thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--No Child Can Learn While They Are Hungry

Girls eating lunch together in classroom Jose Luis Pelaez Inc via Getty Images
Being a parent with two small children is challenging at the best of times. Being cooped up with two small children during lockdown, however, has been a whole new ballgame. One thing I have thankfully never had to worry about is whether I would have enough food to be able to feed my children.
During lockdown, I’ve often thought about a conversation I had with a young constituent of mine called Rebecca, who told me about her three children and how school lunches are often the only proper meals they get in a day. Rebecca described how inadequate she feels as a mother when her children pester her for food, and how she prays every night that one of their friends will invite them over for dinner. I can’t imagine what the Covid-19 crisis must have done to a family that was already struggling to make ends meet.
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Free school meals, which are offered to around 1.3 million children in low incomes families, are designed to stop children in exactly these circumstances going hungry. When schools closed to most children in March, the government had the good sense to continue providing free school meal support at home through vouchers and other schemes. After initial reluctance, ministers extended this over the Easter holiday and May half-term.
There have been problems with the voucher scheme which I have been urging Ministers to sort out, but there is no doubt that this support has been a lifeline for so many families like Rebecca’s. Food insecurity has doubled in this pandemic, and we know that more than 200,000 children have skipped meals that their parents couldn’t afford to pay for. I dread to think about the fact that this is only going to get worse over summer as the full economic impact of Covid-19 starts to bite.
Yet the government has said that it won’t continue funding free school meals over the summer. Do they not realise the impact that this callous decision will have on the poorest children in our society? If the prospect of many thousands of children going hungry wasn’t bad enough, this decision will also set back the education of the most disadvantaged children who have already suffered from school closures. No child can learn while they are hungry.
The huge job and income losses we’ve seen in recent months will have substantially increased the number of children who should be getting free school meals. There are also many more parents who are not technically eligible for the benefit but are facing food insecurity in this crisis, as well as over 500,000 children who do qualify but have not been accessing this help. We should be debating how to make sure support reaches all those who are struggling, rather than scrambling to pull the plug on the schemes we already have.
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A lot of tragedy has occurred across the country this year. People have lost jobs, income and loved ones. We have a responsibility as public servants to ensure that the well-being and health of our children is not damaged further. To prevent further tragedy, I would urge the government to take a leaf out of the Welsh Labour government’s book. They’ve committed £33m of funding to ensure that school food programmes will continue over summer.
250,000 people have now signed a petition calling on the Prime Minister to do the same in England. I hope he’ll listen to them before thousands more children go hungry.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--What are ‘Travel Corridors’ And How Might They Affect Your Holiday?

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You’re reading our series Summer’s Not Cancelled, where we celebrate summer in this new normal. From rediscovering nature and cherishing time with friends and family, to virtual festivals and unforgettable staycations – summer’s still here, it’s just different.
The UK government is currently in talks with ministers and officials from other countries about potentially opening up ‘travel corridors’ to allow British holidaymakers to travel abroad without the need to quarantine.
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Popular tourist destinations including Greece, Turkey, and Spain are keen to adopt this proposal, which would let British holidaymakers travel to European resorts least affected by the coronavirus pandemic from July.
The UK’s new coronavirus quarantine system requires most arrivals from abroad – bar a handful of exemptions – to self-isolate for two weeks when they get to the UK. They must also fill out a public health form, give the authorities their contact details and the address of their accommodation where they will isolate.
In England, any breaches will result in £1,000 fines and police are allowed to use ‘reasonable force’ to ensure travellers are following the rules. Failure to complete the locator form is also punishable by a £100 fixed penalty notice.
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So, what exactly are travel corridors?
‘Travel corridors’, ‘transport corridors’, or ‘air bridges’ would allow passengers to travel on certain routes to and from countries with low Covid-19 infection rates without the need quarantine when they return to the UK.
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However, this plan potentially overlooks individual reciprocal agreements with destination countries and the need to protect the public from high-risk arrivals.
“We will only open up air bridges when it is safe to do so and there will be more on that on the review period on June 29,” transport secretary Grant Shapps has said. “We are talking to airlines and talking to airports and will talk to other countries about it, but the basic principle must be that we don’t end up in a second wave situation.”
When can I potentially travel again?
There have been calls from the travel industry and politicians for ‘travel corridors’ to be introduced by the end of June.
Spain will re-open its borders to some visitors from June 21, while all Greek airports will re-open from July 1, welcoming visitors on international flights – including UK ones – with random testing for all arrivals.
British holidaymakers are still advised against all non-essential foreign travel.
Nuthawut Somsuk via Getty Images
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When will flights resume?
The vast majority of operations have been grounded since the start of the UK lockdown. Some airlines have completely suspended their timetables, while others are still flying, but on a skeleton schedule.
EasyJet will resume flights as of June 15, operating mostly domestic flights. The airline hopes to avoid any government-imposed travel restrictions for arriving passengers.
Ryanair will continue to operate its limited flight schedule and reintroduce 40% of its flights from July 1, while fellow low-cost carrier Jet2 has delayed resuming flights and package holidays from July 15.
Virgin Atlantic is set to kickstart a handful of routes from July 20, with more to follow in August.
British Airways is also aiming to re-open and run at a 50% capacity from July.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--A Minute Of Kindness: Letters Of Thanks To Key Workers

A Minute Of Kindness: Letters Of Thanks To Key Workers
Soumya Krishnakumar’s social enterprise, The Crisis Project, is helping key workers with messages of support written by volunteers to help spread kindness and positivity during the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Drag Race Canada Is Coming To The BBC After Filming On New UK Series Was Paused

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The second UK series of RuPaul’s Drag Race may be on hold thanks to a certain virus, but the BBC has the perfect thing to tie fans over.
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The broadcaster has announced it has acquired the exclusive rights to the Canadian version, which will be airing on BBC Three this summer.
Much like the original and UK equivalents, 12 of the best drag queens from Canada’s vibrant drag scene will compete for the title of Canada’s First Drag Superstar in a number of challenges and runways.
RuPaul on Drag Race UK BBC
However, there will be one noticeable difference – RuPaul won’t be on the judging panel.
Instead, Drag Race series 11 contestant Brooke Lynn Hytes, model and LGBTQ activist Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and supermodel and TV personality Stacey McKenzie will be the three permanent judges, with a guest joining them each week.
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Ru will make cameo appearances, though, delivering RuMail to the queens, while fellow judge Michelle Visage will also appear as a guest judge.
Brooke Lynn Hytes will sit on the judging panel Chelsea Guglielmino via Getty Images
The series will begin airing on BBC Three from 3 July, in the same week that each new episode debuts in Canada.
RuPaul said: “Canada’s Drag Race airing on BBC is further proof that self-expression, creativity and the tenacity of the human spirit resonates around the globe.”
BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell added: “We’re very excited that BBC Three will be the only place in the UK to watch the first ever Canada’s Drag Race and to be working with World of Wonder again. With a brilliant combination of contestants, judges and challenges, it has all the ingredients of a spectacularly fun series - get ready to fall in love with these Canadian Queens!”
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Filming on the second UK series of Drag Race was halted back in March when the country entered lockdown, with no word yet on when it can resume.
An All Stars series is currently airing in the US, with episodes also dropping weekly in the UK on Netflix.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--United States Air Force F15C Fighter Aircraft Crashes Into The North Sea

The F15C, a single-seater air defence fighter, is a model of jet that has been used by the US Air Force since 1979.
RAF spokesman Martin Tinworth said the aircraft has an “exceptional flight safety record”.
HM Coastguard said in a statement that it received reports of a plane “going down into the sea 74 nautical miles off Flamborough Head” on the Yorkshire coast.
“The HM Coastguard helicopter from Humberside has been sent along with Bridlington and Scarborough RNLI lifeboats,” a spokesman said.
“Following a Mayday broadcast by HM Coastguard, other vessels nearby are heading to the area.”
RAF Lakenheath is the “largest US Air Force-operated base in England and the only US air forces in Europe F15 fighter wing”, its website said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Andrew Banks Jailed For Two Weeks After Urinating Next To Keith Palmer Memorial

Banks, of Manor Road in Stansted, Essex, was captured on camera as violent clashes between far-right protesters and police took place in central London.
Wearing a white T-shirt and grey Adidas jogging bottoms, Banks admitted one count of outraging public decency at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Prosecutor Michael Mallon said the Tottenham Hotspur fan was in central London to “protect statues”, but Banks did not know which statues.
He was said to have drunk 16 pints during Friday night into Saturday morning, and had not been to sleep.
Banks contacted police after being confronted by his father, the court heard.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Are Public Toilets Open Now? It's A Mixed Picture Across England

Peter Dazeley via Getty Images
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Shops in England might have reopened, but the same can’t be said for the country’s public toilets.
The government has urged councils to open such toilets “wherever possible” – and while many have plans in place, there are also areas where facilities are not yet available and won’t be for some time.
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In Birmingham, public toilets are not expected to open until July because contractors are awaiting a delivery of PPE first, a Birmingham City Council spokesperson said.
Meanwhile Liverpool City Council said there will be a “limited number” of public toilets located at train stations and at Liverpool One’s Information Centre, adding that the number of people entering the toilets will also be limited. Information centre toilets will be closed for short periods every hour for cleaning, which will result in reduced capacity.
The lack of toilets during lockdown has proven to be problematic for certain groups of people who can’t leave the house without needing a trip to the loo.
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Women are particularly impacted – firstly because it’s difficult to urinate freely in public like men do, but also because women are more likely to face additional issues like incontinence (which impacts one in three women) and menstruation.Those who have heavy periods, for example, will struggle to simply “pee in a bush”.
A Guardian investigation found women have been taking extreme measures such as deliberately dehydrating themselves during outings in lockdown so they won’t need to relieve themselves. One pregnant woman developed a urinary tract infection after being unable to find a toilet on a trip to Hyde Park.
Lack of suitable toilet facilities also impacts those with ill health or disability, the elderly, outdoor workers, and the homeless. In some cases, it forces people to become housebound, which adversely impacts wellbeing and mental health.
The lack of available toilets poses a hygiene and public health issue, too. People have been congregating in parks and on beaches for weeks now, and relieving themselves in bushes and against trees. Some residents living near Britain’s beaches have found human faeces in nearby sand dunes. And lockdown has exacerbated what was already a growing problem.
Since 2010, nearly 700 council-run toilets have closed. A report by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) last year revealed that concern over lack of toilets – dubbed the ‘loo leash’ – put as many as one in five (20%) people off venturing out of their homes as often as they would like.
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Some councils have prioritised the reopening of public toilets. In London, Westminster City Council said that with the exception of the Broadwick Street site in Soho, all public toilets are open and operating normally. Entrance fee charges have been temporarily suspended to ensure people can access toilets and washing facilities more easily, while additional staff have been deployed to monitor cleanliness standards and deter anti-social behaviour.
In York, all public toilets have reopened with changes to the facilities including automatic flushes, automatic water and soap dispensers, replacing hand dryers with hand towels, and more regular and increased cleaning. Clear guidance will be placed in toilets such as social distancing floor stickers, advice on how to wash hands or use hand sanitiser, and instructions on not touching surfaces or handles.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “While decisions to reopen public toilets are for councils, we strongly encourage them to open wherever possible. We’ve published guidance to help them ensure facilities are safe where they are open including increasing cleaning of touch points.”
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: “Councils have been working hard to make sure high streets and town centres are safe for businesses and shoppers and implement measures to help communities and high streets transition to our new way of life.
“Social distancing looks set to play some part in our everyday lives for some time to come. Shop owners and businesses along with the public have a shared responsibility to follow the advice on social distancing.
“Councils will be taking individual local decisions about public toilets based on a risk assessment and whether social distancing measures can be maintained.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Strictly Come Dancing Reveals Plan To Save Group Dances As Show Navigates Coronavirus Pandemic

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Strictly Come Dancing bosses have revealed plans to save this year’s group dances, as the show attempts to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.
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A spokesperson for the show has confirmed producers are considering isolating the cast of professional dancers so that they can continue to film the much-loved routines.
A report in The Sun suggested that the pros could be asked to isolate together in a hotel for two weeks, before pre-recording a batch of group dances in a small studio with skeleton crew to then be aired across the series.
Strictly Come Dancing is due to return to our screens in September BBC
Responding to the claims, a rep told the paper: “The BBC and the entire Strictly family are working hard to ensure everyone can enjoy some much needed Strictly sparkle later this year.
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“Our professional dancers are set to start rehearsing remotely at the end of July. As we continue to follow the latest guidance from Public Health England and industry guidelines, we are considering isolating the dancers and key production members to enable our much-loved group numbers to continue.
“We’re incredibly proud of our professional dancers for their dedication to the show and their commitment to showcasing their love of dance to the nation.
“The safety of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance to us and further updates will be made in due course.”
The group dances are a much-loved aspect of the show BBC/Guy Levy
The series is due to kick off in September, but the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing rules have presented the show with a number of challenges.
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The BBC’s entertainment boss Kate Phillips recently said that “inevitably things are going to change” on the show, with a question mark hanging over the live studio audience.
“When you look at something like [RuPaul’s] Drag Race, which is a big shiny floor talent competition with all sorts of catwalks, singing, dancing, impressions – it never has an audience,” she said during her Edinburgh TV Festival talk.
“The audience is the four judges and I don’t think it suffers from that at all. I think it is a brilliant show.”
Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s director of content, did confirm to The Times (£) that bosses were considering various other safeguarding measures, including testing participants’ temperatures and installing glass divides inside the studio “so that people feel even more protected”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--All The Places You Now Need To Wear A Face Mask

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People are now required by law to wear face coverings when travelling on public transport in England and Scotland – and those without one could land themselves a £100 fine or being turned away.
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The aim of face coverings is to reduce the spread of coronavirus. By wearing a mask, you’re protecting other people from your germs – and by them wearing one, they’re protecting you. This is known as source control.
While there has been debate over how effective mask-wearing is – particularly as people are encouraged to wear face coverings rather than the medical grade masks used as PPE among healthcare professionals – the UK government has concluded that there is some benefit to wearing them.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said face coverings on public transport can provide some “small additional protection” to fellow passengers and help people avoid spreading the virus if they’re asymptomatic – where they have the virus, but don’t have any symptoms.
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All Royalty-Free licenses include global use rights. via Getty Images
So, where do I have to wear one?
In general, face coverings are recommended by the UK government for when it’s difficult to physically distance from others.
In England, face coverings are compulsory in: shops, supermarkets, hospitals, indoor shopping centres, indoor train stations, airports, ports, and indoor bus and coach stations. The rule also applies to banks, building societies and post offices. It’s not compulsory for shop or supermarket staff to wear a covering.
It’s also compulsory to wear a face covering in takeaways. But people will be allowed to remove coverings if the place where they’ve bought food or drink has somewhere to sit down and eat.
In Scotland, it’s mandatory to wear face covers in shops and on public transport. A shop is defined as any indoor establishment which offers goods or services for sale or hire. Staff are strongly advised to wear face coverings even when 2m physical distancing is applied. Face coverings must also be worn on public transport including trains, buses, taxis and private hire vehicles, bus stations and railway stations, airports, ferry services and airline services.
They aren’t mandatory in cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, pubs, banks and building societies.
In Northern Ireland, all passengers and staff on public transport must wear a face covering. This includes: on bus, coach and train services; in public transport stations; in indoor areas of a ferry and outdoor areas where you can’t keep two metres social distance. The rule doesn’t apply to tour coaches, taxis or private hire vehicles – that said, some operators may have their own rules you should follow.
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Wearing face coverings is advised in places where you can’t easily physically distance in Wales, but is not a legal requirement. People are being asked to wear face coverings with three layers of material in situations where social distancing isn’t possible.
While shop workers will be asked to encourage compliance, retailers and businesses will not be expected to enforce them.
Those who are exempt from wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport include:
Children under the age of 11 (or under the age of 5 in Scotland)
People who have a physical or mental illness or impairment, or a disability that means they cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering.
People for whom putting on, wearing or removing a face covering would cause severe distress.
People travelling with, or providing assistance to, someone who relies on lip reading to communicate.
People travelling to avoid injury or escape the risk of harm.
If you’re using a face covering, make sure you wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and after taking it off. And avoid touching your face covering when wearing it, where possible, to avoid hand-to-mask transmission of the virus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--15 Nostalgic Realisations Everyone Had While Watching Big Brother Best Shows Ever

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Reality TV fans got a serious hit of nostalgia on Sunday night, as Big Brother staged a return to our screens.
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Original host Davina McCall and former Bit On The Side presenter Rylan Clark-Neal teamed up for the first episode of the Best Shows Ever series.
In celebration of Big Brother’s 20th anniversary, they are introducing some of the most iconic episodes in the show’s history.
They kicked things off with the ultimate TV throwback to series one, which took place in the year 2000, and the infamous unmasking of Nasty Nick.
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The scenes led to Big Brother trending at number one on Twitter on Sunday night, as fans reminisced leading to plenty of nostalgic realisations...
1. Marcus Bentley’s pared-down narration was one of the first things people noticed
Marcus before he found "his voice" #bbuk — deats (@deats) June 14, 2020
Marcus's voice does sound so different in the first one. I didn't think it was him. #BBUK — Going for the 🏆 (@Lpool_5843) June 14, 2020
2. The house’s very basic level of interior design was picked apart
Still can’t get over the prison camp decor in the #BB1 house - did they have sleeping bags for duvets? No wonder it drove Nick to such dastardly ways 😂 🗡 #BBUK — luciecave (@luciecave) June 14, 2020
The state of the bedroom! Or rather, the ‘ordinariness’ of it. Big Brother 1, in 2000. ❤❤❤ #bigbrotherbestshowsever #BBUK pic.twitter.com/1GqzDgIEki — Deirdre (@gerbilgranny) June 14, 2020
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3. It drew immediate comparisons
Why does the BB1 house bedroom look like a cheap hostel ☠ #bbuk — Jack 💖 (@jacklikethis) June 14, 2020
4. This was our particular favourite
This house was literally a portacabin filled by IKEA #BBUK — Craig Heathcote (@craigheathcote) June 14, 2020
5. The budget Diary Room bell was also remarkable for similar reasons
The doorbell from the pound shop is iconic. #bbuk — Rylan Clark-Neal (@Rylan) June 14, 2020
6. It’s broad cast of everyday people was refreshing to people so used to seeing influencers and social media stars on reality shows these days
Just shows you how real it was though. Everything is so scripted and contrived now but it was raw, actual real people. I miss that so much! #BBUK #BigBrother — ST (@StephanieTelfer) June 14, 2020
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Isn't it fantastic to see 'real' people in the house #BBUK — Yvonne Howard (@yvonnehoward37) June 14, 2020
7. An assault course for the weekly shopping task was so far removed from the tasks of latter years
God I forgot the innocence of the tasks, not an electric shock in sight #BigBrother #BBUK — Natalie Guest (@natalieguest12) June 14, 2020
Less really is more when it comes to Big Brother, that task showed that #BBUK — Josh (@sharonsballum) June 14, 2020
8. Tom and Craig’s love of short shorts brought back a lot of memories for people
Tom from BB1 in those red shorts was definitely a formative experience for teenage me. #BBUK — Nick Levine (@mrnicklevine) June 14, 2020
I'm getting flash backs to my young teenage self having 'funny feelings' for Tom in his red shorts and Craig in his white ones. 😶#BBUK — Ed (@eddo_) June 14, 2020
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Tom from series 1 #BBUK was so handsome I remember those red shorts well.. pic.twitter.com/g4aIA2mKP2 — Ben (@Medhurst87) June 14, 2020
9. The housemates’ approach to confrontation was so measured and considered, and unlike anything we ever saw in subsequent series
#BBUK Series 1 so pure they waited until the morning to have a group discussion around the table which went on for some time and they all remained incredibly calm 😂 — Kate Lawler (@katelawler) June 14, 2020
Wow watching the nasty nick BB drama:
- calm discussion
- no interruptions
- giving the accused plenty of chance to speak
- reaching a sensible ultimatum
How things have changed on tv 😂 #BBUK — Saz (@sarahlyoungy) June 14, 2020
It’s actually so nice and humbling watching people sit down and have a discussion rather than the drama of them screaming at each other and having security being called in #bbuk — H (@stuchhh) June 14, 2020
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So many great TV moments you can think of are people sitting around a table being questioned. Most of them are from dramas. This came along and was completely unscripted. The legacy of it explains itself. #BBUK — Nick Walker (@nickw84) June 14, 2020
10. Hearing Craig tell Nick he’d heard he was “plotting a very dirty plan” was goosebump inducing
"You're plotting a very dirty plan". A more iconic line has never been spoken #BBUK — Czake Republic (@JakeAlex92) June 14, 2020
11. People couldn’t get over how they were allowed to have books in there
I loved how the used to let them read books that first year of #BigBrother I get why they wouldn’t allow them in later series but it must have really helped housemates with boredom. #BBUK — Mark (@mkenn80) June 14, 2020
12. Hearing Davina introduce the house action for the first time in 10 years brought on waves of nostalgia
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I never thought I’d hear Davina say “let’s get back to the house action” in 2020. Oh the nostalgia... #BBUK — Nathan Lomax-Fay (@NathanLomaxFay) June 14, 2020
Just hearing @ThisisDavina say anything to do with Big Brother gives me the chills! #BBUK — ForeverBBUKLive (@foreverbbuklive) June 14, 2020
It feels so good @ThisisDavina talking and been apart of #BBUK again it’s like she’s never been away from the show as much as I love Emma I’d love to see Davina host it of it came back — tishaa;mariieey (@MisTintehotbabe) June 14, 2020
13. While seeing her and Rylan team up with Dermot and Emma made many BB fans’ dreams come true
I have goosebumps !!! And it is so amazing seeing Davina , Derm, Rylan and Emma together ... #BBBestShowsEver #BBUK — Chris ⚡ (@Crawford2k9) June 14, 2020
A huge Big Brother moment there - the first ever joint appearance from the show's two main double acts: Davina and Dermot, Emma and Rylan! #BBUK #CBB #SaveBBUK pic.twitter.com/eh2SWvOULm — bbspy (@bbspy) June 14, 2020
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Seeing Davina, Rylan, Dermot and Emma on screen at the same time. A moment. #bbuk — Nicole! 2.0 (@mademetoxic) June 14, 2020
14. There were many calls for Big Brother to return with a full back-to-basics series
#BigBrother was incredible in the first years of the show.
During series towards the end, #BBUK had lost its way. It carried out predictable tasks/evictions/twists simply because they’d done it all.
As much as I’d loved to see it return, if it did, it must go back to basics! — Grant Rivers 🏳🌈 (@SnowAndBeach) June 14, 2020
I don't even think it's possible. But if Channel 4 were to bring #BBUK back it needs to be stripped right back to basics. No wannabees. Just pure and simple. Flip reality TV on its head again. — Stephen (@Welsh_Otaku) June 14, 2020
American here, please please please bring back CBBUK🙏🏾 I miss it and Emma‘s beautiful face. — kristalisbougie (@kristal100) June 14, 2020
Well this is fantastic isn’t it? @bbuk time to bring it back and go back to basics! @ThisisDavina @marcusBBbentley @Rylan #BBUK — Big Brother UK best bits (@BrotherBits) June 14, 2020
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15. Meanwhile, there’s been huge discussion about what moments the show should feature next
if they’re doing an episode per series then it HAS to be the cardboard box task for BB6 #BBUK — Steve (@stipkins) June 14, 2020
@BexxJohnson will anything beat A David’s dead ???!!! The best BBUK moment ever !! — Abbie Alldread (@AbbieAlldread) June 14, 2020
hope they show us hours of contestants sitting outside with birding replacing the audio. my soundtrack of my youth. #BBUK — Scott Bryan (@scottygb) June 14, 2020
Big Brother: Best Shows Ever continues on Monday at 9pm on E4.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--SNP MP Amy Callaghan In Stable Condition After Brain Haemorrhage

Amy Callaghan MP who took the East Dunbartonshire s Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
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SNP MP Amy Callaghan is in hospital recovering from a brain haemorrhage.
The 28-year-old collapsed at home on Wednesday and was rushed to hospital for emergency neurosurgery and is in a stable condition, her office confirmed in a statement thanking the NHS.
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The MP for East Dunbartonshire is described as in “good spirits” and “able to communicate well with her family” but could face a long period of rehabilitation.
A spokesperson added the incident was related to a “previously manageable medical condition”.
Callaghan, who is a rising star in Nicola Sturgeon’s party having defeated Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson in December’s general election, survived a major operation for cancer aged 19 and was given the all-clear in 2014.
A spokesperson for the MP said: “On Wednesday, Amy Callaghan was found collapsed at home suffering from a brain haemorrhage. She was admitted to hospital for emergency neurosurgery and is now beginning the process of recovery.
“Amy and her family would like to express their thanks and gratitude to our NHS staff for their excellent care and support. All our thoughts are with Amy and her family at this time. We would ask that people please respect their privacy as she recovers.”
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The statement from Callaghan’s office reads: “On Wednesday, Amy was found by her partner collapsed at home suffering from a brain haemorrhage related to a previously manageable medical condition. Imminent risk to life was identified and she was admitted to hospital for emergency neurosurgery.
“Thanks to the immense skill and response of the medical team involved in her care, Amy was able to successfully pull through the operation and is now stable in hospital. She wishes to put on record her enormous love and gratitude to all involved in her care – the first response and ambulance crew, accident and emergency staff, the neurological surgeons and the wonderful nursing team – who have all played a role in, undoubtedly, saving her life.
Sending lots of love and strength to @AmyCallaghanSNP and her family, and wishing her the speediest possible recovery. https://t.co/cgQTRE6fu4 — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) June 15, 2020
“Amy is in good spirits and able to communicate well with family. She has been overwhelmed with the messages of support and kindness which are a huge source of encouragement. She has made great progress thus far but is under no illusion of the seriousness of her condition and the rehabilitation that will follow.
“As she always has done throughout her life, she will continue to fight. She is determined to overcome what barriers, if any, may now arise as a result of this incident. She wants to make clear that her constituency work will continue: her office is still open for all those who require help and support.
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“There will be a period of required rest and recovery. Whilst this is ongoing, we ask that you respect her and her family’s safety and privacy.
“It is the privilege of her life to be elected as the Member of Parliament for East Dunbartonshire. There is absolutely no doubt that Amy will come back stronger, fitter and more determined than ever to continue in that role and serve, to the best of her ability, the people of her constituency.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Primark Stores See Huge Queues Across England As Non-Essential Shops Reopen

Speaking during a visit to the Westfield shopping centre in east London on Sunday Boris Johnson urged the public to “shop with confidence” but to stick to the current two-metre restriction.
The PM said they were constantly looking at the evidence to see when it would be safe to cut the distance.
It was revealed on Friday that the 'R Rate' – representing the rate of transmission for coronavirus – had risen to between 0.7 and 0.9 across the UK, with it sitting at 0.8-1.0 across England.
Regional figures showed that the south west of England has the highest range at 0.8 – 1.1. If R is greater than 1 the epidemic is generally seen to be growing; if R is less than 1 the epidemic is shrinking.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, small business minister Paul Scully encouraged people to go to the shops.
He said: “The high street is going to be a different place to what it was before, with the one-way systems, with the hand sanitisers, and with people not trying clothes on in the same way.
“But, nonetheless, it is safe to shop. I would encourage people to be sensible, work with the people in the shop but do go out and shop, and start opening our economy gradually and carefully.”
He added the government would keep the two-metre rule “under review”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Police Video Shows Rayshard Brooks Sobriety Test Quickly Turning Deadly

RUSS BYNUM and BRYNN ANDERSON / Associated Press

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One minute, Rayshard Brooks was chatting cooperatively with Atlanta police, saying he’d had a couple of drinks to celebrate his daughter’s birthday and agreeing to a breath test. The next, they were wrestling on the ground and grappling over a Taser before Brooks took the weapon and ran.
Seconds later, three gunshots sounded and Brooks fell mortally wounded.
Atlanta police video released Sunday showing a seemingly routine sobriety check outside a Wendy’s restaurant that quickly spun out of control, ending in gunfire. The killing of the 27-year-old Black man in an encounter with two white officers late Friday rekindled fiery protests in Atlanta and prompted the police chief’s resignation.
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Police said Sunday the department terminated Officer Garrett Rolfe, who fired the fatal shots, and officer Devin Brosnan was placed on administrative duty. Rolfe had worked for the department since October 2013, and Brosnan since September 2018.
Meanwhile, authorities announced a $10,000 reward for information finding those responsible for setting fire to the Wendy’s restaurant at the shooting scene. Flames gutted the restaurant late Saturday after demonstrations grew turbulent. The protests prompted 36 arrests.
This screen grab taken from body camera video provided by the Atlanta Police Department shows Rayshard Brooks speaking with Officer Garrett Rolfe in the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant, late Friday, June 12, 2020, in Atlanta ASSOCIATED PRESS
More than 100 people, some sporting umbrellas and rain gear after on-and-off rain protested peacefully at the site Sunday evening. Police blocked some side streets, slowing traffic in the area as people held up signs.
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The two officers’ body cameras and the dash-mounted cameras in their patrol cars showed they spent more than 40 minutes peacefully questioning Brooks. The fighting erupted when they tried to handcuff Brooks.
Andy Harvey, chief of police of Ennis, Texas, who has written books and developed training on community policing, said such moments can turn in a split second.
“The moment you put your hands on someone is when someone will decide whether to comply or resist,” Harvey said. “That’s what happened in Atlanta.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will present the findings of its investigation to prosecutors. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said in a statement Sunday he hopes to reach a decision by midweek on whether to bring charges against the officers.
The officers were called late Friday over complaints of a car blocking the restaurant’s drive-thru lane. Brosnan arrived first and found Brooks alone in the car, apparently asleep. Brooks agreed to move the car, showed his license, and Rolfe arrived minutes later to conduct a sobriety check.
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“I know you’re just doing your job,” Brooks says on video after consenting to a breath test. He mentions celebrating his daughter’s birthday and says: ”I just had a few drinks, that’s all.”
"RIP Rayshard" is spray-painted on a sign as flames engulf a Wendy's restaurant during protests Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Atlanta ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rolfe doesn’t tell Brooks the results though his body camera recorded a digital readout of 0.108 — higher than the 0.08-gram blood alcohol content considered too intoxicated to drive in Georgia.
“All right, I think you’ve had too much to drink to be driving,” Rolfe tells Brooks. “Put your hands behind your back.”
The video shows each officer take hold of one of Brooks’ wrists as Rolfe tries to handcuff him. Brooks tries to run and the officers take him to the ground.
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“Stop fighting!” one officer yells.
One of the dash cameras recorded the brawl. As Brooks fights to stand, Brosnan presses a Taser to his leg and threatens to stun him. Brooks grabs the Taser and pulls it away. He struggles to his feet, the Taser in his hand, and starts running.
Rolfe fires his Taser and a yelp can be heard above the weapon’s electric crackle. Rolfe runs after Brooks, and seconds later three gunshots sound.
Both officers’ body cameras were knocked to the ground in the struggle, and none of the four police cameras captured the shooting. Footage released from a Wendy’s security camera showed Brooks turn and point an object in his hand at one of the officers, who was steps behind him. The officer draws his gun and fires.
“As I pursued him, he turned and started firing the Taser at me,” Rolfe told a supervisor after the shooting in a videotaped conversation. “...He definitely did shoot it at me at least once.”
GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said Sunday she could not confirm whether Brooks fired the Taser.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Saturday she doesn’t believe the shooting was justified. Police Chief Erika Shields, who joined the department as a beat officer in 1995, resigned.
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Brooks’ death inflamed raw emotions in Atlanta and across the U.S. following the May 25 police custody killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Some public officials questioned whether the shooting of Brooks was as clearly an abuse as Floyd’s death after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck.
“The question is when the suspect turned to fire the Taser, what should the officer have done?” US Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said on CBS’ “Face The Nation.” Scott, the Senate’s only black Republican, said Brooks’s death “is certainly a far less clear one than the ones that we saw with George Floyd and several other ones.”
Stacey Abrams, the former Democratic lawmaker who gained national prominence while running for governor in 2018, said “there’s a legitimacy to this outrage” over Brooks’ death.
L. Chris Stewart, a Brooks family attorney, said the officer who shot him should be charged for “an unjustified use of deadly force, which equals murder.”
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Stewart said that Brooks, a father of four, on Friday had celebrated the eighth birthday of one of his daughters.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--What Will Your Post-Lockdown Office Look Like? That Could Depend On You

Airtight isolation pods with inbuilt ventilation systems and air purifiers. Desolate open-plan offices with satellite groups rotating shifts to ensure social distancing. Designated staffers enforcing new health and safety rules, such as sniff-tests.
Is this the future of your workplace? It depends on who you ask. The lockdown has provided ample opportunity for designers and architects to indulge in a bit of blue-sky thinking about how we will work in a post-Coronavirus world. The more out-there responses to the question can feel futuristic and faddy. At first glance, Qworkintime’s individual airtight pod look potentially more anxiety-inducing than practical, least of all actually desirable for your working day.
But away from the high-tech solutions only accessible to the highest-grossing companies, the main takeaway seems to be that home-working culture has been validated by the lockdown – and is here to stay. Why spend hundreds of thousands on work pods when your employees could just... stay at home.
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HuffPost UK Could these pods be the future of the workplace?
While some workers will need to return to the office, of course, brash PR moves like the one from Twitter, which declared staffers could work from home – forever, may be attention grabby, but are symptomatic of a wider shift in mood and culture. Now that so many of us have proven – unsurprisingly – that we can work from home, why shouldn’t we?
Experts such as Kathryn Bishop, foresight editor at The Future Laboratory – a company that says it has ‘future proofed’ more than 1,000 businesses in 50 countries – suggests the workplace post (or even mid) Covid-19 will likely be defined by people’s desire to return, rather than the necessity.
And while social distancing in offices may not be ideal, the challenge of engineering the ultimate socially-distant space has been a good excuse to think about what constitutes a good office anyway – not just practically, but for our mental health and happiness.
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“The workplace will likely be defined by the desire to return, rather than the necessity.”
“Open plan has completely failed,” Bishop reflects on our Zoom call, gesturing around The Future Laboratory’s open plan office and noting the irony.
“People aren’t very productive. They don’t feel they have any privacy. It’s noisy. On the one hand, people quite like to understand the delineation between their employees and their colleagues in the office, so they know who the managers are [while thinking] ‘Is there somewhere where I can go and work privately as well?’”
Big questions around the future of work can produce debates that feel vague, existential even, and innovation becomes an equality issue when it comes to expensive high-tech solutions – so perhaps it’s best to start with the simplest practicalities that will affect offices large and small.
Drazen Zigic via Getty Images
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Health and hygiene, rather than shiny new tech, are the key concerns, says Bishop. That means “setting up key guidelines for making sure your employees know what the protocols are going to be, whether that’s hand sanitisers and a lot more consideration to the basics, hygiene standards; social distancing in the workplace, thinking about access, staggered hours.” These are the priorities.
“We’ll also see greater attention paid to the wider mental wellbeing services that are going to be offered to employees [such as} greater access to remote therapy services, with employers realising that is part of their duty of care to staff.”
Once essential interventions have been made to the office eco-system (Bishop warns a shortage of supplies like plastic dividers to place between desks could delay some workplaces being Covid-ready), the biggest challenge for employers of all sizes is the age disparity of the workforce in 2020 – and beyond.
“We’re going to have everyone from Gen Z to the last of the boomers, so we have to be considerate that not everyone’s going to have the same desires, expectation or needs,” she says.
This may produce the successor to open plan offices: new, multi-purpose workspaces suited to – no, really – actually getting work done. When it comes to the ‘perfect’ space, Bishop says “the ultimate thing is to give people choice”.
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fizkes via Getty Images
Much of the Future Laboratory’s research has focused on “phased” workspaces. “You start with this social entrance space, then move into more of a sit down meetings space, what is currently the cafeteria break-out, then there might be some quieter banks of desks or open plan, and then you have the private booths or bookable offices,” says Bishop. The idea is for workers to “phase” through the office depending on the type of work they want to do.
“I think again it’s more reflected in the workers themselves feeling empowered to make the choice around where they work rather than being told, ‘that’s your desk and that’s where you have to sit all day,’” she says.
How much of a variation this is on ‘hot-desking’, a trend employers increasingly favour for cost-saving reasons – but that frustrates many employees – remains to be seen. Certainly, it suggest the need for a lot of anti-bacc.
cirano83 via Getty Images
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Key urban hubs such as Canary Wharf, the City in London and Salford Quays in Greater Manchester don’t necessarily meet the needs and desires of modern workers. Given how skyscrapers and mega-offices rely heavily on the use of lifts for access to higher and mezzanine floors, businesses may be looking into localised branches of offices to service smaller pools of workers.
Micro offices could be dotted throughout different parts of one city. A London-based company might have two smaller satellite offices in Farringdon and Brixton, say, rather than one central space. As Bishop says: “That allows people not to have to travel into town and be in these potentially big germy spaces.”
Looking further into the future – and at the opposite end of the scale to the micro-office – is the quasi-utopian idea of an “all-in-one experience”.
Brands with a single, central hub could see their workers using the office almost purely as a social space, or just for meetings, perhaps primarily with colleagues from abroad. It might even double as a hotel. “It does sound a bit dystopian to some people,” Bishop acknowledges. ”Others are like: ‘Yeah that sounds wicked. I can check in on my colleagues as and when.’”
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But aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves? What about those of us not working for multinationals that can afford to invest in design and architectural triumphs?
Within six months, many of our workplaces will start inviting us back to work on rotation, in small groups, suggests Bishop, who believes that in five years the idea of being ‘forced’ into the office could be redundant across the country.
In the meantime, more traditional companies keen to get back into the office now rather than experiment with a sustainable work-from-home culture will have to streamline new systems with employees becoming fluent with strict workplace rules to eliminate risk.
Bishop imagines a world of staggered office working amid Covid-19 later this year. “One day a week your team is in the rotation office, let’s say every Tuesday, and the next day a different team is, and it’s obviously cleaned in between.” Smaller companies may capitalise on the situation by renting the office out. “The space may not even be limited to just one company using it.”
Beyond practicalities and swish new office equipment, perhaps the most significant reason for rethinking the office as we know it – only invented in the 1950s – is happiness. Countless studies show, perhaps obviously, that with happiness comes productivity. This is not new information to employers but given the time for introspection we’ve all been afforded during this lengthy lockdown, they may find this glaring truth increasingly harder to ignore.
“I think a lot of people are looking to their employers for direction,” says Bishop. “But they’re understanding that a lot of this is down to them as individuals to empower their future and guide the way they want to work” – rather than the shape of your nine to five being dictated by your employer or boss.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Marcus Rashford Calls On MPs To 'Find Your Humanity' Over Free School Meals

Rashford has previously spoken about how his family relied on breakfast clubs and free school meals as a child, and does not want other children to miss out on opportunities if they do not have access to similar schemes.
He added: “As a Black man from a low-income family in Wythenshawe, Manchester, I could have been just another statistic.
“Instead, due to the selfless actions of my mum, my family, my neighbours, and my coaches, the only stats I’m associated with are goals, appearances and caps.
“I would be doing myself, my family and my community an injustice if I didn’t stand here today with my voice and my platform and ask you for help.”
On June 8 the Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, warned chancellor Rishi Sunak that his decision not to fund free school meals this summer appears “uncaring and lacking in compassion”.
Longfield has urged the government to step in and contrasted its wider £132bn package of support for workers and business with the relatively small cost of continuing a voucher scheme that helps poorer parents feed their children.
Data suggests that Covid-19 has already seen 300,000 children descend into poverty, during a parliament that was already predicted to see the highest rates of child poverty on record, she said.
“At a time when more families are facing pressures than ever before, and so many other sources of support are behind closed doors, the decision not to continue free school meals over the summer holidays appears uncaring and lacking in compassion,” Longfield said.
“It reflects very poorly on the importance the government places on children that within £132bn of spending you cannot find a few million pounds to keep children fed.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Man, 28, Charged Over Urinating Next To PC Keith Palmer Memorial

Members of Saturday’s far-right demonstration, which was attended by several hundred mostly white men, claimed to be guarding the statue of Churchill as well as the cenotaph.
However, the event turned violent after hundreds of self-proclaimed “statue defenders” took over areas near the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square and hurled missiles, smoke grenades, glass bottles and flares at police officers.
A total of 113 people were arrested or offences including violent disorder, assault on officers and possession of an offensive weapon. The protest was condemned by Boris Johnson as “racist thuggery” and described as “mindless hooliganism” by police.
The PM has previously been urged to show leadership in dealing with racism in the UK, as multiple tweets he had previously sent about Churchill’s statue were branded a “deflection” by shadow justice secretary David Lammy.
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said he was “extremely disturbed” by the “completely unacceptable” scenes of violence on the streets on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, he said Johnson needs to set out “concrete steps” to address “the inequality and racism that still sadly exists in our country”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Boris Johnson Could Use Covid-19 Crisis To Force 'Shock Doctrine' US Trade Deal, Warn MPs

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Boris Johnson’s government may “exploit” the Covid-19 economic crisis to force a “shock doctrine” US trade deal that deregulates the UK and weakens rights, an alliance of key left wing figures has claimed.
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The group, which includes Labour’s Clive Lewis and Green Party co-leaders Sian Berry and Jonathan Bartley, believes hardline Leavers view the pandemic-driven recession as a “huge opportunity” to strike a deal with Donald Trump that “attacks” employment and migrant rights.
It comes as the prime minister is set to meet EU leaders on Monday, as trade talks with Brussels are on a knife edge.
It is feared time is running out ahead of the December transition period deadline, with Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt confirming last week preparations for a no-deal exit had begun.
Setting out 13 demands as part for a post-Brexit Britain, the campaigners said they accept the Leave-Remain argument is over, but hope the left could unite behind a series of progressive policies and oppose a “deregulatory” trade deal with Washington.
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The move is more likely to pile pressure on Labour’s new leader Keir Starmer, who is still formulating party policies on trade and Europe and has yet to say whether he backs an extension to the transition.
Lewis told HuffPost UK: “We’ve left the EU, and it’s no good pretending like this hasn’t happened. But leaving the EU is just the first stage of the Brexit process. Everything is now at stake, and unless we apply some pressure, we are going to face yet another disaster.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street ASSOCIATED PRESS
“There is a real danger this government will try to use the Covid crisis and the very possible resulting recession as a shock doctrine. One they can use to reshape our society around a trade deal with Donald Trump. That could mean a permanently deregulated economy, lower standards and worse wages and rights. All the things we said were likely should Brexit be successful.
“There is almost no popular support for such an approach. That means we need to make ourselves heard - both about the dangers such a trade deal represents but also our own alternative vision for a radically different future and what it would like.”
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The left-wing coalition set out demands in 13 policy areas: Permanent membership of the European Medicines Agency and public ownership of pharmaceuticals
Migrants’ rights, including an automatic ‘right to stay’ for EU nationals, the right to vote and continued free movement
Tougher legally binding targets on carbon emissions
Environmental protections that keep pace with EU regulations
Workers’ rights “levelling up” and EU-standard workplace protections
Continued membership of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and protection of the Human Rights Act
Democratic reform to include proportional representation
Consumer protections, food standards and animal rights
Clampdowns on tax avoidance and protections on jobs
A new “progressive system” of agriculture subsidies and fishing quotas
Opposition to a deregulatory US trade deal
Science research and culture funding, including UK participation in ERASMUS, the European Research Council and science programmes
Curbing arms exports and a revamp of international development policy
Labour MP Clive Lewis PA
The demands have the backing of five Labour MPs, including Nadia Whittome and Kate Osamor, as well as trade unionists, Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams, the Stop Trump coalition and Global Justice Now.
Michael Chessum, from Another Europe is Possible, added: “All over the world, the nationalist right is in government and will look to exploit the economic crisis that is to come. In the UK, they see a huge opportunity in being able to use the Brexit process to deregulate the economy in an unprecedented way, while at the same time waging war against migrants’ rights and human rights more generally.
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“An opportunity for them is a danger to the rest of us - to workers, migrants and the planet. Everyone on the left - regardless of what position they took on Brexit - now has a responsibility to resist this agenda. We cannot wait until the next election to act, because by then it may be too late.”
Ministers have said that a trade deal with the US will not lead to any lower standards on food, legal protections or employment rights.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Wake Up To How You're Treating Black Men, Top Custody Deaths Lawyer Urges Police

A top lawyer specialising in custody deaths says that like the US, the UK has a policing problem affecting Black men.
Leslie Thomas, a leading human rights and civil liberties specialist and expert in claims against the police, told HuffPost UK that forces need to recognise such problems before the required action can be made.
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Thomas took to Twitter to post about the UK’s policing problem in the days that followed the death of George Floyd in the USA.
Floyd was killed when he was pinned to the floor by a Minneapolis police officer who put a knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. His killing has ignited protests across the US and around the world.
“So, you think the UK doesn’t have a policing problem?” asked Thomas on Twitter. He repeated the question 29 times. Each time, he cited the deaths of young Black men in police custody in Britain.
He told HuffPost UK: “There are a tonne more. I got bored listing the cases. But that is exactly why I did it.”
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In 1999 The Metropolitan Police was called institutionally racist, following the Macpherson inquiry which scrutinised the botched original investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence – a case hampered by racial prejudice and suspected corruption.
While current Met commissioner Cressida Dick has publicly stated more than 20 years on that she does not believe the force is institutionally racist and is now “utterly different”, this week saw Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London Siobhan Benita call for it to be investigated to see whether it still is.
She told LBC News: “In the past four years, we have seen the biggest breakdown in trust between police and communities in London in a generation.
Leslie Thomas QC Charlotte Graham/Shutterstock
“Even during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve seen a disproportionate targeting of BAME communities for lockdown fines.
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“If we’re to take systemic racism in Britain seriously, we must be prepared to ask the question: is the Met Police still institutionally racist?”
Ignorance is why so many people persist with the argument that policing is not as bad in Britain as it is in the United States, says Thomas, who was recently appointed professor of law at Gresham College.
The key factor which generated such global outrage over Floyd’s death, he says, is that it was filmed.
He said: “Is there CCTV footage, video footage like that around in relation to some of the other deaths in the UK? Of course there is. Has the public seen it? No. Has it been made widespread like the George Floyd footage? No.”
Thomas represented the family of Christopher Alder, who choked to death while lying face down and unconscious in a pool of blood in a police custody suite in Hull in 1998, as a group of officers stood chatting nearby. An inquest found he died unlawfully and that he died because his ability to breathe was affected by lying face down. No one has been held accountable for his death.
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Christopher Alder died in handcuffs in police custody PA
The former paratrooper had been arrested at Hull Royal Infirmary for an alleged breach of the peace after a scuffle outside a hotel in the city centre.
Thomas said: “His death was captured on police station CCTV. I saw Christopher dying on camera and police officers standing around and joking. Not doing anything. You see him die on camera. You hear his last breath.”
He added: “The reason why there has never been the outrage that there’s been that we’ve seen with George Floyd is because the video has never been made public.”
Thomas believes film and photographs are becoming key to holding the police accountable – from the public and within the force itself via body cams and dash cams.
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He said: “The thing is they still have control over the police body cams and police dash cams, that material will help the lawyers in court and help the juries and the judges and the coroners in court in relation to what happened, but in terms of informing the wider public and to have that sea change… take George Floyd, the only reason why white America has been listening and sitting up is because ordinary white Americans, who have no reason to think about organisations like Black Lives Matter, have had those images come into their living rooms, their dining rooms, on the six o’clock news and have been shocked.”
When a death in custody occurs, the police force in question must refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) – formerly the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
According to IOPC figures for the past decade, 163 people have died in or following police custody in England and Wales. Of these deaths, 140 were white, 13 were Black and 10 were from other minority ethnic groups.
In comparison to 2011 census data which measures how much of the population these groups make up, Black people are more than twice as likely to die in police custody.
Home Office figures from 2018 also show that Black people are more likely to have force used against them by police, especially with firearms and Tasers.
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In 2017, the Angiolini Review of deaths and serious incidents in police custody noted: “Of eight prosecutions of police officers in connection with a death in custody in the last 15 years, all have ended with acquittals.
“These include prosecutions for murder and manslaughter. In fact, there has never been a successful prosecution for manslaughter in such cases, despite unlawful killing verdicts in coroner’s inquests.”
.@metpoliceuk why would it take SIX Police Officers to PIN down ONE WOMAN in Lewisham? I can see Police hitting her as she screams I can't breath? Shouting 'Please STOP' as she's being slapped! She's restrained!
This is Unjustified Unacceptable Excessive Force #PoliceBrutality pic.twitter.com/UbB6g3nw4Y — Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@SholaMos1) May 31, 2020
At present, the IOPC is investigating six alleged cases of excessive forced used against Black men by West Midlands Police since February.
And earlier this month it confirmed it was probing “the force used against a woman by a number of MPS police officers... and her subsequent treatment in custody” following a drugs search in Lewisham on May 9.
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Footage of the Black Londoner shouting “I can’t breathe” while being pinned to the ground by six Metropolitan Police officers was shared online.
Later this year a police officer is due to go on trial accused of murdering former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson in 2016, near his father’s house in Telford, Shropshire.
Following a three-year inquiry into the death of Atkinson, who went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance on his way to hospital, the IOPC said its investigation gathered evidence which indicated that police contact with the 48-year-old involved the use of a Taser, followed by a period of restraint and other uses of force.
Pc Benjamin Monk, 41, was charged last year with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter in connection with the incident. He will be asked to formally enter his pleas at the scheduled opening of the trial in September.
Dalian Atkinson Jon Nicholson/Mail On Sunday/Shutterstock
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Pc Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith has entered a not guilty plea to a charge alleging she assaulted Atkinson, who also played for Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday, occasioning actual bodily harm prior to his death on August 15, 2016.
Despite this, Thomas is critical of the IOPC and labelled its predecessor the IPCC “incompetent”.
He cites the example of Sean Rigg, a Black musician who collapsed and died at Brixton Police Station in August 2008, and whose family he later represented.
The 40-year-old, who had paranoid schizophrenia, was arrested in nearby Balham and was taken to the station in a police van, escorted by four officers.
At an inquest in 2012 jurors found the primary cause of Rigg’s death was cardiac arrest and were critical of the “unsuitable” force used when he was restrained by police.
A year later, an independent investigation ruled the IPCC had made a series of errors in its investigation of Rigg’s death. Criminologist Dr Silvia Casale said the IPCC had made basic mistakes – including failing to properly investigate CCTV footage at the police station. The body accepted the report, which recommended that charges were reconsidered.
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However, it was another four years before prosecutors finally confirmed that no criminal charges would be brought over his death, bar one count of perjury against the duty custody sergeant, who was later cleared.
Thomas said: “There is photographic evidence that shows the police officers on his back for an excessive period of time compared to what they were saying.”
A demonstration against the police in memory of Sean Rigg, who died at Brixton police station London News Pictures/Shutterstock
Last year, a police conduct panel dismissed allegations against five officers involved in Riggs’ fatal detention. Chairman Julian Bennett also ruled the officers did not restrain Rigg inappropriately, did not fail to recognise he was suffering with mental health problems and did not fail to ensure he received adequate medical care when it became clear he was seriously ill.
The victim’s sister Marcia Rigg-Samuel told journalists outside the hearing she would continue her fight for justice, adding: “Today’s decision and the fact that somebody can be restrained in the prone position for seven minutes has given the officers a licence to kill.”
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A spokesperson for the IOPC said: “Addressing long-term systemic issues like poor cultures, weak systems and inadequate processes also comes through learning, reform and leadership. We have influenced significant national and local reforms since we have been in operation and believe this is fundamental to changing policing practice.
“Police accountability has also evolved. Ten years ago, our predecessor the IPCC had around 100 investigators, independently investigated around 120 cases and its powers were limited.
“Today, the IOPC has over 300 investigators, conducts over 700 investigations a year, looking at the most serious and sensitive cases involving police misconduct and corruption.
“We have been given stronger powers making us one of the most powerful police oversight bodies in the world. Amongst other powers we have powers of arrest, we can direct police forces to hold disciplinary hearings and we can call in any policing incident that may affect public confidence whether or not there is a complaint.”
The IOPC will also next month appeal what it describes as a “landmark case” in the Court of Appeal to determine whether or not a police officer should face disciplinary proceedings for their use of force.
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“We believe, in line with other jurisdictions, that the defence that they honestly believed they needed to use that force – including restraint, Taser or a firearm – no matter how unreasonable that belief may be, sets the bar too high.
“We will be arguing, to maintain public confidence in how the police use their powers and are held to account, any honestly held belief must also be reasonable. Now more than ever we need to strengthen, not weaken, police accountability.”
Though Thomas paints a bleak picture, he maintains that there are things the police can do to earn the trust of the public.
“Officers need to make sure that they use their body cameras and their dash cameras,” he said. “Make sure those are switched on. And they need to follow their restraint training.
“You’ll find that every police force in this country will train officers in relation to the dangers of restraint, the dangers of positional asphyxia, the dangers of certain neck holds being inappropriate. Pressure on the back being inappropriate. That keeping somebody face down to restrain them and then get them off their back, these are all things that we know… listening out for the signs.. if somebody says they can’t breathe.”
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Thomas added: “You see what happened to George Floyd… there’s nothing new there in relation to somebody saying: ‘I can’t breathe’… if you’re on your front and pressure is applied to your back, the position you are in, you get starved of oxygen. And we’ve know that for the last two and a half, three decades.”
Indeed the Angiolini report notes: “Deaths following the use of restraint and force by the police in England and Wales are among the most serious of all deaths in custody.”
It added: “There is also evidence to suggest that dangerous restraint techniques and excessive force are disproportionately used on Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people.”
While the report argued that police must recognise that all restraint has the potential to cause death, it highlights that positional asphyxia may occur during or following the use of certain restraint techniques, for example in face down or prone restraint.
It also found: “Currently there is no consistency of training in restraint techniques across the 43 police forces in England and Wales” and called for mandatory and accredited national training.
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While he refuses to explicitly state whether he feels racism is a problem in the British police, Thomas’s assertion the vast majority of such cases do involve a disproportionate number of young Black men are backed up by existing data.
He added: “I don’t say young BAME men. I’m talking about young Black men. What I would say is, you certainly have to ask yourself: ‘What is the explanation?’”
Thomas represented the family of Ibrahima Sey, a 29-year-old Gambian asylum seeker, who died in police custody at Ilford police station in March 1996.
Ibrahima Sey died at Ilford police station after being sprayed with CS gas following his arrest PA
He was forced to the ground in the station yard and handcuffed with his hands behind his back, and then sprayed in the face from close range with CS gas.
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Thomas’s voice breaks as he recalls the case.
“His wife called police to help him because he was having a mental health crisis,” he recalled. “He was restrained, they spray him and he dies. An inquest jury found he was unlawfully killed. No officers were prosecuted and again, there he is, struggling to breathe, officers on his back and again he dies of positional asphyxia.”
The inquest jury found that Sey had died of restraint asphyxia and excited delirium, but crown prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal case.
Thomas has heard a litany of excuses in court as to why excessive force has been used during arrest and restraint procedures.
He continued: “We used to have all sorts of nonsense said, like: ‘There’s something unique about the African male that triggers sudden death.’ I remember that being put forward.
″‘We have bigger hearts.’ I remember when that nonsense was being put forward.
″‘There’s something about the Black male – he has superhuman strength, it took a dozen of us to hold him down’. I just hear all of these myths being perpetuated and being repeated over time. So, if I speak passionately about this it’s because I do feel very passionately about it because I’ve been seeing these types of deaths for the last 30 years.”
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In 2017, a review led by Labour MP David Lammy into the treatment of, and outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in the criminal justice system concluded they “still face bias, including overt discrimination, in parts of the justice system”.
It made 35 recommendations that the government vowed to “look carefully” at.
Does Thomas feel the government is doing enough?
Prime minister Boris Johnson has said of the Black Lives Matters protests: “You are right, we are all right, to say Black Lives Matter; and to all those who have chosen to protest peacefully and who have insisted on social distancing – I say, yes of course I hear you, and I understand.”
Thomas said: “Well, that’s a start, but it’s not good enough. What we want is action, we want to see positive action. Positive action comes from recognition that this is not just about something affecting the BAME community, this is something that’s specifically affecting the Black community.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--My Pride Anthems: Johannes Radebe

My Pride Anthems: Johannes Radebe

The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, and that includes how we’re all celebrating Pride in 2020.
With huge public gatherings out of the question, we’re asking a range of LGBTQ celebrities and allies for their personal Pride anthems, to help us all get into the Pride spirit from lockdown.
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The latest star taking us on a trip down memory lane in My Pride Anthems is Strictly Come Dancing’s most fabulous professional, Johannes Radebe.
Johannes Radebe during one of his show-stopping Strictly routines last year BBC/Guy Levy
Speaking to us over the phone from his family home in South Africa, Johannes pays homage to the “queen of disco”, reveals why Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive unites us all and shares an iconic encounter he had with a certain Kylie Minogue...
Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
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“For my first song, I have to go to the queen of disco. I remember, when I first started dancing internationally, it was my first time out of South Africa, and my small township, and I got to visit a few districts around the world. We were in Australia, and we were going to this club, and Sylvester was on – obviously screeching – and everyone was lost in it, everyone was screaming and singing along and dancing, and I just thought to myself, ‘oh my god, who is this woman?’. And my friend was like, ‘no, no, that’s Sylvester’. And I was like, ‘I’ve missed something’.
“So, I went back and did my research, and of course it’s music that I had heard before, but just learning about that man, the fact that, you know, he is a gay Black man, and understanding his story, and where he comes from, it must have taken a lot for him to be the person that he was. And I hope he died knowing that he impacted many lives. With him being authentically himself. Because he was fluid. You know, those outfits, darling.
“He was a sensation.”
Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out
“That tune. I didn’t understand the meaning of it, because as a young boy, I used to dance the Cha Cha Cha to it – we didn’t have Latin American music, so to shake things up during practise, our coach used to play this song. Obviously, having grown up and understood more about who I am as a person, I’ve come to love this song so much.
“I remember looking at elderly gay gents in my life back in the day, and I just remember how they used to dance around and call this woman ‘our Black queen’. It takes me back to those nostalgic moments, with those people, a lot of whom have passed on because of HIV/AIDS and stuff like that, but those are the people who have shaped my life.
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“And I haven’t danced to this song on Strictly yet, but it’s a plan of mine. Believe me.”
Kylie Minogue – All The Lovers
“Oh! Oh! Now, that is a tune. I learned about Kylie when I first started my dancing job professionally here in South Africa. I was a back-up dancer for a girl who was doing a Kylie medley. And, of course, I had to learn the music, and at the time I didn’t even know who Kylie Minogue was, but I just remember falling in love with it.
“I think that All The Lovers has to be my favourite because that video, if you remember, it was all-inclusive. Seeing all those bodies… yep. It was crazy, I just thought ‘who is this woman, pushing boundaries?’. At the time, I didn’t even know she was such a big gay icon, I just fell in love with her music.
“But I’ve actually got a funny story. Last year, at the opening of Strictly Come Dancing, I got to meet her. So before Strictly starts, they usually give us a brief of all the pro numbers and the celebrity guests appearances for the whole season, and tell us who we’re going to be dancing with. And when we heard that Kylie was going to opening the show, you can imagine… I lost it.
“I remember when I first met her, I started singing to her ‘destiny has a funny way…’, and she just looked at me and laughed! I didn’t know what to [expect] but she’s so humble and so down-to-earth. It was the best day of my life.”
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Queen – I Want To Break Free
“Freddie Mercury is an idol of mine because of what he stands for, and for the joy he’s brought to so many people. And how bold and strong – because I think he was a very strong person – and how resilient he was, and how much he believed in himself, that for me, is what stands out.
“I chose this song, by the legend Freddie Mercury, for all those repressed individuals. I think this song hits very true to me. The whole being gay and being proud thing came at a very late stage in my life. I’ve always known, of course, but having to accept who I am fully. This song when it played when I was a young boy, I remember those words just somehow resonated with me in ways I can’t tell you.
“So of course, to be walking in the streets where Freddie Mercury has been... I don’t know my whole journey of just being in the United Kingdom, you don’t understand. That song, it’s an anthem for us all, and I’m sure all of us can relate to it.”
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
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“The classic, the disco anthem for us all, against all odds. Gloria Gaynor, mother of all. Darling, it would be a sin to not know the lyrics to this song. It really would be.
“In my clubbing days – not to say I’ve ever had clubbing days, because I’ve always been busy – but whenever I’ve had the opportunity to go out clubbing and that song comes on, I know we are all united in love when that plays. It doesn’t matter who you are or the colour of your skin, we all sing to Gloria’s lyrics and everybody in that moment is talking about their own personal journey and adversities. So yeah, that is now a tune that sets me on fire.
“If I am feeling low, and I feel like life has got to me in ways I can’t control, I put that tune on wherever I am, and I blast it out loud. And it just represents… if you’re still breathing, you should keep on keeping on.”
Lady Gaga – Born This Way
“This song is an affirmation to say, you know, there’s nothing wrong with who you are. ‘You’re on the right track, baby, you were born this way’ – and like music does to many of us, it inspires.
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“I think every gay boy sitting in a township somewhere or countryside listening to Lady Gaga saying those words, enforces them to level up. In some kind of way. And it’s a tune, too.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--How To Make Japanese Iced Coffee At Home

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During coronavirus lockdown, we’ve practiced brewing better coffee at home in lieu of visiting our favourite coffee shops. Now, as summer approaches, it’s the perfect time to learn how to make Japanese iced coffee in our own kitchens.
Acolytes of the Japanese method say it tastes better than cold brew, and while cold brew needs to sit overnight, Japanese iced coffee can be made in under 10 minutes.
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“I think it is a superior method to cold brew, since you get a chance to unlock more flavour from coffee compounds with the hot water extraction, while still getting an equivalent body as if it were a cold brew,” said Julie Nguyen, co-owner of Contra Coffee and Tea in Orange, California.
How it’s different from cold brew
The name derives from a method that’s been used in Japan since the 1920s, but it also refers to the use of Japanese coffee equipment, like Hario products, to brew it. Some coffee shops refer to this method of making coffee as flash-brewed, flash-chilled or just iced coffee.
To make it, you pour just-made coffee over ice cubes, shocking the brewing process to prevent bitterness from developing. Dumping ice into already-made hot coffee creates acrid flavours, but slowly dripping brewing coffee over ice can extract complex flavours from the coffee and flash chills it.
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Nguyen, who has a background in food science, explains more: “The coffee must drip directly onto the ice immediately after the extraction begins,” she said. “We believe this is the key characteristic of Japanese iced coffee, because this critical step stops the development of acids in the brew.”
Brett Barker, co-owner of coffee roaster Wood Burl in Dayton, Ohio, and local coffee shops Press Coffee Bar, has been offering Japanese iced coffee for six years. “When customers ask the difference between cold brew and iced coffee, I say Japanese coffee has that really crisp, clean flavour,” he said. “It’s not weaker than cold brew, but it has a lighter body and it’s got those crisp flavours like an iced black tea.”
NGUYENTHANHTUNG via Getty Images
So how does the Japanese method compare to standard cold brew? Cold brew can take up to 24 hours to steep, whereas the Japanese process takes less than 10 minutes. The only downside to Japanese iced coffee is that it produces much smaller batches than cold brew.
Here’s how to make it at home
To make it at home like a barista, you will need:
a scale (Barker recommends the Jennings CJ-4000.)
coffee maker (preferably a Chemex or a Hario V60 dripper)
grinder (He recommends the Baratza grinder.)
whole coffee beans (He likes to use beans from Africa.)
hot water (not quite boiling), preferably purified or filtered by reverse osmosis
regular-sized ice cubes
To brew the coffee in a Chemex: Rinse a paper filter, dump out the hot water, weigh the ice, then weigh the coffee. Place the ice inside the Chemex. Brew your coffee by pouring hot water (not quite boiling) from a kettle onto the grounds and allowing them to drip over the ice cubes that are inside the Chemex. Typically, a 50-50 ratio of hot water and ice cubes works, but Barker said he likes to use a little more ice: “I say adjust to your taste. ... If you like remaining ice, dial back your hot water.”
To brew the coffee in an automatic coffee machine: You’ll need to add more coffee grounds than you would when making a normal cup of coffee. For instance, if you normally add four tablespoons of grounds, double that. “We’re making this way overdosed ground coffee and then a very under-extracted concentrate hot brew,” Barker said.
Experiment to get your perfect cup
“It’s all about attention to detail,” Nguyen told HuffPost. “It’s important to know that each bean you use and how it’s ground will most likely have a different water-to-ice ratio that you will have to figure out.” Her recipe includes 30 grams of medium-fine ground coffee, 300 grams of hot water (at 200 degrees Fahrenheit) and 120 grams of ice. She prefers medium roasts but encourages experimenting with espresso and lighter roasts, too. “Try everything! You’d be surprised what you’d enjoy,” she said.
With a long summer ahead, you’re going to need something refreshing to cool you off. Check out Just One Cookbook’s helpful YouTube tutorial for Japanese iced coffee below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--Blackcurrant Scones Recipe To Make With The Family For The Ultimate Mid-Afternoon Treat

We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
There’s nothing like some warming scones for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up (or mid-morning, no judgement here). So we were delighted when Julie Jones, author of Soulful Baker and The Pastry School, shared her blackcurrant scones recipe for our Cooking With Kids series.
The recipe is super kid-friendly and gets the seal of approval from Jones’s three baking-mad sons, who love the instant results, meaning they can tuck in straight away.
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Blackcurrant Scones
Makes: 10–12 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 15 mins |
Lisa Linder Blackcurrant Scones
There are plenty of ways to get the kids involved with this one – no matter their age. Jones says: “They can help weigh the ingredients, turn on the mixer and help to point out when the butter has been rubbed into the flour (if using hands they could help rub the butter in). They could add the flavouring and the sugar and milk and help to very gently roll out the dough. They could also cut out the scones with a floured cutter, place on to the baking tray.”
We love how customisable the recipe is, too – which can be tailored to whatever you’ve got in the cupboard or to the tastes of fussy eaters. “I have used berries here but nuts, dried fruit, ground spices, seeds, grated apple or and a mixture of above mentioned would all work well in place of the berries,” suggests Jones.
Using their imagination to experiment with different ingredients is just one way the kids can learn while in the kitchen with this one. “This recipe is all about being gentle and not overworking,” Jones explains. “They could learn the importance of a light touch and why if you were rough and heavy-handed that the scone would be heavy.”
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Her topping of choice is lemon curd, while her sons smothered theirs in butter. We’ll take either, thanks.
Ingredients:
500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
110g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
110g caster (superfine) sugar
120g frozen blackcurrants
220ml milk
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp demerara sugar (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with
non-stick baking paper.
2. Sieve together the flour and baking powder, then re-sift into a bowl – sifting
twice will incorporate the baking powder equally, giving an even rise. Rub in the
butter – by hand or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment – until all of
the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the sugar, stirring through, then add the frozen blackcurrants – using frozen berries will make it easier to mix them into the scone dough without them
bursting. Distribute the blackcurrants through the flour and add most of the
milk. You may not need it all, so reserve a little at first. Bring the dough together, adding the rest of the milk if needed. Stop mixing the moment the dough starts to hold together.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, push the mixture together with your
hands, then roll out to around 3cm (11⁄4 inch) thick. Cut out as many scones
as you can using a 6cm (21⁄2 inch) round cutter and bring the remaining dough
together to re-cut. Place each scone onto the lined baking sheet and rest for at
least 15 minutes.
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5. Add a few drops of freshly boiled water to the egg yolk and whisk together. Brush the top of each scone with the egg wash and sprinkle over some demerara sugar, if using.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden, light and cooked through. Cool completely on wire racks before slicing in half and spreading with some of your favourite things.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-15--How We Cope: 11 Small Things That Have Helped Us Through Lockdown

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
At the beginning of the pandemic, many of us struggled with how to cope. We were anxious about what was happening, confused what it meant, uncertain how long it would last. And keeping our anxieties at bay was a struggle.
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It was easy to get caught up in the panic, not knowing when, or if, it would ever be over. To help, in our team meetings we started asking each other what we were doing to keep afloat and stay as positive as we could.
And so, our How I Cope series was born. Reporters, producers and editors across the HuffPost UK newsroom have opened up about how they’ve managed during this time. And we found sharing our strategies helped.
So if you’re in need of a little inspiration, here are 11 things that are keeping us going through these past few months. You can see a little bit of everyone’s stories here – simply click through to read more.
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Rachel Moss, Life reporter
“There’s the tree blossom, obliviously starting its spring parade. Then tulips, proudly standing in my neighbour’s garden. Next, the abandoned packet of prawn cocktail crips, blowing across the street like tumbleweed. And finally, a child’s coat as she toddles alongside her family – across the road, of course, at a strict distance of at least two metres. What do all four have in common? They’re pink: my colour of the day.”
Angela Hui, freelance Life reporter
“Similar to baking, fermenting and pickling is a great, therapeutic way to take your mind off things, focus on the task at hand and create something from scratch using your own two hands. Working with live bacteria serves as a humbling reminder that the world is still turning, even in the midst of so much uncertainty.”
anamariategzes via Getty Images
Adam Bloodworth, life and entertainment reporter
“I’d always been fascinated by the feeling of intimacy between myself, in my flat, and the humans that live in the flats across the road – but lockdown has magnified and intensified that interest. With endless days stretching anonymously into one another, I’ve naturally found myself staring out at the familiar figures opposite in moments of procrastination, or when I’ve been sat outside loading up on vitamin D during the long lockdown evenings.”
Jacqui Housden, news editor “There is a saying, ‘if the children are happy, we’re happy’. And the thing that appears to make mine beam with delight is flying down steep hills horribly fast. ‘I like stunt ditch because it is stunty,’ Louis, my five-year-old, wrote in his journal one night. They burn off steam, while I drip with the clammy sweat of fear. But we have found what makes us (mostly) happy.”
Adriana Varela Photography via Getty Images
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Charlie Lindlar, commissioning editor, HuffPost UK Personal
“If you haven’t already, I can wholeheartedly recommend picking up a PS4, a Nintendo Switch, even firing up something free on your smartphone, just to escape and move yourself into a hitherto unexplored galaxy. There are infinite options – no matter your interest or skill, there will be one out there for you in these trying times. Just as there have been so many for me.”
Tasha Hinde, life reporter
“Baking, while I’m not very good at it, takes my mind off everything. When I’m measuring out ingredients or winging it and pouring them in freehand, I’m thinking about the task in hand. When I’m watching them in the oven, I’m thinking about how good they smell, or why they’re not rising, or what they’ll taste like. And once they’re out, I’m thinking about how long it’ll take to cool down so I can scoff them. Either that, or how awful they look – a skill in itself.”
Ward Williams Films via Getty Images
Daniel Welsh, entertainment reporter
“By the end of the first stream, the official Eurovision Again page had 500 followers on Twitter, a number which had more than doubled by its second week. Almost two months later, and more than 9,000 people are following the account, with each stream racking up thousands of views on YouTube (many of whom are catching up later in the week, rather than tuning in live every Saturday night). #EurovisionAgain has even becoming the top UK trending topic on more than one occasion, above mainstream shows like Britain’s Got Talent.”
Nancy Groves, head of Life
“I have a theme each week – songs about light, for example, or ones that feature France or the French – and pick 12 tracks that speak to this theme in title, lyrics or essence. Like most internet wormholes, it’s a mix of search and browse, a careful balancing of the old and new and unexpected. In the process, I’ve found loads more unwitting Covid-19 anthems.”
Westend61 via Getty Images
Jayson Mansaray, video producer
“A private view, but not like the ones you remember. Ours took place in our home and we were the artists and the only guests. Two weeks of colouring with pencils and paintbrushes had culminated in the “Blooming In The Frames” exhibition opening – a lockdown event just for us. Canapés, wines and beers were laid out, atmospheric music played and assorted lights illuminated our hard work. A total of 33 pieces framed and hung in our gallery space, also known as our corridor.”
Rachael Revesz, acting Opinion editor
“During the pandemic, reading is no longer performative – for me at least. I am not posting book stack pics on Instagram, or tweeting about them. This is pure escapism. We are all figuring out how to not get lost in a haze of days and weeks during lockdown. It might be months. And alongside my online (half-hearted) workouts and a daily walk, a book a week draws a solid line between Sunday night and Monday morning.”
Farknot_Architect via Getty Images
Sarah Turnnidge, news reporter
“As my world became narrower, cycling out into the countryside – however slowly and nervously I did it – felt like an adventure in itself. My plans for the spring, then the summer, and who-knows-how-far-ahead had crumbled, but this was one thing I was free to do as I pleased. The roads and paths were so quiet in those first weeks that I finally felt I had enough space to explore without constantly worrying about a car pulling out in front of me or a van brushing past too closely.”