Thomas Munson

Thomas Munson is a British-Irish dual national who has written for ConservativeHome, CapX, and LBC. He previously worked as an aide to two Secretaries of State in the UK Government

Today

Thomas Munson

Britain wants you to binge drink

From our UK edition

I was, aptly, in a pub when I heard the news. Owing to the time difference between Britain and North America, Sir Keir Starmer had confirmed that licensing laws would be relaxed for this year’s Fifa World Cup, allowing pubs to stay open later into the night.  Shortly after the announcement, I found myself wondering about licensing laws generally. Like most Britons, I had long regarded them as part of the natural order of things; as permanent a fixture of pub life as sticky carpets. But what were these laws’ impact on my own relationship with alcohol and those of my fellow countrymen? Why is it, compared with so many other countries, we feel the need to binge drink? The stereotype of the drunk Brit is by now internationally recognisable.

Tuesday

Thomas Munson

The next Renaissance is coming

From our UK edition

When we think of the Renaissance, our minds naturally drift to figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo – and rightly so. These are individuals who transformed our understanding of art, science and human potential. What we tend not to consider, however, is how close we might be to another cultural revolution.  That is the argument now circulating on parts of the internet: that after a prolonged period of digital saturation – defined by algorithms, passive consumption and an overabundance of content – we are approaching a point of correction. Just as the original Renaissance followed a period of stagnation and upheaval, this new phase will be marked by a renewed emphasis on creativity, craft and intellectual depth.

Saturday

Thomas Munson

Thucydides has a troubling lesson about why countries go to war

From our UK edition

Regional powers at loggerheads. Naval vessels in the east Mediterranean. Allies drawn into the fray with some calling for deescalation. You could be forgiven for thinking I was describing the war in Iran. In fact, these events unfolded during the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. And the path to war during that conflict well over 2,000 years ago contains a worrying lesson for Keir Starmer as he tries to stay out of the fight. The parallels are certainly uncanny. After the recent Iranian strike on the RAF base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, it was not the Royal Navy but Greek ships that initially came to the island’s aid. It's an irony that the ancient Athenians, formidable sailors themselves, might have appreciated.

Friday

Thomas Munson

Farage’s ECHR plans risk destroying the Union with Ireland

From our UK edition

‘They’re tearing this country apart.’ I heard it in a pub last week. A man, with the light blue of the phone screen reflected in his face, was watching a reel. He waved the device at a nearby drinker. ‘You seen this?’ It was footage of the latest wave of small boat crossings. A heated conversation ensued – the sort where its participants, though in agreement, rile each other up into sounding like they’re having an argument – decrying the political class. ‘They’re all the same,’ they said. ‘We need Farage to come in and sort it out.’ They agreed louder.

Friday

Thomas Munson

The Good Friday Agreement has failed to heal Northern Ireland

From our UK edition

‘As if we didn’t have enough to argue about!’ exclaimed the gentleman in front. We were standing just off a busy road adjacent to a looming wall. The road wasn’t any road, and the wall wasn't any wall. It was Shankill Road, and this was one of Belfast’s infamous peace walls. The man wasn’t picking a fight. He was referring to West Belfast’s increasingly prevalent references to the war in Gaza. Peace walls have adorned murals of Northern Irish paramilitaries for decades. Now, there are a growing number of references to fighting in the Middle East, with Belfast’s Protestant and Catholic communities divided on the issue with sad predictability. Falls Road is rich in Palestinian flags; the Star of David flies high along Shankill Road.