Steph Gaunt

Hastings Battleaxe and the Hastings International Piano Competition - Hastings Battleaxe This post will be piano-focused. Our trip to London for lunch at Rules with the Duke of Kent – well – not quite – he was at the next table – will have to wait…

This Hastings Battleaxe post is all about the Hastings International Piano Competition. Excellent, but in what way did finals night resemble the warm-up to the annual Cancer Race for Life? Here's Ryan Zhu, the deserving winner, being awarded his prize.
www.hastingsbattleaxe.com/2026/03/hast...

On August 29, 2016, The Guardian published a letter by Henry Stewart that became a viral sensation. Written during the "burkini ban" controversy in France, Stewart’s satirical piece argued that while religious dress had never harmed him, "men in suits" were responsible for his unfair dismissal, pension scandals, illegal wars, the global financial crash, and the misery of austerity. He concluded that if society is to dictate attire based on perceived harm, it should "ban suits." ​About the Author ​Henry Stewart is not just a disgruntled reader but a prominent British business thinker and entrepreneur. He is the founder and "Chief Happiness Officer" of Happy Ltd, a consultancy known for a management style built on trust rather than top-down control. ​Key Professional Highlights: ​The Happy Manifesto: His acclaimed book argues that employee autonomy and happiness drive productivity. ​Workplace Reform: He is a recognized influencer on the Thinkers50 "Guru Radar" for his work in transforming corporate culture. ​Personal Stakes: The letter’s mention of being "sacked without explanation" refers to a real event in 1987 when he was fired after just 12 days at a pension firm. This experience inspired him to build a company rooted in transparency and respect. ​Core Philosophy ​Stewart’s work and public commentary advocate for coaching over commanding and strengths-based working. He frequently connects management ethics to broader social justice, viewing traditional "command and control" structures—represented by the metaphorical "men in suits"—as a primary source of systemic failure and inequality.

Schrodinger's war.

A war which, simultaneously, is over and won, and yet at the same time, needs to continue for a long time so the defeated army stops blowing things up.

Sir, For the first time I totally disagree with one of your editorials, which states that the UK should join the war alongside the Americans. To keep the UK out of this conflict is the bravest, strongest act by Sir Keir Starmer in this parliament. The Iranian regime without doubt is odious but this war is doomed to fail, just like the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is not supported by the majority of Americans and will cost billions of dollars and many lives. At least the prime minister has learnt the lessons of history - unlike his counterpart in the White House. Dr Susan Kempson Haddington, East Lothian

PM is right to be cautious on Iran I read James Ball's balanced column "Trump's Iran gamble could unravel his presidency" (The i Paper, 3 March) with interest and, yes, his all-guns-blazing action might indeed come back to haunt him. He and his gung-ho colleagues may have read the room wrong and the American people will be furious if many of their young people die as a result of this war. Seemingly diplomacy is at an end and his presidential call of "America First" rings eerily empty. There is no doubt that the Iranian regime which targeted its own people had to be stopped, but is this the best way to do it? JUDITH A DANIELS REAT YARMOUTH My son was sent to the Gulf when Blair involved the UK in the last American-led fiasco. He still bears the mental scars. Consequently, Starmer's reluctance to get involved now is good news to me. L DGODDARD ASHFORD Those who criticise Sir Keir Starmer for not supporting Donald Trump might consider the possible consequences. Has it occurred to them that the Prime Minister is trying to minimise the risk of Iranian retaliatory action, either militarily or by individuals, by refusing to participate in this conflict? His duty to protect UK citizens is a priority. S LAWTON KIRTLINGTON

Letters in The Times and iPaper that reflect the views of British people far better than the deeply partisan, stupid and disloyal headlines of the rightwing press. Showing there is simply no issue on which they will just calm down and support a Labour govt. Not one. Not even in a war no one wants.

So true - and so dangerous. Why is it so few of us can see this… and so few of us do anything about it?

Agree with this. The world has changed. FPTP voting system must change with it.

Why couldn’t Starmer at least acknowledge that Hannah Spencer is clearly a good thing who brought a flicker of light and hope into our dark, dread-filled, rainy reality. But no, attack, denigrate, drag us all back down again. Sorry, Keir, we’ve had enough.

Starmer telling Labour MPs today that the Greens are "divisive," "sectarian," and "not the kind environmentalists they pretend" is not going to go down well with the millions who now back Greens. It'll simply tell them Labour doesn't hear us. More tin-eared stupidity.

But, our Government seems incapable of shouting anything useful or constructive from the rooftops.

It's still raining and Hastings Battleaxe goes to Cookham - Hastings Battleaxe Cookham? Why Cookham…? Philosopher has always wanted to visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery there, so we decided on a break for a couple of nights. We certainly needed a break – with the terrible weathe...

Hastings Battleaxe spent a couple of days in Cookham... so affluent. Enjoyed the Stanley Spencer Gallery. This is Marlow Bridge.
www.hastingsbattleaxe.com/2026/02/its-...

Maybe spring is nearly here…

I’ve been playing with AI and asked it to put my novels in various settings, like at the Winter Olympics, a tropical beach etc. My FB friends chose this, the cosy pub. Cosy pub for cosy crime! Both books are doing well, don’t miss out! Here is the Amazon link: Enjoy!

amzn.eu/d/07OOmExt

Hastings Battleaxe is back after a long delay. Why? Illness, new novel out tomorrow... read all about it here. Poor deserted Hastings Pier...
www.hastingsbattleaxe.com/2026/02/batt...

New novel, 'Death is a Desirable Property' is out today! Here's the Amazon Link:
amzn.eu/d/07VupS5m

Out tomorrow! My latest cosy crime novel, the follow-up to the successful ‘Death Deceit and Cake’ Get it from Amazon. amzn.eu/d/0dhH859T
#books #newreads

Nadhim Zahawi failed in bid for peerage from Tories before Reform defection, sources say Ex-chancellor asked Badenoch’s team for seat in Lords but was apparently rebuffed over sacking for tax affairs

Tax dodging Chancellor-for-five minutes, Nadhim Zahawi, is so toxic even Badenoch wouldn't give him a peerage.

Perfect for Reform - a sort of Battersea Dogs Home for disgraced Tories.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

New Year New Book and same old me - Hastings Battleaxe Nearly two weeks has elapsed since Battleaxe’s last post – have been a bit busy. Mostly with the new book. ‘Death is a Desirable Property’ is now ready to go on Amazon, for release on…

Hastings Battleaxe is getting stuck into the New Year, and has been a bit preoccupied with getting her latest book ready for publication.... read the latest blog:
www.hastingsbattleaxe.com/2026/01/new-...

Second novel is nearly here!
Enjoy more adventures with Caroline and Olga in ‘Death is a Desirable Property’. It’s just going up on Kindle, release date 6 February, and the paperback will follow the Ebook.

I’ve gone a bit Threadsy too. Too much American politics for my liking.

The thing about being a "lifelong advocate of international law" is you have to have the courage to speak up when it’s broken

How appropriate , and Paul Scofield was one of my favourite actors.

Make sure you’ve read ‘Deceit and Cake’ before the next in the series ‘Death is a Desirable Property’ comes out next month. Get it from Amazon as paperback or Kindle download.
amzn.eu/d/0tA4ecD

OMG that Dyson is a pillock. We allowed one of his insanely overpriced and over-designed appliances into our house and the bloody thing is a diva. It refuses to pick up anything but the most perfectly sized bits of dust and its plastic casing is held together with gaffer tape.

Awake for once and caught mid-wash. Happy #Caturday. Hope everyone’s Christmas went as well as possible.

A very Happy Christmas to all my friends and to Hastings Battleaxe readers. Here is Digby... asleep as usual, and here is the latest blog post.
www.hastingsbattleaxe.com/2025/12/happ...

My feed is far too full of American politics. Yes, I know how bad Trump is. Epstein files? What are you on, people? Do you think we’d be given anything other than redacted stuff? Forget it. Let’s just have a happy #Caturday instead. He simply just doesn’t care…

Thanks! Happy Christmas!

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback!

Thanks

This is the first draft of the cover of the new novel. What do you think of it? Expected to be out in February. Hastings Battleaxe writes about the coming of Christmas.
www.hastingsbattleaxe.com/2025/12/aaar...

A black and white drawing of three dachshunds arranged vertically, each holding a different optical illusion object in its mouth, and the dogs themselves drawn as if a single line optical illusion. The top dog holds a Penrose triangle, the middle dog holds a Necker cube, and the bottom dog holds a Penrose trident. The dogs’ bodies are elongated in an exaggerated cartoon style. The artwork is signed “@IndieTheIntrovert” in the bottom right corner.

Everyone stop, this is important