thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Faces Fresh Charge, Iran State Media Reports

LOADING ERROR LOADING
British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces a new charge, Iran state TV has reported, citing an official.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a charity worker from north London, was arrested in April 2016 while visiting her parents on holiday.
Advertisement
She has been incarcerated in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison since being convicted of plotting to overthrow the government, a charge she totally denies.
The new charges come after Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family linked her detention to Iran’s negotiations with the British government over a £400 million settlement held by London, a payment the late Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made for Chieftain tanks that were never delivered.
Tehran has denied that her detention was linked to the negotiations.
A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “Iran bringing new charges against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is indefensible and unacceptable. We have been consistently clear that she must not be returned to prison.”
PA
Advertisement
Responding to news of the additional charge against Zaghari-Ratcliffe Amnesty International UK’s director, Kate Allen, said: “If confirmed, this would be our worst fears come true.
“This will be a terrible blow for her, her family and for her many supporters and well-wishers. Nazanin has already been convicted once after a deeply unfair trial, and there should be no question of her being put through that ordeal again.
“There have always been concerns that the Iranian authorities were playing cruel political games with Nazanin, and that looks to be the case here.
“As a matter of absolute urgency the UK Government should make fresh representations on Nazanin’s behalf, seeking to have any suggestion of a second trial removed.”
Allen called upon government ministers to “step up efforts” to ensure the the former charity worker’s full and unconditional release from her detention in Tehran, and her safe return to her family in Britain.
Advertisement
Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s lawyers had asked the defence secretary for a meeting and called on the government to stand up to Iran for its “abusive treatment” of the jailed mother-of-one.
The lawyers want to meet Ben Wallace and his legal advisers to discuss the approach the British government is taking on the issue of debt owed to Iran.
In a letter to Wallace, sent last month, lawyers outline “grave concerns” about the UK’s “failure” to pay up.
“This failure continues to blight UK-Iranian relations and remains an intractable obstacle to Nazanin’s long-overdue release,” the letter said.
Lawyers also point out to Wallace that they still have not received a proper response to a letter they sent to him almost a year ago.
Advertisement
ASSOCIATED PRESS
“We wrote to you on this subject on 6 September 2019, but have yet to receive any substantive response, notwithstanding an indication that a response would be forthcoming,” lawyers said.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband Richard described the lack of response as “an astonishing lack of accountability”, adding that there has yet to be a response to the latest letter.
He has appealed to UK officials to insist on attending her second trial when it begins in Tehran on Sunday.
Insisting his wife is being held as leverage against the UK debt owed to Iran, Ratcliffe has urged British officials to do “everything to protect her and others” against Iran’s “hostage diplomacy”.
Advertisement
“It has become increasingly clear the past months that Nazanin is a hostage, held as leverage against a UK debt. It is important that the UK government does everything to protect her and others as Iran’s hostage diplomacy continues to escalate.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Goat Takes Over Police Car And Head-Butts Officer In Georgia

HuffPost is part of Verizon Media .
We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through @ @ @ @ @ similar technologies , to display personalised ads and content , for ad and content measurement @ @ @ @ @ development .
Your personal data that may be used • Information about your device and @ @ @ @ @ IP address • Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps Find @ @ @ @ @ use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy .
To enable Verizon Media @ @ @ @ @ your personal data select ' I agree ' , or select 'Manage settings ' for @ @ @ @ @ your choices .
You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy @ @

A sheriff’s deputy in Georgia had a run-in with the baddest of the bad last week when she returned to her cruiser to find a goat had taken over.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the unnamed deputy was serving civil papers at a home during the encounter. She typically leaves her car door open as she’s had to retreat from “vicious dogs” in the past.
Advertisement
“Never once did she expect or even consider what was about to happen this day,” the agency wrote.
Footage from the hairy situation showed the goat in the front seat and was busily eating the deputy’s paperwork. Then, after leaving the vehicle with a mouthful of delicious papers, the goat delivered a head-butt to the deputy’s knees, knocking her down before hoofing it from the scene of the crime.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Stephen Fry Reveals How Trump Exploited Systemic Racism To Enrich Himself

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump last week denied that systemic racism was a problem in the United States. Yet as British screen icon Stephen Fry pointed out, Trump has been a huge beneficiary of it, both politically and financially.
In a new video for Pindex, Fry highlighted the “hidden tricks behind Trump’s wealth” that were skewed against people of colour and which he had taken advantage of even while exploiting racial tensions as president.
Advertisement
Stephen Fry, Donald Trump AP
At one point, Fry noted, Trump posted fake stats “painting Blacks as the cause of nearly all white deaths” while his “favourite channel” ― Fox News ― pushed racist talking points on his behalf. Fry also shared a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson claiming systemic racism had “no real definition.”
“It’s defined as racism that is embedded as normal practice,” Fry said before sharing an example from Carlson’s own show. “Like a racist was embedded as Carlson’s scriptwriter.”
Fry, who was once voted the most intelligent person on British television, then cited a study that said the president’s divisive approach may have backfired.
Advertisement
“Most have woken up to the shocking extent of systemic racism and stand more firmly against it,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Matt Hancock Says It Will Take 'Weeks' To Fix Coronavirus Testing Problem

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Matt Hancock has said it will take “weeks” to fix problems with the UK’s coronavirus testing capacity that has left some people unable to get tested.
Sarah-Jane Marsh, the director of testing at NHS Test and Trace, apologised for the problem on Tuesday morning.
Advertisement
“All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don’t look overcrowded, its our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly,” she said.
It came after a dramatic spike in the number of new cases were reported across the country.
There were a further 2,948 lab-confirmed cases in the UK as of 9am on Monday, following the 2,988 reported on Sunday, which was the largest daily figure since May.
Speaking to the Commons health committee on Tuesday, Hancock said the government was working “incredibly hard” to make sure people could get a test.
“We are doing everything we can, we have had these operational issues,” he said.
“We have had a problem with a couple of contracts.
“It’s a matter of a couple of weeks until we can get all of that sorted, in the short term, in the immediate term, we’ve already put in certain solutions to make sure people don’t have to travel more than 75 miles.
Advertisement
“I appreciate 75 miles is far longer than you would want to go and indeed the vast majority of tests are much closer than that.”
Hancock also warned the public not to become “relaxed” about the virus and that “all options” remained on the table if cases continued to rise.
“We have seen in other countries if you don’t take a second spike seriously then it can it lead to very serious problems,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty echoed concerns raised by his deputy Jonathan Van-Tam.
“We have, through the extraordinary efforts of the whole population, got Covid rates right down,” Whitty said on Twitter.
Advertisement
“They are now rising again especially in those aged 17 to 29. If we stop social distancing Covid comes back. We all need to protect others.”
It has been reported the government is considering reducing the maximum number of people who can legally gather in a private home in England to suppress the rise in cases.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Don’t Blame Young People For Rising Covid Cases. We Are Only Doing What We’re Told

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The push notifications are back.
Like many other news-conscious millennials, this summer I had to turn off a number of Twitter alerts I had from different media outlets. As well as dealing with the genuine concern about the health and wellbeing of my family and friends, my anxiety levels were going through the roof every time my phone buzzed.
The ‘first wave’ of coronavirus apparently ended, society reopened and young, healthy people like me were actively encouraged to ‘eat out to help out’ and to save the economy by going into the office and having a drink after. Normality (sort of) returned, and the push notifications stopped.
Advertisement
But now they’re back.
When my phone buzzed again on Sunday evening, with news that the number of cases of Covid-19 had increased to levels the UK hadn’t seen since May, I know I was not alone in experiencing a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
This feeling only deepened when I saw a news clip of the health secretary, Matt Hancock, forcefully telling us that “young people can infect their grandparents”. Worse yet, a front-page headline glared out at me shortly after, with the ominous threat of “Don’t kill granny with virus”. My despair pretty swiftly turned to anger.
“The overwhelming majority of young people had followed the guidelines to the word, all while having every aspect of their lives completely upended.”
It’s not even that what Hancock said is factually wrong, it was the condescending tone of the intervention that infuriated me the most. He did not, for example, note that the overwhelming majority of young people had followed the guidelines to the word, including not seeing their grandparents or family members for months, all while having every aspect of their lives completely upended. Not only did he not even acknowledge that young people contracting Covid-19 is in itself a really bad thing, he didn’t even extend to us his wishes for a speedy recovery from a virus that has literally changed all of our world.
Advertisement
The implication that young people have been collectively irresponsible or not ‘done our bit’ is sorely misplaced. We are more likely to have been put on furlough or lost our jobs – if we were lucky enough one in the first place, We are more likely to have had to work from home with several others all squeezed into a too small flat. We are much more likely to have suffered from poor mental health over the last few months. And while it might have escaped Hancock’s notice that young people from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds have been disproportionately suffering with their mental health, it is not something that has escaped the notice of younger generations hearing of their friends’ difficulties.
So, what were young people supposed to do? Are we meant to go back to work – as per the Prime Minister’s wishes – or stay away and potentially losing our income, in case we pass the virus to the grandparents we’ve not seen for half a year, or in other cases care for and live with? Are we meant to return to school or university – as the Education Secretary insisted must happen – or miss more months of education, widening the gap between the well-off and the not-so-well-off, putting our futures on hold? Are we not supposed to return to gyms, shops, public transport or parks to grab a piece of normality we were told it was safe to do, despite our suspicions it was purely for economic reasons?
Perhaps the least convincing part of this whole narrative the government is trying to pursue is that a rise in cases of Covid-19 amongst young generations is, somehow, a surprise. When schools, colleges and universities reopened, were we assuming there would be no rise in cases in students living in cramped halls and homes in new cities? When pubs and restaurants reopened, were we assuming there would be no rise in cases amongst young people, who tend to work in hospitality?
“We are taking this seriously, and all we ask is that Matt Hancock and this government take us seriously in return.”
What we need from the government is a serious, two-way dialogue. A no holds barred, UK-wide conversation with younger generations about what’s next and, perhaps most importantly of all, there must be an opportunity for young people to question ministers themselves. Let’s use this moment as an opportunity to create a proper formal route for ministers to be held to account by those who will have to live with the consequences of this pandemic for the longest.
Advertisement
The charity I chair, The British Youth Council, have been calling for a youth press conference for months. While it might be late in finally holding one, as many other governments have done, it is never too late to meaningfully engage young people, given this pandemic has already altered our futures.
Young people are acutely aware of the risks of the pandemic – and its consequences – pose for all of our lives. We are doing our part, and shouldering our burden of the economic downturn. We are taking this seriously, and all we ask is that Matt Hancock and this government take us seriously in return.
Because, as I have just read on my phone, the World Health Organisation believes, a second wave is coming. I hope our Government treat younger generations more seriously than they did during the first.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Top Government Lawyer Quits 'Over Boris Johnson's Brexit Plan'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The head of the government’s legal department has quit, reportedly over suggestions that Boris Johnson is trying to renege on parts of his own Brexit deal.
Jonathan Jones becomes the sixth senior civil servant to leave the government this year amid growing tensions between the prime minister and Whitehall.
Advertisement
The Financial Times reported that Jones quit over Johnson’s plan to unilaterally claim powers for the UK to decide how sections of his own Brexit withdrawal agreement (WA) covering trade in Northern Ireland work.
Several experts believe the proposals in the Internal Market Bill, due to be published on Wednesday, effectively breach the WA that Johnson negotiated to take the UK out of the EU.
The plans risk collapsing crucial Brexit negotiations on a longer-term trade deal, ongoing in London now.
Jones’ departure came as the hardline Tory Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) declared that “Brexit is not done” until Johnson succeeds in nullifying key parts of the WA.
Advertisement
IN DEPTH Is Boris Johnson Really About To Blow Up The Brexit Negotiations?
If the talks break down the UK would default World Trade Organisation terms for trade with the EU from January, which is likely to cause at least short-term economic damage.
A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office confirmed Jones’ departure but would not comment on his motivation.
“We can confirm that Jonathan Jones has resigned. We won’t be commenting further,” they said.
The EU has made clear that any attempt to renege on the WA would risk a collapse in negotiations.
A Brussels spokesperson insisted on Monday that insisting that implementing the WA is a “precondition” for negotiations on a trade deal, declaring it a “matter of trust”.
Downing Street has stressed the moves are simply a “safety net” to ensure there is not legal confusion if the UK and EU, through the so-called “joint committee” that monitors the implementation of the WA, cannot agree on Northern Ireland.
A UK official has also insisted it is “completely committed” to the WA, and described the legislation as “minor clarifications”.
Advertisement
But experts told HuffPost UK the moves are at the very least a first step towards reneging on the WA.
Sir Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the steering group of the Tory Eurosceptics’ body ERG (European Resource Group), said: “If we don’t reach a deal with the EU, Brexit is not done until the UK government succeeds in its determination to assert its own interpretation of the withdrawal agreement.
“If the EU is unwilling to do a deal with us, there are two options. The first is to enact domestic legislation that will largely nullify the direct effect and direct applicability of EU law. We have the mandate and majority to do this.
“Second, if the EU insists on an unreasonable interpretation of the withdrawal agreement, the UK must stand ready to repudiate it.
“I hope it is not necessary, but if it is the only way to achieve UK prosperity and the kind of sovereign independence which is the democratic right of any nation recognised under the UN Charter, then so be it.
Advertisement
“And most other nations would respect us for that.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Mulan Fans Are Loving The Surprise Cameo In Disney's Live-Action Remake

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Disney fans got a much-awaited nostalgia kick on Friday, when the live-action remake of Mulan was finally made available to stream.
The reimagined film was originally slated for release in cinemas earlier this year, but for obvious reasons, these plans were shelved, with Mulan eventually made available to purchase for Disney+ subscribers last week.
Advertisement
Since then, viewers have been sharing their thoughts on the film on social media, with many pointing out one very special cameo.
The Mulan remake features a very special cameo Disney
Towards the end of the film, an “esteemed guest” introduces Mulan to the emperor, at the end of her epic adventure, with fans pointing out this character was played by Ming-Na Wen.
Ming-Na voiced Mulan in the original film, which was released in 1998, and fans were loving the decision to include her in the remake…
Advertisement
Ming-Na Wen in Mulan is the cameo the 90’s kids deserved. ❤ #Mulan pic.twitter.com/OXP6NVjBPD — divine dela rocha-chittsawangdee (@DivinedelaRocha) September 5, 2020
Ming-Na Wen's cameo gave me a legit goosebumps 😭💗 grabe the reeal #Mulan Mulan in your areaaa OMG @MingNa ilysmm pic.twitter.com/MBdTiYFDvG — clarke (@_itsclarke) September 5, 2020
Ming-Na Wen has a cameo in #Mulan and it’s all I can ask for from 2020 TBH pic.twitter.com/G8uR1S4NDT — k ♡ (@POPFEMlNlSM) September 4, 2020
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." 🌸 #Mulan
Thank you, Ming-Na Wen. pic.twitter.com/fdzDL3ZDf8 — sam (@samfel26) September 4, 2020
I was really hoping for this and I’m so happy that @Disney made it come true!!!!! Ming-Na Wen the original Mulan who voiced her in the animated movie had a cameo in the live action remake!!!!! So Happy 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 @MingNa @yifei_cc @DisneysMulan #Mulan pic.twitter.com/GvNUPla6CB — Moustafa Elhadary (@MoustafaHadary) September 8, 2020
Advertisement
MING-NA WEN HAS A CAMEO IN MULAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 — Mahek's unsuspended account (@mahekjfjkrnfjjh) September 8, 2020
Just finished #Mulan. My favorite was seeing Ming-Na Wen (the voice of the 1998 Mulan). pic.twitter.com/PMhBUThvuf — miranda ♓ (@mirandabbycakes) September 8, 2020
The Ming-Na Wen cameo in Mulan (2020) #Mulan pic.twitter.com/xa6bFcvEJR — Will a Fosse neck do it? (@MeyerSam30) September 8, 2020
I’ll never forget Ming-na Wen walking down the aisle and introducing Mulan to the emperor. The goosebumps I got and the tears that welled in my eyes tho 🥺🥺 pic.twitter.com/kP4pnvLZI2 — husky dump (@mandakozzy) September 7, 2020
The actor was originally supposed to have a larger role in the film, but due to scheduling issues with her TV series The Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., Ming-Na was unable to make it work.
Advertisement
She told the New York Times: “They came up with this great idea where instead of shooting an entire scene, I’d just make a cameo at the very end to announce Mulan to the emperor.
“I thought that was very appropriate and just wonderful, a little Easter egg where I could pass the baton. And this time, they only needed me there for a week. So it all worked out.”
Liu Yifei in character as Mulan Disney
Many fans were also disappointed to learn that the original songs featured in the classic film would not be appearing in the remake, which is available to purchase for £19.99 to those who already have a Disney+ subscription.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Boris Johnson To Tell EU That His 'Very Good', 'Great', 'Wonderful' Deal Didn't Make Sense

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Boris Johnson will reportedly tell EU leaders on Tuesday that the Brexit deal made last year is “contradictory” and doesn’t make sense.
The PM is likely to stop short of directly criticising the person who made that deal with the EU because that person was.... Boris Johnson himself.
Advertisement
And it doesn’t take much effort to find evidence of Boris Johnson himself heaping praise on the EU withdrawal agreement, which at the time he described as “very good”, “wonderful”, “fantastic” and a whole host of other superlatives.
There are so many, someone put them all together in a little video for your viewing pleasure.
Just a 2:07 super cut of Boris Johnson saying how absolutely fantastic the withdrawal agreement is. pic.twitter.com/fllZTz9UwO — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) September 8, 2020
It comes as the UK eyes more power over trade and state aid in Northern Ireland.
The government has claimed these new powers, set out in its Internal Market Bill, are merely providing “minor clarifications” to the withdrawal agreement – that’s the one Johnson described as “fantastic” – but the EU may not see it that way, and Britain has been accused of jeopardising the WA altogether.
Johnson is expected to set out his stall when Michel Barnier arrives in the UK for the latest round of trade talks.
Advertisement
He claims the legal difficulties the UK is now trying to resolve over Northern Ireland could not have been foreseen last year when the deal was negotiated.
His flip-flopping has not gone unnoticed.
"Wait, wait... and then he said... 'the Brexit deal never made sense'..." pic.twitter.com/UUAcc9e31X — Matthias Eberl 🇪🇺 (@eberlmat) September 7, 2020
Boris Johnson resigned in protest against May’s deal he signed up to, negotiated basically the same deal as May and won an election based on the deal (which he now says never made sense) being absolutely fan-fucking-fantastic, but remember we all knew what we were voting for. — James Felton (@JimMFelton) September 7, 2020
I was looking back on that extraordinary late night press conf in Brussels back in Oct 17 2019 after PM has signed Brexit deal with EU.
At time PM said it was “a great deal for our country”
DUP said it couldn’t support. Said PM “was far too eager to get for deal at any cost” pic.twitter.com/NH80qCnDP1 — Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) September 8, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Woman Who Made Gender-Reveal Parties A Thing: Stop These 'Stupid Parties'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The woman credited with making gender-reveal parties popular has a request after a major California wildfire was ignited during one such event over the weekend: “Stop having these stupid parties.”
On Saturday morning, a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party sparked the El Dorado Fire east of Los Angeles, which has since burned more than 9,670 acres and forced thousands of people to evacuate. It remained only 7% contained on Monday evening amid extreme weather conditions.
Advertisement
The device would typically generate blue or pink smoke to indicate the gender of an expected baby, a formula that the numerous iterations of these parties follow. (It’s not yet clear what colour it was in this instance).
“Stop it. Stop having these stupid parties. For the love of God, stop burning things down to tell everyone about your kid’s penis,” Jenna Karvunidis wrote on Facebook on Monday. “No one cares but you.”
Karvunidis threw what’s now known as a gender reveal party in 2008, she told HuffPost in a phone interview. She didn’t call it that at the time, though. She simply threw a party where she and her family discovered that she was going to have a baby girl by cutting into a cake that contained pink icing.
“I was just trying to get my family more involved and excited as my sister-in-law just had a baby,” she said.
Advertisement
After posting about it on her blog, High Gloss and Sauce, the idea was picked up by a local magazine called The Bump. Karvunidis said in the following years, she noticed the events became more prevalent.
Last year, after a Twitter user described Karvunidis as the “inventor” of the gender-reveal party, she told NPR that her views on gender had changed.
“Who cares what gender the baby is? I did at the time because we didn’t live in 2019 and didn’t know what we know now ― that assigning focus on gender at birth leaves out so much of their potential and talents,” she wrote on Facebook at the time.
Karvunidis told HuffPost she began to find the concept problematic when her daughter became upset because she received what she perceived as a “boy’s toy” for Christmas (it wasn’t pink).
In more recent years, gender-reveal events have moved from simple balloon pops, confetti and cakes to more dramatic reveals ― sometimes with dangerous results.
Advertisement
In 2017, an Arizona man set off a massive 45,000-acre wildfire that left more than $8 (£6.1) million worth of damage after shooting at a target loaded with an explosive substance intended to burst pink or blue. And last year, a “burnout” gender-reveal stunt in Australia sent a car up in flames and the driver to court. Other headline-making events have included a live alligator, fireworks and coloured hair.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Diversity's Ashley Banjo Speaks Out After Powerful Britain's Got Talent Performance Sparks Ofcom Com

Diversity's Ashley Banjo Speaks Out After Powerful Britain's Got Talent Performance Sparks Ofcom Complaints

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Diversity leader Ashley Banjo has responded to criticism levelled at the dance group following their powerful performance on Britain’s Got Talent over the weekend.
Advertisement
While the performance won widespread praise at the time, it’s since been reported that media regulator Ofcom has received more than 1000 complaints.
Diversity performing on Britain's Got Talent Dymond/Thames/Syco/Shutterstock
By way of response, Ashley shared screenshots of several headlines about the performance on his Instagram page.
This included one describing a “row over politicisation of Britain’s Got Talent” from the Mail Online, and another from Metro referring to the “poignant” routine “leaving Britain’s Got Talent viewers in tears”.
Advertisement
Alongside the images, Ashley shared a dictionary definition of “art”, which read: “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”
He then wrote: “My truth, my platform, my art. I’ve always tried to create not only to entertain but also to inspire... That will never change.”
Ashley then shared a quote from Martin Luther King Jr, which said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“I’m so grateful and overwhelmed by all of the love and support but also by the amount of conversation this performance has thrown up,” Ashley added.
Advertisement
“2020 has been such a historical year. One day we will look back and realise it was the start of real change... Sending out nothing but love and positivity to everyone reading this post.”
The post was then reshared by fellow Diversity star Perri Kiely on his Instagram story.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Katherine Ryan Reveals She Sleeps In Her Daughter's Room Rather Than With Her Husband

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Katherine Ryan has revealed she prefers to sleep in her daughter’s bedroom, rather than with her husband.
Last year, Katherine entered a civil partnership with Bobby Koostra, who she previously dated as a teenager when she was growing up in Canada.
Advertisement
Speaking about their relationship in a new interview, the comedian said it works because Bobby doesn’t “demand undivided attention” from her, and accepts that her 11-year-old daughter, Violet, is always going to be her priority.
Katherine and Bobby at an event earlier this year Jeff Spicer via Getty Images
“He didn’t do the other things that I’d experienced in relationships,” Katherine told Radio Times. “He didn’t demand undivided attention, he was not in competition with my daughter.
“Like, I still sleep in my daughter’s room in her sleepover bed. I don’t sleep in my bed with my husband.”
Advertisement
And for anyone wondering how that’s affected things between them on a physical level, Katherine candidly explained: “We have sex at 10am when the kids are at school.”
Katherine has drawn on her experiences as a mother for her forthcoming Netflix series The Duchess, which debuts on the streaming service later this week.
The comedy – which is the first sitcom written by the stand-up star – centres around Katherine’s character, a young mother raising a daughter in London, who ponders having a second child with her ex-partner, who she also happens to loathe.
So far, critics are pretty divided over The Duchess, with Metro praising the show’s “heart”, while Variety has branded it a “tasteless misfire”.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--The Most Common Symptoms Of Covid-19 Reported In Kids

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Children may show different symptoms of Covid-19 than adults, one expert has said.
Professor Tim Spector, who is leading the Covid Symptom Study app research, said there could be different symptoms according to different age brackets.
Fatigue, headache and fever appear to be the most common symptoms among children, according to research reported in the Guardian. The NHS website lists the main symptoms of coronavirus as: a high temperature, a new continuous cough, a loss or change to a person’s sense of smell or taste.
Advertisement
Experts analysed symptoms from 198 children who tested positive for the disease out of 16,000 tested. A third of the children showed no symptoms.
More than half (55%) of the children who tested positive had fatigue, 54% had a headache and almost half had a fever.
Over a third (38%) had a sore throat, 35% skipped meals while 15% had an unusual skin rash and 13% had diarrhoea.
Advertisement
Agree its difficult - but severe fatigue, skipping meals, and strange skin rashes and fever are ones to maybe separate them better. https://t.co/7dqg10M3ri — tim spector (@timspector) September 7, 2020
Prof Spector said that of children who tested positive and had symptoms, around half did not have any of the three main signs listed by the NHS.
“We need to start telling people what are the key symptoms at different ages rather than this blanket obsession with fever, cough and lack of smell,” he told the newspaper. “If you followed the government’s advice you’d be missing half of the (symptomatic) infections.
“What we want to do here is not push (children) to have tests, but just keep them away from school (if they show symptoms).”
Researchers behind the app have previously argued that rashes should be considered as a fourth key sign of Covid-19. “It is certainly as important as the other features, and in children it is much more important,” Prof Spector added.
“One in six children will have (a rash) and many times it will be the only sign, and you don’t get a funny rash with most coughs, colds (or) flus.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Labour MPs Lambast Tories For Voting Down Grenfell Fire Safety Recommendations

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Labour MPs have slammed their Tory counterparts for voting down an amendment to a Fire Safety bill that aimed to include recommendations made by the first phase of the Grenfell Inquiry.
The party’s new clause one would have required owners or managers of flats to share information with their local fire service about the design and materials of the external walls.
Advertisement
They would also have been required to carry out regular inspections of lifts and individual flat entrance doors, while evacuation and fire safety instructions must be shared with residents of the building.
The amendment was defeated by 188 votes to 318, majority 130.
Labour leader Keir Starmer called the vote a “shameful dereliction of duty”, while Shadow home office minister Sarah Jones said the vote was a “breach” of the government’s “promise to implement the recommendations from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Inquiry”.
Tonight, Conservative MPs voted against putting into law the implementation of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase I recommendations.
A shameful dereliction of duty. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 7, 2020
But Home Office minister James Brokenshire said fire safety reforms would be introduced in the “fastest possible time”, saying the Fire Safety bill must be brought into law first before other changes can be made.
Advertisement
The legislation, which cleared the Commons on Monday, amends regulations in a bid to offer greater clarity over who is responsible for fire safety in blocks of flats.
But Labour wanted to amend the bill to ensure the government implements recommendations made by the first phase of the Grenfell Inquiry.
The legislation was developed in response to the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London on June 14 2017, which claimed 72 lives.
An electrical fault with a fridge-freezer sparked the catastrophic fire.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Grenfell Inquiry’s phase one report, published in October 2019, found the tower’s cladding did not comply with building regulations and was the “principal” reason for the fire’s rapid spread.
Advertisement
Shadow home office minister Sarah Jones said it was “disappointing” that Labour’s amendment was not accepted by the government.
Jones said: “I want to say to all those stuck living in unsafe blocks, but in particular to the Grenfell survivors and the victims and families, that we on this side of the House will not rest until every measure necessary is in place to prevent a fire like Grenfell from ever happening again.”
In a tweet she wrote: “While the govt continue to delay action, tens of thousands of people are still living in unsafe blocks.”
The Govts decision to vote against Labour’s amendment to the #FireSafetyBill is a breach of their promise to implement the recommendations from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Inquiry. While the Govt continue to delay action, tens of thousands of people are still living in unsafe blocks pic.twitter.com/uwD3Ivezcs — Sarah Jones MP (@LabourSJ) September 7, 2020
Nick Symonds, Shadow Home Secretary and Welsh Labour MP for Torfaen, suggested Kensington and Chelsea residents would now have questions for their local MP.
Advertisement
It’s appalling that tonight the Tory MP for Kensington voted against the @UKLabour amendment to put all the Grenfell Inquiry Phase I recommendations into law.
Many of her constituents will feel let down and have serious questions to ask… pic.twitter.com/5dsa01ohZv — Nick Thomas-Symonds MP (@NickTorfaen) September 7, 2020
Emma Dent Coad, former Kensington MP, tweeted: “How do they sleep at night?”
How do they sleep at night?
On the day Tories voted against Labour amendment to Building Safety act, more disdain and greed from Rydon at the Grenfell Inquiry. https://t.co/lUZdkKvDY1 — Emma Dent Coad (@emmadentcoad) September 7, 2020
Tory Sir David Amess said electrical safety must be “enshrined in legislation”.
He said: “We cannot and we must not waste any more time by pushing the issue of electrical safety around between different government departments.
“We owe it to those who lost their lives in Grenfell and other fires to find the parliamentary time and the right vehicle to enshrine electrical safety in legislation.”
Brokenshire earlier committed to work with Sir David on whether there are any gaps in the safety regime for electrical goods.
Advertisement
The bill received an unopposed third reading and will undergo further scrutiny in the Lords at a later date.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brokenshire said he recognised Labour’s intent to implement recommendations made by the first phase of the Grenfell Inquiry, but insisted the government is taking this seriously.
He said a consultation on fire safety concludes on October 12, adding Labour’s proposals would “not hasten any more than what the government is intending and proposing” – with the bill providing a framework for the changes to be introduced.
Brokenshire said the government is consulting on the detail, adding: “I do understand the timing issue and she certainly has my assurance that when we have the Bill on the statute book, and that has to come first, we will move with all pace and all expedition to see that the regulations are put in place at the fastest possible time.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--'We're Screwed': Trump Given Tough Election Talk

LOADING ERROR LOADING
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he has warned US President Donald Trump that his repeated attacks on voting by mail could backfire and hurt both his reelection efforts and Republicans in other races.
“We could lose based on that,” McCarthy told Axios, saying the result could be that Democrats vote by mail while Republicans don’t ― and because of the coronavirus pandemic, Trump supporters might not vote in person, either.
Advertisement
“I tried to show him ... You know who is most afraid of Covid? Seniors,” he said. “And if they’re not going to go vote, period, we’re screwed.”
That, he added, would not only hurt Trump’s reelection chances but could also cost Republicans seats in down-ballot races.
Trump has repeatedly attacked voting by mail, claiming without evidence that mail-in ballots lead to fraud — despite the fact that he and his family and colleagues have routinely voted by mail themselves.
Surveys have shown that Trump’s attacks have hit home with his base: According to a Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape poll last month, 48% of Biden supporters plan to vote by mail, versus 23% of Trump voters.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Stop Policing Our Body Hair, With Rhyannon Styles And Aisha Mirza

Stop Policing Our Body Hair, With Rhyannon Styles And Aisha Mirza
Body hair is political. It’s also social and cultural. For some women – particularly trans women – the absence or presence of body hair can even be a safety issue. Messaging around body hair is insidious and the policing can begin at a young age, perpetuating narrow beauty standards and an even narrower understanding of gender identity.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Iconic Yosemite Landmarks Look Absolutely Apocalyptic As Wildfires Approach

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Parts of Yosemite National Park are under advisory for a possible evacuation as the massive Creek Fire rages to the south.
Advertisement
It’s not clear how many people have been evacuated or if any structures have been damaged, but thousands of homes and other buildings are under threat.
Yosemite remained open to those with reservations as of Monday, but park officials warned that air quality varies and visibility is limited.
Those who have braved the conditions have posted apocalyptic images of some of the park’s most iconic sites draped with a heavy layer of smoke and an orange glow:
Advertisement
View of wildfires from Sentinel Dome in Yosemite at ~8,100 feet. It was about 3pm. #creekfire #wildfires #YosemiteNationalPark pic.twitter.com/ZixKy8JXpf — Naureen Malik (@naurtorious) September 6, 2020
NO FILTER: Due to the Creek Fire, Yosemite National Park has issued a fire advisory for areas south of Chinquapin.
📷: Gina Marie Woodardhttps://t.co/6CbZ2TehNb pic.twitter.com/hqFDSF6xpS — KRON4 News (@kron4news) September 7, 2020
Advertisement
This morning at tunnel view in Yosemite. Beauty due to the tragic Creek Fire. May all souls trapped make it out ok! [1600x1600] [OC] via https://t.co/pUFvjVCeqL pic.twitter.com/UddJDWPLsw — Simon Nathanael (@simonnathanael) September 6, 2020
Yosemite filled with smoke from massive Creek Fire burning in Sierra https://t.co/8EHvPnd5Y8 — Allie Larkin (@AllieLarkin) September 6, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Trump Orders Reporter To Remove His Mask At Press Briefing

LOADING ERROR LOADING
US President Donald Trump demanded that a reporter remove his face mask in the middle of a question at a White House press briefing on Monday — but the journalist refused.
“You’re going to have to take that off. Just take it off,” said Trump as he pointed to the mask worn by Jeff Mason, White House correspondent for Reuters.
Advertisement
“How many feet are you away?” asked the irritable president, referring to social distancing efforts to help stop the spread of Covid-19. “If you don’t take it off, you’re very muffled. So if you take it off, it would be a lot easier.”
But Mason could easily be understood on a recording of the exchange. He began his question referring to Trump’s decision two years ago not to attend a memorial ceremony for fallen American soldiers at a French cemetery. The president blew off the ceremony (which was attended by European leaders) after referring to deceased war heroes as “losers,” according to a bombshell report in The Atlantic last week.
“I’ll just speak a lot louder,” said Mason. “Is that better?”
The visibly exasperated president sighed and responded: “It’s better, yeah. It’s better” — and allowed Mason to continue.
Trump demands that @jeffmason1 take off his mask before he takes a question from him pic.twitter.com/erZxOZX9wX — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 7, 2020
Advertisement
Mason then told Trump that people are having a difficult time believing his denials of the Atlantic story, given his harsh words about the late Senator John McCain, who served as a Navy pilot in the Vietnam War.
During his last presidential campaign, Trump had said that McCain was not a hero because he had been a prisoner of war for five years and called McCain a “loser.” He said at the time, “I like people that weren’t captured.”
Trump responded on Monday: “I have always been on the opposite side of John McCain. John McCain liked wars. ... Frankly, I was never a fan of John McCain, you know that.”
Later in the briefing, Trump praised a reporter who wasn’t wearing a mask. “You sound so clear, as opposed to everybody else where they refuse [to take off their mask],” he said.
"You sound so clear, as opposed to everybody else where they refuse" -- Trump praises a reporter for not wearing a mask pic.twitter.com/AA8pz6v4ob — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 7, 2020
Advertisement
While reporters at press briefings are usually many feet from the president, they may be much closer to other journalists.
Trump said in July that it was “patriotic” to wear a face mask — but he has rarely been seen with one.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Miley Cyrus Calls Out Sexism She Experienced At This Year's MTV VMAs

“They said, ‘OK, OK ― we’ll just do the same thing that we would do with the guys,’ ’cause like, that’s what I want,” she continued.
“And then something that I was doing ― something that I can’t say ― for the VMAs, my bracelets kept getting caught in all this shit and they said, ‘You know you wanted to be treated like a guy and lit like a guy? We wouldn’t be dealing with this if a guy was doing it.’”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Exclusive: Labour Urges Halt To 'Short Sighted' NHS Land Sell-Off

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Ministers face calls to block a “fire sale” of NHS land to private developers amid fears a second wave of Covid-19 and growing demand for other health services could see hospitals run out of space.
A total of 626 plots of land or buildings, worth potentially over £1bn, have been earmarked for sale by trusts, according to a report for the government by NHS Digital.
Advertisement
The government told HuffPost UK this week the list had been compiled before the pandemic, and that trusts would be able to reclassify land that was now in use. NHS bosses said 131 of the sites listed as “surplus” were actually in use.
It comes amid cost pressures on the health service and as Boris Johnson’s administration pledges to help developers “build, build, build” in the wake of the pandemic.
Now Labour is urging the government to step in and halt the sell-off so medics can respond to “ballooning” waiting lists for non-Covid care.
Campaign group We Own It has called the continued bid to flog assets “truly disgusting” and “short-sighted” during the pandemic.
Advertisement
In July, trusts warned that they needed more space, equipment and staff to deal with a growing backlog of demand for treatments such as cancer care.
Experts also fear a second spike in cases of coronavirus, coupled with the annual wave of flu infections, could overwhelm the NHS this winter.
But starved of alternative sources of funding, the freedom to sell land could leave some trusts little option but to offload it just to make ends meet.
Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary, told HuffPost UK the prime minister should intervene now.
He said: “The big challenge now is to shift the NHS to provide Covid and non-Covid care at the same time. With concerns waiting lists could hit 10m by Christmas, we need a serious plan to get services up and running.
Advertisement
“These sales should be halted and plans drawn up to fix ballooning waiting lists instead.”
Jonathan Ashworth Labour's shadow health secretary PA
While not every building or plot of land in the annual report is listed with a market value, 110 are said to be worth almost £240m, meaning the overall value may be over £1bn.
Cat Hobbs from the campaign group We Own It echoed Labour’s concern.
She said: “It’s truly disgusting that, after everything our NHS has done for us, Boris Johnson’s priority is undermining hospitals by [encouraging them to] sell off their land. He tells the public he cares about the NHS but he’s actually privatising it piece by piece in secretive deals.
“The government must listen to NHS trusts – they need more space and equipment to deal with the backlog from coronavirus, not less. Labour is absolutely right to take a stand on this hugely damaging policy.
“We support the call for Boris Johnson to save lives this winter by stopping this short-sighted sell off of NHS land. Halt the fire sale immediately. Have some respect for our NHS – build it up, don’t knock it down. Protect our NHS so people can get the care they desperately need.”
Advertisement
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Many trusts are now reviewing the use of their estate and can keep land they previously said was surplus if they now need it for clinical purposes.
“The NHS can sell land that is no longer required or unsuitable for modern clinical care, so trusts are not burdened with the additional cost of maintaining redundant facilities and can reinvest the money in modern and upgraded facilities.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--These Are The 10 Luckiest Baby Names To Give Your Child

LOADING ERROR LOADING
We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
What’s in a name? Well, a whole host of fame and fortune, if you’re lucky.
And you’re bound to be – lucky, that is – if this survey of the top baby names of 2020 is anything to go by. Compare.bet analysed the most popular 1,000 names for boys and girls, looking for those that are most desired, but also have meanings of luck.
Advertisement
They then surveyed a pool of 3,428 people, all of whom are parents or soon-to-be parents, to determine whether they would consider giving their baby a name with ‘lucky’ connotations or not – and their motivations behind these choices.
Researchers found 94% of parents who believe in good fortune think that having a ‘lucky’ baby name will help their child’s future. Among those who disagree, 38% say they’d avoid such names because they’re “too mainstream”.
Whichever side of the rainbow you stand on, we have a wealth of baby name inspiration on HuffPost UK Parents, and you might just double your luck with one from this top 10.
Advertisement
Jose Luis Pelaez via Getty Images
Iris
This comes straight from the Greek word for ‘rainbow’, which symbolises good luck. It’s also a symbol of striving against the odds in 2020.
Evangeline
This pretty name also stems from the Greek word for ‘bearer of good news’.
Beatrice
Meaning ‘she who brings happiness; blessed’ in Latin, Beatrice is the third most popular lucky girls’ name for 2020.
Jade
A name for the green stone used often in jewellery, Jade also comes from the Spanish, ‘piedra de la ijada’, which means ‘stone of the colic’. An old wives’ belief stated that when jade is applied to a baby’s stomach, it can cure colic.
Kiara
‘Bright’ or ‘light’ in Italian, this name will shine out from the crowd.
ICHIRO via Getty Images
Asher
The Hebrew word for ‘happy’ or ‘happiness’, this will stick out in a crowd.
Felix
Latin for ‘happy’ or ‘lucky’, its female version is Felicity or Felicia.
Quinn
Irish-Gaelic in origin, this unusual, but beautiful, name means ‘sense’ or ‘intelligence’.
Chance
This obvious winner comes from the English, meaning ‘good fortune’.
Bennett


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Lockdown Let Me Be A More Present Dad – And Partner

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Make all the plans you want for how things will be during and after pregnancy, but it rarely goes to plan.
This was especially the case for me and my pregnant partner as we approached the due date of our newborn’s birth amid the coronavirus pandemic outbreak. Our world changed when our newborn son arrived on 22 March. Then, everything changed again two days later – when the government announced its national lockdown.
Advertisement
From labour, to birth, to all the chaos that comes with bringing a newborn home, to adapting to everyday life in the pandemic, our time as new parents has been an experience that we won’t ever forget.
But while looking after a newborn at a time when we were being restricted to our homes was daunting at first, eventually it became a blessing in disguise. In fact, I’ve come to believe the pandemic allowed me to become a much more present father and partner. Here’s why.
Had the pandemic not happened, after my two weeks of paternity leave I would have had to go back to the office, back to the nine-to-five, and be forced to spend the majority of the day only able to see my son through pictures and videos. I would have had to come home later in the evening and, in just a few hours, cram in all my time with the baby and my partner, and time for myself, before going to sleep and getting up to do it all over again.
But lockdown eliminated these worries. Working from home, and being ordered strictly to stay inside, meant I was able to be with my partner and our son 24 hours a day. It meant I was able to support my partner in looking after the baby on a much more consistent basis than I ever would have otherwise. And it means I’ve been able to appreciate the little things more: family time; our son looking into my eyes and smiling; seeing him develop from week-to-week.
Advertisement
“Lockdown brought home to me that you can be present physically, yet still emotionally and mentally distant – your body physically present, but your thoughts elsewhere.”
Pre-coronavirus, life was fast-paced and relentless. There was always something to do or something to distract us from our realities: work, going out with friends, exercise, and son. Lockdown brought home to me that you can be present physically, yet still emotionally and mentally distant – your body physically present, but your thoughts elsewhere on other pressures and distractions in life. This can remove you from being in the moment for things like supporting your partner at home.
In the early stages of the lockdown, I was still heavily in the mindset of trying to sort out my work-life balance, with dealing with the management of my workload at my job while working from home and coping with the new and ever-changing demands of parenthood. I found that despite my best efforts, I was getting the balance wrong. I was focusing too much on work that my mind was not fully engaged in my household responsibilities. Quickly, I saw how important it was to make sure I was 100% present for my partner, and on hand to fully support our baby as a priority.
Even more than we planned, I have been there for washing bottles, changing, feeding, and more. I’ve also had the joy of giving my partner more rest during the day, which proved helpful to her as a recovering new mother. Whatever I do during this time, I know I could have done much more to support her, knowing how much new mums can be affected mentally and physically.
At home, my partner developed routines for the baby with my support, and lockdown meant that we were free to implement what we thought was best without interruption. With people unable to visit due to Covid-19, our baby saw nothing but us for months, and as a result, we have a much stronger connection than we would have if I had been out the house working as planned.
Advertisement
“Being present emotionally and mentally is equally, if not more, important than being there physically.”
Of course, this period has not come without its challenges. While transitioning into fatherhood has shown the importance of being attentive, it’s also shown areas that I need to continue to grow in to become the father and husband I’ve been called to be. I’m still working on seeing the things my partner and child will need and acting before I’m prompted, and on being someone that can be so relied on for support that my partner never feels like she is doing things on her own.
Lockdown has meant I can’t simply avoid or ignore these areas of growth – I need to face them head on now to be the best influence I can be on our child. That means getting myself together so I can break the negative cycles in my life that have affected me. This period has taught me that anyone can be a dad, but not everyone can be a father. It requires consistent action rather than words and being present emotionally and mentally is equally, if not more, important than being there physically.
Our family has slowly started coping with the fact that things are getting back to a new normal. Happy as I was to have been at home for so long, I’ve had to return to work daily again, which we knew was going to happen eventually (my partner, the super mum and woman that she is, has taken it fully in her stride). We’ve been having friends and family over, which our son has appreciated. And we even managed to move from a studio flat to a two-bedroom apartment.
As a family, we have grown stronger during this pandemic. Although coronavirus has caused so much chaos and negativity across the world, in our household I have managed to find a silver lining in being able to be more present for my partner and my son. And I can wholeheartedly say I am much better off for it.
Advertisement
Tonte Bo Douglas is a writer. Follow him on Twitter at @TalkWithTonte


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Why You Should Embrace Autumn, Even If You're Feeling A Little Wobbly

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Autumn is the only season that guarantees fun (and I challenge anyone to disagree). But the changing of seasons has a different feel to it this year, as many of us have felt our lives in 2020 have been “on hold”.
Some felt desensitised to time, but change is good – and the seasons changing is visually one of the best ways for us to feel as if change has happened. It’s healthy for us to recognise that – to know that, despite the weirdness, we’re moving forwards.
Advertisement
It’s understandable, though, that you may be mourning a lost year. So if you’re feeling a little wobbly about September being here, you’re not alone. Here’s why you should embrace, not reject, the new season.
VanderWolf-Images via Getty Images You don't need to imagine throwing leaves up in the air anymore. You can actually do it
It’s easier to have a reset in autumn.
The habits we pick up as kids are habits many of us keep – and, from the age of five, September symbolised a renewal. It meant back to school; a time to start over and refocus. Many of us still think of September as an opportunity to refresh: we might not be at school, but the mentality stays the same.
It needn’t be as much as a change of job or house move – a mental reframing is plenty. One way to think about this is to mentally wind the clock forward to the end of the year, advises life and career coach Chris Cooper. Picture yourself looking back over the last few months (September to December) and ask: in order to feel satisfied with the last part of 2020, what will I need to have done?
Advertisement
For some people, this may simply be: “I’m okay with just surviving”. For others, it might mean taking a moment to reflect and consider what they want to do in the next four months. Now, set some goals around achieving that.
Take the opportunity to make small changes now and you won’t have to make something up when flocks of relatives ask you what your New Year’s Resolution is. “I made my life change in September,” you can say. Leave them to it, smug in the knowledge that you’re three months into your failed resolutions already.
It’s a season with guaranteed fun (let us explain).
FreedomMaster via Getty Images
If January is punctuated by us wondering whether we’ll get any snow, and summer by us hoping we’ll get sun, autumn is the season where we know exactly what we’re going to get: brittle leaves of every colour in warmer shades than spring – and they’re guaranteed.
They pile up, tempting us to kick them, returning us to memories of childhood. Look forward to looking up more than you would in any other season, to admire the way the shapes of the trees change without their cloaks, or enjoy the surprise of a few sunny days for one last iconic lockdown picnic.
Advertisement
The next time you go for a park walk with a friend who’s feeling like they’ve lost a year to the virus, get them to appreciate the beauty of autumn around them. The crisp air, the leaves, the conkers. You could even try the mindful activity of counting colours on your walk – sure to keep you in the moment.
dpa/picture alliance via Getty I Chestnuts are another autumn highlight
It’s time to get cosy on the sofa, with loads to keep you busy.
If summer was the season to talk about holidays (then not actually going for fear of a quarantine), autumn’s the time to ditch the idea of leaving the sofa entirely.
A raft of exciting shows and films will be on your screens over the next few months – and it’s time to get excited. There’s the return of Strictly Come Dancing, with its first ever same-sex couple featuring Olympic boxer Nicola Adams, and the new TV drama from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino: We Are Who We Are.
Franco Origlia via Getty Images No Time To Die is out this autumn
Advertisement
Also putting on a show to alleviate the stresses of the pandemic is I’m Thinking Of Ending Things, a new drama by Being John Malkovich creator Charlie Kaufman. There’s the return of Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman 1984, and Tenet, with comedy moments from R-Patz and Kenneth Branagh.
Oh, and Bond, James Bond, returns for Daniel Craig’s final outing in No Time To Die this November. Find out more about this autumn’s best releases in Good Vibes Only.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--'Can We Have A Quick Chat?' The Office Phrase We Definitely Don't Miss

If you’re still working from home, there are things you may miss about the office (no, not the “proper bants” or “weird carpets”) – rather, the tea rounds, gossips with colleagues, friendly lunch breaks, and people to bounce ideas off.
There are, however, things we’ve all been happy to go without. And there hasn’t been a harder collective relate than when fellow journalist Mollie Goodfellow tweeted about that dreaded question: “Can we have a quick chat?”
tell you what I do miss the adrenaline rush of being in a office and being asked if I have time for a quick chat by a superior with no context — Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) September 2, 2020
Advertisement
You know the moment, when an office superior comes up to your desk – or slides into your chat on Slack – totally unannounced – and asks if you have a spare five minutes. No heads-up. Sudenly, you’re headed straight into an “informal” chat with your manager, sending your anxiety into overdrive.
Why do we dread it so much? The question itself is fairly innocuous, but occupational psychologist, Maria Paviour, owner of Cari Wellbeing, admits its one of her biggest “pet peeves”.
“It’s a neutral phrase that’s not neutral,” she explains. “The recipient doesn’t know whether it’s about something positive or negative, so they’ll automatically assume it’s negative. That’s how our brains are programmed.”
When we hear those two words “quick chat”, there’s likely to be a surge of chemical change which brings up stress hormones – and that starts to make you feel anxiety, she says. We’ll automatically think: “What have I done? What’s wrong?”
Advertisement
Later you might tell yourself it was “silly” to think you were in trouble, but that doesn’t help in the moment. Most workplaces have some element of threat associated with them, Parvour explains – for many of us, survival is dependent on bringing home money to pay our rent or mortgage, and put food on the table. So, the worst case scenario of losing our job could have dire consequences.
Not everyone avoids it though. Occupational psychologist Hayley Lewis says she even used it when she was a manager. “I think it depends on the relationship and the context as to what kind of response it creates,” she says.
“For example, you might have a manager and an employee who have a good relationship, who catch up regularly and so, for who, when the question, ‘can we have a chat?’ is said, doesn’t garner negative reactions.“ It might even signal a nice break in the daily routine and some collective time away from desk.
“Then, you might have a manager and an employee who don’t speak that often, who have a bit of a rocky relationship and therefore, when the manager asks, ‘can we have a chat?’ it feels a bit more threatening.”
Advertisement
There are tweaks managers can make, says Paviour. Coming over and making eye contact with you and asking you how you’re doing, before saying they need to chat to you about something can feel that little bit less daunting. “Or, contexualise it,” adds Paviour. “They could say, ’I’ve got a couple of things I need to chat to you about, just to do with X and X. Don’t worry we can sort it, shall we have a quick chat?”
Tone of voice plays its part, too, adds Lewis. “If the manager says it with a sense of urgency and seems in a bad mood then that is going to make the innocuous ‘can we have a chat?’ feel like a threat. If it’s said with a smile and warmth because it’s just a catch-up, then that has a very different impact.”
If the question makes you feel fearful, there’s likely to be something wrong with the working relationship – and it’s best to bring up these issues with your manager.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Am I Making You Uncomfortable? 20 Lessons We Learned From Our Podcast

Listen to our weekly podcast Am I Making You Uncomfortable? about women’s health, bodies and private lives. Available on Spotify, Apple, Audioboom and wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Ever wondered why we actually have discharge, if you can get addicted to vibrators and why you find it hard to resist a glass of wine?
Advertisement
You need to listen to Am I Making You Uncomfortable? HuffPost UK’s weekly podcast on women’s health, bodies and private lives.
Against our better judgement, we launched the podcast in lockdown and have been joined by the most knowledgeable (and downright funny) guests every week since. We’ve covered everything from porn to periods, discussing women’s complex identities in relation to work, motherhood, money and friendship in between. There have been plenty of laughs, but also a lot of lessons.
We’re taking a short break before season two resumes later this autumn, but until then, here are 20 things we learned during season one. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts – and be sure to tell your friends.
Westend61 via Getty Images
Advertisement
1. Blame the billboards for negative body image
We kicked off the series by talking about body image in lockdown – and why we sometimes feel negatively about ourselves, even though we think we should “know better”.
Body image and mental health campaigner Natasha Devon explained negative thoughts can sneak into our brains via what we see on the high street.
“Your unconscious brain learns through repetition, whether that’s words, images, or experiences,” she said. “So let’s say you’re walking down a street and you pass a bus stop with a diet advert on it and then a row of magazines and you see a billboard with a very conventionally attractive woman on it. And then you pass two people discussing how they’re going to go on a diet. And then maybe you pass a gym and your unconscious brain is drinking in from that idea that you’re not good enough and that you need to be changed.”
2. There’s a reason for vaginal discharge
Dr Anita Mitra, aka Gynae Geek, taught us that vaginal discharge is more than an inconvenience. It’s actually pretty cool when you know what it’s for.
“It’s a kind of mucus that you find in your vagina that comes from the cervix and also from the walls of the vagina,” Dr Mitra explained. “It contains lots of protective compounds like peptides. They are little proteins that we actually call natural antibiotics and they protect us from bacterial infections and from viruses. You also need discharge to actually allow sperm to swim through the vagina, up through the cervix, to meet the egg. It’s got so many crucial roles.”
Advertisement
3. You don’t need to worry about vibrators
One of the most common questions sex educator Alix Fox is asked about masturbation is whether there’s any risk of addiction or damage when using a vibrator.
“It would be extremely difficult to create lasting nerve damage by buzzing the fuzz, so don’t worry too much about that,” she reassured listeners. “Having said that, if you are repeatedly relying on particularly powerful sex toys – you know the ones that you plug into the mains and your lights dip and your energy bill goes through the roof, like the ones I prefer – your body can start to get used to a very intense form of stimulation.
“That does not mean that you and your poon are ruined forevermore. It just means that you need to maybe wind that down, take a step back for a few weeks and learn to rely on your digit rather than your widgets and your gadgets for a bit.”
4. We have complicated relationships with our nipples
In episode four we explored our changing relationships with our nipples and heard from lots of our listeners, whether that was about nipples post-cancer, nipples post-breastfeeding or nipples post-piercing.
We also heard from several people who said the only nipples that are remotely normalised in the media belong to white, cisgender women.
Advertisement
“I guess the first time I realised that I even had nipples was when I was about 10 and getting changed in the school changing room. And one of the other girls was quite shocked by the appearance of my nipples and asked me why they were so dark,” one listener told us.
“I think that was my first realisation, not only that that felt uncomfortable (someone else commenting on your body) but perhaps also the one of the first realisations that I wasn’t white, and that was one of the more prominent markers of that as I’m a white-passing, mixed-race person. And I think that that experience probably did mean that I carried certain prejudices towards my own breasts moving into adulthood.”
5. There’s a lot of stereotyping in porn
Sex educator Sangeeta Pillai told us she’s not against porn as a concept – and believes it can boost your solo sex life or relationship if consumed in the right way. But, she said, the industry needs to stop racial stereotyping.
“I think the issue is that already as brown or black women, we’re already occupying really small spaces. And then when you get into porn, those boxes become smaller,” she said. “Particularly if you’re South Asian, you’re meant to be the submissive, good wife material that we’re trained all our lives to be. It doesn’t capture who we are and it is a particular kind of fetishisation, I think, which is not healthy.
“The other thing is I have yet to see a South Asian couple on porn, on any porn film that looks anything like my experience or anywhere that I recognise myself.”
Advertisement
6. Motherhood shifts your identity
You can lose yourself in the early years of motherhood, guests Candice Brathwaite and Kate Everall told us in episode six. But give it time and you might prefer the new you.
“I haven’t found myself again. It’s just a new self. And, to be honest, I’m not embarrassed of the woman I was before my kids, but I see them as really separate entities,” said Brathwaite.
“There are just some risks now or things I did back then that I just wouldn’t do now because I have a responsibility to another two humans here. And, actually, I prefer this version. She’s more measured. She’s calmer.”
Jena Ardell via Getty Images
Everall added: “I feel as my son has got older he’s made my activism for gay rights a lot stronger, because actually I’m seeing the effects of the inequalities on him. You know, he’s not represented in the media, in children’s books.
Advertisement
“So actually, by becoming a mother, I’ve seen things that still need to be done in society whereas before I had a very almost rudimentary outlook on what was needed. But actually, since having him, I’ve been able to improve on that and other things.”
7. Vaginismus isn’t just about sex
Lisa Mackenzie, from the Vaginismus Network, taught us that the condition – which causes the vaginal muscles to involuntarily tighten – affects millions of people around the world.
“For some women, they can’t insert the tip of their finger, a tampon, a moon cup. It makes cervical smear tests incredibly difficult or traumatic,” she said. “So it’s definitely penetration more broadly. I think that’s an important point to remember actually, because people often think it’s just about sex and that’s the only way it’s impacting. But it’s definitely more broader than that.”
8. It’s a myth that women are prone to overspending
Women do not get into debt because we love shopping, said Josie Warner, from the debt charity StepChange. In fact, men are more likely to have higher debts on credit cards and other credit products, while women are more likely to be behind on household bills.
The majority of those who approach the charity do so due to “environmental and economical” reasons, such as being caregivers, being more likely to be on insecure work contracts and suffering the gender pay gap.
Advertisement
9. You don’t have to accept heavy periods
“You think you’ve got heavy periods, you have heavy periods, and telling somebody, you don’t have heavy periods because you don’t bleed enough, that’s not that helpful,” said Dr Brooke Vandermolen in episode nine, adding that women should visit their GP.
“I think if you find the bleeding is too much for you, it affects your everyday life, then you can seek help for that.”
Brbara Traver Lpez De Ayala / EyeEm via Getty Images
10. Infertility is overlooked
At the series halfway point, we spoke about the NHS IVF postcode lottery and the impact this – and infertility in general – has on women.
“The strain that IVF and infertility places on someone is enormous. The mental health impact I’ve had over the past six years is something I never expected to happen to me,” one listener told us. “The isolation, the loss of identity, feeling incomplete as a woman. Infertility being overlooked by so many as a medical condition. The hours, days, weeks, months and years waiting for blood tests, scan results, phone calls. I don’t know who I am anymore without IVF.”
Advertisement
11. It’s possible to reframe envy
Envy is an ugly and embarrassing emotion, but in episode 11, comparison coach Lucy Sheridan taught us how to reframe envy as inspiration. By recognising it proactively, envy can help us realise what we want in life – then make a plan to get it, she said.
“Let yourself feel it,” she added. ”[Ask] ‘what is this telling me? What’s really going on here? What’s my insight?’ But allow yourself to feel it. There’s nothing to fear, it can’t hurt you. It’s just you.”
12. We see alcohol as a treat
Anjula Mutanda, social scientist and relationship psychologist, taught us that women are catching up men when it comes to drinking. She believes we’ve all been conditioned to see it as a “treat”.
“Think about that coming of age, it’s your 18th. It’s your 21st. It’s your wedding anniversary. It’s your bar mitzvah. Whatever it is, we’ve got, ‘Hey, let’s get the alcohol out,’ because it feels like it’s something that brings people together. It’s a celebration, isn’t it?” she said. “And a couple of units, and it’s a celebration because we get a little bit warmed up, feel a little bit looser, the heart races a little bit, the blood vessels open. We feel that warm glow, get a little bit more chatty. So we feel a little bit more sociable.”
13. Social anxiety isn’t the same as shyness
Social anxiety is “where people suffer an overwhelming sense of fear or dread, about any kind of situation where they are going to meet other people” explained psychotherapist Lucy Beresford in episode 13. It’s very different to shyness.
Advertisement
“Social anxiety becomes very overwhelming, very crippling. It gets in the way of all sorts of activities, like trying to get another job, or dating,” she added. “Shyness is more of a personality trait. It’s something that sometimes never goes, but it doesn’t necessarily preoccupy them to quite the same degree that social anxiety does.”
14. There’s no logical reason for the orgasm gap
There’s a common belief that it’s easier to orgasm if you have a penis, but in episode 14, sex educator Portia Brown told us this just isn’t true. In her words, if you can’t find the clitoris “you’re probably not looking for it”.
“There are people that still believe that it’s harder for people with vulvas to achieve orgasm, or that women have to have some sort of crazy emotional, psychological connection in order to achieve orgasm,” she added. “There’s a lot of shame about women that seek pleasure, that own sex toys, that demand that their partners pleasure them in the way that they want to be pleasured and not in this weird way that men have been told that women’s bodies work. Needless to say, none of that is true.”
15. We are not defined by our jobs
We explored the question “who am I without my job?” in episode 15, at a time when many will be facing furlough, redundancy or unemployment. Career coach Emily Liou taught us the first step in dealing with job loss is learning there’s nothing shameful about it, because it doesn’t define you.
“In my opinion, starts with getting comfortable with understanding it’s okay to not have a title. It’s okay to have that status of unemployment. In the immediate term, I think it’s really important to have that healing process,” she said.
Advertisement
“A lot of job seekers feel like, ‘Well, I must’ve done something wrong. It must have been me because I was the one laid off from the company.’ But we have to understand the economic climate. And there are some things that are just beyond our control.”
16. Friendship therapy is ‘a thing’
We chatted about the (platonic) one that got away in episode 16 and learned that, yes, friendship therapy exists. Aminatou Sow, who co-hosts the Call Your Girlfriend podcast, told us about her experience of attending therapy with her long-term, long-distance friend Ann Friedman.
“We entered this period of a couple of years where we really missing each other and we were mis-communicating,” said Sow, who’s based in New York, while Friedman lives in California. “There were a lot of things that were left unsaid, and I think that the overwhelming feeling for both of us was really like: ‘Is she doing that on purpose? What’s going on here?’ The friendship itself was becoming increasingly more fraught because there were so many things we were not talking about to each other.”
Luis Alvarez via Getty Images
17. Perimenopause is more than hot flushes
We heard from listeners about their experience of perimenopause – the transitional period before menopause – in episode 17. The two main takeaways were that it can start younger than you think (possibly in your thirties) and is about way more than hot flushes.
Advertisement
“The thing that surprised me most about the perimenopause: it’s not just night sweats and hot flushes, it’s all the other symptoms that go with it,” one listener told us. “For me it’s the anxiety, I thought I was going insane. I keep
forgetting things, my mood is so low, I felt exhausted. My skin was dry, my hair was dry, everything is dry. And that’s the thing that really did surprise me the most.”
18. As many women cheat as men
The cheating gender gap has closed and in episode 18, we discuss why women now cheat as frequently as men. Therapist Miranda Christophers believes our access to work lives and technology is partly behind the stats.
“It’s a lot easier from that point of view to have an affair now, to be able to
text somebody to be able to arrange a rendezvous, to be able to flirt, to meet somebody on Instagram or to rekindle an old relationship with an old school friend,” she said. “All of these things are so much more accessible and I think for women today. And I think for some women it is about really looking at situations and thinking if men are able to do something, then women are too.”
19. There isn’t enough support for incontinence
One in three women experience urinary incontinence, but in episode 19 we heard heartbreaking stories from listeners, some of whom have been struggling for more than 20 years.
“I am 49-years-old. I have suffered with stress and urge incontinence since the birth of my son 20 years ago,” one listener told us. “It’s been pretty horrendous, actually embarrassing. Always having to think about, if I’m out somewhere, I need to be near a toilet, I need to make sure I go to the toilet before I leave anywhere. And there have been times when I have wet proper wet myself, which is mortifying.”
Advertisement
20. Body hair is political
In the series finale, we discuss how the policing of body hair from a young age limits all women – with women of colour and trans women (two already marginalised groups) often under the most scrutiny.
“It really benefits society for us to have these imagined two genders, where there’s women and there’s men, right? We know that that’s not true. We
know that there are loads of intersex people who exist across the binary. There are trans people. There’s a lot going on there: gender’s much more complicated than that. But body hair is one of the most successful ways of enforcing that division. Policing that gender,” said our guest Aisha Mirza.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--I Live In My Van And Covid-19 Has Changed My Life In Ways You Haven't Even Considered

Logan Foll/Foll Exposures Priestley and her dog, Mona Lisa, enjoy living in their 60-square-foot home.
If my first year of living in my van had been as hard as my second year has been, I probably would have ditched it for sticks and bricks.
My shift into #vanlife was a few years in the making. I’d first learned about living in a vehicle in 2011 after meeting a friend who lived in a tiny sedan with a big husky. I immediately added it to my bucket list. For the next few years, I did all the research, the test-driving, and began downsizing, but then found that either a job or a partner made it “inconvenient” to live on the road. In December of 2017, I decided enough was enough. In 2018, I was going to find the van.
Advertisement
I test-drove my first van in January, starting to get rid of everything I owned immediately, and bought my current home in August. I spent the next six months tearing it apart and putting it back together.
I moved into my 1997 Ford E-350 on January 1, 2019, and I had the usual challenges associated with drastic minimising, living in 60 square feet, and having a home that needs regular mechanic visits.
I no longer have running water or endless electricity. Rationing both and prioritising necessities over luxuries is a balancing act. Ensuring that I park just so to give my solar panel as much sun as it can soak up is a new part of my routine.
Finding a different place to sleep every night became a top priority and I had to learn how to vet places using the technology and resources available to me prior to arrival, as well as trusting my gut when I landed someplace new. This particular challenge was compounded by the fact that I needed to ensure my temporary home had enough cell service that I could do my work as a freelance writer, or be near a cafe to commute to in the mornings.
Advertisement
There were both big and small challenges associated with relying on the weather for the first time and learning the limitations of the van and myself. But even with all the newness and struggle, it was largely a positive, empowering year.
2020 has been… different.
Covid-19 has ended many lives. It has also disrupted the lives of the living in a big way ― millions have been furloughed or laid off, while others are working more than ever. Some have had to cancel their weddings, while others transitioned to socially distanced Zoom ceremonies. My stationary friends have postponed international travel and are exploring their hometowns.
But my road friends and I? We’re dealing with a host of totally different problems.
In some ways, #vanlife is looking more and more appealing ― move into a van and drive away from the pandemic’s impacts! Wake up next to a beautiful alpine lake with no neighbours in sight! Never wear a mask again, don’t worry about germs, and watch a postcard-worthy sunset every night!
It’s not as easy as it may seem. While choosing this lifestyle is a huge privilege, it comes with hurdles beyond the Instagram-able exotic location or lounging in a bikini.
As a vanner, I spend most of my time living on public lands. I love a good Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management camp spot and finding private clearings with cell service can be a gold nugget you never want to let go of.
Advertisement
Since most people are sick of being cooped up inside their homes, they’re flocking to the wilderness. Some developed campsites are still closed due to COVID-19 precautions and the dispersed camping is being used to within an inch of its limits. Many of my favourite spots are now overrun with locals trying to get a taste of freedom.
I certainly don’t blame them, but my tiny slice of camp-able space with enough cell service to do my job is getting smaller and smaller. Many times this year I’ve been forced to drive up to six extra hours in a single day to find available spots or have been relegated to the less-glamorous Walmart or rest area when none were found.
Logan Foll/Foll Exposures Behind the wheel is Priestley's favorite place to be.
Full-time nomads also rely on services like rec centers and gyms to maintain our hygiene. When gyms were shut down country-wide, our hair got greasier. Instead of showering every few days, now I’m lucky if I wash my hair once a week.
Baby wipes to clean my body and a solar shower (basically a black plastic bag with a hose and shower nozzle on the end) are my solution. The solar shower has no pressure except for what gravity can provide which means my products don’t rinse well. I also don’t want to rinse any chemicals directly onto the ground, so my cleansers have switched from natural-ish shampoo and conditioner to items that will impact the environment less, such as baking soda, Dr. Bronner’s and apple cider vinegar. I know a lot of other vanners have opted to pay for short-term rentals or hotel rooms to get their necessary clean time, or found generous friends who let them use their facilities.
Advertisement
For vanners like myself who rely on the internet in order to do our jobs, the closure of cafes, breweries and libraries has been a huge adjustment. Our cell plans, even if they are touted to be “unlimited” are actually awfully limited and don’t give us enough juice to do all the things we need to do. If we have been lucky enough to keep or pivot our jobs, the internet has become an even bigger necessity and much harder to find.
To remedy this problem, I purchased an additional grandfathered-in unlimited phone plan from the days when “unlimited” actually meant that. I also invested in a signal booster that increases the cell signal in any given location. This means that I still have to find cell service in all my campsites, but I have a bit more freedom as to how. I’m no longer tethered to towns and their public Wi-Fi.
We live on the road by choice, but we aren’t all hermits who want to live in the mountains alone. Last year there were rubber tramp events (gatherings of people who live on wheels) happening on an almost monthly basis and this year they’ve all been canceled. Massive pilgrimages have been postponed indefinitely including a big caravan from Baja to Alaska. All of our plans crumbled.
We have to balance putting ourselves at risk by traveling with the need to conduct our regular lives and find some semblance of normal and kinship. I can’t refill my water, my gas tank, or my emotional reserves by sitting still and sheltering in place. My shelter moves and I’m largely in it, but the “place” part of the equation is more fluid out of sheer necessity.
Logan Foll/Foll Exposures Although small, Priestley's home-on-wheels has everything she needs to be comfortable and productive.
Advertisement
Living on the road this year has been a full-on adventure, just not the one I planned to have. In a lot of ways, we are uniquely prepared for pandemics and self-sustainability. We’re used to finding creative solutions to problems like “where to go when everything is closed.” We know where to go to lose the crowds and my version of stay-at-home is more flexible because my home is more flexible. Being self-contained and resilient in uncertain times is kind of our M.O.
But before you sell everything you own to move into a van and “ditch the pandemic,” consider all the pros and cons of this remote lifestyle.
There are plenty of perks to living in a stationary, sticks-and-bricks house. Being able to take a shower anytime? Especially on hot days after you’ve exercised? Killer. Having a fridge that has enough space for all your produce and ice cream? Sounds like a dream. Endless electricity when the seasons are calling for rain and clouds and cold? That’d be awesome.
In light of all the challenges 2020 has brought me and how many times I’ve considered selling the van to move into a house on a foundation, I’m still more content living in my van than I would be in any apartment or house. If I can handle living in a van during a global pandemic, I can handle living in a van during any other precedented or unprecedented time. The dog and I are more committed than ever to figuring out how to live our own best lives and, right now, that means we live on wheels.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal.
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Back-To-School Hasn't Solved The Giant Women-Shaped Hole In Our Childcare System

LOADING ERROR LOADING
School’s back. And breathe... but only if you have a school-age child, some wraparound care, and a flexible employer.
For every other working parent, the struggle and juggle remains.
Like everything during this pandemic, each step into and out of lockdown has both amplified existing inequalities and uncovered new inequalities. With schools returning for all pupils, and debates raging on remote working and office boundaries; access to childcare has once again been thrust into the spotlight.
Advertisement
Last week, the TUC highlighted that two in five working mothers with children under 10 did not have access to the childcare they needed despite schools and nurseries reopening.
For some, this is because breakfast and after school clubs now need parents to commit to regular slots, whereas pre-Covid there may have been more flexibility.
For others, the network of family and friends they relied on may be under pressure to balance their own work with caring commitments; and some grandparents may feel like there is an increased risk with infection rates on the rise.
Since March, research on parenting during a pandemic has consistently shown mothers are shouldering a majority of the childcare and home-schooling responsibilities, with many also on the front line of care and at risk of redundancy.
Advertisement
This will almost certainly remain the case especially as the government’s furlough scheme comes to an end in October and local lockdowns loom. It is unlikely that new research will show anything other than a growing
gender gap for working mothers exacerbated by the lack of childcare.
Hopeful that parents will simply return to their previous working habits and patterns, the government still fails to recognise that childcare is a vital part of society’s social infrastructure. New research by the IFS on the childcare market shows a sector in financial trouble, with little certainty of parent demand bouncing back. The government’s furlough scheme and the decision to continue to fund childcare places has mitigated against more severe losses for some providers, but the sector is struggling.
Much of this is not new. The childcare market is volatile and unstable. Funding is a patchy and complex combination of parental fees, government funding of places and tax relief. There are persistent challenges of accessibility and affordability at the best of times.
On the face of it, options to support the sector are like other sectors – either reduce costs through redundancies or rent, or increase prices in this case for parents.
But childcare is not like other sectors. Cutting costs by reducing staff generally equates to a loss of staff with higher levels of qualifications. The risk is to children’s educational and social well-being and progress, a risk we simply cannot afford. And increasing costs would lock many more mothers – especially those who are low paid – out of work. According to the international evidence, “affordable” childcare is 10% to 15% of take-home pay.
Advertisement
In the UK, parents are paying more like 30%, and for single parents this can often rise to 50%. The cost of childcare for children under three continues to rise faster than inflation – the average cost for a part-time nursery place for a two-year old is £131 a week, adding up to £6,800 a year.
For the growing number of Universal Credit claimants, having to pay childcare costs upfront and then be reimbursed by the Job Centre was already creating administrative and practical barriers to mothers (re-)entering work. Parents need to have the cash available – often before receiving their first pay cheque – and there have been numerous accounts of provider receipts not being suitable for reimbursement.
And so, policies need to be different on funding, provision and flexibility. There is merit in revisiting previous ideas – for example, to move away from tax relief that tends to be regressive and towards a system that funds high-quality places instead. This “supply side” model works in other countries to produce high-quality affordable childcare provision.
But change won’t be sustainable if it is only focused on central government funding. Like every sector, there is also an opportunity for new ideas to flourish. Local authorities and providers, together with parents, are key to carving out new solutions. It is tricky with “meantime” solutions needing to be developed alongside more sustainable change.
Childcare needs a fine balance between continuity and quality for children with affordability and accessibility for parents. Could a different funding and business model provide opportunities for parents to book additional hours once they receive their rota? A pay-as-you-go or subscription model? The ability to access weekend provision in their preferred high-quality nursery or childminder?
Advertisement
In addition to a core universal offer, could this better match supply and demand, opening up employment opportunities for mothers, and moving to higher occupancy levels for providers? And for children – stability and continuity of education and care?
Like many of the responses during the pandemic, this is complex.
But high childcare costs, patchy provision and a volatile sector are not inevitable – they never have been. They have always been a political choice.
Dr Dalia Ben-Galim is a policy and research consultant.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--More Than Half A Million Jobs At Risk In Tory ‘Red Wall’ Seats If Furlough Axed Completely

LOADING ERROR LOADING
More than half a million jobs are at risk in Tory “Red Wall” areas of England if Boris Johnson goes ahead with a blanket withdrawal of the furlough scheme, new figures have shown.
Conservative MPs representing 107 seats won from Labour in the 2019 election in the north and midlands had just over 650,000 people still fully furloughed by their employer in the middle of August, according to a fresh analysis by Labour.
Advertisement
This means 44 per cent of workers in these constituencies who were moved onto the Government’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme (CJRS) in the early phase of the Covid-19 crisis remain fully furloughed by their employer over four months later.
Around 9.5 million roles have been supported by the furlough scheme since March, but it will be removed entirely at the end of October.
Ahead of a Commons debate on Wednesday, shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said that the Tory MPs could “do the right thing” in backing a Labour motion to target extensions of the scheme.
Labour’s motion for today’s Opposition Day Debate calls on the government to introduce targeted income support to businesses and self-employed people in the sectors of the economy hit hardest hit by the virus, and in areas of the country placed under local restrictions due to rising rates of infection.
Advertisement
HuffPost UK understands that the party is set to target Facebook ads at voters in each Red Wall seat if their MP fails to back its motion.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The party’s figures - based on the latest ONS statistics - also show that almost 400,000 people in the same constituencies had made claims under the Coronavirus Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) by the end of July.
But chancellor Rishi Sunak is pushing ahead with his blanket withdrawal of both the CJRS and SEISS schemes across the entire economy by the end of October.
Dodds said: “It’s clear the Chancellor is too stubborn to admit he’s got this wrong. The 2019 Tory intake have the power to force a U-turn on the furlough cliff-edge before it’s too late for the people they represent.
Advertisement
“They should do the right thing and vote to extend income support for jobs and businesses in the hardest-hit sectors and areas under local restrictions.”
However, the government won backing for its current plans from Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane who told a City AM podcast: “Ever elongating the coronavirus job retention scheme would not allow the necessary process of adjustment to take place.”