thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Great British Bake Off: Sussex Pond Pudding Challenge Is Not Appealing To Viewers

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the most recent episode of the Great British Bake off.
During the 10 years it’s been on the air, the Great British Bake Off has been hailed as the pinnacle of food porn, with the contestants serving up eye-watering cakes, biscuits and desserts every week.
However, the latest episode of the Channel 4 show had the complete opposite effect, as Prue Leith tasked the remaining five bakers with a dessert challenge that took them back to the 18th century.
Advertisement
In this week’s Technical Challenge, the bakers had to serve up a perfect Sussex Pond Pudding, which sees an entire lemon being encased in suet pastry, which is filled with butter and sugar and then steamed for a couple of hours.
And as if all of that doesn’t sound unappealing already, then what the contestants ended up serving up was even worse, with many branding the task one of the most disgusting in Bake Off history…
Advertisement
Didn’t think it was possible for something called ‘Sussex Pond Pudding’ to be even more disgusting than it sounds and yet #gbbo — Young hot book fag (@odhreo) November 10, 2020
I’m sorry, but a Sussex Pond Pudding should have stayed in the 18th century. #GBBO — Joe Wignall (@Joe_Wignall) November 10, 2020
When I see the bakers asked to stick whole lemons into disgusting looking steamed puddings (which they don't have enough time to cook) on #GBBO. pic.twitter.com/ZqIl1Jr39W — Rum Ham (@ChristinaMcMc) November 10, 2020
Quite possibly one of the most revolting desserts ever seen on #GBBO — Ryan Love (@RyanJL) November 10, 2020
1700s folk had shite puddings. Even a choc ice would blow their minds. #GBBO — Pete Allison (@Pete_Allison) November 10, 2020
Advertisement
Do you eat the lemon? I don't understand this item at all. #gbbo — Nick Walker (@nickw84) November 10, 2020
A PUDDING WITH A WHOLE LEMON INSIDE??? EXCUSE ME WHAT. #GBBO — Nat Guest (@unfortunatalie) November 10, 2020
This is horrendous #gbbo — sophie hall seasons total landscaping (@SophLouiseHall) November 10, 2020
Love that someone put a whole lemon in these already extremely grim puddings like it would help #gbbo — sophie hall seasons total landscaping (@SophLouiseHall) November 10, 2020
Just a whole lemon sat inside those pastries ...... — garlico (@rhysjharding) November 10, 2020
Advertisement
That technical was impossible and also looked vile #GBBO — Heather (@iamheatherh) November 10, 2020
That task exposed the folly of setting a stupid gross pudding from history. Five piles of mush. #GBBO — Juno Dawson (@junodawson) November 10, 2020
Not impressed with any of those Sussex pond puddings... #GBBO pic.twitter.com/Qgyt4vk7ff — Tom 🤔 (@Tom_TheSequel) November 10, 2020
Is a Sussex pond pudding supposed to look like something Livia threw up? #GBBO — Dr Emma Southon (@NuclearTeeth) November 10, 2020
As Prue judged the five pond puddings, she told most of the group that their desserts could have used another hour’s worth of steaming, which baffled many viewers, who pointed out that she was the one who’d set the timing of the task…
Advertisement
So, none of the weird lemon puddings are cooked/are raw. Just a though but maybe do you think you didn’t give them enough time? 🤔#bakeoff #GBBO — Amy Louise Jewitt (@MissAmy_Lou) November 10, 2020
"It's the #bakeoff quarter finals, so we expect them all to really step up"
*later*
"Right bakers, we want you to make a pudding from the 1700s with not nearly enough time and only enough ingredients for one attempt, you plebs." — Shaun Guillan (@ShaunGuillan) November 10, 2020
‘In another hour that pastry could have been lovely’ ‘the problem with under steaming...’ OH MY GOD DO YOU THINK THERE’S A SIMPLE ANSWER... LIKE GIVING THEM LONG ENOUGH TO COOK THE FUCKING PUDDINGS — Olivia Potts (@_Poots_) November 10, 2020
They absolutely did not have time for that technical. Con. Fixed. Absolutely what they all deserve for letting Lottie go home. #GBBO — Mia (@CigaretteCalpol) November 10, 2020
Maybe just put something else in the middle instead of a whole fucking lemon that takes an hour and a half to break down, maybe that's the problem #gbbo — Eddie Robson (@EddieRobson) November 10, 2020
Advertisement
‘It’s a shame’ yes it is a shame you made 5 people steam a lemon for an hour and serve it up with custard — garlico (@rhysjharding) November 10, 2020
I mean, could you potentially, maybe, perhaps not have GIVEN them enough time? #GBBO pic.twitter.com/CKbT8qNNJw — David Deady (@david_deady) November 10, 2020
I've a great idea for a programme, it's just like Bake Off but people get enough time to finish things. — Michael Birtwhistle (@SalfordMH) November 10, 2020
It strikes me that if ALL the bakers don't succeed with making the technical bake then it's because they were set up to fail!
No way did they have enough time to steam those puddings @BritishBakeOff #bakeoff — Insomniac Seagull (@amandasegal) November 10, 2020
If they're saying it needed an extra HOUR to steam, it's on them not the contestants — Four Seasons Total Becca (@reebmyoo) November 10, 2020
Advertisement
Dessert Week also saw the bakers creating canapé-sized cheesecakes and putting together show-stopping jelly creations.
It was Hermine who got the most praise from Prue and Paul Hollywood, being named Star Baker for the second week in a row.
Sadly, though, it was Mark that was sent packing, after his cake was compared to “concrete” by Paul.
Just four contestants are now in the running to be crowned this year’s Bake Off champion, with the semi-final airing next week.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Wentworth Miller Says He's Done With Prison Break And Playing Straight Men

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

LOADING ERROR LOADING
It looks like Prison Break is moving on without one of its breakout stars.
In a lengthy note posted to Instagram, actor Wentworth Miller announced that he’s no longer involved with the US drama, and won’t appear in a sixth season if it materialises.
“I just don’t want to play straight characters,” wrote Wentworth, who came out as gay in 2013. “Their stories have been told (and told).”
Advertisement
The 48-year-old went on to apologise for disappointing his fans, but true to form, offered some cheeky closure.
“If you’re hot and bothered [because] you fell in love with a fictional straight man played by a real gay one... That’s your work,” he quipped.
Prison Break follows Lincoln “Linc” Burrows (played by Dominic Purcell), who is sentenced to death for a murder he didn’t commit. His only hope is his brother Michael (Miller), who hatches a plan to get himself sent to the same prison in order to break both of them out, from the inside.
Advertisement
The series debuted in 2005 to favourable reviews and ran for four seasons. A feature-length TV film, Prison Break: The Final Break, concluded the series’ original run in 2009.
It was revived for a nine-episode fifth season in 2017.
Since then, the show’s cast and creative team have appeared to be at odds over whether a sixth season of Prison Break will get produced.
Wentworth Miller Paul Archuleta via Getty Images
“There’s no plan right now to revive Prison Break or any of the other franchises,” Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier said last year, according to multiple outlets.
“But when the creators come with a story that they think is the right time to tell, we are so ready to listen because those are some franchises of which I’m so proud and feel so fortunate that they’re in our stable.”
Advertisement
In September, Purcell hinted on social media that a sixth season would in fact happen, but that the filming process could be in flux because of Covid-19.
Both he and co-star Sarah Wayne Callies expressed their support on Instagram for Wentworth Miller’s decision. In a separate post, Sarah said the show’s cast represented “a queer-friendly space”.
In the three years since his most recent Prison Break stint, Miller has kept busy with a variety of TV projects, including Legends Of Tomorrow and Madam Secretary. He’s also become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights and mental health initiatives.
He previously hinted at his post-Prison Break artistic mission in a 2017 interview with HuffPost.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--People Are Using Dominic Cummings As An Excuse To Get Out Of Coronavirus Fines

LOADING ERROR LOADING
People slapped with fines for breaking coronavirus regulations are citing Dominic Cummings’ breach of lockdown rules as a reason they shouldn’t have to pay them.
Figures obtained by HuffPost UK show seven appeals for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) between March and October reference Boris Johnson’s top adviser by name.
Advertisement
Cummings’ decision to take a 260-mile trip from London to Durham to isolate just days after the country was told to stay at home “fatally undermined” the public’s trust in the government’s Covid-19 restrictions, a scientist told HuffPost UK in May.
A YouGov poll following the revelations showed a fifth of Britons followed lockdown rules less strictly than before, with a third citing the adviser’s actions as justification for their own breaches of rules.
The data, released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, shows two more people challenged their fines citing “Barnard Castle” – the now-notorious site where Cummings took his wife and son to “test his eyesight”.
A total of 322 fixed penalty notices and fines issued in England and Wales under Coronavirus Regulations were contested between March and October.
Advertisement
Dominic Cummings embarked on a 260-mile-trip just days after the national lockdown had been announced. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cummings said he travelled to County Durham to self-isolate with his family – apparently because he feared that he and his wife would be left unable to care for their son if they became ill.
He claimed he drove to the town of Barnard Castle to see if he was fit enough to drive before returning to London for work.
Durham police later admitted the drive “might have been a minor breach of the regulations that would have warranted police intervention”, but took no further action against Cummings.
More than 1.2 million people have since signed a petition calling for Cummings to be sacked, but despite widespread condemnation from the public, scientific leaders and MPs, Boris Johnson stood by his top adviser and refused to fire him.
Advertisement
According to the prime minister, Cummings had acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity”, adding: “I think he followed the instincts of every father and every parent.”
Professor Stephen Reicher, who advised the government on lockdown rules, told HuffPost UK in May that the Cummings row could lead to more coronavirus deaths in the UK.
“In a few short minutes Boris Johnson has trashed all the advice we have been given on how to build trust and secure adherence to the measures necessary to control Covid-19,” Reicher said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Jason Momoa Says He And Lisa Bonet Were 'Starving' After His Game Of Thrones Exit

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Jason Momoa says he was in some serious debt after his character got killed off of Game Of Thrones,” revealing that he and his family “were starving.”
In an interview published this week with InStyle, the 41-year-old actor opened up about the rollercoaster that has been his career.
Advertisement
He explained that after his character, Khal Drogo, was dispatched from the hit HBO series in 2011, his financial situation was in disarray.
Jason told the publication that he and wife Lisa Bonet were struggling to pay the bills at their home in the Los Angeles area’s Topanga Canyon home, where they live with their two young children.
“I mean, we were starving after Game Of Thrones. I couldn’t get work. It’s very challenging when you have babies and you’re completely in debt,” he told InStyle.
Advertisement
Luckily, as you already knew, his situation improved not too long after when he was cast in Justice League as Aquaman. He’d go on to headline an eponymous film as the character in 2018, solidifying his status in Hollywood as an A-List actor.
In the interview, Jason addresses another reason he’s often in the news: His interaction with Lenny Kravitz, Bonet’s ex-husband.
Jason and Lenny have long been lauded for their seemingly excellent relationship, which he affirmed to InStyle is as great as the public thinks it is.
The publication said that, according to the actor, he, Lenny, Lisa, the child she had with her ex, Zoë Kravitz, and two she has with Jason all adore one another and even enjoy rock-climbing together.
Such statements only echo comments Lenny made last year, who said in an interview that he considers Jason to be “like a brother.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Revealed: Boris Johnson's Climate Change Champion Called Fracking 'Good For UK'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Boris Johnson’s new climate change champion has been sharply criticised after it emerged she backed fracking and lobbied against wind farms being built in her rural constituency.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed to the new role by the prime minister this week ahead of Glasgow hosting the internationally high-profile United Nations climate summit, COP 26, next year.
Advertisement
But it has emerged the former international development secretary, who represents England’s most northerly constituency of Berwick, has previously expressed controversial views on environmental issues.
In 2015, she shared a City AM article calling the controversial process of fracking for shale gas “good for the UK economy”.
The UK's climate change champion, Anne-Marie Trevelyan PA
Before winning Berwick from the Lib Dems in the 2015 election, the MP also campaigned against wind farms near Northumberland’s Wingates, tweeting that people should “help stop giant wind farms near homes”.
Advertisement
In a BBC article in 2011, Trevelyan was also quoted saying it was “fair to say that rural Northumberland is fed up to the teeth with developers turning up and wanting to trash our landscape” with turbines.
Trevelyan has defended her position on onshore wind farms and said her new role was to help “solve the practical challenges of helping countries to protect their citizens from the ravages of climate shocks”.
Caroline Lucas, Westminster’s only Green MP, said Johnson must show “climate leadership” and “get our own house in order”, while Labour’s shadow climate change minister Matthew Pennycook said Trevelyan’s posts were “disappointing”.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan's previous comments about fracking from 2015 Anne-Marie Trevelyan's previous comments about fracking from 2015
Anne-Marie Trevelyan previously opposed wind farms in her constituency Anne-Marie Trevelyan previously opposed wind farms in her constituency
Advertisement
Anne-Marie Trevelyan comments on climate issues in Northumberland BBC
Johnson has pledged to make climate change a priority.
Among other policies, the government has said it will end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.
Trevelyan said: “The question of mitigation of CO2 output is being met by the UK head on with a drive to renewables which takes us out of coal and focusing on our net zero by 2050 commitment.
“My challenge to onshore wind which damaged Northumbrian landscape without the wider impact needed to reduce the base load requirement for our energy supply in the early 2000s is one I stand by.
“Now, in 2020, technology has progressed to ensure that we can use both onshore wind and importantly offshore wind to help feed our power grid.
Advertisement
“We continue to need base load which will come from gas and nuclear in the near future. As the world moves away from hydrocarbons, the UK is world leading in setting legal frameworks for electric vehicles and other new technologies which will help us meet our Paris agreement commitments.
“I am proud to be part of the COP team working with global partners to find ways to move to net zero alongside adaptation solutions to make their countries resilient to their particular climate shock risks.”
Lucas said it was “welcome that the government has appointed a climate champion on adaptation and resilience” but that more finance was needed to to tackle the global problem.
She said: “Richer countries like the UK cannot continue shirking their responsibilities on this.
“If the UK is to persuade others to increase their emissions reduction targets, we need to get our own house in order and show the kind of climate leadership the prime minister likes to boast about, but fails to deliver.
“Renewable energies like onshore wind have a critical role to play and I hope the government’s new climate champion has had a chance to reflect on her opposition to onshore wind and done enough preparation for this new role to realise that fracking is not good for the environment, as she once claimed, nor the solution to our energy needs.”
Advertisement
Pennycook said Trevelyan appeared to be “at odds with her brief”.
He said: “It is disappointing but unsurprising that the government has seen fit to appoint someone with [these] views.
“Whether it’s funnelling billions into fossil fuel projects overseas, setting lofty targets without the investment to realise them, or this latest decision to appoint a champion of fracking and opponent of onshore wind into a key climate role, the government continues to undermine its green credentials.”
It comes as the government tries to build bridges with the US Democrats ahead of president elect Joe Biden taking power in January.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--A Quick Digestible Guide To T-Cells, Immunity And Covid-19

A recent pre-print study, this time by the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium and Public Health England (PHE), found people who had mild to moderate or asymptomatic Covid-19 still showed “robust” T-cell immunity six months after infection. Not all T-cell responses were equal however – those who had symptoms were found to have far more T-cells than those without.
Dr Shamez Ladhani, consultant epidemiologist at PHE and one of the study’s authors, told the Evening Standard: “Early results show that T-cell responses may outlast the initial antibody response, which could have a significant impact on Covid vaccine development and immunity research.”
The study monitored the T-cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2 from 100 infected health care workers over a six month period, and compared this to 2,000 uninfected health care workers – so it can’t tell us much about immune responses in children or the elderly.
That said, a study from the US, which analysed blood from people with Covid-19, showed the immune systems of patients older than 80 produce fewer T-cells compared to younger patients, which might go some way in explaining why older people are more susceptible to severe illness.
Professor Charles Bangham, chair of immunology at Imperial College London, pointed out that previous observations of T-cell immunity to SARS have shown similar results – with some patients displaying T-cell immunity more than 10 years after infection, “though we don’t yet know whether this will be the case with Covid-19”.
Experts are still learning about Covid-19. The information in this story is what was known or available at the time of publication, but guidance could change as scientists discover more about the virus. To keep up to date with health advice and cases in your area, visit gov.uk/coronavirus and nhs.uk.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--How To Help A Friend With Anxiety When You're Struggling Yourself

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Anxiety levels are through the roof, which can only be expected in a pandemic – and sadly some friendships are feeling the strain as a result.
Friends are catching up on Zoom, messaging on Whatsapp and in some cases meeting one-on-one to chew the fat over the pandemic, subsequent lockdowns and the huge life – and therefore, mental – impact it’s having.
Advertisement
The nation’s anxiety levels remain the same as they were back in April this year, according to a survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which is monitoring the social impacts of coronavirus on Britain.
Its most recent survey revealed 76% of adults are now “very or somewhat” worried about the effect of the coronavirus on their life – this has increased gradually since the end of the summer.
It’s getting to the point where some friendships are feeling increasingly strained, and sometimes one-sided – people are playing host to their mates’ venting sessions while struggling to deal with their own anxieties – and finding it hard to juggle the two.
“My friend unloads her anxiety on me, and now I feel drained,” was the title of a Guardian agony aunt submission that had heads bobbing in agreement.
Advertisement
“It’s becoming less about having conversations and more about listening to an exhausting monologue,” the advice-seeker wrote of their relationship with an anxious friend in the pandemic. They just didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with all of that anxiety, in addition to their own.
So, how can you support an anxious friend?
It can be hard to know where to begin when supporting someone who is anxious – especially as we all experience anxiety differently, and at varying levels. Not everyone has lots of people they can rely on for support, either.
A good place to start is by stopping and specifically asking your friend (or loved one) what they might want or need, says psychotherapist and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), Rakhi Chand.
This could be a distraction – why not go and do something fun, or comforting, that doesn’t involve chatting about the timeframe for a coronavirus vaccine or the state of American politics? – or it could just be offering a listening ear.
Ponomariova_Maria via Getty Images
Advertisement
Some of the best support you can offer is letting your friend know you’re there to support them, and you can understand and empathise with how they are feeling, says psychotherapist Lucy Fuller. But it can be “very difficult” to be in the presence of someone who is feeling really anxious when you yourself are feeling that way, she adds.
If this resonates with you, it might be helpful to ask yourself what you need in a given moment. Chand says, for example, that sometimes she knows she needs fresh air or exercise to take her mind off concerns, and at other times she needs to sit and dissect the issues with her mate.
Don’t dismiss your own anxiety in the process, she adds. “I think many of us are good at subtly dismissing ourselves by ending sentences with things like ‘but I’m really lucky, lots of people have it much worse’. Whilst perspective is good, notice where you are on a spectrum of dismissing yourself. Too much of dismissing your anxiety won’t help it ultimately.”
Be gentle on yourself if you know you just haven’t got the bandwidth at that time, on that particular day, to shoulder someone else’s concerns. And do feel free to let them know that – albeit kindly.
“I would suggest being honest and letting them know that you are sorry it is so difficult for them, but that you are also on a cliff edge and can’t cope with it all right now,” suggests Fuller. “Comfort might be gained from just being together, even not talking.”
Advertisement
One way of doing this might be taking a walk together in natural and beautiful surroundings (a forest perhaps, along the coast, or even around the block or park) so you’re both moving away from the biggest points of stress for an hour.
“Try to share the activity of taking in the surroundings and being in the moment,” says Fuller. “There can be comfort gained from being in the presence of someone you love or have great respect for, without sharing words, but experiencing a parallel sense of calm.”
It’s also worth noting that if you are regularly finding you simply can’t deal with a friend’s anxieties because you feel under a lot of strain, it may be a sign that you too should seek some help. “If you regularly haven’t got space to support or listen to them then maybe it’s time to speak to a professional,” says Chand.
What not to do
Therapists generally advise against trying to fix the problem for your friend – unless they specifically ask for your advice. The listening is more important.
“Often the last thing people need when they are feeling wobbly is for someone they rely on to try to fix the problem, or tell them what they ‘should’ be doing in order to make themselves feel better,” says Fuller. “It isn’t always as simple as that, so by coming supportively ‘alongside’ someone who is experiencing emotional difficulties is a very comforting way of supporting them.”
Advertisement
Telling a friend that you know how they feel isn’t usually helpful either, adds Fuller, “as it takes away the seriousness of the emotional condition that they are experiencing”.
Similarly, she cautions against your friendship catch-ups turning into an “anxiety competition” – which can develop, consciously or subconsciously.
“To say or suggest to someone that they don’t feel as bad as you diminishes their experience and can shame them into thinking that it isn’t safe to share their feelings with you,” she says. So best not to go down that route.
While venting is a “very healthy and important way to alleviate stress and anxiety,” ultimately if either of you need to vent more and you’re feeling totally overwhelmed by everything, doing so to a professional in person or using a mental health helpline (such as those below) might be a good solution.
Covid-19 is more than a news story – it has changed every aspect of life in the UK. We are following how Britain is experiencing this crisis, the different stages of collective emotion, reaction and resilience. You can tell us how you are feeling here and find advice and resources here.
Advertisement
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--130 Unusual Baby Names Parents Chose In 2019

LOADING ERROR LOADING
When the US Social Security Administration released the official list of the most popular baby names of 2019, the agency also shared broader data showing all the names given to five or more infants born last year.
It turns out many parents looked beyond top choices like Olivia, Emma and Liam ― instead going with literary references, band names, adjectives in the English language and other unconventional picks.
Advertisement
Here are 130 unusual baby names that parents chose in 2019. The list reflects names given to fewer than 10 babies born last year.
Girls
Whisper
Aloe
Brilliant
Greenleigh
Poem
Czarina
Nebula
Clove
Sublime
Cashlynn
Sparkle
Malibu
Ethereal
Sweden
Cinderella
Mellow
Hathaway
Mama
Serenityrose
Versailles
Fairy
Affinity
Skylette
Breezy
Peony
Eurydice
Willoughby
Missouri
Dairy
Balsam
Winterlynn
Derby
Palace
Feather
Edelweiss
Morningstar
Cambridge
Medley
Contessa
Faithful
Imagine
Oracle
Tokyo
Marseille
Hyacinth
Bronte
Flourish
Gardenia
Iceland
Joyous
Mystery
Theory
Brita
Elegance
Pennylane
Starlit
Sistine
Canary
Horizon
Prosperity
Universe
Bloom
Steely
Rarity
Arena
Boys
Fenway
Churchill
Forbes
Macgyver
Attila
Blitz
Cerulean
Ontario
Infantboy
Redeem
Bannon
Mayhem
Mayor
Rambo
Testimony
Thyme
Princecharles
Subaru
Aquarius
Beacon
Archangel
Jackman
Voltaire
Crown
Winchester
Thailand
Barnaby
Frasier
Aesop
Czar
Oxford
Dionysus
Utah
Beowulf
Demon
Gilead
Rage
Fawkes
Thoreau
Goliath
Mighty
Mowgli
Romance
Scholar
Shy
Rooster
Eastwood
Icarus
Wyndham
Awesome
Pippin
Machiavelli
Muse
Brick
Capone
Lancelot
Bison
Heir
Kipling
Clever
Field
Action
Relic
Furious


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-12--We Need More Sleep, Less Screen Time. The Pandemic Is Messing With Both

Five ways to help mental wellness and mood
1. Ensure you are getting seven to nine hours of sleep each day.
2. Limit your screen time (especially late in the evening) on computers, smartphones, tablets and televisions outside of working hours.
3. Eat a wholefood diet (lean protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, nuts, sufficient fibre/prebiotic foods, and poly-unsaturated fats), with less processed foods.
4. Limit or avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption.
5. Aim across the week for 2.5 to 5 hours of physical activity of moderate intensity and at least two muscle strengthening sessions per week.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-12--Corbyn's Ex-Frontbenchers Attack Starmer Over Brexit 'Whitewash'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Keir Starmer must apologise to Leave voters for Labour backing a second Brexit referendum and “not bury his role under the carpet”, three of Jeremy Corbyn’s former shadow ministers say in a new report.
Laura Smith, Jon Trickett and Ian Lavery, the former party chairman, say the party cannot rebuild trust with “red wall” voters, many of whom voted to leave the EU, without “settling of accounts” on the issue.
Advertisement
Starmer succeeded Corbyn in April and was previously Labour’s Brexit spokesman. They warn of attempts to “whitewash” the recent past by the party changing its tune on quitting the bloc.
It comes as the three figures launch a report on Thursday called No Holding Back, seen by HuffPost UK, which is the result of 50 different virtual events with Labour groups.
The report’s pointed conclusion says: “We would like to offer some comradely advice to the new leader.
“Firstly, he should not bury under the carpet his role in Brexit. It will come back to bite him and Labour. Building trust is critical.
Advertisement
“Secondly, to win back working people, he needs to listen. Focus groups only tell you what you want to hear.”
The report does not mention Starmer, nor does it mention anti-Semitism, despite the party having been found to have harassed Jewish members under Corbyn’s leadership.
Writing a joint piece exclusively for HuffPost UK, the three figures go further in challenging Starmer over the Brexit issue, which they say lost the party scores of seats in the north and midlands.
(left to right) Labour MPs Jon Trickett, Ian Lavery, Andrew Gwynne and Jeremy Corbyn's ex aide Karie Murphy PA Wire/PA Images
It comes as Boris Johnson struggles to get a trade deal finalised with Brussels and Labour switched its position to “get a Brexit deal done”.
Advertisement
The trio write: “We do not believe that the party can move on until it has put this issue behind us.
“For those who will say that the matter is behind us and we should move on, we say it will not do to whitewash or to ignore the recent past.”
Adding that voters and activists “all deserve an explanation” for the party pivoting to back a second referendum, with the option of Remain on the ballot, they add campaigners were targeted for aggression because the position the party took.
They add: “It must be a settling of accounts with Leavers, of course – but also with the Remainers, some of whom were falsely led to believe that we might be able to Remain.
“And we must apologise to our activists who often had very difficult encounters on the doorsteps. We must pledge not to attempt to overturn a similar democratic vote in the way we did.”
Advertisement
The report levels a claim at the party’s new leadership that Labour has lost touch with working class voters.
It also makes a number of suggestions on economic policy for Starmer to consider.
They call for a Covid profiteering tax, ”so the likes of Amazon are paying their fair share in this crisis”, and an outsourcing tax on profits from work contracted out during the pandemic.
The report also calls for a “cronyism watchdog”, with “a jury-like board who are selected from the electoral register” from which politicians should be barred.
The trio also call for stronger community organising to find working class people to stand for parliament, rather than central party mechanisms ensuring candidates are “parachuted in” – a criticism levelled at all former leaders, including Corbyn.
It says: “The old days of parachuting political professionals into working class communities that they have no connection to must now end in totality. Labour needs to reverse its thinking; encouraging the grassroots to grow rather than imposing candidates on high.”
Advertisement
The report also addresses Corbyn’s perception as a leader among voters.
Calling his style “unique”, it says his popularity nose-dived between the 2017 and 2019 election, with allegations of his lack of patriotism key.
It says: “We should have constructed a progressive patriotism that was not about bending the knee, but about strengthening workers’ and trade union rights, celebrating racial diversity and promoting equality amongst all identities. It is possible to love your country and learn and reflect on its history proactively and critically.”
But the report reserves its strongest criticism for the party’s approach to Brexit.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-12--Labour Must Apologise For Its Brexit Position Or We'll Never Win Back Trust

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Many traditional Labour voting communities have stopped voting Labour. This process began many years ago. But it rose to a crescendo in the December 2019 election with the collapse of the so-called “red wall” seats.
We warned the party that we were heading for electoral disaster. Indeed, we predicted the results in June 2019. It gives us no comfort whatsoever to have been shown to be correct in our analysis after the event. We only wish that our warnings had been heeded because Britain urgently needs a Labour government.
Advertisement
It is welcome that the party’s polling position is now recovering. But if you look at the detailed polling behind the top lines, there is much work still to do.
This is especially the case in those vast parts of the country which we have described as “held back”, where the process of deindustrialisation combined with cuts to services has damaged community resilience and led to political alienation.
Let’s quickly review recent data. Even a brief glance at the most recent opinion polls will show that there are ongoing challenges for Labour.
First, the good news. We have seen a steady increase in our top line figures in opinion polling in recent months. Polls disagree about the extent, but it is good news that we are leading in some authoritative polls. We had a lead of up to 4% in late October amongst middle and upper class voters (ABC1). Labour leads among the degree educated by 32 points; 42% of 2019 Lib Dem voters have come to Labour.
Advertisement
Behind the top line figures, however, something else is happening. Labour was nine points behind the Tories with working people (C2DEs) in late October YouGov polling. We were 20 points behind among people with no qualifications and with Leave voters we were 36 points behind.
One other key piece of data is that, in the seats the Tories gained in 2019, we are ahead – but 20% of voters are undecided.
How are we to interpret all of this? In a curious echo of what happened with voting over the years in the United States, historic voting patterns are changing here in our country.
The way we see it is that Labour has made significant inroads into upper- and middle-class Remain voters, many of whom voted Lib Dem. This is a welcome development. We are sceptical that it will win us many seats, however.
We say this because the overwhelming majority of winnable seats have got large concentrations of working-class Leave voters who as yet remain highly sceptical of us. They have remained loyal to the Tories or have relapsed into abstentionism.
Advertisement
The people who live in such communities stayed loyal to the Labour Party for a century. It is now time the party showed it is loyal to them. Without a credible effort to reconnect with these voters we cannot win an election because of their concentration in most marginal seats which we need to win back.
And in any case we ought not to want to win without reconnecting with those voters. We say this because social justice is at the very core of Labour’s historic mission. It is manifestly the case that this requires precisely to rebuild and regenerate the communities whose hearts were ripped out by the ravages of uncontrolled market forces.
With this in mind, in the spring of this year, we began a project under the title of No Holding Back to try to understand what had happened, to listen to members and to come forward with proposals as to how to proceed. This has been one of the most extensive listening exercises in the Labour Party for decades.
We have visited (via Zoom) literally dozens of locations and listened to thousands of Labour members and trade unionists. Today we publish the results of this listening exercise.
The results are startling, and the party needs to listen if we are to have any chance of winning the next election.
Advertisement
A number of exciting proposals have emerged which we will spell out in due course. And we will announce initiatives which we believe that the whole party will want to learn from.
We promised that we would reflect the views and experiences of the activists with whom we engaged since May this year. Some of it was unpalatable. But it needs to be spelt out.
Almost universally, activists told us that they were sent out to canvass during the election and in the more deprived communities – especially outside the major cities – they were met with indifference and often by anger by voters who felt betrayed by the political system in general, and by our party.
The central core of this experience was focused on the issue of Brexit. Canvassers were left to try and explain our policy on a second referendum on hostile doorsteps. Of course, other issues were raised also, including the leadership of the party, but Brexit appeared to be the touchstone issue more than any other, according to the activists we have met.
Even some voters who wanted to remain in the EU did not understand our policy. There were Remainers who had accepted that the country had voted to leave and just wanted to get on with the job. Equally there were adamant Remainers who felt the party was at best half-hearted in its attitude.
Advertisement
And, of course, there were many tens of thousands of Labour-inclined Leave voters who were the angriest of all. They felt that their arguments had won the referendum vote and were often in a rage at the idea that our party had betrayed that vote.
We spoke to activists who themselves were divided on the question of Leave or Remain. They all agreed that the party’s approach to Brexit was a central problem in the election.
But the truth is that the Brexit vote was symbolic of a wider breakdown. We had lost the trust of very many voters.
At a time when many people think politics is broken and trust in the establishment is at a very low ebb, it is critically important that we reset the relationship between the party and the electorate. It may be that in order to do this we will need frankly to accept that we were mistaken.
So, let’s be honest. Labour got it wrong on a second referendum. The party went against one of the only times in recent history that people felt they could finally express their justified anger at the present political system.
Advertisement
To rebuild trust that has been lost and restore people’s trust in politics – Labour should say sorry. This is not only about Labour winning elections but restoring faith in democracy.
We do not believe that the party can move on until it has put this issue behind us.
For those who will say that the matter is behind us and we should move on, we say it will not do to whitewash or to ignore the recent past.
The country, our voters and our activists all deserve an explanation and perhaps an apology by the party for our actions in the years after the referendum up until the December election.
It must be a settling of accounts with Leavers, of course – but also with the Remainers, some of whom were falsely led to believe that we might be able to Remain.
And we must apologise to our activists who often had very difficult encounters on the doorsteps. We must pledge not to attempt to overturn a similar democratic vote in the way we did.
Advertisement
The party also needs to show that it will not appear to turn its back on the most deprived communities ever again.
To do so will simply lead a dangerous turn to right-wing and racist populist parties who are feeding on the very communities that stayed loyal to Labour for generations. On the other hand, the government’s handling of the virus shows it has a vulnerable underbelly that is quite capable of being successfully attacked.
In order to do so successfully, we need permission from sceptical voters that we can be trusted again. The path back begins here.
It’s time to speak plainly as to why we got it wrong. Nothing less will do.
Ian Lavery is MP for Wansbeck. Laura Smith was MP for Crewe and Nantwich until 2019, and is now a Crewe councillor. Jon Trickett is MP for Hemsworth.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Is Boris Johnson Ready To End The Dominic Cummings Era?

LOADING ERROR LOADING
You’re reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening.
The contrast between the national Covid crisis and the navel-gazing that preoccupies Downing Street could not have been starker. Just as the UK learned it was the first country in Europe to pass the 50,000 death toll from the virus, Boris Johnson’s No.10 was convulsed with intrigue and in-fighting.
Advertisement
Few people will have heard of Lee Cain, Johnson’s combative director of communications and loyal aide through the past three years. But the public certainly have heard of Dominic Cummings, Cain’s boss and close ally ever since they worked on the Vote Leave team together.
And it’s Cummings whose future is the subject of fevered Westminster chatter after his junior partner’s sudden departure from No.10. Cain’s resignation followed a backlash among Tory MPs over reports that he had been offered the plum job of chief of staff.
Crucially, the PM’s own fiancee Carrie Symonds shared the unease of backbenchers (and several ministers’) who felt that the new role offered a chance to “reset” his premiership after a string of policy U-turns and blunders.
Central to the behind the scenes power struggle was the battle for the PM’s ear, with several insiders believing that Cummings would still continue to dominate his tiny inner circle even though he is due to be taking a less prominent role in coming weeks.
Advertisement
The chief adviser was planning to step away from the frontline once the UK’s post-Brexit ‘transition’ period ends on New Year’s Eve, to focus on projects such as reshaping Whitehall and getting a science start-up body off the ground.
Cain’s stepping up would have allowed his influence to permeate at the highest level. Or as one former minister put it to me today: “It is a bit like Tony Soprano – Cummings – appointing one of his underbosses, as consiglieri. Tony still the ‘boss boss’.”
Cain was indeed seen by MPs variously as Cummings’ “puppet”, his “mini-me” or his “partner in crime”. One ungenerous backbencher said: “He was Mutley to Dom’s Dick Dastardly”. Another, more favourable to the pair, said Cain had the rare quality of being “trusted totally” by the PM, “and that’s what matters most”.
Except that in the end, it didn’t. The first sign that something was up came when Allegra Stratton, the incoming press secretary lined up for televised briefings from January, posted what appeared to be a cryptic reference to Cain on Twitter.
At 4.16pm, just three minutes after the government’s updated coronavirus dashboard was updated to show another jump in daily Covid deaths to 595, Stratton retweeted footage of a mountain climber perilously walking along ridge edges. Soon after, she retweeted (but later deleted) a line from TV’s Countdown show: “Word discovery of the day is ‘stiffrump’ (18th century): an obstinate and haughty individual who refuses to budge no matter what.”
Advertisement
Both seemed to be the countdown to Cain’s departure, just a few hours later. MPs WhatsApp groups buzzed with the almost viral news and many rejoiced. For some Tory MPs the move finally represented a triumph for two increasingly powerful women, Symonds and Stratton. For a Downing Street that has been accused of being run by a male cabal that led the Vote Leave lads’ club, the growing influence of the pair is seen as a welcome change.
Symonds herself is a former communications chief in Tory campaigns HQ, while Stratton is a highly respected former journalist and aide to chancellor Rishi Sunak. “They’re both grown ups, that’s the point,” one ex-minister told me. Relations between Cain and Stratton were seen as irreparable after he allegedly made clear he was unhappy with her appointment.
Cummings was said to be considering his position and was in talks with the PM. There was intense speculation that others of his loyal team could quit along with Cain, and even a suggestion that chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost could walk out in sympathy. Calmer voices said such speculation was “wild”.
The elevation to communications director of James Slack, the civil servant who served as official spokesperson to both Johnson and Theresa May, was seen as a steadying of the ship. Like Stratton, a much more experienced former journalist than Cain, he is expected to operate in tandem with the new TV briefing presenter.
At the height of the “Barnard Castle/Specsavers” fiasco, Johnson doggedly hung onto Cummings out of loyalty. Many MPs felt the real reason was that the easily-distracted PM depended too much on his adviser’s laser-like focus and strategic brain.
Advertisement
But a simpler explanation is that Johnson simply hates personal conflict, infamously not wanting to fire anyone. His botched attempt to give Cain a promotion to balance Stratton’s arrival in a top post is seen as yet another example, but one that took a backlash from his partner and his MPs to jolt him out of.
The PM’s loyalty is also not as strong as some assume, as his former long-standing ally Jake Berry has made plain with his bloc of northern MPs. His decision to “dump Trump” in PMQs, talking about how “refreshing” it was to talk climate change with Joe Biden was seen as proof of his elastic constancy in his political as well as personal relations.
Ministers and backbenchers have long wanted Johnson to reassert Tory values over Cummings’ own values, especially given his adviser’s open contempt for many of them. Their hope is that the PM will now give a senior MP a role in No.10 to ensure the disconnect between party and PM is ended.
Cummings could yet be given a graceful way out to save face. But the bigger question for Johnson is that, unlike his aides, his own political survival depends on Tory MPs’ support. With Sunak tipped as his replacement, opting to reset his team, maybe even to feminise it, could be his smartest move since the election. Not least as even “Blue Wall” MPs have a taste for rebellion.
Talk of any threat to a PM with an 80-seat majority may seem bizarre. But as one old Tory hand reminded his colleagues, Margaret Thatcher was toppled by her backbenchers just three years after her third election triumph. Johnson is just one year on from his own victory and already his majority looks under threat from within.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--£40bn Tax-The-Rich Plan To Pay For Covid Crisis Calls For 'Pandemic Profits Levy'

SIPA USA/PA Images
A “pandemic profits levy” should be part of a £40bn plan to tax the better off and repair the public finances hit by the Covid outbreak, a leading economic think tank has urged.
A major new report by the Resolution Foundation calls for a tax hike on those companies that have done well out of the pandemic and predicts that the economy won’t get back to normal until 2023 at the earliest.
Advertisement
The plan proposes that tax rises – including a new £17bn “health and social care levy” – should be used to balance the books over time, rather than a fresh round of austerity-style spending cuts.
The health levy would be an annual flat rate tax of 4% on all incomes, including capital gains profits, over £12,500, to be offset by a 3% cut in employee National Insurance and abolition of some National Insurance contributions for the self-employed.
Revenues raised would be used to help send an extra £11bn to the NHS but also channel £6bn to social care.
The Resolution Foundation says that “the public will expect those that have financially suffered least during the crisis to contribute” more.
Advertisement
It calls for a “pandemic profits levy” of 10% on “supra-normal profits” of the small minority of firms that have done better than normal in 2020.
A recent Oxfam report highlighted that 32 of some of the world’s largest companies saw profits jump by £84.1bn in 2020.
The five tech giants Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft account for $46bn in excess profits during the pandemic, with Microsoft accounting for close to $19bn alone.
Online delivery specialists like Ocado and Boohoo, as well as drugs companies and antiseptic goods firms, have seen revenues rise.
Other measures proposed in the new study include a £10bn increase in corporation tax from 19% to 22% and a £9bn raft of tax increases on the richest with council tax rises on properties worth more than £2m and cuts in capital gains and inheritance tax reliefs.
Advertisement
The “Unhealthy Finances” report – published in partnership with the Standard Life Foundation – recommends that with interest rates stuck near zero, the task of repairing the public finances must start later but ultimately go further than in past recessions.
While raising taxes by £40 billion will be difficult, it is not without precedent as the Tories’ two 1993 Budgets raised taxes by £48 billion.
Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “Fiscal hawks focus on the need to pay back the huge borrowing racked up this year. But this is a red herring. What matters instead is the how much our economy is left permanently smaller by the pandemic.
“The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) thinks it will be 3% smaller in 2024-25 than expected pre-crisis. It’s the fiscal damage that follows, rather than the need to ‘pay for’ the crisis spending, that requires a consolidation.”
He added: “Taxes should certainly not rise now – the overwhelming priority is to support the economy through a difficult winter. But fiscal multi-tasking may mean taxes need to rise significantly in the middle of this decade.
Advertisement
“Such increases would be very challenging, but they have been done before by governments of both parties. Whether the requirements of the economic cycle will fit with realities of the political one is, as ever, a separate question.”
Mubin Haq, chief executive at the Standard Life Foundation, said: “There is no appetite for a return to austerity which would increase already deep divides. Tax rises are the obvious and fairest route, ensuring essential services remain in place and helping to build social care provision we can be proud of.
“We know there is significant public support for tax rises once the time is right. Such rises need to be proportional with those with the deepest pockets contributing the most. Government needs to take a long-term view, building a fairer society and ensuring public finances are in a good position once the next economic shock comes along.”
The Resolution Foundation report came after the publication of a separate study commissioned by the Treasury that found increasing capital gains tax (CGT) rates to bring them into line with income tax could raise £14 billion.
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) report focused on reforms to CGT, a levy applied on the profits on the sale or disposal of shares and other property, for which there is currently an annual allowance of £12,300.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Lee Cain Quits No.10 After Explosive New Job Row

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Lee Cain has announced he will quit as Downing Street’s director of communications following a row over becoming the PM’s new chief of staff.
The move follows a tumultuous 24 hours when a political storm gathered around plans to appoint the key ally of both Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings to the key role.
Advertisement
Cain, a former member of the Vote Leave campaign and former tabloid journalist, had been offered the powerful post in recent days.
He is a longtime aide of Johnson having served with him when he was foreign secretary and when he was a backbencher.
But his potential appointment parked concerns among some Conservative MPs that yet another member of the Vote Leave inner circle would lead the day-to-day running of the No.10 operation once Cummings steps back to focus on individual projects.
The prime minister’s partner Carrie Symonds also reportedly objected to plans to appoint Cain to the key role – an account that was not denied by No.10
Advertisement
Johnson’s appointment of Allegra Stratton to lead daily televised press briefings is also understood to have added to the friction inside No.10.
One ally of Cain said he has been mulling over leaving Downing Street for a quieter life having seen friends and allies do the same in recent months.
Tory MPs are likely to see this as an opportunity to urge Johnson to reset his premiership following a difficult few months during the pandemic.
Senior figures are understood to be urging Johnson and his team to appoint someone who knows and cares about the party and understands that the government depends on the support of backbenchers who have felt alienated in recent months.
According to one report, Cummings was said to be very unhappy about Cain’s departure and was considering following him out of the door.
Advertisement
Dominic Cummings is, I am told, very unhappy about Lee Cain's departure, as his closest ally in No10. He is talking to the PM shortly tonight. His resignation too is now "50/50" says one insider. — Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) November 11, 2020
The prime minister said Cain was a “true ally and friend” and will be “much missed”.
In a statement, Cain said: “After careful consideration I have this evening resigned as No10 director of communications and will leave the post at the end of the year.
“It has been a privilege to work as an adviser for Mr Johnson for the last three years – being part of a team that helped him win the Tory leadership contest, secure the largest Conservative majority for three decades – and it was an honour to be asked to serve as the prime minister’s chief of staff.
“I would like to thank all the team at No.10 – including the many unsung and incredibly talented civil servants – for their hard work and support during the last 18 months.
“And most of all I would like to thank the prime minister for his loyalty and leadership.
“I have no doubt that under his premiership the country will deliver on the promises made in the 2019 election campaign and build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.”
Advertisement
Johnson said: “I want to thank Lee for his extraordinary service to the government over the last four years.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Lucy Letby: Nurse Charged With Murders Of Eight Babies At Hospital

The 30-year-old is due to appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. SWNS
A nurse has been charged with eight counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder at a hospital’s neonatal unit.
Lucy Letby, 30, is due to appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to face the charges following an investigation into baby deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital, a spokesman for Cheshire Police said.
Advertisement
Letby, of Arran Avenue in Hereford, was arrested for a third time on Tuesday as part of the investigation into the hospital, which began in 2017.
A force spokesman said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Cheshire Police to charge a healthcare professional with murder in connection with an ongoing investigation into a number of baby deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
“Lucy Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, is facing eight charges of murder and 10 charges of attempted murder.
“The charges relate to the period of June 2015 to June 2016.”
The Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester. PA
Advertisement
On Tuesday, police said parents of all the babies involved were being kept fully updated on developments and were supported by officers.
Letby was arrested by police in 2018 and 2019 but was bailed pending further inquiries.
Following her previous arrests, her home in the Blacon area of Chester was searched by police.
In a 2013 interview with the Chester and District Standard newspaper, the nurse said she cared for babies requiring various levels of support.
She had worked at the unit as a student nurse during three years of training before qualifying as a children’s nurse at the University of Chester in 2011.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Trump Is Already Creating National Security Chaos For Biden

President Donald Trump remains commander in chief for only more 10 weeks, until President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January. But during that time, Trump is in a position to make destabilising foreign policy choices that could sow chaos and tie Biden’s hands.
While the president has been raging on Twitter about an election he sees as illegitimate, his administration is rapidly exerting control over key national security positions – elevating the risk of mayhem and alarming experienced officials across Washington, DC.
Advertisement
On Monday, Trump fired defence secretary Mike Esper, removing one of the key officials who have, to some degree, pushed back against the president’s plans. He replaced Esper with Christopher Miller, the former head of the National Counterterrorism Center, who is known for encouraging the US to more aggressively confront Iran, which Trump allies want to pressure before the president leaves office.
A series of further personnel moves at the Pentagon followed. Top defence officials resigned and were replaced by Trump loyalists, including Anthony Tata, who has called former President Barack Obama a “terrorist leader” and has pushed a range of unhinged conspiracy theories, and Republican operatives Kash Patel and Ezra Cohen-Watnick.
“It is hard to overstate just how dangerous high-level turnover at the Department of Defence is during a period of presidential transition,” House armed services committee chairman Adam Smith said on Tuesday.
And at the National Security Agency, Trump installed Michael Ellis, who was previously involved in Republican efforts to question Russian interference in the 2016 election, as general counsel, according to The Washington Post. Ellis has been transferred to a civil servant position, making it harder for Biden to remove him, CNN reported.
Advertisement
The president is desperate to declassify intelligence on Moscow’s meddling to justify his 2016 win, regardless of how that might hurt sensitive research methods and American alliances, the Post reported on Wednesday.
Experts and Democratic operatives said the risk of vengeful or irresponsible moves by Trump is particularly high when it comes to foreign policy, an area in which the president can often act unilaterally.
“The only thing that has kept Donald Trump from doing things that would have been absolutely crazy, and I would underscore absolutely, was the prospect of reelection and political pressure,” said a former Obama administration official who requested anonymity to speak frankly. In a transition period, “The limited guardrails that have been on this presidency would no longer be there.”
“We would see this president take precipitous action in ways that would be counter to our national interest but then would also set in motion crises that the Biden administration would have to account for,” the former official added.
“I’m not really sure there are many guardrails.” - Former Obama administration official
Advertisement
The possibilities worrying the ex-Obama staffer and others range from Trump launching a war, to using an executive order he signed last month to place political loyalists in some influential roles usually held by civil servants.
And the personnel moves in the national security arena go well beyond just the Pentagon and National Security Agency. It’s clear a thorough purge is underway. On Friday, Trump ousted Bonnie Glick, a former foreign service officer serving as the deputy head of the sprawling US Agency for International Development. The move kept his controversial appointee John Barsa in charge of the organisation, despite the fact that his term as acting chief has expired. On Monday, Barsa told his team the transition of power to Biden has not yet begun, CNBC reported.
Trump also forced Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, the administrator of the agency that oversees America’s nuclear stockpile, out of her job on Friday. “That the secretary of energy effectively demanded her resignation during this time of uncertainty demonstrates he doesn’t know what he’s doing in national security matters,” Senator Jim Inhofe, the chair of the Senate armed services committee, said.
Trump’s general services administration chief, Emily Murphy, has also refused to sign a letter granting resources to Biden’s transition team, the Post reported on Sunday night, subverting a normal practice seemingly because of the president’s dishonest claims that the election is still not settled. That denies Biden not only taxpayer funding and computer systems but also full intelligence briefings, which former House intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican, said the president-elect should already be receiving.
A longtime Trump adviser told HuffPost he believes that CIA director Gina Haspel and FBI director Christopher Wray could also be removed soon.
Advertisement
Biden’s team can’t do much to rein Trump in. They want to respect the fact that the Us only has one president at a time – not least because of Democratic frustration with Trump acting as though he was already in charge when dealing with Russia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates before Obama left office in 2016. They also know the country will already be tense as Trump pursues lawsuits to deny Biden’s victory and baselessly alleges election fraud; they don’t want more squabbling that undermines Americans’ and foreigners’ faith in the US commitment to an orderly and peaceful transition of power.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) departed on a foreign trip soon after the election to promote tough measures on Iran in cooperation with partners like Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz (right). POOL New / Reuters
Few Democrats expect help from Republicans. Many Republican lawmakers are already promoting Trump’s dangerous conspiracy theories about the vote. Even when opposition figures have challenged the president’s foreign policy choices, they have rarely actually blocked them. And some ambitious Republicans clearly want to stay on the Trump family’s good side, anticipating that the outgoing president will remain a force in conservative politics.
“I don’t have any faith in Mitch McConnell’s Senate. As we’ve all seen over the last four years, the president has a lot of flexibility and leeway when it comes to national security, so I’m not really sure there are many guardrails,” the former Obama staffer said.
Asha Rangappa, a former FBI official, predicted upcoming “sabotage, vindictiveness, and norm-breaking” beyond even the excesses of Trump’s first term. “It’s time to brace ourselves,” she tweeted on Sunday.
Advertisement
What is Trump trying to achieve?
Iran will likely be Trump’s biggest target in his lame-duck period.
Hardliners in the administration believe Democrats are too soft on Iran and want to make it difficult for Biden to resurrect the Obama-era accord that gave Iran greater access to the global economy in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme. Some figures associated with Trump’s maximalist Iran policy, notably secretary of state Mike Pompeo, also believe pushing a hard line now could help them if they seek higher office later.
On Sunday, American news site Axios reported that Trump plans to “flood” Iran with sanctions. The country of 80 million is already struggling under unprecedented US restrictions and one of the world’s worst outbreaks of the coronavirus. A new wave of financial pain would boost anger and distrust on the Iranian side and eventually set up a tougher fight for Biden domestically, where he would have to justify rolling back those measures to a hawkish Congress.
Trump could also create a situation that’s so difficult Iran feels it must respond or – as some Pentagon officials worry – launch his own operations, including in secret.
The administration has already proved willing to risk a direct clash by hitting Iran-linked targets in Iraq, notably Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, the former Obama official noted. “We could certainly see more of that and even on an accelerated scale if this president isn’t bound by any sort of political pressure.”
Iran is also thought to still want to avenge Soleimani’s killing and some analysts believe it could use the unstable transition period to do so. Tehran may avoid a confrontation, however, in preparation for a more coherent approach from Biden, said Tamara Cofman Wittes, a former state department official now at the Brookings Institution.
Advertisement
Transition teams like Biden’s and career officials at agencies like the Pentagon are familiar with the risks of these periods, she added, citing past instances of North Korean escalations around the time of US elections.
Meanwhile, anti-war advocates are prepared to check the president, particularly if he frames a rush to war as part of his broader attempt to cling to power.
“If Trump escalates with Iran, it will be a ruse to try to shore up his support and further try to invalidate the elections. [He] could view a conflict with Iran as a means towards assaulting US democracy more than he has already,” Yasmine Taeb of Demand Progress wrote in an email. “The American people and progressives should be hyper cautious, be ready to organise, and view any claims Trump and company make about Iran with the utmost scrutiny.”
What does this mean for the US?
America enters the transition with a severely weakened professional foreign policy apparatus.
The state department (which oversees foreign affairs) “is decimated and demoralised,” Wittes said, citing Trump’s attacks on career diplomats who have exposed actions like his bullying of Ukraine for the sake of his political vendetta against Biden. “It’s going to take a huge amount of work to come back from that damage.”
“How many more talented, knowledgeable experts is the US national security bureaucracy going to lose?” - Tamara Cofman Wittes, former State Department official
Advertisement
Before the president-elect can begin that work, Trump can cause additional pain. His October executive order on federal employees makes it easier for him to fire career civil servants and fill positions without going through the normal competitive hiring processes.
“How many more talented, knowledgeable experts is the US national security bureaucracy going to lose? That’s putting a new administration behind the eight ball,” Wittes said. (Congress could legislate to curtail Trump’s powers under the order, she said, but is extremely unlikely to do so.)
Trump can also change the contours of international politics, limiting Biden’s flexibility to restore traditional American positions or advance progressive priorities.
The president is already advancing plans to sell major new weapons systems to the United Arab Emirates and, potentially, its rival Qatar, and he could further weaken America’s limits on treating occupied Palestinian territory as part of Israel. As he plans for a post-presidency future in which he has to pay back hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, Trump could cut quid-pro-quo arrangements with the cast of international leaders who have benefited from his transactional style and worry they will be able to get less out of the U.S. under Biden.
“This is changing the dynamics and it’s done recklessly,” Wittes said.
In Afghanistan, it’s possible Trump will carry out the rushed troop withdrawal he has pledged for months, over concerns from Esper and others – a move the president could claim as a legacy item, thrilling conservatives, but one that could also quickly cause bloodshed, gains for terror groups, and, eventually, a messy return for US troops. That would make it impossible for Biden to pursue the more deliberate drawdown he has promised.
Advertisement
He could “undermine our remaining interests there, potentially causing a Biden administration to do things that no one would want to do,” the former Obama official said.
Can Biden stop him?
The Biden team’s commitment to a standard pre-Trump transition process is unlikely to waver, even as sitting officials make parts of that impossible.
“The ability to coordinate with foreign governments is not going to be on the table,” for instance, the former Obama official said – even if Trump ratchets up insults against counterparts abroad or makes promises they might expect Biden to keep.
Overtures to the Russian ambassador in Washington, D.C., by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn (left) before President Barack Obama left office horrified Democrats. Sputnik Photo Agency / Reuters
The hope is that public positions can, well, trump private assurances and the last gasps of the Trump era.
Advertisement
Wittes, the former diplomat, said Biden can send clear signals with choices like which international officials he engages with, as congratulatory calls and messages come in. On Monday, the transition team confirmed that he spoke with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in his first call with a future counterpart. Most recent presidents have made the US’s northern ally the destination for their first foreign trip. Trump instead went to Saudi Arabia.
And while Democrats see the risk of Trump appointees remaining in government to try and undermine the next administration, they feel the practice – known as “burrowing” – may not be as corrosive as it might have been during past transitions.
“What distinguishes Trump appointees is they don’t have a public service bone in their bodies. They’re there because of their loyalty to President Trump; once he’s gone, their inclination to remain, even to thwart a Biden administration, I don’t think will be that powerful for a lot of these people,” the ex-Obama staffer said, suggesting they are far more likely to seek lucrative private sector work.
The Biden team, meanwhile, has a huge number of national security professionals it wants to bring in and has been quietly conducting advance work to do so quickly.
Whatever Trump does in the weeks ahead, he can’t erase the sense of a ticking clock that’s set in in Washington and internationally.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Sir Billy Connolly To Sign Off From Illustrious Stand-Up Career In 'Uplifting And Emotional' TV Spec

Sir Billy Connolly To Sign Off From Illustrious Stand-Up Career In 'Uplifting And Emotional' TV Special

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sir Billy Connolly is set to sign off from his stand-up career with an upcoming TV special.
The legendary Scottish comic will look back at his decades in comedy, after announcing he would be retiring from performing.
Sir Billy, who is living with Parkinson’s Disease, will be joined by a host of famous faces in ITV’s Billy Connolly: It’s Been A Pleasure, which is set to air over the winter months.
Advertisement
Billy Connolly is retiring from stand-up comedy EMPICS Entertainment
He has filmed scenes from his home in the Florida Keys for the show, which will also feature his greatest stand-up moments and unseen performance footage.
Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Sir Lenny Henry, Dustin Hoffman, Russell Brand, Whoopi Goldberg, Aisling Bea and Sheridan Smith will also share their memories of Sir Billy’s comedy career.
There will also be unique new insights from the woman who knows Billy best – his wife Pamela Stephenson.
Advertisement
ITV said of the show: “Billy Connolly: It’s Been A Pleasure... is a definitive celebration of an all-time great. An uplifting, emotional and hilarious hour in the company of the legendary Big Yin at his entertaining best. It will make you laugh. It may even make you cry.
“A fitting send-off for a stand-up megastar.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--For Entertainment To Appeal To UK Audiences, It Must Reflect UK Society

For Entertainment To Appeal To UK Audiences, It Must Reflect UK Society
Award-winning actor, writer and director Fraser Ayres founded The TriForce Creative Network in 2003 to promote equal opportunity in the entertainment industry. In a report launched by Creative Diversity Network they found that the television industry faced challenges off-screen with only 2% of TV Writers, 3% Executives and 5% of Series Producers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. The film and television veteran says that for equitable change the industry needs fresh blood and opportunity.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--This Morning To Air On Christmas Day As ITV Unveils Festive Line-Up Of Shows

LOADING ERROR LOADING
There will be an extra dose of daytime fun this festive season, as This Morning broadcasts on Christmas Day for the first time.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield will be fronting a special episode on 25 December.
ITV has confirmed fellow daytime staples Good Morning Britain and Lorraine will also air festive specials to kickstart the big day this year, which they promise will be “uplifting and heartwarming in equal measure”.
Advertisement
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid will begin things at 7am with a special GMB reliving the the moments created by the real stars of 2020, and honouring the heroes of the pandemic, including Captain Sir Tom Moore and NHS frontline workers.
Lorraine Kelly will then take over at 9am as she lets viewers into the secrets of her festive period and shares joy and laughter with some special guests.
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Advertisement
Then at 10am, Phillip and Holly will help us celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with a show packed full of heart-warming surprises and familiar faces.
This Morning will be followed by James Martin’s Christmas Day, which will see the TV chef serving up a fantastic feast of festive food and entertainment with guests including Tom Kerridge, The Ritz’s head chef John Williams and Bake Off Creme De La Creme winner Mark Tilling.
Ainsley Harriott will then be serving up a Christmas edition of his Saturday cooking show – Ainsley’s Festive Food We Love.
He’ll have drinks expert Olly Smith on hand to mix up some jolly tipples, with guests including Christopher Biggins, Martine McCutcheon and Brian Turner.
Lorraine Kelly Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Advertisement
On Wednesday, ITV also released details of a host of Christmas specials set to air over the festive period.
They include a festive Britain’s Got Talent, a one-off Birds Of A Feather special, the long-awaited SM:TV Live documentary and specials of gameshows like The Chase, In For A Penny and The Cube.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--The Government Won't Say If Students Can Return To University Campuses After Christmas

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Students cannot be guaranteed they will be able to return to university campuses after the Christmas break, amid fears they could unintentionally spread Covid-19 across the country.
The government announced on Tuesday students in England will be able to return home during a “travel window” between December 3 and December 9.
Advertisement
The Department for Education (DfE) said “staggered departures” should be arranged to prevent crowds of students on public transport flocking home at the same time.
Some students will be able to take rapid coronavirus tests, which can turn around results within an hour, to ensure they are not positive for the illness before travelling.
All teaching is due to be moved online by December 9 “at the very latest”.
But the DfE would not comment on whether similar procedures would be put in place when the Spring term begins in mid-January, and whether its intention was for students to return to campuses.
Instead the department pointed to the guidance published on Tuesday that said only: “Following the end of term break, our top priority for January will be the welfare of students, staff and the communities around higher education providers.
Advertisement
“We are looking to utilise mass testing to make the return to higher education as safe as possible, and will provide further guidance in due course, considering future developments and the relevant scientific advice.”
Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer, said the “mass movement of students across the country” at the end of term presented “a really significant challenge within the Covid-19 response”.
“The measures announced today will help minimise that risk and help students get home to their families as safely as possible for Christmas,” she said.
“It is crucial that students follow the guidance in order to protect their families and the communities they return to.”
It came as England’s chief medical officer, professor Chris Whitty, warned in a letter to NHS staff that the winter would be “gruelling”.
Advertisement
More than 50,000 people in the UK have now died within a month of testing positive for coronavirus.
Tuesday saw the UK’s daily death toll surpass 500 for the first time in almost six months but Wednesday’s daily increase of 595 is the largest since May 12.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Treasury Has Not Forecast Economic Impact Of Closing Pubs, Chief Admits

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Treasury has not forecast the economic impact of key coronavirus restrictions including closing pubs and cafes, its chief economist has admitted.
Clare Lombardelli said modelling the impact of specific lockdown measures would be “very difficult” if not impossible because of the “very unusual circumstances”.
Advertisement
In remarks likely to be seized on by Tory lockdown rebels, Lombardelli said the Treasury usually analyses the impact of policies based on behaviours that “we know and understand” but that restrictions are too dependent on a range of relationships that are “very hard to estimate”.
But she was criticised by Mel Stride, the Tory chair of the Commons Treasury committee, who said: “Just because something’s hard and it’s difficult doesn’t mean to say it shouldn’t be done.”
Stride also questioned how chancellor Rishi Sunak could make the case for the economy during cabinet debates on Covid restrictions without having any data to back him up.
“We haven’t got specific forecasts or estimates of very, very specific measures”
Advertisement
The exchanges at the committee came after around 50 Tory lockdown rebels formed a new backbench faction dubbed the Covid Recovery Group.
Headed up by chair and former chief whip Mark Harper and ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker, one of the group’s key demands is for the government to publish a full cost-benefit analysis of restrictions on a regional basis, including how economic damage affects health and deaths.
“MPs must be in a position to assess the relative health implications on both sides of the argument of repeated restrictions with a view to removing them immediately if it cannot be proved that they are saving more lives than they cost,” the group said.
But Lombardelli offered little hope that the Treasury would be able to provide such detailed analysis.
Asked by Stride what an economic impact assessment for closing pubs and cafes would be, Lombardelli said: “We haven’t got specific forecasts or estimates of very, very specific measures.
Advertisement
“What we do know is things like the size of the sector, the contribution it makes to the economy, we know the number of people that work in that sector, we know about things like the details of their employment in terms of things like the pay in that sector, we know about things like the size of the businesses, so we know a lot about the sector.
“But what we haven’t done, and it would be very hard, even impossible, to do in a meaningful way, is to estimate the precise impact or provide a precise forecast of what the impact of that would be.
“Because it would depend on a whole range of things that it’s incredibly hard to know – how businesses would respond, how consumers would respond, what compliance would be like.
“These are behavioural relationships that it’s very, very hard to estimate.”
Stride hit back: “The same argument could be applied to the epidemiological analysis which is fraught with the same behavioural concerns that you have just referred to.
“And I cannot believe that the chancellor would be sitting down and having discussions with the prime minister and others about which of these measures make sense, and he would have wanted to argue surely from an economic standpoint as to the impact of these measures.
Advertisement
“The minutes from Sage say these economic impacts are being assessed by you within the Treasury, and I can’t imagine conceivably that he could be having those discussions saying: ‘Well, I just don’t know what the impacts are’.’”
Following the session, Stride called on the Treasury to publish all its economic analysis of coronavirus restrictions and policies.
He said: “Clearly some sort of economic analysis of coronavirus interventions, including lockdown, has been conducted by HM Treasury.
“It’s perplexing that this was not published ahead of last week’s vote on further lockdown measures.
“MPs must have all the information possible available to them to allow them to carry out their duty of effectively scrutinising government measures in the future.
”HM Treasury’s analysis of interventions, as referred to by the chief economic adviser in evidence to us, should, therefore, be made public.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Government Won't House Rough Sleepers During Covid Second Wave, Minister Suggests

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The government has effectively confirmed that Everyone In won’t be repeated this winter, forcing thousands of England’s most vulnerable people to choose between risking Covid infection and freezing on the streets.
Days after lockdown came in in March, the government loudly announced a nationwide drive to get every rough sleeper into their own room in a hotel or another form of supported accommodation so they had space to lockdown.
Advertisement
But as the number of Covid-19 deaths continues to escalate through the second wave of the pandemic (595 were recorded on Wednesday alone, sending the total past 50,000) and as the temperature steadily drops toward freezing, thousands of rough sleepers are facing a winter with nowhere safe to go.
In an urgent question to the House of Commons, shadow housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire said the government’s current plan – which does not involve the reintroduction of Everyone In – provides “neither the leadership nor the funding” to ensure all rough sleepers have a Covid-secure place”.
Minister for rough sleeping and housing Kelly Tolhurst responded by referring only to past successes, with no commitment to any clear measures over the winter.
She said: “The government has set out unprecedented support for this issue, dedicating over £700m to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping alone this year.
Advertisement
“Our work on rough sleeping has not only been shown to be world-leading but also to have saved hundreds of lives. We are dedicated to continuing to protect vulnerable people into this period of restrictions and through the winter months.”
HuffPost UK believes that a significant portion of this funding – £433m, to be precise – is part of a long-term project to create 6,000 new supported homes for rough sleepers.
The government has said that 3,300 of these homes will be ready by March 2021, but a spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) was unable to confirm at the end of October if physical work had begun on a single project.
Nor is it clear when the remaining 2,700 homes will be completed.
Tolhurst also pointed to the Protect Programme, announced by Boris Johnson last week, which provides the much lower figure of £15m to help ensure “that there is support in place for areas that need it most and which will address the housing and health challenges for rough sleepers during this period of national restrictions.
“This is on top of the £10m cold weather fund available to all councils to provide sleepers with safe accommodation over the coming months. This means all local areas will be eligible for support this winter.”
Advertisement
But as Debbonaire pointed out in her question, this £15m is only going to the 10 councils with the highest rough sleeping rates. The Bristol Labour MP has previously raised the fact that the cold weather fund – which includes a further £2m given to faith groups and organisations on the ground – is less than the £13m made available in 2019, before Covid had even been discovered.
Many of the UK’s leading housing and homelessness organisations have urged the government to repeat Everyone In – a move they say is vital to saving lives this winter.
Rough sleepers already suffer from significantly worse health than the general population, with charities warning that the usual crowded conditions in night shelters could prove fatal should an outbreak occur in communal facilities.
Responding to the government’s answer on Wednesday, Centrepoint’s head of public affairs Paul Noblet said: “During the first few days of the March lockdown the government acted quickly to ensure rough sleepers and those supporting them were safe, but since then the number of people sleeping on the streets has increased.
“Everyone In was the right response in the spring, and it is the right response now. To not follow through with the same level of funding risks undoing the good work of government, councils and charities over the past few months.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--Donald Trump Threatened To Pardon Himself. Is That Even A Thing?

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Donald Trump is running out of options. Everyone but Donald Trump can see this.
Come January 20, one way or another, he will leave the White House and will no longer be afforded the extensive protections the position of world’s most powerful man provides.
And there’s plenty that he may need protecting from – Trump faces five potential lawsuits and investigations once he leaves office including possible tax fraud and defamation suits.
Advertisement
So it’s worth examining what at first seems outlandish but is not out of the realms of possibility – the self pardon.
This is the general idea – before leaving office, Trump pardons himself of some/all possible crimes thus rendering himself immune from prosecution.
And in a bonkers quirk of the law that defies logic or reason, the president’s pardoning powers extend to any crimes that have not been revealed or charged.
He even floated the idea himself in 2018, saying he had the “absolute right” to do it. And in 2017, his legal team suggested it may happen in the event of him being found guilty of any crimes related to the Special Counsel investigation into Russian collusion.
Advertisement
So, the big question...
Can Donald Trump pardon himself?
Trump pardons Butter, the national Thanksgiving turkey, in the Rose Garden of the White House last November. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In short, the answer is nobody knows. No president has ever had the need to try it. But then, there’s never been a president quite like Trump
“When people ask me if a president can pardon himself, my answer is always: ‘Well, he can try,’” Brian Kalt, a constitutional law professor at Michigan State University, told Reuters.
“The Constitution does not provide a clear answer on this.”
Many legal experts have said that a self-pardon would be unconstitutional because it violates the basic principle that nobody should be the judge in his or her own case. Kalt said this, in his view, was the stronger argument.
Trump could try to pardon himself preemptively to cover the possibility of prosecution after he leaves office.
Advertisement
In that case, the pardon’s legitimacy might never be tested in court, said Kalt.
For a court to rule on the pardon’s validity, a federal prosecutor would have to charge Trump with a crime and then Trump would have to raise the pardon as a defence, he said.
There is another possible scenario that might be more plausible.
Could the vice president pardon Trump?
In a 1974 memorandum, a Justice Department lawyer said president Richard Nixon could not pardon himself but that another option was constitutional: that he temporarily step down, receive a pardon from his vice president and then regain power.
In order to do that, Nixon would have had to invoke the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, which allows an incapacitated president to temporarily step down.
Nixon ultimately resigned in the face of the Watergate scandal and almost certain impeachment and removal from office.
His successor, Gerald Ford, later pardoned Nixon for any federal crimes he committed or might have committed while in office.
Advertisement
So what’s to stop this? Not much except an awareness of how this would look. While Trump is unlikely to go for another political office when his presidency is over, Pence is a career politician in the Republican party with many years ahead of him.
It is not clear what Pence would have to gain from agreeing to pardon Trump, said Corey Brettschneider, a professor of political science at Brown University.
“I don’t think Pence would want that to define his legacy,” Brettschneider said.
Would a pardon give Trump total protection?
No, it wouldn’t. Crucially, a pardon only applies to federal crimes, not state crimes. That means pardons would not, for example, protect Trump or the Trump Organisation from the criminal investigation being conducted by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, a state prosecutor.
The probe originally focused on “hush money” payments that Trump’s former lawyer and self-described fixer Michael Cohen paid before the 2016 election to two women who said they had sexual encounters with Trump, which the president has denied.
Vance, a Democrat, has suggested in recent court filings that his probe is now broader and could focus on bank, tax and insurance fraud, as well as falsification of business records.
Advertisement
The investigation poses a threat to Trump, said Corey Brettschneider, a professor of political science at Brown University.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--30-Minute Covid Tests Prove Accurate Enough To Stem Virus Spread

British Army Brigadier Joe Fossey, who is coordinating the mass coronavirus testing pilot in Liverpool, holds up the components of a lateral flow Covid-19 test as he speaks during a virtual press conference on November 9 WPA Pool via Getty Images
Home Covid tests that give results within 30 minutes look set to become a reality after new research found that they are both accurate and sensitive enough to pick up asymptomatic cases.
Clinical evaluation by Public Health England and the University of Oxford showed that so-called “lateral flow tests” – which don’t need a laboratory for processing – detect 95% of cases where there is a high viral load.
Advertisement
The rapid tests are currently being trialled in Liverpool and the latest breakthrough on their ability to spot the virus was seized on by ministers as a major step forward in the fight against the pandemic.
The PHE/Oxford study found they are effective in identifying people without symptoms but who are infectious and are most likely to transmit the disease.
The fast turnaround time also allows positive people to isolate quickly to reduce the virus’s spread.
Liverpool is leading the way with a whole-city testing approach, but Boris Johnson on Monday announced plans to send 67 other local areas 10,000 rapid coronavirus tests each to help critical workplaces, schools and universities.
Advertisement
At present, swabbing and processing of the tests must be conducted at a dedicated testing site by a trained personnel, but the Department of Health and Social Care said home-testing was now a realistic possibility.
“The devices are designed to be intuitive and require minimal training to operate, and PHE and the University of Oxford are now looking at how this test could be self-administered,” DHSC said.
The findings also boost plans to routinely test all NHS and care home staff on a regular basis, as well as making more viable the government’s “operation moonshot” programme of allowing the public to visit sports arenas and theatres and other mass events if they get a negative test.
If the test is negative, individuals can then go about their usual life. If the test picks up a positive case, they are then asked to take another test – known as a PCR test – to confirm the virus.
PHE’s Porton Down lab and University of Oxford put a number of different tests through an assessment process, with four making the final grade.
Advertisement
They found the “specificity” of the tests – the proportion of people without coronavirus who will get a negative test – was recorded as 99.68%, with an overall false positive rate of 0.32%.
The “sensitivity” – the proportion of people with the disease who will get a positive test – is 76.8%.
But crucially, the lateral flow test detects over 95% of individuals with high viral loads, and has a minimal difference between the ability to spot the virus in people showing symptoms and those without symptoms.
Sir John Bell, of Oxford University, said: “The data in this validation report demonstrates that these inexpensive, easy to use tests can play a major role in our fight against Covid-19.
“They identify those who are likely to spread the disease and when used systematically in mass testing could reduce transmissions by 90%. They will be detecting disease in large numbers of people who have never previously even received a test.”
Advertisement
Health minister Lord Bethell said: “It is right we’ve taken a dual-track approach to evaluating this technology – by piloting them in the field so we can understand how to best to make these tests available, and by getting our world-leading academics and clinicians to undertake rigorous evaluation of their ability to detect the virus.
“I’m delighted that both are already demonstrating that lateral flow tests can be the reliable, highly sensitive technology we need to help get this virus under control, and return to as close to normality as possible.”
Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to the government’s Test and Trace service, said: “These tests are proving to be accurate and reliable. And, importantly they’re able to detect Covid-19 in people without symptoms who could unknowingly be passing the virus onto others.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-11--James Corden Roasts Eric Trump For Telling People To Vote A Week Too Late

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Maybe it’s starting to make sense why President Donald Trump isn’t conceding the 2020 election. His family seems to think it’s still going on.
On Tuesday, Eric Trump’s Twitter account sent out a message telling Minnesota to “get out and vote.” The problem is voting ended over a week ago.
Advertisement
The tweet (which may have been the result of a scheduling error) led to the president’s son getting roasted on Twitter, and The Late Late Show couldn’t resist, either.
“I mean, the lines are gonna be shorter,” host James Corden quipped on Tuesday.
James Corden CBS
Though James spent a good portion of his segment mocking the Trumps for not accepting President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, he did find something positive about Eric’s errant tweet.
“Now, before you judge — here’s what I’ll say,” James said. “You’ve got to grade this guy on a curve. He spelled ‘Minnesota’ correctly, and that’s a huge win for him.” But the comedian wasn’t done.
Advertisement
According to James, someone should also tell Trump’s son it’s a little late to be tweeting about last month’s NBA Finals. And when it comes to a certain possible Oscar winner, Eric’s living in la-la land.