Shortly after my 16th birthday I started my sixth form, where one of my ‘A’ Levels was Economics. At the first lesson the tutor suggested that we read ‘The Economist’ regularly, and, having an interest in such things, I followed his advice. And it must have been good advice, as I won various economics prizes and did rather well in my final exams.

Now, nineteen years later, having read virtually every Economist published since then, I have decided to stop. This week my subscription ran out, and I am not going to renew it. Let it be known that the last words of the Economist that I read were in the obituary of Ted Heath – a suitably downbeat conclusion.

It’s not as if I have become disillusioned with the Economist’s political slant (libertarian and secular) or its quality of writing (always good, with pleasingly dry wit) and it’s not a question of money either. I’m simply trying to make room in my life for new things.

Having been, in particular, a political junkie for most of my life, I am wanting to move away from a concern for political details, and spend more time exploring literature.

A few years ago I started reading the TLS (Times Literary Supplement). So far it has played second fiddle to the Economist, but no longer. Which means that the stack of unread TLS’s by my bed, going back to April 1 of this year, will now get worked through.

And I have also just subscribed to Decanter. So there we have a change of taste – from political economy, to fine writing and wine. And perhaps… a little more writing of words by myself, and a little less reading.