> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Small earthquake shakes UK not many hurt
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/small-earthquake-shakes-uk-not-many-hurt/
- Published: 2008-02-27T17:02:23.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:39:36.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:41

**Anthony Barnett (London,** [**OK**](http://ourkingdom.opendemocracy.net/?ref=opendemocracy.net)**):** The journalist Claud Cockburn was, among other things, famous for having won a competition when he worked as a sub on the Times in the early 1930s for the most uninteresting headline. It was "Small earthquake in Chile, not many hurt". I quote from memory. I always had a sneaking feeling that it was unfair to the southern hemisphere and would have been a lot more interesting if you had been in Chile. Now we have had our own small earthquake. We have a creaking bookcase in our bedroom and were woken by it emitting a continuous high-pitched sort of wheezey-shake which then stopped. I got up to take a look, then went back to sleep. Uninteresting? North Londoners woken by very small earthquake, no way! It must be an omen. Were earthquakes British? I think not. Was this a *new value* shuddering down the country's spine? Was it a *strictly English* earthquake? Was it caused by *too many* immigrants? Will the country ever be quite the same? Will they even be making fun of us in Chile?