Adam Roberts)

Pinching a ride

Passengers on a train have been left shell-shocked after a crab snapped up a seat. The clawed commuter – later named Craig – was found on a South Western Railway service from London to Portsmouth, with fellow passengers joking it had come down for a night out from the Big Smoke. The train’s driver, Mark Walsh, said he thought a colleague was “winding him up” when he told him a crab was sitting in first class. But he told the BBC when the express service reached its final stop “sure enough” he found the crustacean “chilling” on a seat.
Metro (Amanda Welles)

No reaction

A “suspicious item” that triggered an operation to shut down parts of a town centre was a child’s chemistry set, police have said. Cumbria Police drafted in experts, including an explosive disposal team, but had warned the public against speculating online about the bag’s contents. “We are not actively looking to speak to anyone in relation to the incident,” said a police spokesperson.
BBC (James Hirst)

[Further reading: This England: Skipping the protocol]