thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Dido Harding Refuses To Apologise For Damage To NHS Brand Caused By Test And Trace

Baroness Dido Harding, Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace PA
Dido Harding has refused to apologise for any damage caused to the NHS’s brand by her heavily criticised test and trace service.
The Tory peer told a Health Service Journal summit that “far from apologising, I’d like to say thank you to the NHS staff” for helping support the system through laboratory work and clinical help on tracing.
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Harding also said that it was “impossible to answer” whether she would be interesting in running the entire NHS when chief executive Sir Simon Stevens steps down.
During the web summit, she revealed that the bulk of Boris Johnson’s new £7bn cash boost for the service will be spent on rapid mass testing rather than contact tracing.
Test and Trace now has a £22bn budget, equivalent to nearly a fifth of the entire NHS budget each year.
Despite its chequered history, Harding vowed that NHS Test and Trace would hit the 80% target for reaching “close contacts” of people who test positive for Covid, without saying when that would happen.
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At present, roughly 60% of close contacts – those who spend more than 15 minutes less than two metres from someone with coronavirus – are being reached.
The latest statistics for the week to November 18 showed that just 60.3% were being reached, down on the 60.5% of the previous week. It is now close to the record low rate of 60.1% in mid October.
Test turnaround times within 24 hours improved from 38% to 50.6%, though they are still well short of the 100% target set by Boris Johnson for the end of June.
NHS Test and Trace has been dogged by criticism since its launch in May, not least for its use of outsourced private sector firms like Serco and Deloitte and Harding’s own appointment by health secretary Matt Hancock.
Its performance on testing turnaround times has failed to meet a target of 100% results within 24 hours set by the PM, and its contact tracing rate has fallen to record lows in recent weeks.
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Harding made a strong defence of the service, saying it had been started from scratch and was now on course to test up to two million people a day.
She said: “Rather than [give an] apology, I want to say thank you for the extraordinary support and help that NHS colleagues have brought to the overall fight against Covid and the second line of defence as I described it, of NHS Test and Trace.
“What we’ve done is we’ve protected our most vulnerable. We are objectively ensuring that care homes are safer, that patients coming into the NHS are safer, that our staff working in the NHS are safer. And so far from apologising I’d like to say thank you to the NHS staff for making that happen.”
Asked if it was factually incorrect to describe the service – which is run by the Department of Health and Social Care – as “NHS Test and Trace”, she denied the charge.
“No, I absolutely don’t [believe it is incorrect],” she said. “It’s a free at point of care, clinical service. I really don’t think it’s true to say that the NHS involvement is limited. NHS laboratories are absolutely core to it, NHS clinicians are absolutely core to all of our clinical oversight and governance, and we have a very large number of NHS professionals providing contact tracing services.”
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“We should be proud of the fact that in other countries they have to do a lot of advertising to tell people that testing is free, because of course they don’t have a national health service. We do.
“We’re providing free point of care services as part of the overall NHS family, just as other NHS services that are provided by a mix of directly employed NHS staff, contractors and outsource providers are also badged NHS.”
Asked about speculation that she wanted to become NHS chief executive one day, Harding replied: “I’m really focused on what I’m doing now. I’m not thinking about what to do after this, and I’d find it impossible to answer the question, even if you were asking me where do I want to go on holiday next year. I’m afraid I’m focused on doing the job I’m doing right now.”
While stressing that she would hit the 80% close contact target, which is seen as crucial for the entire system to stop the spread of the virus by isolating asymptomatic cases, Harding also hinted she was in discussions to amend the measure.
Asked for a date when the service would hit the 80% target, she replied: “The challenge was to reach 80% of indexed cases. And then 80% of their contacts. And yes I do think we will hit those targets. I’m not going to give you an exact date, but we are making really good progress.
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“Please don’t take the fact that I don’t want to give you a date to mean that it’s a long way off, actually that’s not the case.”
“I think it is a useful target. We’re actually currently in discussions with with Sage and SP-IM on updating their modelling as we’ve all learned so much since they’ve set the original targets for test and trace in April, which is where the 80% comes from.
“But I think it’s a very useful target for us to be really clear on where we add value.”
Shadow health minister Justin Madders told HuffPost UK that Harding’s refusal to apologise for using NHS branding was not good enough.
“She should of course apologise for the failure of test and trace on her watch and for her part in the major strategic error made in the first place to rely on untested private companies rather than local public health teams with a strong track record in test and tracing,” he said.
“It is hugely concerning as well that, not only could she not set a date by which contact tracing will be operating at the level it needs to be, but she offered no analysis or explanation as to why it has failed so far. It is almost as if she is in denial about the private sector failings in the system.“
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A total of 152,660 people tested positive for Covid-19 in England at least once in the week to November 18, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.
This is the first time since mid-August that the number has fallen week on week – down 9% on the previous week’s total of 168,250.
At the HSJ Providers Summit, Harding said she did not have any publicly available statistics on how many people have been asked to self isolate by the NHS app.
“I am very keen to get more data of how the app is working out into the public domain. We’re working with our statisticians internally, and with the UK statistics authority make sure that when we do publish everyone is confident that they are statistically valid.”
She could not say what the public-private split was in the funding of test and trace.
“It is a genuine mix and I just don’t have a civil service, third sector, NHS and private sector cut in my head for that split.”
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But she suggested that the £7bn in new funding would largely be spent on new lateral flow tests “kit”, as part of a plan to rapidly scale up mass testing to two million tests a day.
In response to the latest statistics, Harding later said in a statement that the number of people identified as coming into close contact with someone who has tested positive has increased by almost 35,000, from 314,360 to 347,575.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--How Will The Queen Form A Christmas Bubble?

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Who is the Queen’s favourite child? It made for an interesting episode in The Crown, when Prince Phillip (played by Tobias Menzies) instantly declared his allegiance to Anne, and accused his wife (Olivia Colman) of favouring Andrew.
In the show, the Queen refused to state a preference, but we may be about to find out who the real-life monarch likes best. Like us all, the Queen will soon have to select her Covid ‘Christmas bubble’.
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Traditionally, the royal family descend en masse to the Sandringham estate for a festive stay with the monarch. But this year that won’t be possible.
Under a relaxation of the coronavirus rules, three households can mix from December 23 to 27, but the bubble must be exclusive over the five-day period, meaning people cannot shift from one group to another.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, however, have a large family of four children and eight grandchildren, who are all nearly grown up, along with eight great-grandchildren.
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PA
Last year, those joining the monarch in Norfolk included Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William, Kate (Duchess of Cambridge) and their three children, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice and her partner Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Anne and Prince Edward with his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
It’s understood the decision on where and with whom the Queen will spend the Christmas period will not be made for another few weeks. The royals will also have to decide whether it is wise to visit the 94-year-old monarch and 99-year-old Philip.
Boris Johnson has warned families they must make a “personal judgment” about the risks of coronavirus to vulnerable loved ones.
Options could include the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall joining the Queen as one third of her bubble. But this would mean Camilla would be unable to see her children and grandchildren.
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The Queen may invite her youngest son Edward, with his wife Sophie and their children Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and 12-year-old Viscount Severn, who form one household.
Princess Anne might attend instead or Prince Andrew, but they have grown up children, with whom they might form a bubble.
William and Kate with George, Charlotte and Louis could spend Christmas with the Middleton family in Berkshire.
But Carole and Michael Middleton have two other children as well as Kate – Pippa Matthews and James Middleton, meaning one of the three offspring would not be allowed to gather for the festive celebrations.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are grieving the loss of their second child after a miscarriage, are thousands of miles away, living in the US.
The restrictions also mean the Queen will not be able to host her traditional pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace when the wider royal family usually gathers each year for a get-together a week or so before Christmas.
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Rules would permit the monarch and Philip to move to Sandringham during the five-day period. But they could decide to stay at Windsor Castle, where they have spent much of lockdown being looked after by a reduced number of staff dubbed HMS Bubble.
If the Queen stays at Windsor, it would be the first time in more than 30 years that she has spent Christmas at the historic Berkshire castle.
Wherever the Queen is, she can be expected to attend church on Christmas Day as head of the Church of England.
Places of worship can open in England in all areas from December 2, and people can also meet their Christmas bubble there between December 23 and 27.
It’s unlikely the well-wishers who gather to see the royals each December 25 will be able to do so, in a bid to avoid crowds and the spread of coronavirus.
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After a morning visit to church, the family traditionally indulge in turkey, reared at Sandringham, before settling down to the Queen’s Christmas Speech, which is recorded in advance.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--9 Ways To Make Your 'Christmas Bubble' As Safe As Possible

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The Christmas bubble easing of restrictions will be going ahead in the UK, government officials have confirmed, despite a rise in Covid-19 cases in some areas and experts warning that relaxing the measures will lead to a third wave.
Many are now faced with a dilemma: do you stay home (better to be safe than sorry), or do you continue with your plans to see the family members you haven’t seen for weeks, months – or even a year?
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The Christmas bubble rules specify that people in the UK can form an exclusive bubble made up of people from three households between December 23 and 27. They can meet in homes and gardens, as well as places of worship and outdoor public spaces.
Experts are concerned that allowing people to mix at Christmas could fuel a third wave in January, however some believe if the mixing is done properly and safely, it will be fine – and is better than people being told they can’t do it, then meeting loads of people in an act of defiance.
Ultimately, it’s up to you what you do over the break. But if you do plan on meeting up with loved ones, we’ve asked experts for their top tips on keeping everyone safe.
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1. Self-isolate before you meet up
This option isn’t suitable for everyone, but it’s a biggie. If you’re able to self-isolate for 10 days or two weeks before seeing loved ones over Christmas (and they do the same), you are reducing the risk of passing on the virus – and vice versa.
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Professor Lucy Yardley, an expert in health psychology at University of Bristol and the University of Southampton, tells HuffPost UK: “That’s a great strategy, for the people that can do that – and then you can both feel really safe.”
Dr Claire Steves, honorary consultant geriatrician from King’s College London, advises paying close attention to what all bubble members can do to reduce their risk of being infected in the week before getting together.
“That means doing shopping online or before-hand and interacting as little as possible especially in the week before,” she says. “Our family are going into a strict lockdown after schools close so we can be pretty certain none of us will infect the grandparents, even if we’re asymptomatic.
“Other families may be particularly high risk, or unable to do this, and will sensibly opt to celebrate together online.”
franckreporter via Getty Images
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2. Just because three households can meet, doesn’t mean you should
Remember this: the fewer people from different households you see over Christmas, the lower your risk of catching anything. “I would encourage as limited mixing of households as possible,” says Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton.
Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, a visiting professor at Cambridge University, urges people to think carefully about who they really need to see over Christmas, too. “If we all do our bit, and work hard to minimise the risks of transmission especially to our more elderly loved ones – which could mean not seeing them physically this Christmas – then this will not only help our families, but also the NHS,” he says.
“This virus doesn’t take a Christmas vacation, and the physics of transmission pathways remains the same. We can all help break the transmission paths, and this would probably be the best Christmas present we can give.”
FG Trade via Getty Images
3. Go outdoors – or keep rooms well-ventilated
If you can, get outside when meeting loved ones you don’t live with. Professor Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, told a joint meeting of the Science and Technology Committee and the Health and Social Care Committee: “We know outside is so much safer than inside, go for a walk, have a meal outside.”
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And if you’re going to be inside, keep it well-ventilated – open windows, back doors and make sure there’s plenty of air circulating. Doing this helps reduce the risk of virus collecting and lingering in the air for periods of time.
4. Pick your largest room to socialise in
If you will be socialising indoors, opt for the biggest room you can and move around furniture so households can still keep 2 metres apart.
If you open the windows to that room – but shut the doors to the rest of your home – it can help reduce the amount of heat your home loses, too. Just tell your guests to wrap up warm ahead of time.
NataliaDeriabina via Getty Images
5. Limit the amount of time you spend together
Try not to spend too long together, either. The longer you spend together, the more viruses could enter your body. Your best bet would be to figure out what you want to get out of the day in advance – and how long you’d like to spend with loved ones. For example, could you spend a couple of hours in the morning with them opening presents?
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“If you spend hours and hours together, especially if you start drinking, then the longer you stay together, not only is the virus likely to be accumulating in the air and on surfaces, but also your guard will be let down and it’s more likely that you’ll start spreading the virus,” says Prof Yardley.
6. Remember: hands, face, space
People should try and keep a distance where possible when meeting up and should ensure they wash their hands regularly with soap for at least 20 seconds.
The use of masks could cause a few raised eyebrows, but they’ve been shown to reduce the spread of droplets expelled from people’s noses and mouths when they talk or breathe. You could even get Christmas-themed ones to make it less weird. They’re a great option if the place you’re meeting isn’t spacious and social distancing is hard to do.
Pyrosky via Getty Images
7. Keep surfaces clean as a whistle
If you are having people over, make sure touch points like light switches, door handles, toilet flush buttons, and other regularly touched surfaces (like banisters, for example) are wiped down regularly. Disinfectant is recommended for sending the virus packing.
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8. Set rules beforehand and get your family to agree to them
Prof Yardley believes every family member should be made to go through Germ Defence – a project she led that guides you through advice on how to help protect your home from Covid-19 – before agreeing to meet over the Christmas period, so they understand what needs to be done and why.
Then, as a family, they should agree on what they’re going to do to keep each other safe, she suggests. Agreeing it all beforehand means there’s less of a risk that once you get there one person tries to hug another, or someone accidentally sits too near grandma on the sofa.
9. Think differently about traditions this year
Doing a “typical Christmas” where you all get together in one person’s house, but with a bit of extra hand-washing, is actually a “very risky situation”, says Prof Yardley. So we need to think differently.
It might be the norm that you eat together with your guests, or you play board games – but this year we can’t just have a normal Christmas. You might want to forego having people over for Christmas lunch but instead meet up for an after lunch walk in the fresh air, or meet up in the morning to watch each other opening presents before heading back home for your own cooked lunch.
Prof Yardley adds: “Christmas is about showing each other that you care and there is no better way of showing you care than saying: ‘I am absolutely determined that you’re not going to get ill this Christmas.’”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--I'm A Celebrity Receives 'Advice' From Police Over Use Of Non-Native Insects

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Police have offered “advice” to I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! bosses, following claims the show was under investigation over its use of non-native insects.
Earlier in the week, The Guardian reported that police had been investigating the long-running programme over its use of certain species of bugs, including cockroaches, maggots, spiders and worms.
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The newspaper claimed that I’m A Celebrity had potentially breached the Wildlife and Countryside Act if it failed to get a licence for the release of the insects.
A North Wales Police spokesperson has now said: “North Wales Police and Natural Resources Wales have received information regarding the potential release of non-native species into ‘non studio’ areas, and we have given suitable advice to the production team regarding their set management and biosecurity.”
Victoria Derbyshire has insects tipped over her during the first challenge of the series ITV/Shutterstock
Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford said on Wednesday: “We worked carefully with the production company to make sure that all the rules are being observed.
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“If there have been some infringement then it’s right that they are investigated. We would be concerned about non-native species being released.”
Prior to this, an I’m A Celebrity spokesperson had insisted: “All of the insects used on I’m A Celebrity are non-invasive species. They are only ever released in a contained area and collected immediately after filming.
“The bugs are UK-bred and are commercially purchased in the UK for birds and exotic animal feed for pets and zoo keepers in normal circumstances.
“Our insects have been donated to local wildlife sanctuaries, trusts and zoos for their exotic animal and bird feed after filming.”
I’m A Celebrity has long come under fire from animal rights activists due to the nature of some of its trials, with the show making the decision to axe the eating of living creatures ahead of last year’s series.
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I'm A Celebrity hosts Ant and Dec ITV
A representative for the RSPCA said in a statement earlier in the series: “Throughout the years, we’ve been raising our concerns with the production company about how animals were being treated on the Australia-based programme, but we never received a response from the show.
“We were very pleased when the show’s production company got in touch with us in the planning stages of this year’s series, set here in the UK. We spoke to them about changing the way they use animals along with the change of continent - perhaps introducing welfare-friendly alternatives to animal use in the trials.
“However, we were really disappointed to be told that they would continue to be using animals in this way during this series. We know that many of you, the animal loving public, agree with us and really dislike the use of animals in this way.”
In response, ITV said (via Digital Spy): “I’m a Celebrity complies with animal welfare law concerning the use of animals and we are proud of our exemplary production practices.
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“We have a long working relationship with the RSPCA in New South Wales, Australia and as such contacted their counterparts some months ago when we knew that the programme would be made in the UK, with a view to working collaboratively with them.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--This Trinket-Filled Store Has Been Named Britain's Best Small Shop

HuffPost UK PA
A family-run home and gift store has been named Britain’s best small shop of 2020.
Cornucopia, based in Worcester, stocks British brands as well as products with a Danish influence that originated with the business founders.
During lockdown it opened its Trouva boutique online, with mother-and-daughter owners Clare and Hannah Bishop taking products home from the shop and turning their garage into a distribution centre.
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This enabled them to distribute products to customers all over the world and open their own online shop.
Clare Bishop said: “We feel that customers really want a physical shop to come into. We like to display in a way that gives the customer an idea of what they could recreate at home.
“We have a tremendous team to help support us within the shop, otherwise it just wouldn’t look the way it does.”
The Best Small Shops competition is managed by the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC), whose member trade associations represent around 100,000 independent retailers throughout the UK.
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In their comments about Cornucopia, the judges said they “loved their resilient approach combined with their community spirit”.
Judges added: “They are very active on social media and support other local and independent businesses and the wider community. They are active in initiatives that help drive footfall. They understand that every place is the sum of its physical and digital parts.”
They praised the owners for their efforts to maintain trading and open up new revenue streams during lockdown.
“Cornucopia is an innovation business that clearly worked hard during Covid-19 to ensure the business both survived and thrived post-lockdown, activity engaging with the local business community and local people to benefit of the business,” they said.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--I May Be Autistic But I'm Not A Bad Actor, No Matter What Sia Says

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So, if this is the norm, why is it such a big problem?
First, let’s look at Sia’s response to the autistic community, and then let’s look at the real-world difference that authentic representation makes in employment.
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Sia responded on Twitter to several of the professional autistic actresses who dared tweet to her that neither they nor any of the professional autistic actresses they knew had been auditioned for the role, writing to one of them, “Well maybe you’re just a bad actor.”
I know how this feels. I was the first autistic actor to play the autistic character Christopher Boone in the Tony Award-winning play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. This also made me one of the first autistic actors to play any autistic role ever professionally, as the roles in Rain Man, I Am Sam, Atypical, and all the way to The Good Doctor have been played by non-autistic actors.
When I was advocating for autistic actors to be auditioned for the role of Christopher, I was told many times that it would not be possible for an autistic actor like myself to play him. That it was a “big show” with “big words.” That it was a hard role. I was also told many times that the reason no autistic actors had been cast in the role was simply because there were no talented autistic actors. This is a lie. This is a myth. And it is damaging.
I am a talented autistic actor who has been told to my face the exact same words that Sia tweeted to the autistic community. And I am not alone. There are so many incredibly talented autistic actors. But why take my word for it? After being cast in “Curious Incident,” the same people who told me that it couldn’t, or even shouldn’t, be done changed their minds.
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When I played the leading role in Curious Incident, The New York Times said, “Mr. Rowe plays Christopher with an agile grace, an impish humor and a humanizing restraint. On Broadway, where the play was a Tony Award-winning hit, it ran eight times a week, with two actors alternating the demanding role of Christopher, a 15-year-old with autism who sets out to solve a mystery. Mr. Rowe — thought to be the first openly autistic actor to play the role — does all nine shows a week.”
“My job as an autistic is to make you believe that I am coming up with words on the spot, that this is spontaneous, the first time the conversation has ever happened in my life; this is also my job onstage as an actor.”
When I got to play the title character in the Tony Award-winning play Amadeus, The Wall Street Journal said, “Buy your ticket now, then come back and finish reading this review ... I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a better small-screen version of a live stage performance ... Mickey Rowe giving a madly zany performance as Mozart. He reminded me at times of the young Jerry Lewis ... A triumphant demonstration... Artistically successful in every way.”
And they weren’t alone! The reviews kept coming.
I am a better actor because of ― not in spite of ― my autism. Autistic people use scripts every day. We use scripting for daily situations with predictable outcomes, and stick to those scripts. My job as an autistic person is to make you believe that I am coming up with words on the spot, that this is spontaneous, the first time the conversation has ever happened in my life; this is also my job onstage as an actor.
For instance, at a coffee shop:
Me: Hi, how are you doing today? (Smile.) Can I please have a small coffee? Thank you so much! (If it seems like more conversation is needed) Has it been busy today? Barista: Any barista response. Me: Oh yeah? Is it nicer when it’s busy or when it’s slow? Have a great rest of your day!
Always stick to the script. It makes things infinitely easier.
Or playing Edmond in King Lear:
Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, And permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me ... When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true ... [?]
It’s really no different. They’re lines I’ve learned that I say often, but I’m making you believe they are mine, particular to this specific moment. With autism comes a new way of thinking; a fresh eye, a fresh mind. Literally, a completely different wiring of the brain.
I know what it is like to be really good at something but still be overlooked simply because of stigma and bias.
Being in front of an audience of 500 or 5,000 people is very easy for me. The roles are incredibly clear, logical and laid-out. I am onstage; you are sitting in the seats watching me. I am playing a character, and that is what you expect, want and are paying for. The conversations onstage are scripted, and written much better than the ones in my real life. On the street is where conversations are scary — those roles aren’t clear.
Sure, there are lots of things working against me at any given time. For example, over 85% of college graduates on the autism spectrum are unemployed. I’m going to repeat that again ― 85% of college graduates who are on the autism spectrum are unemployed. This isn’t because we are less capable, but largely because of social stigma and the expectations others like Sia have before ever even working with us.
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The author. Courtesy of Mickey Rowe
Like the fictional character whom Sia attempted to bring to life in her movie, I was nonverbal. I know what it feels like to be autistic because it is my lived experience every day.
I was nonverbal throughout my earliest years. It is such a damaging misconception that nonverbal autistic people don’t speak because they simply are not smart enough. We live in an inherently ableist society that uses the word “dumb” interchangeably with the word “stupid.” But when you take a moment to think critically about what society tells you is acceptable, you realise that just as “blind” means cannot see and “deaf” means cannot hear, “dumb” actually means cannot speak. I’m here to tell you that although I couldn’t speak, I was certainly not stupid, and I still understood everything everyone else was saying. This is the case for many nonverbal autistic people.
The medical term for this condition is aphasia. Simply put, it means you understand what is being said to you and you know what you want to say, but you are unable to say it. Somewhere between your brain and your mouth, the train goes off the rails. It’s not that mysterious and it’s not limited to autistic people. If anyone, autistic or not, sustains a concussion, they may show symptoms of aphasia.
If you put a communication application, even a keyboard, in front of a nonverbal autistic person, chances are they may communicate more eloquent and perceptive thoughts than you. It’s funny how the less we speak, and the more we observe and listen, often the more we have to say.
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Do you think that Stephen Hawking was stupid, since he could only talk using a machine? Of course not! You recognise that he can be one of the greatest intellects in modern history while also being unable to talk without an assistive device. Please extend that same understanding to autistic people with aphasia. There are many things, dear reader, I hope you take from this article, and one is that you decide today to make an effort to stop saying “dumb” when you actually mean to say “stupid.” Do it for childhood Mickey, who knew what everyone else was saying, knew that he couldn’t speak, but knew what he wanted to communicate and find human connection and was determined to do so.
Out of this determination I invented my own incredibly detailed sign language with which to communicate. Obviously, this wasn’t ideal, but it at least allowed me to scrape by when with my immediate family, who, despite any despair over my inability to talk, were fairly familiar with my signs. Once I signed asking for an ice cream cone and as soon as I got it, I promptly squished it into my beloved grandmother’s face, my attempt at “sharing” it with her. Stories like that are a common thread throughout my life. Reaching for human connection, trying to make a moment of friendship and love, but not quite pulling it off. My made-up sign language was a desperate reach to connect with the world, and yet I remained cut off from communication with anyone outside of my immediate family. All of this is what is called lived experience.
“We don’t just want to be audience members. We want to be employed. We want to be active parts of the conversation about autism. We want to help shape the stories about us from the inside just like any other minority group would want to have a hand in telling the public stories that shape public understanding about their group.”
So why is representation important? With one in every 54 Americans being autistic, if you are doing a show that in any way involves autism, you’d better be casting an autistic actor or hiring an autistic writer or director. Disability still is not thought of when we talk about diversity, and that needs to change.
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We don’t just want to be audience members. We want to be employed. We want to be active parts of the conversation about autism. We want to help shape the stories about us from the inside just like any other minority group would want to have a hand in telling the public stories that shape public understanding about their group.
Young people with disabilities in this country need to see positive role models who will tell them that if you are different, if you access the world differently, then we need you! The world needs you! Excluding people with disabilities from stories that are entirely about disability doesn’t help to accomplish this. The point of storytelling is to connect us with people we otherwise wouldn’t come in contact with, to bring us life experiences we don’t already have. That is why diversity in the arts matters.
Inclusion in the arts matters because it leads to inclusion in life. If even movies entirely about autism can’t include autistic people thoroughly and directly from the inside, that just means that we still have lots of amazing work to be done.
As the first actor on the spectrum to play Christopher, and one of the first actors on the spectrum to get to play any autistic character ever, I got to show all the business leaders that saw the show that they can hire us, that we can do professional work at the highest level, that we get the job done, and that they have no reason to discriminate against developmental disabilities.
And to those of you reading this who are on the spectrum or different in any way, what I ask of all of you today is this: Know yourself well. Know yourself well enough to understand that your differences are your strengths. Be brave, jump in headfirst even when you aren’t sure, and be brave enough to advocate for yourself when you need something. Will you fail? Of course! Sometimes! But will it be worth it? Yes. If I hadn’t been brave and taken leaps I was afraid to take, I would have never gotten to be on stage in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” So please be brave, ask for what you need, and trust that sometimes if you take a leap, the net will appear for you. Go be incredible, and more than anything, be you!
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There are so many actors on the spectrum. Actors like myself, Emi Tatsumaki, Coby Bird, Tash Baiguerra, Carsen Warner, Alex Plank, Kayla Marie Cromer, Andrew Duff, Alex Stewart, and so many more.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Beverley Callard Leaves I'm A Celebrity Viewers Stunned With Candid Admission About Her Husband

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Beverley Callard left I’m A Celebrity... Get me Out Of Here! viewers - and fellow contestants - stunned during Wednesday night’s show, after a rather rude admission about her husband, Jon McEwan.
Yes, we’re talking about that “megashag” comment.
Chatting to her fellow campmates about her husband of 10 years, Beverley confessed: “Jon’s very handsome... he’s a megashag.”
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As Shane Richie and Victoria Derbyshire expressed their shock at the former Coronation Street star’s declaration, Beverley doubled down, insisting: “He’s a megashag. And he dances for me in the kitchen every morning, and makes me laugh my socks off.”
With a bit of encouragement from presenters Ant and Dec, “#megashag” racked up thousands of tweets, eventually becoming the top trending topic in the UK, and sparking plenty of conversation in the process...
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The UK public after making #megashag the top of the UK trending list! #imacelebrity pic.twitter.com/YzEsKI51MC — Ollie Stephens (@OllieStephens25) November 25, 2020
Bev calling her husband Jon a #MegaShag on ITV primetime TV is so iconic 😂 #ImACeleb — Ryan ✌ (@RyanS_UK) November 25, 2020
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#MEGASHAG good on you Beverley! You go girl 👧 — Lizzi Alexandra (@Lizzi_2012) November 25, 2020
“He’s a megashag” 🤣 Beverley Callard tripping on the vibes of life there. #ImaCeleb #Megashag — Elliot Gonzalez (@elliot_gonzalez) November 25, 2020
Beverley is so incredible. A gift that keeps on giving #ImaCeleb #megashag 😂 — B e t h (@Beth_Coate) November 25, 2020
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Too funny Beverley calling her hubby #Megashag - it was a David/Victoria golden balls moment 😂😂😂😂 #imacelebrity — KateWithTheGlasses (@kate1305) November 25, 2020
.#imacelebrity viewers frantically search for #MegaShag - Beverley Callard doing her best to break the internet most evenings. pic.twitter.com/fTN7PUlPqb — Richard Keenan-Heard (@RichardKeenan4) November 25, 2020
Fortunately, the man himself saw the funny side, joking, “I’ll take that!”, after spotting that one fan had edited his name on Beverley’s Wikipedia page:
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Of course, this isn’t the first time Bev has had I’m A Celebrity viewers talking with her loose tongue.
Earlier in the week, she put her foot right in it after branding Splash! “the most stupid programme ever”, seemingly not realising it was hosted by her fellow campmate Vernon Kay.
During Wednesday’s show, the soap legend was able to make it up to him, though, when she picked him to receive a luxury spa treatment.
“I love you Vernon and I was thinking about Tess [Daly, his wife] and your girls and I just thought he deserves it,” she told him, as they both shed a tear.
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Tess Daly then posted the clip on her Instagram story, commenting: “This made me well up… so sweet of [Beverley].”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Exeter Nightingale Hospital To Open For First Covid-19 Patients

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Exeter’s Nightingale Hospital will receive its first coronavirus patients on Thursday.
The hospital will admit patients transferred from the “very busy” Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, officials have confirmed.
It comes as government figures show the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital in the South West has steadily risen over the past few weeks.
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On October 1, 34 patients were reported as being in hospital. A month later on November 1, that number leapt to 437.
The hospital is one of seven Nightingale Hospitals built in England to cope with the pandemic.
Building work on the 116-bed Nightingale Hospital was completed on the site of a former retail unit in July. It was used for diagnostic tests during the summer.
A spokesperson from the hospital said: “The Nightingale Exeter will accept patients tomorrow who will be transferred from the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (RD&E), which is very busy.
“We would ask that the public continue to observe the government’s advice on observing the lockdown and social distancing so that we can keep patients safe.”
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Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw welcomed the news, adding that he had recently raised the issue with health secretary Matt Hancock.
Very good news that the #Exeter #NightingaleHospital is finally opening for patients tomorrow to take pressure of the @RDEhospitals & other local #NHS services to cope with unprecedented #Covid19UK pressures. Something I raised with @MattHancock two weeks’ ago. — Ben Bradshaw (@BenPBradshaw) November 25, 2020
Bradshaw tweeted: “Very good news that the Exeter Nightingale hospital is finally opening for patients tomorrow to take pressure off the RD&E hospitals and other local NHS services to cope with unprecedented Covid-19 UK pressures.”
The government is expected to announce which tier of restrictions each area will go into when the current lockdown ends on December 2.
Boris Johnson revealed a revised, tougher version of the three tier system of coronavirus restrictions on Monday. The system is set to last until the end of March, the PM said.
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On Wednesday, the UK’s daily coronavirus death toll neared 700 for the first time in six months.
The deaths of 696 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 in the previous 28 days marked the highest death toll since May 5, when 726 new deaths were reported.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Danny Dyer Brands Joe Wicks ‘F***ing Irritating’ And Wins The 2020 Unpopular Opinion Award

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Danny Dyer has branded Joe Wicks “fucking irritating” in a rant about fitness fanatics.
His words are unlikely to go down well with the Body Coach’s millions of fans, although the EastEnders star did at least concede that Joe’s “heart is in the right place”, but admitted he wouldn’t want to hang out with him personally.
Speaking on his Sorted With The Dyers podcast, Danny said: “I’ve met a lot of people who are healthy as fuck, and I look at their bodies and I go, ‘Look at you, you’re ripped to fuck*.’ I go, ‘Wow.’
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“Then they open their mouth and they’ve got absolutely no charisma and dialogue whatsoever. I’ve never met a really fit, healthy man who is not fucking irritating.
“This is going to be an unpopular opinion: Joe Wicks.”
(L-R) Danny Dyer and Joe Wicks PA
Danny continued: “I’m not going to be nasty about him. This man’s heart is in the right place - but everything about him is so irritating.
“Maybe because I’m jealous of his body or his hair?
“I wouldn’t want to have a one-on-one with him, like going to play snooker. I reckon he’d be shit at it for one, and also how could you go for a meal with him? When you know he’s looking at you with his side-eye.
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“Listen, Joe Wicks, I’m sure he’s a lovely cat. But it’s too much. Because everything that comes out of their mouth is about food and nutrition and staying ‘healthy and positive’ and all that sort of caper.”
The actor says despite being naturally toned in his younger years, he now hates his man boobs.
“I’ve never really cared [about weight],” he said. “I had a right result for many, many years. I was hedonistic, I drank a lot and I did take drugs and I could eat a Big Mac meal easy.
“But I always had a real slim body. If you go back to The Business I looked like an Adonis in it. It didn’t really make sense. I just had a natural, nice shape to me.
“You get into your late 20s and 30s and go, ‘Oh OK, now I’ve grown some tits.’ I don’t like having a pair of breasts.”
In November, Joe topped off his 2020 by completing a 24-hour exercise challenge for Children In Need, raising over £1.5 million for the charity in the process.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Chris Evans Plays The Piano And Twitter Could Listen To Him All Day

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Actor Chris Evans found another way to make his fans swoon on Tuesday.
The Captain America star was already rising in popularity for his accidentally leaked penis pic, puppy play date with Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman and “toilet” takedown of Donald Trump.
Now he’s going full Renaissance Man, playing the piano in an Instagram stories clip that trended on Twitter overnight.
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The clip is pretty basic: Evans practices a composition by Fabrizio Paterlini and looks adorable doing it.
📲 Chris Evans via Instagram stories pic.twitter.com/JZHmuYgSqB — Chris Evans News (@CEvansNews) November 25, 2020
That was more than enough for Twitter.
Chris with a look of , "I hope that you can hear this tune over the sound of how awesome I am." — Emerald Enthusiast (Kilowog) (@EmeraldEnthusi1) November 25, 2020
I love how he can post a dick pic one day and this the next — Des (@DesdisMe) November 25, 2020
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Sir. I'm gonna need you to stop making me fall in love with you. — The Armorer Wears A Mask (@FriersonTonya) November 25, 2020
Just so quietly, confidently, mesmerizing,certainly,undeniably,sexy! — Terrance Miller (@tman1109) November 25, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Yale Experts Think They've Found A Way To Manage Tantrums — Once And For All

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Tantrums and meltdowns are a normal part of growing up. Estimates suggest that up to 90% of toddlers have them, and researchers also have a pretty clear grip on why, like right down to the nitty-gritty neuroscience of it all. Essentially, the amygdala (the part of the brain that helps process emotions) detects a threat, and the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls involuntary reactions like heart rate and body temperature) just kind of ... snaps.
But knowing that tantrums are common, and having an understanding of why, still doesn’t help all that much when you’re trying to console a toddler or preschooler who is howling and shaking with rage. Tantrums test us as parents, and that’s particularly true during a pandemic that has upended family rhythms and caused a lot of kids to regress.
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Fortunately, a team of researchers with Yale University has released findings from a pilot study that could be something of a game-changer on the tantrum front, creating a virtual programme that limited disruptive behaviours and reduced overall irritability in young kids who tend to really struggle with both.
Twelve families who participated in the study said they saw a significant drop in angry outbursts and tantrums and made major strides in being able to stay calm in the face of frustration, said Denis Sukhodolsky, an associate professor with the Yale Child Study Center. The children involved in the study all have either oppositional defiance disorder or disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Sukhodolsky said he believes the pilot programme is promising in that it could potentially be rolled out for parents to access without a referral to a trained clinician with a particular skillset that may be difficult to find.
The Yale study recognises that tantrums are an “important standalone target for mental health,” Sukhodolsky said. And all parents can help their children manage tantrums, whether the outbursts rise to the level of a clinical problem or not, he added.
HuffPost Parents spoke with Sukhodolsky about his team’s new findings — and what parents can do to stop tantrums in their tracks right now.
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debbiehelbing via Getty Images A new pilot program shows promise for how it could help parents manage tantrums.
So what exactly is your “online tantrum tool”?
Our programme is a sequence of eight modules with a series of easy-to-consume video animations that illustrate, for parents, the most common strategies for recognising and managing children’s tantrums. Parents do them at their own pace, and they’re combined with three health visits.
It’s actually based on parent management training, which has been around for 50 years or so. But unfortunately, it has not been very easily available to parents. Families who are concerned about tantrums may start by going to their child’s paediatrician, but it can take a great deal of effort to then get access to behaviourally trained clinicians who can deliver this in a structured, systematic way.
One of the challenges as a parent is knowing when the tantrums or outbursts your child is having are “normal” and when they’ve crossed a line. What are some red flags?
We don’t want to pathologise tantrums. They are a typical part of childhood development. And when you’re looking at kids ages 2 to 4, they all have tantrums sometimes. Different families have different levels of tolerance for their children’s behaviours.
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But it’s important to consider whether they are more frequent than is typical, if the tantrums are more intense than is typical, and if it takes children a particularly long time to calm down.
“Developing tolerance for frustration is a skill.” - Denis Sukhodolsky, Yale Child Study Center
Even if a child is having multiple meltdowns daily, but they’re able to calm down and transition to the next thing without much impact or interference, that could still be developmentally appropriate. But if tantrums are lasting longer than five, 10, 15 minutes — and after the tantrum the child stays upset — that could be a signal [that something more serious is going on].
It is also important for parents to consider how long the behaviour is present. You should not get alarmed if a child is having one or two tantrums a day for a week, but if it is happening for several months, that could be a signal.
Your pilot programme isn’t something parents everywhere can just sign up for — yet. So what are some strategies parents can borrow from it right now?
When a tantrum actually happens, the key for parents is to stay calm themselves and model appropriate stress management reactions. I know that is difficult to do! Take a deep breath. It’s important to know yourself as a parent, and be realistic. We are living through challenging times right now, so it is important to adjust expectations for yourself and your child.
Another important piece is praise. When children are behaving well — particularly young children — it’s important to comment on that. Say: ‘Good job. Nice job staying quiet, or looking at that book, while Daddy was cooking dinner.’
Praise is also very important when a tantrum is over. Say something like: ‘Hey buddy, good job calming down. It was stressful, and I’m glad you were able to do that.’ It goes against our nature, where we’re all a little worked up after an unpleasant interaction, but the goal for parents is to take a deep breath, know when the tantrum is over, and recognise that getting over a tantrum is an accomplishment for a child.
So the goal is not necessarily that young kids will stop having tantrums altogether; it’s that they’ll get better at working through them?
Children learn over a period of time. That is true for any activity of daily living that might be frustrating for kids and where there is potential for a tantrum to develop, like getting dressed, brushing their teeth. All of these skills take time to develop, and parents may need to break them into small steps and praise their children along the way.
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Developing tolerance for frustration is a skill. We all have our own personalities that may predispose us to certain styles, but navigating stress and frustration is something we can learn. And even if someone is sensitive to frustration, they can still master these skills.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--How Mixing Over Christmas Could Impact A 'Third Wave'

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People in the UK have been given the green light to mix with other households over Christmas, but experts are concerned easing up on socialising could lead to a third wave of coronavirus early next year.
Across the UK, three households will be able to mix in a bubble from December 23 to 27. But several experts have warned that going ahead with such celebrations could fuel a third wave of cases – and further lockdowns.
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England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, told MPs on Wednesday he is “very nervous” about a possible third wave next year and urged the public to stick to current social distancing and restrictions.
The warnings came as figures released on Wednesday showed another 533 people were reported to have died after testing positive for Covid-19, while another 16,578 new coronavirus infections were reported in the UK.
Malte Mueller via Getty Images
Prof Whitty isn’t alone in his opinion, either. Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), previously told BBC2’s Newsnight the planned easing of restrictions over Christmas would be “throwing fuel on the Covid fire”.
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“I think it will definitely lead to increased transmission,” he said. “It is likely to lead to a third wave of infection, with hospitals being overrun, and more unnecessary deaths.
“We are still in a country where we have got high levels of infection with Covid, particularly in young people. Bringing them together for hours, let alone days, with elderly relatives, I think, is a recipe for regret for many families.”
Dr Michael Head, a senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton, agreed easing restrictions over the festive break could fuel a third wave of the virus. “For the festive period, we all need to think ‘just because we could, it doesn’t mean we should’,” he said.
And Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor and clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, adds there is a real risk of a third wave in January 2021 “if we relax too much at Christmas”.
“Most people in the country are still susceptible to the virus and any mixing will just give the virus a chance to spread further,” he tells HuffPost UK.
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People will understandably want to see their loved ones after a horrendous year, however Dr Tang urges some restraint, if possible. “I agree that we all need a break and Christmas is one of the most important holidays we have,” he says.
“But just for this year, we should try to restrain ourselves, to suppress the virus as much as possible and keep it suppressed until we can roll out the vaccines at a large-scale later, to protect the most vulnerable first.”
“Just for this year, we should try to restrain ourselves.” - Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor and clinical virologist at the University of Leicester
He urges those who can “tolerate a Zoom Christmas” to do so to reduce the transmission risk for those who can’t. “This will also reduce the virus spread for that bit longer, which will help all of us – and hopefully prevent a New Year third wave and possibly another national lockdown,” he adds.
Some experts, however, believe relaxing the measures slightly over Christmas might stop people from taking matters into their own hands. Professor Rowland Kao, an expert in veterinary epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, says there are “many reasons to be especially watchful over the Christmas period” with more people mixing and increased contact between age groups.
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“However, counterbalancing this is the need to account for factors of human behaviour; in particular if there is a safety valve which allows some of the social interactions that are important to very many people in a controlled manner, it could prevent increased activity that would occur in a less moderated way,” he explains.
“In this sense it is a sensible approach, but the onus of course, is then on individuals to interpret those relaxations responsibly.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--I'm An NHS Doctor. Boris Johnson's Christmas Plans Are Deadly

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I’m an NHS doctor specialising in the care of older people. A year ago, before the arrival of this pandemic changed every aspect of our clinical care, it would not have been unusual to arrive on the hospital ward to hear that a patient had died over the weekend.
Going into work last Monday, we were greeted by the ward clerk waiting with a pile of death certificates from the weekend. A pile.
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For our local population, the level of harm done by this virus has been immeasurable. It has not been uncommon to be treating numerous members of the same family, coming in one after another or sometimes as a unit.
One elderly couple shared a hospital room in their last days of life, holding hands between the bed rails before one and then the other died. Spread of Covid-19 among family members is common, and deadly.
“Relaxing measures appears foolhardy and risks an explosion of cases when we are on the cusp of a mass vaccine roll-out.”
After seeing such tragedy, the suggestion of relaxing Covid rules for Christmas is a difficult pill to swallow.
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Typically, winter is the most brutal time of year for the NHS. Social care can be patchy or non-existent, families who provide care are often away and the cold weather exacerbates the medical condition of our patients with lung and heart disease.
One of our local hospitals recorded their busiest ever day on January 2 – eight days after Christmas. Obviously, any relaxation of the rules that might allow infection rates to bloom over Christmas would spell disaster.
Christmas is typically a difficult time for many staff members who are missing time with their loved ones. What gets us through is usually the boost in spirits from being together and knowing we are all doing our best under the circumstances.
With low morale, high staff sickness rates and many clinicians facing burnout, this year feels like it will be difficult one. The NHS relies on the goodwill of staff.
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In a system with an exhausted workforce, having to cope with a spike in Covid-19 infections, that goodwill will vanish and the patients who need us at this time will suffer.
In times of adversity, necessity dictates the need for rationality over sentiment. NHS staff are in desperate need of a scientific approach to the management of this pandemic. Announcing Christmas-specific measures, although understandably well meaning, can only be detrimental for the health service.
Many of those staff members who will be dealing with the consequences of a relaxation would have been working over the Christmas period and unable to see their loved ones anyway.
Other festival celebrations have been curtailed in the name of Covid protection – very notably the restriction on gatherings that was communicated three hours before Eid earlier in the year. In light of Public Health England reporting that racism may have exacerbated disproportionate BAME deaths, it feels culturally insensitive that special rules for Christmas are made when this consideration was not forthcoming for the festivities of other faiths.
Relaxing measures appears foolhardy and risks an explosion of cases when we are on the cusp of a mass vaccine roll-out.
With a large and loud family, loving in-laws, and friends across the country, I feel the pain at not being able to catch up and be together over Christmas, but it feels like we have come so far and suffered so much to cause unnecessary harm in the name of seeing loved ones on this special day.
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So I have a suggestion – why not postpone Christmas this year? Arrange a day once we have a working vaccine and infection rates are under control to ensure that there are fewer empty chairs at Christmas dinner in 2021.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--LGBTQ+ Elders Share Their Life Stories: 'We All Want To Feel Heard'

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“You think: ‘Oh, older people, they’re not going to be so exciting.’ But you know what, we are! And we were from the very beginning. Very witty, funny, creative and full of life and of course, because we’re older, we have better stories than younger people – there’s more of them!”
Persia, a trans woman in her seventies who lives in Brighton, is one of a group of older LGBTQ+ people sharing their life stories in Hear Us Out, a new digital festival that kicks off virtually on Thursday, in the last week of lockdown.
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And she couldn’t be more excited about taking part, she tells HuffPost UK. The festival is the culmination of theatre director Dinos Aristidou’s idea to celebrate the many older LGBTQ+ people who live on the UK south coast, and to give these elders a platform to tell their truth – by speaking someone else’s.
The main event is a free, live-streamed performance on Saturday November 28, featuring a series of true, five minute stories – anonymously told to protect privacy, but also to add a layer of drama. Performers will read each other’s stories verbatim – not just repeating the other person’s words, but the ums and ers, the pauses and the spaces between those words.
“It’s very validating, like you’re being witnessed – and that’s very powerful because we all want to feel heard,” explains Carol, an actor in her sixties who lives in Hastings. “Sometimes to expose ourselves, if parts of our story are quite painful, is risking becoming vulnerable in a way perhaps we don’t want to be.”
Supplied Persia, performer in Hear Us Out
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The stories in Hear Us Out vary in tone and subject, but the overarching theme is celebratory. “People have been through challenging things, joyous things,” says Janet, 56, who identifies as a disabled dyke, is retired and still writes poetry and prose. “These aren’t straightforward coming out stories. They’re stories of lived lives and experiences that went along with those lived lives.”
Theatre is a “powerful tool”, she adds. Performers in Hear Us Out have lived through years of oppression and legislation; they have been through a lot. “I know people whose story is so challenging and painful for them, it’s not possible for them to speak their story themselves,“Janet says, but the idea it is made available to a wider audience with their permission: that is fantastic.”
Carol compares the process to “channelling” another person. “By putting words into someone else’s mouth, we’ve had to really consider how they tell it: reproduce the tone, the spirit of that person,” she says. “It allowed me to step back from aspects of my own story. To be, not neutral exactly, but fully take it in, without feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed or ‘have I said too much?’”
Supplied Carol, performer in Hear Us Out
Inclusivity is at the heart of the work, say all the participants. One of the benefits of the production taking place online, due to Covid-19 restrictions, has been to open up the project, run by Brighton’s New Writing South company, to people who may have found the pressure of performing on a physical stage too much.
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“My best friend is a shy introvert, but she found that doing it online as opposed to in a theatre, which was the original idea ... well, she would have buckled doing that,” says Carol. “But she has found a voice, it has amplified her voice.”
Carol would have preferred a real theatre herself. “I struggle with technology at the best of times. I can get stressed very quickly if it’s not working,” she admits. “And we had to film ourselves, become filmmakers. What else do you want: my blood?!”
But Janet see the long-term potential. “It’s a beautiful thing to be able to retain this in this form so it can then be listened to and shared on all manner of media into the future – it’s a fantastic way of holding onto people’s histories.”
Supplied Janet, performer in Hear Us Out
The production includes the voices of LGBTQ+ people who have struggled with drink and drug addiction. Antony, a poet with a colourful backstory, having worked as a commercial lawyer in the City, a shopkeeper on New Bond Street and a Benedictine monk, says finding their common ground was a privilege.
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“We’ve all faced the same challenge and are coping in such different ways,” he says. “Coming through such pain and hardship, as a heroin addict, an alcoholic, people were driven into [these situations] by their sexuality. It’s lovely to feel that one has something in common with other people who’ve suffered like that.”
As Carol adds: “It’s not all ’ha ha ha, hee hee hee”, is it, being gay or lesbian? Just because we can claim to have the best parties. Life hasn’t been a party – far from it! There’s not been enough partying!”
Supplied Anthony, performer in Hear Us Out
The crux of the project, says director Dinos Aristidou, is the notion of stories that connect us, that bring about connection: how we may not have lived the same lives, but all our LGBTQ+ stories are in dialogue with one another.
“It’s the story from silence to speaking out to celebration,” he says. “Because it’s an older people’s project, I was also very keen that it shouldn’t be simply a reminiscence project. I wanted it to be a celebration of people’s present, and the stories that got them to this moment, rather than a selection of memories.”
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There is plenty of life yet in the cast of Hear Us Out. Most are only in their sixties and seventies, with some participants younger still than that. But being platformed later does have its perks, says the cast. “At a time in your life where chronologically you get less interesting, where people show less interest, it is wonderful to have our opportunity to share our thoughts,” says Carol.
Verbatim theatre has previously been used to represent the lives of the victims of other types of hardships. The musical London Road, which opened at the National Theatre in 2011, used real interviews with the people affected by the Ipswich murders to create a drama responding to those atrocities.
The form could go even further, Carol believes: “It has huge untapped potential: if politicians had to take the words of their constituents, what a learning that would be. It’s such a tool for developing compassion and thinking about what it’s like to be the other.
“And we are in a time where the other is othered more than ever.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--A Parent's Guide To The Covid-19 Vaccine And Kids

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With news of not one, but three, effective Covid vaccines on the horizon, people are understandably buoyed by the prospect of 2021 returning to some form of normality.
But parents may be left with even more questions now there’s an end (of sorts) in sight. Will children need to be vaccinated? If so, when? And have the existing vaccine trials involved children?
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To ease some of your concerns, we’ve attempted to answer some questions you may have.
Will children need the vaccine?
It’s early days – none of the vaccines have been approved for widespread use yet – so we don’t know if and when children will be required to have the vaccine in the UK.
What we do know is that the aim of a workable Covid-19 vaccine is to prevent severe illness in patients, rather than preventing transmission. And it’s now widely agreed children have a much milder experience of the virus than adults.
We also know children aren’t a priority for the roll-out of the vaccine programme if and when it becomes available. Interim guidance published in September on the UK government’s website states care home residents and workers would be prioritised first, followed by those over 80 years of age and health and social care workers. It then moves down in five-year increments – so 75-year-olds, then 70-year-olds right down to 50-year-olds.
After that, the rest of the population will be eligible, but there are no specifics on whether this includes children. The list is also subject to change, as people with medical conditions and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities are considered higher risk and weren’t included in the guidance.
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It’s highly likely children with no underlying medical conditions will be at the bottom of the priorities pile, based on what we know about how the virus impacts their health. But if the aim is to ultimately reach herd immunity with a vaccine, children will need to be immunised, too.
As Sallie Permar, an immunologist and professor at Duke University School of Medicine, told AAMC: “A paediatric vaccine would not only help children, it will be the basis of eventually eliminating Covid-19 in our population.”
LWA/Dann Tardif via Getty Images
Has the vaccine been tested on children?
There are a few vaccines in clinical trials, with some already being tested on children, and others not that far along in the process.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, for example, plans to recruit children aged 5-12 years old to trial it. Dr Tonia Thomas, from the Oxford Vaccine Group, tells HuffPost UK: “Our Phase II/III clinical trial protocol includes a group of children aged 5-12, however this group has not yet been recruited.”
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They haven’t been recruited yet as scientists need extensive safety data available from the adult studies before they can go ahead testing it on children.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is already being tested on children and teens. A spokesperson told HuffPost UK they expanded their initial enrolment in the study from 30,000 people to 44,000 people. “This allowed us to include additional populations, including people as young as 12 years old and people with chronic, stable HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), HCV (Hepatitis C virus), or HBV (Hepatitis B virus) infections”.
They added: “We have submitted available safety data for the approximately 100 trial participants in the 12-15-year-old cohort who have received their second dose.”
The group behind the adenoviral vaccine, Janssen, said at the end of October it planned to start testing its vaccine on those aged 12 to 18 as soon as possible. But a spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost UK that studies in the paediatric population (children) “would not likely be until next year”.
What if parents disagree on giving their kids the vaccine?
Family law specialist Patricia Robinson anticipates the Covid-19 vaccine will be the latest bone of contention between parents if they are separated.
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Robinson, who is a resolution specialist and partner in the family law team at Slater Heelis, says: “Some parents have differing opinions on whether their child should be inoculated for standard vaccinations and we expect that the coronavirus vaccine will be no different. If parents cannot agree on whether their child should receive the vaccination, legal proceedings may be necessary.”
She points out that in a recent reported case, the court held that if the administration of a vaccine is in the best interests of a particular child, a parent can be overruled – “however, given the lack of familiarity of the Covid-19 vaccine, there is some degree of uncertainty.”
If one parent wants their child to be immunised but the other parent does not, a court application can be made in order for the specific issue to be determined by a judge.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--How To Resist The Urge To Impulse Buy This Black Friday

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Your online basket is brimming and your finger is straying dangerously close to the ‘check-out’ button. You’ve fallen down the rabbit hole that is Black Friday.
And that’s what they want. The annual shopping event is actively designed to encourage impulse buying, says Sally Francis-Miles from MoneySuperMarket, because “sales with limited discounts add extra pressure” on the consumer.
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Impulse shopping isn’t necessarily a problem if you end up with a product you love and can afford. But if that bread maker/sequin top/pogo stick ends up languishing in the back of the cupboard, you’ve wasted your money. Do this too frequently or shop beyond your budget, and you could face racking up debts.
To avoid this, we asked Francis-Miles for her top tips on avoiding impulse purchases you’ll later regret. Here’s what she recommends.
PeopleImages via Getty Images
1. Do your research and make a list
Those targeted ads on social media and persuasive newsletters can be hard to ignore, so make a list of anything you actually want or need before you start scrolling.
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“With planned lists you’re targeting items to look for, rather than getting drawn into hard-to-avoid sales marketing,” says Francis-Miles.
2. Budget in advance
“The festive spirit is in full force early this year and everyone needs a bit more joy, but it’s still no reason to overspend to the point you’re paying for it well into 2021,” she adds. “Set a budget and keep a running total as you tick things
off your list.”
If you plan to use Black Friday to do most of your Christmas shopping, MoneySuperMarket has a Christmas Saving Calculator that could help you work out how much you want to spend – and how much you will need to save to afford the Christmas you want.
“Keep this in in mind when scanning the Black Friday offers for bargains, that may not really be a bargain,” Francis-Miles advises.
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3. Remember: sales don’t always mean bargains
It’s easy to get swept up in the idea that 50% off means something is a bargain, but that’s not always the case. Last year, an investigation from Which? found just one in 20 Black Friday “deals” actually worked out cheaper than the prices of those products at other times of the year.
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“Different places sell the same item at different prices. A quick internet search usually helps display a variety of prices but do factor in delivery costs too if you’re buying online,” says Francis-Miles. “Some can be high making it cheaper to shop elsewhere when you factor this in, even if the price of the item itself is slightly more.”
4. Sales do happen outside Black Friday
If it’s not something you need imminently, take the pressure off by postponing your bargain hunting until after Christmas.
“Sales do usually happen just after Christmas too, try to avoid the pressure of getting something now if you really can’t afford to,” says Francis-Miles.
“Some smaller businesses have announced sales they’re doing ahead of time, and been clear when the offer isn’t going to come back to avoid an influx of orders they won’t be able to cope with, and to help consumers plan ahead a bit more.”
5. Think about how you’ll use or wear items
“It sounds like a simple one, but it can help solidify whether you should get something or not, even if it’s a purchase you’ve budgeted for,” says Francis-Miles.
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“Can you really see yourself or a recipient making use of an item? If it’s an item of clothing, plan items it can be worn with or places it can be worn to. If it’s something to use, make sure there are multiple examples it could be used for. An ice cream maker used once a year may not be the best buy, but a coffee machine used daily might be (though not for someone who barely drinks coffee!).”
And if you still made a regrettable purchase?
Don’t panic just yet. If you change your mind on something you’ve bought online, you’re protected under the Consumer Contracts Regulations and it can be cancelled for any reason within 14 days. You then have 14 days to return the item.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, such as goods that have been personalised – the full details can be found online here.
Many retailers offer longer returns policies than this and some have even extended their usual window, due to the pandemic.
“If you’ve missed the boat on returns, don’t despair. Facebook Marketplace, eBay or local selling sites can be a good way to get something back for a purchase that you can no longer return to store or online,” says Francis-Miles.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-27--Government Asks Regulator To Decide If Oxford Coronavirus Vaccine Can Be Authorised

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The government has “formally” asked regulators to assess whether the coronavirus vaccine created by Oxford University and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca can be authorised.
The move marks a significant step towards getting the vaccine – which the UK has secured 100m doses of – rolled out, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
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However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) must first evaluate safety, quality and efficacy data for the jab, which needs to be supplied by the company.
The agency had already started a rolling review of the Oxford jab to see if it met its standards, according to the government.
But England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam has now written to the MHRA asking for a more in-depth assessment of the vaccine to see if it could be authorised for temporary supply.
Health secretary Matt Hancock called the letter an “important step towards deploying a vaccine as quickly as safely possible”.
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“We are working tirelessly to be in the best possible position to deploy a vaccine as soon as one is approved by the independent regulator the MHRA,” he said.
“We have formally asked the regulator to assess the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, to understand the data and determine whether it meets rigorous safety standards.”
Hancock said last week that the NHS could start vaccinating people against coronavirus in December if a vaccine was approved by regulators.
If approved, the UK is in line to receive 4m doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine by the end of the year and 40m by the end of March.
Data published by Oxford University and AstraZeneca on Monday suggested the jab has an average efficacy rate of 70% – but that this figure rose to 90% when trial participants were accidentally given half a dose of the vaccine, followed by a full dose.
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Confused about what vaccine trial stats really mean? Here’s what you need to know.
On Thursday night, researchers announced they planned to conduct an additional global trial to assess the vaccine to validate this.
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told Bloomberg News: “Now that we’ve found what looks like a better efficacy, we have to validate this, so we need to do an additional study.”
Soriot said he did not expect the additional trial to hold up regulatory approvals in the UK and European Union – but it is thought the concerns over the trial could hold up approval in the US.
Asked about this at a press conference on Thursday, chief medical officer for England Chris Whitty said there was always debate “about virtually everything”.
“The key thing to do is leave this in the hands of the regulator,” he added.
The Oxford vaccine is not the first vaccine the government has formally asked the MHRA to assess – it has also asked the agency to evaluate the Pfizer/Biotech jab.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Boris Johnson’s Tough Tiers Could Unite The Nation – But Not In The Way He’d Like

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a media briefing on coronavirus (COVID-19) in Downing Street, London. PA
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After his general election victory nearly a year ago, Boris Johnson said that he would unite the nation. Thanks to his new “tough tiers” Covid system, he appears to have done just that. But having learned their fate for this long winter ahead, plenty of people seemed united in their unhappiness with the tier they are in.
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The shift from the pre-lockdown tier system to the current one certainly has been dramatic. Whereas in early November, just 15% of the country was in the old Tier 3, now a massive 98% of the nation is facing very similar restrictions (except they are in a “strengthened” Tier 2 or Tier 3). Forget “whackamole”, this is “whackanelephant”.
And judging by the deep unease expressed by many Tory MPs, Johnson has also managed to unite both his northern backbenchers furious that their months of pain will continue to the spring, and southern backbenchers furious that their leafy shires are mixed up with Covid hotspots. If Keir Starmer decided (and he won’t) to oppose the government in the vote next week, the Tory majority could easily be wiped.
One of the few areas that was moved out of the highest tier was Liverpool City Region, largely because it has seen a two thirds drop in cases (for Liverpool borough the drop is even more impressive, at three quarters). Yet other areas, such as those in the North East, complained bitterly that their recent falls in numbers weren’t enough to make a difference.
In the Commons, Matt Hancock made a clear contrast between Liverpool (he pointed out yesterday that mayor Joe Anderson texted him during a select committee meeting) and Andy Burnham’s greater Manchester. “Unfortunately, we did see the impact on the number of cases going up and continuing to go up in those areas where local leaders were not working alongside us,” Hancock said, in a less than veiled jibe at Burnham.
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Boris Johnson in his No.10 press conference was less brutal, but when he praised Liverpool’s “strong local leadership” everyone knew who he wasn’t praising. For his part, the GM mayor said he accepted his region’s cases didn’t yet justify a Tier 2 move, but he was furious about the lack of extra cash support for the crippled hospitality industry.
Burnahm told TimesRadio tonight: “They’re trying to say that nobody should ever stand up for their area. And they don’t take too kindly to that. And if somebody does, they’ll sort of divide and rule and they’ll praise one area, Liverpool, and criticise us. The country shouldn’t be run like that, particularly not at a time like this.”
There is still much to do for Johnson and Hancock to win round MPs, many of whom are baffled as to why they have to wait until next week to see the cost-benefit analysis they were promised. It will only be next week that Tier 3 areas will learn how and whether they will get their own mass testing help, with the Army unable to supply all of them with the same numbers it did in Merseyside.
The next review of the tiers is due on December 16, although Hancock tried to placate some MPs by saying further reviews could take place weekly afterwards. That would theoretically give disappointed areas one last go on December 23 to get out of the higher tiers.
And it was on the issue of Christmas that both Johnson and chief medical officer Chris Whitty were most revealing today. The PM talked about “people’s strong desires to celebrate...which they’re frankly going to do anyway”, a telling remark about why he’s easing some rules. Meanwhile, Whitty’s tabloid story gift – kissing granny will kill her – laid bare the scientists’ fear that the festive season carries real risks.
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The tougher tiers do indeed seem designed to buy some more time to allow a slight easing at Christmas, and many will hope common sense prevails. Yet Johnson’s worry will be that he will get the blame, not the public, if there is indeed a third wave. Perhaps that’s why he raised the spectre for the first time of a third national lockdown in January.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Labour Bans Local Party Activists From Discussing Jeremy Corbyn’s Reinstatement

Dear all,
Following the publication of the EHRC report into antisemitism in the Labour Party on 29 October, I provided some guidance to CLPs on what were and were not appropriate topics of discussion for branches and CLPs. The situation has clearly moved on since then, so I wanted to provide you with some updated guidance.
It remains the case that motions which seek to repudiate the findings of the EHRC or question its competency to conduct the investigation remain not competent business for branches or CLPs. Motions relating to ongoing disciplinary cases are also not in order, in line with the instructions of my predecessor.
I am aware that other motions (including expressions of solidarity, and matters relating to the internal processes of the PLP) are providing a flashpoint for the expression of views that undermine the Labour Party’s ability to provide a safe and welcoming space for all members, in particular our Jewish members. Therefore, all motions which touch on these issues will also be ruled out of order.
A number of CLPs have asked for further information on the basis on which myself and the NEC are able to rule on what can and cannot be discussed by local parties, and I am very happy to provide that explanation.
The Labour Party’s ‘Code of Conduct: Antisemitism and other forms of racism’ rightly states that “the Labour Party will ensure the party is a welcoming home to members of all communities, with no place for any prejudice or discrimination based on race, ethnicity or religion.” The NEC has the power to uphold the rules and standing orders of the Labour Party and to take any action it deems necessary for such purposes. The Rule Book is also clear that such powers can be delegated to, amongst others, the General Secretary. For the avoidance of doubt my previous rulings on these matters have all been properly reported to the NEC, which is supportive of my approach.
The Labour Party is committed to implementing the EHRC report in full, and part of that is to accept our previous failure to deal with antisemitism and adopt a genuinely zero tolerance approach which will ensure all members, and in particular our Jewish members, feel safe and welcome within the Labour Party. Please rest assured that when I took up post as General Secretary, I had no desire at all to hamper discussion by our local parties, but until we can improve our culture such restrictions may be required to stay in place.
Best wishes
David Evans


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Rishi Sunak Delays The Pain Ahead Of Covid Christmas (With Andrew Mitchell MP)

Rishi Sunak Delays The Pain Ahead Of Covid Christmas (With Andrew Mitchell MP)
Joining Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth, Tory former development secretary Andrew Mitchell speaks about the growing rebellion against the aid cut and the tax rises ahead for Rishi Sunak.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Don’t Hug And Kiss Your Elderly Relatives At Christmas, Chris Whitty Says

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England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty has advised the public not to hug and kiss their elderly relatives at Christmas despite a temporary relaxation in coronavirus rules.
Close contact with relatives across three households is allowed between December 23 and 27 for the first time since the start of the pandemic – but Whitty said touching them was not a good idea “if you want them to survive to be hugged again”.
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He told a Downing Street press briefing: “Would I encourage someone to hug and kiss their elderly relatives? No, I would not.
“It’s not against the law, and that’s the whole point. You can do it within the rules that are there, but it does not make sense because you could be carrying the virus, and if you’ve got an elderly relative that would not be a thing you want to do in a period when we are running up to a point where actually we might be able to protect elderly people.
“So I think people just have to have sense.
“And I think this is very much what I think people will do: the fact that you can do something, this is true across so many other areas of life, doesn’t mean you should.”
Vallance added: “It’s not going to be a normal Christmas. If you want to make those connections with family, it has to be done in a way where you try and make sure that you don’t increase the risk. I think hugging elderly relatives is not something to go out and do.
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“It will increase the spread to the vulnerable population.”
England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty Henry Nicholls / Reuters
Boris Johnson argued that people would have celebrated Christmas even if the rules had not allowed it and insisted the country’s leaders had struck a “sensible balance”.
The PM said: “It is an incredibly difficult decision. You’ve got to strike a balance between people’s strong desire to celebrate a family holiday, perhaps one of the most important family holidays of the year – which they frankly are going to do anyway – and the need to keep the virus under control.
“What we’re trying to set out with the Christmas measures that we’ve agreed across the whole of the UK, because we want everyone across the UK to be able to travel to see relatives, is I think a sensible balance but it depends, as Chris (Whitty) and Patrick (Vallance) have really tried to stress in this session, on all of us being common sensical and doing the right thing.
“In the end… until the vaccine comes on stream, we are not out of the woods yet and we have to be very vigilant.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Oxford Covid Vaccine To Undergo Second Trial – But It 'Won't Delay UK Approval'

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The makers of the Oxford University and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine say they plan to conduct an additional global trial to assess the drug after questions were raised over some of its original results.
Scientists had expressed doubts about the robustness of results showing the shot was 90% effective in a sub-group of trial participants who were accidentally given a half dose followed by a full dose, instead of two full doses. The difference was caused by a manufacturing error.
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AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told Bloomberg News: “Now that we’ve found what looks like a better efficacy, we have to validate this, so we need to do an additional study.”
The average efficacy of the vaccine was reported as just over 70%, taking into account both the group that received an initial half dose and the group that received two full doses.
Soriot said he did not expect the additional trial to hold up regulatory approvals in the UK and European Union – but it is thought the concerns over the trial could hold up approval in the US.
The UK has pinned high hopes on this particular vaccine, ordering 100m doses and planning an ambitious, rapid rollout. Other jabs, made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, have also reported high success rates, but Britain has ordered fewer doses.
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At a press conference on Thursday, the matter was put to chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and the UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
Professor Whitty said: “There’s always debate about virtually everything. The key thing to do is leave this in the hands of the regulator.”
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will have access to fuller data than has been made public, he added, and will make an assessment based on what is put before it.
The Department for Health and Social Care has been approached for fuller comment.
On Monday, Oxford and AstraZeneca announced preliminary results from trials showed an average efficacy of 70% – a figure reached by pooling the results from two different dosing regimens.
One month apart, one set of volunteers received two identical doses while the other received a half-dose, and then a full dose. In the first group, the efficacy was 62%. In the second, it was 90% – but it has since been admitted that no older people received this regimen, making it hard to be sure whether they would respond so well in the real world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Boris Johnson Says Covid Tiers Needed To Avoid 'New Year Lockdown'

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Boris Johnson says the tougher local coronavirus lockdowns are a means of avoiding a “new year national lockdown”.
The prime minister sought to justify the imposition of stringent tier 2 and 3 restrictions on nearly 99% of the country’s population amid a backlash from Tory MPs.
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He told a No.10 press briefing: “We must first navigate a hard winter when the burden on our NHS is heaviest and the cold weather favours the virus.
“The data already suggests national measures have slowed and in some places reversed the growth of new cases.
“As more data comes in we hope and expect those trends continue.
“Together we have have prevented our NHS from being overwhelmed but those dangers have not gone away.
“If we ease off now we risk losing control of this virus all over again, casting aside our hard won gains, and forcing us back into a new year national lockdown with all the damage that would mean.”
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England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty justified the decision to place almost the entire country in tiers 2 and 3.
“Tier 1, which is very similar to the previous tier 1, slowed things down but did not stop the rise (in cases) anywhere,” he said.
“So the reason why tier 1 at this time of year, with the current measures we currently have before we have any vaccines, is relatively limited is almost certainly anywhere going into tier 1 will rise and the only places that are there are places with very low rates at the moment.”
Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said tougher restrictions were needed, for example forcing pubs to serve substantial meals to stay open in tier 2, and shutting all hospitality in tier 3, because the old system did not work.
“The message is that the tiers worked in terms of slowing but didn’t work in terms of flattening and reversing it,” he said.
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“The national lockdown looks as if it has flattened it and is sending it downwards and it is important we do bring it down because numbers remain high.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Suggesting 'Red Wall' Voters Back Aid Cuts Is Insulting, Senior Tory Says

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A Tory former cabinet minister has said it is insulting to suggest voters in the so-called ‘red wall’ do not care about Boris Johnson’s “nasty” decision to cut aid spending.
Andrew Mitchell told HuffPost UK the idea that working class ex-Labour voters who backed the Tories in December’s election do not care about the poorest in the world was “complete rubbish”.
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The former development secretary, who is helping to coordinate a Tory rebellion on the cut, also warned the prime minister that there are “a lot” of MPs talking about voting against the “measly, nasty” plan to scrap the legally binding target to spend 0.7% of national income on foreign aid.
The cut, outlined by chancellor Rishi Sunak in his spending review, has sparked criticism from the likes of Tory ex-PM David Cameron and the resignation of development minister Baroness Sugg.
And Mitchell rubbished the “shallow effort” to use opinion polls to show that the British public back the decision, suggesting opinion was skewed by Johnson’s past comments likening development spending to a “cash machine in the sky”.
He told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast: “Actually I think it’s rather insulting to the many people in the ‘red wall’ seats who when there’s an emergency around the world, when there’s flooding or when there’s a typhoon or when there’s a famine, these people raise money, they reach into their pockets to try and help.
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“So the idea that if you’re a red wall Tory you don’t care about the poorest in the world is, I think, complete rubbish.”
He added: “If you have a prime minister who says the development spend is ‘a great big cash machine in the sky spewing out money’ – if that’s what you tell the public then of course they’re not going to support it.”
Former development secretary Andrew Mitchell MOHAMMED HUWAIS via Getty Images
The cut will mean taking one million girls out of school, 6.7m girls and women not getting contraception, and two million malnourished mainly children not getting food they need, Mitchell said.
And it will mean the UK will “preside over 105,000 preventable deaths,” he said.
“It’s a nasty, measly, morally wrong, bad for British interests cut and it should be reversed,” Mitchell added.
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The ex-cabinet minister also stressed that the £4bn aid cut would only fill a tiny proportion of the black hole in the public finances, while harming Britain’s interests at a time when US president-elect Joe BIden is looking to reset international relations and jump start global cooperation.
“And at the point where Britain is taking over the chairmanship of the G7 group of nations, we’ve got the COP (climate change summit) in Glasgow next November, we’re going to be the chair at the United Nations Security Council,” he said.
“At the very moment we’ve got the opportunity to showcase global Britain, show Britain’s leadership in an area where we have been very much the development superpower around the world, what are we doing?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-26--Trump's Thanksgiving Message Urges People To 'Gather' Despite Raging Pandemic

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Donald Trump urged Americans to “gather” for Thanksgiving — even as the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the US, with hospitalisations rising and the daily death toll often surpassing 2,000.
“I encourage all Americans to gather, in homes and places of worship, to offer a prayer of thanks to God for our many blessings,” Trump said at the end of the annual presidential Thanksgiving proclamation released by the White House press secretary’s office on Wednesday.
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Trump’s words flout the Covid-19 safety advice issued by his own government. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people via its website that “the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home with the people you live with.”
“Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of getting or spreading Covid-19 or the flu,” the CDC notes.
Trump’s message also stands in stark contrast to an op-ed penned for CNN by President-elect Joe Biden and future first lady Jill Biden that takes note of the sacrifices that people have been asked to make this year in their celebrations. The Bidens note, “Our turkey will be smaller and the clatter of cooking a little quieter. There will be no family walks in the cold or playful bickering amongst the grandkids. Like millions of Americans, we are temporarily letting go of the traditions we can’t do safely.”
Adm. Brett Giroir, the Trump administration’s own Covid-19 testing czar, on Wednesday warned the country is at “a critical and very dangerous part of this pandemic.”
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And Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, has repeatedly urged Americans to scale back their holiday gatherings this year.
On Wednesday, the US reported 181,490 new Covid-19 cases and 2,297 deaths. The disease has killed more than 262,000 Americans and sickened at least 12.7 million.
Dr. James Phillips, chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University Hospital, condemned Trump’s proclamation in an interview Wednesday on CNN.
“As an emergency physician who’s on the frontlines every day over the last two weeks have seen more and more Covid in our emergency departments, it’s a slap in the face,” he said.
The failure of Trump to mention the recommended safety protocols in the proclamation should come as no surprise ― for months he intentionally misled the public on the risks of Covid-19.
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He publicly downplayed the threat of the virus, even as in private he acknowledged its danger. Trump also touted unproven treatments, at one point suggesting the injection of disinfectant as a cure, and routinely refused to wear a mask before ending up hospitalised for three days in early October after contracting the virus himself.
Trump’s campaign rallies, where his maskless supporters stood closely side by side, are thought to have helped spread the virus nationwide — and an election night party held in the White House has been described as a super-spreader event after multiple attendees later tested positive for the contagion.