I recently signed up for a free subscription of the J’accuse paper, and received this charming email from Tim Chapman, the editor:

J’accuse

Ah. So you’ve selected a ‘free subscription’.

How many tens of thousands of pounds has the taxpayer invested in to your education?

And for all that largesse, you haven’t made yourself economically productive enough to afford a piddling contribution of £8 a month.

I’m embarrassed on your behalf. And I hate you.

Tim

Tim - I have let you down. I’ve let my family, friends and wider community down. And I have obviously let myself down. I promise to do better in the future, and should I decide your Substack is worth reading regularly, I will subscribe on a paid tier, as I do for other Substacks. Until then I will continue to be a freeloader. Forgive me.