thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--Parent-Approved Tips For Handling The ‘Santa Talk’ With Kids

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About a week ago, my 5-year-old son turned to me and said very calmly that Santa Claus isn’t real; he’s a “magical myth.”
I thought we were at least a year away from addressing the truth behind the big man in red, and he made his declaration right in front of his 2-year-old brother. So I took the very mature, thoughtful approach of essentially shaming him into submission. What do you mean Santa Claus isn’t real? Of course he is. Stop talking right now. You know, really ace parenting stuff.
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But even with some time to think on it, I’m ambivalent about how to handle this with my kiddo. Part of me believes that he isn’t actually ready to give up on the fantasy. Another part of me really doesn’t want him to be the kid who seeds skepticism among his fellow friends at nursery. But he’s also a curious, critical thinker and I’m not that thrilled by the prospect of actively trying to fake him out.
So I put a call to the HuffPost Parents community, who shared their wisdom about how they’ve handled the whole thing. Here’s some of their best advice.
Emphasise the spirit of Santa
If there was one theme that rose above all others in the responses from HuffPost Parents readers, it was the importance of shifting the focus to the underlying spirit of Santa ― i.e., his love and generosity ― and the broader magic of the season.
Like reader Amanda, whose 4-year-old has been asking some tough questions and recently told her mum that magic is not real.
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“It near broke my heart, so I told her that I very fully believe in magic. ... I’ve been reminding her often since then of the everyday magic that’s all around us.” Motherhood, for instance, is magic, Amanda said. “How our kitty cat snuggles and purrs is magic and how flowers grow. I told her that the feeling of Christmas is magic and that’s very real.”
Go the ‘Santa is only real for those who believe’ route
Several parents said they’ve told questioning kids that Santa is real for those who believe in him. And many make it clear that Santa only brings gifts to kids who believe in him. Personally, it’s unclear to me whether this truly convinces kids or simply makes them too nervous to keep pushing, but many parents said it is an effective way to keep them at least outwardly believing in Santa.
“If you believe, then it’s as real as you make it,” said HuffPost Parents reader Maria. That’s also her explanation for why Santa doesn’t bring gifts to adults, most of whom have stopped believing.
“One of my boys said Santa isn’t real. My answer was: ‘Santa is real if you believe, and if he isn’t real, he doesn’t come,’” said reader Sam. “Suddenly, he believed again!”
Welcome your non-believer in on the fun
“When our son finally said he knew we were Santa, we told him that we were excited to be able to include him in the fun,” said HuffPost Parents reader Terri. “We explained that the idea of Santa was real, even if Santa himself as a person wasn’t.” She told her son that Santa is really someone who gets gifts for others without seeking recognition — and her now-15-year-old delights in using money he earns from his chores to buy small presents for younger family members.
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“When my older kids outgrew it, I told them that they could help me with it for their younger sister,” said reader Sabrina. “Santa is not a real person, but it’s the name we give to the spirit of giving and the spirit of creating joy for others.”
When her eldest started questioning Santa, reader Andrea explained that “being a grown-up stinks, so Santa is a make-believe game parents play with kids.” She then invited him to help out, and promised him a present if he didn’t spoil the surprise.
CLM Images via Getty Images Expert parents share their tips for handling Santa nonbelievers.
Or just never do the Santa thing in the first place
This ship has already sailed in my household, but several commenters noted that they simply never led their children to believe Santa was real.
HuffPost Parents reader Brea said she told her daughter that “Santa is a character, like Paw Patrol or Peppa,” she explained. “Gifts come from us, [and there is] plenty of Christmas magic without making Santa real.”
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“We never did the Santa thing! We enjoy the movies, stories and tales,” echoed reader Karen. But her child has always known that mum and dad are the “real” Santas in their home.
Trust them not to ruin it for others.
Several parents noted that their kids have really risen to the occasion when it comes to not spoiling the secret for others. They just told them explicitly not to ruin the fun for other children, and really emphasised their key role in keeping Christmas magic alive.
“My 7-year-old told me as we were writing letters to Santa this year that she knew I was the one who really got all the gifts, but she whispered it so her 4- year-old brother wouldn’t hear,” said reader Rita Louise. “I just winked at her and smiled.”
Rita Louise thinks kids don’t make it a big deal if their parents or caregivers don’t, and added that she loves to see her daughter pretend for her little brother’s sake. “It’s super sweet!”
“My 19-year-old son with autism still believes,” noted reader Jennifer Ann. “We let him have that because he loves it so much. His younger siblings who don’t believe love that he does, and they follow along.”
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And if that’s not Christmas magic, I don’t know what is.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--This Pigs In Blanket Cheesy Quiche Recipe Is A Festive Dinner Winner

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HuffPost UK Higgidy
If you’re looking for ways to pimp up your evening meals this December, you might want to have a go at this festive-themed quiche.
Higgidy (yes, the creators of those famous pies) came up with the idea, asking fans on their social pages what they thought of a pigs in blanket cheesy quiche – and the resounding answer was “YES, PLEASE”.
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Sadly, you can’t actually buy the pie yet (sob!). When HuffPost UK asked, a spokesperson said they’re “considering doing it for next year” – but they have released the recipe to test the waters anyway.
They do have a festive range of pork and cranberry rolls, brie and cranberry rolls, a “very merry” parnsip pie, and a brie and spiced chutney quiche. But if you’re salivating at the idea of cheesy pigs and blankets in pastry (us, too) – here’s how to make it yourself.
Pigs in Blankets Quiche with Cheesy Chestnut Crumble
Note: You’ll need a tart tin and baking beans.
Ingredients:
325g savoury shortcrust pastry, homemade or shop bought (tip: If making your pastry, add some parmesan cheese or seeds to make it extra special).
For the filling:
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1tbsp olive oil
100g smoked bacon lardons
3 garlic cloves
3 medium eggs
250ml double cream
125g Gruyere or extra mature Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt & cracked black pepper
30g onion chutney (pick your favourite)
10g wholegrain mustard
For the topping:
4 x cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon
10g breadcrumbs
20g Red Leicester cheese, grated
15g chopped chestnuts
annata78 via Getty Images Dough for baking tart (quiche) and baking ingredients above flour, eggs and cream. Top view
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Method:
1. Make your shortcrust pastry by hand (if making at home) and rest for 30 mins in the fridge. (You can skip this step if using shop-bought pastry).
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick and line your tart tin with it. Make sure your pastry stands a little proud of the tin rim. Prick the pastry base with a fork and put back into the fridge for 30 mins to rest. Don’t skip this step – it will prevent any pastry shrinkage in the oven.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the bacon lardons and fry for approx. 3 mins. Add the onion and cook for another 3 mins. Finally add the garlic and cook for a further 2 mins until the onion is soft and the bacon is crispy. Set aside to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6 and put a baking sheet in to heat up. Remove the pastry case from the fridge, line with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake the pastry case in the oven on the hot baking sheet for 20 mins. Then, remove the baking paper and beans and return to the oven for 5 mins. This allows the base to dry out before adding the filling.
DronG via Getty Images Christmas Pigs in blankets, sausages wrapped in bacon with decoration, gifts, green tree branch on wooden rustic table.
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5. Reduce the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Add the onion chutney and mustard into a bowl and mix until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Red Leicester and chopped chestnuts and set aside (this is your savoury crumble topping).
6. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the cream and cheese and beat until evenly mixed. Season, then and add the bacon lardons and onion mixture and fold together.
7. Spoon your chutney and mustard mix into the pastry case and spread evenly across the base. Pour the egg mixture on top and transfer the quiche onto the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 15 mins or until the mixture has just started to set.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--A Guide To Doing Your New Year's Eve At Home Because... 2020

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It’s the question people ask every year – forget Christmas, what are you doing on New Year’s Eve? Have you found a willing house party host or a pub that doesn’t cost £50 a pop to get in? Are you having a few friends round for dinner or planning a major pub crawl into town?
Of course, for the second year in a row, this one will be rather different. House parties, pub crawls or people crammed in a bar? Not so much. There’ll be no kissing random strangers at midnight, or being so blind drunk you miss the countdown. With the Omicron surge and so many self-isolating, many of us be following that now familiar pandemic instruction and staying at home.
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Seeing in 2022 will be a quieter affair – but maybe, after everything, that’s a good thing.
“It could actually be a bit of a relief if you’ve always dreaded NYE, but also not wanted to miss out,” therapist Sally Brown, who is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), told HuffPost UK last year, and her advice holds. “If everyone is staying in, there’s no FOMO. Not being able to go out is harder on extroverts, though – and people who live alone.”
New Year’s Eve, one of the largest global celebrations across the world, is also a time to reflect on the year you’ve had as you usher in the next one. But is there anything to celebrate about 2021 – or are we just happy to see the end of it?
KristinaJovanovic via Getty Images
Since the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic in March 2020, nothing has been the same. People have lost their homes, their jobs, their loved ones, their livelihoods. Mental health issues have soared. And people working on the frontline have been put under more pressure than ever.
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Let’s not skirt around it: it’s been hard on everyone. So perhaps, this New Year’s Eve more than ever is about putting the past year well and truly behind us, and giving 2022 a decent welcome – because whatever it holds, we need change.
Wendy Shooter, a wellbeing psychologist, says the whole point of “celebration” is to connect with joy – so thinking about what brings you the most joy, within the current context, could be a great way to start planning your New Year’s.
What can you actually do, though?
Finding your point on the “embrace it – ignore it” continuum could be a good place to start. The benefit of this year is there is no social pressure to go to a party you might not enjoy, or buy a dress you can’t afford – “it truly is the year to do New Year in your own unique way, there are no rules,” says Shooter.
The best things to have come out of this year for many people have been getting to know our neighbours and looking out for one another, so Brown says celebrating should be about that: connecting with people, whether in person or remotely, and checking in on neighbours.
“The most important thing to do is to have some sort of connection – phone, Zoom, someone in your bubble – with just one person, even if only for a short while,” suggests Dr Sue Roffey, a wellbeing psychologist. “It is important to acknowledge the tough times, but also focus on things to look forward to.”
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Victor Prilepa via Getty Images
You could also...
Cook your favourite dinner. Or something new completely. Food is comfort, after all. We’ve shared loads of delicious recipes on HuffPost UK this year, so take your pick.
Remind yourselves what you’re grateful for. You might have been told this over and over again this year, but it does help. Dr Roffey suggests lighting a candle for each thing you’re thankful for. It’s hard, though, to practise gratitude in such unsettling times. Robert Emmons, a scientific expert on gratitude, says consider “gratitude forecasting” if you’re finding it tough. “Imagine how grateful you will be when life returns to normal. Consider simple pleasures that you are currently deprived of, and then visualise experiencing those once again.”
Connect with someone you love. Yes, zoom fatigue is a thing – so set yourself a time limit if you’re video calling (an hour, perhaps). You’ll always feel better after speaking to someone you love. Dr Roffey suggests asking each other questions like: What is the best thing you watched this year? What is the kindest thing anyone did for you this year? What really made you laugh? You can also look ahead, asking: What is the one thing you are looking forward to next year? Or what is the one think you are going to do to focus on your wellbeing in 2022?
Watch something brilliant on TV. Rewatching a TV programme that makes you belly laugh, or a film you loved from your childhood is always a winner. This isn’t a time to keep on top of the latest series, it’s a time for a serious nostalgia fix.
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Find what relaxes you, do it – and do it again. Journalling, drawing, having a bath, meditating, listening to a soothing soundtrack, tidying, putting candles on, napping, yoga. Whatever it is – now’s the time to do it. As Wendy Shooter says: “If you want to go to bed at 10pm with a good book – then do just that.”
How HuffPost readers will be celebrating
When we asked on Twitter how people planned to spend NYE last year, many shared the low-key celebrations they were looking forward to. Find inspiration from their answers – you might even end up looking forward to the evening.
Dinner in a local restaurant with my partner, then home for the 'bells' and facetime our family in Scotland - virtual Hogmanay this year with champagne and whisky chasers! 😝 — James Barley (@iamjamesbarley) December 1, 2020
I'll most likely be watching Jools Holland's Hootenanny (if it's on!) while enjoying a few too many beverages to wave goodbye to this terrible year 🍻 — Sara Spary (@saramayspary) December 1, 2020
I'm gonna host an all-day mindful experience with different talks and guided meditations...online chill out session all day, with a mindful rave at the end :) — Shamash #NewWaysNovember (@ShamashAlidina) December 1, 2020
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I think it's all about just being at peace with whatever you can/can't do and getting on with it. We don't know what tier anyone in the country could be in by then TBH - I've had NYEs previously in bed by 12:05 and out till 6am - so I think it's about making do w/ what we've got! — Ollie (@OliverTunmore) December 1, 2020
I might bust out Trivial Pursuits🤪 — Apple Tree Comms (@Apptreecomms) December 1, 2020
My family were meant to be coming down to stay but that isn't happening. I think it'll be a hot bath and some champagne in tier 3 whitstable- although I live on the beach and have a feeling it will be packed like it is every year! :) — Lorna (@Lornamedia) December 1, 2020
We plan on having a few socially-distanced drinks (and maybe some sparklers...!) with our brand new neighbours who we share a garden with. Very different to the mad house parties we are used to, but I am actually really looking forward to it! — Emmie Harrison-West (@emmieehw) December 1, 2020
Ignore it. A nice tea and a glass of wine when the kids are in bed maybe. — Helen Gore (@HelenGoreX) December 1, 2020
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Ignore it like I usually do. — Grace Holliday (@graceholliday) December 1, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--Why You Can Get The Vaccine Even If You'd Already Had Covid-19

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The UK’s first Covid-19 vaccinations are due to start among the highest priority groups on Tuesday December 8. However most healthy people won’t be getting theirs until next year.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has so far been approved for use in individuals who are 16 years of age and older – this is because the safety and efficacy in children hasn’t yet been established. The vaccine will be administered in two separate doses – 21 days apart.
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It’s not been spelt out whether those who’ve recovered from Covid-19 should take the vaccine, too. The logic goes that their immune systems will have already fought off the virus once – so they might not have to.
However a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson has confirmed to HuffPost UK that people who’ve recovered from Covid-19 will still be encouraged to have the new vaccine.
kovop58 via Getty Images
Vaccine trials have so far focused on people who haven’t had Covid-19 before, so we don’t know how a person recovered from the virus might react to it.
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But experts don’t appear to be worried. There is no evidence that a vaccine would be unsafe for people who’ve recovered from Covid-19, Dr Sarah Fortune, chair of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told NBC News, but she added more research is needed.
Professor Eleanor Riley, an expert in immunology and infectious Disease at the University of Edinburgh, explains that people who have recovered from Covid-19 have varying levels of antibodies, with varying levels of neutralising activity, so they “may be protected for varying lengths of time into the future”. Some people may be protected better than others after natural infection, she adds.
Who will be prioritised for the vaccine? Older adult residents in a care home and care home workers All those 80 years of age and over. Front line health and social care workers All those 75 years of age and over All those 70 years of age and over All those 65 years of age and over All Individuals aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions. All those 60 years of age and over All those 55 years of age and over All those 50 years of age and over The rest of the population (priority to be determined)
But these people who have had Covid-19 are also at risk of encountering the virus again. So, it’s important they are as well protected as possible, she says.
“The vaccines induce very high levels of neutralising antibodies which are thus likely to protect for longer. So, the vaccine will likely protect for longer than infection in many people – especially people who had mild symptoms who tend to have lower concentrations of antibodies,” says Prof Riley.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--Future-Proofing Your Mental Health With Psychotherapist Anthony Davis

Future-Proofing Your Mental Health With Psychotherapist Anthony Davis
Being aware of how emotionally we are reacting to things is really important. Maintaining a positive mindset and having something to look forward to can give us some sense of control in the present. Counsellor and psychotherapist Anthony Davis gives us practical tips on how to better manage our health and wellbeing in these uncertain times.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--'I Don't Ever Want To Be A Dickhead': The Rise And Rise Of Clara Amfo

Whether it’s presenting the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, interviewing megastars like Harry Styles for Radio 1 or dancing the jive on Strictly Come Dancing, Clara Amfo’s time is most definitely now.
Could national treasure status be on the horizon?
“I’d never call myself that,” she tells HuffPost UK with a giant guffaw when we suggest the idea. “The minute I call myself that with no hint of irony then I know I’m a dickhead, and I don’t ever wanna be a dickhead, you know?”
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Her time on this year’s Strictly was criminally short-lived, but for now it’s back to the day job. In 2015 when she took over the 10am - 1pm slot at Radio 1, the station gained 750,000 new listeners. At the time, Ben Cooper, controller of Radio 1 and 1 Xtra thanked Clara for “helping [the station] add three-quarters of a million listeners in such a short period of time.”
Earlier this year, she moved the nation with a gripping speech on anti-racism following the death of George Floyd in a moment when her fizzy, optimistic tone shifted to something more sober and serious.
It was a rare break from the upbeat chirpiness that fans have become accustomed to. After missing a show, she told listeners she didn’t have the “mental strength” to face them, but upon her return assured them too in a powerful speech. “I want to say to our Black listeners, I hope you feel seen and heard today,” she said.
Clara Amfo at the Rising Star Award Party ahead of the 2020 BAFTAs David M. Benett via Getty Images
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Right now, Clara is settling into life without her dancing shoes on. “Obviously I’m gutted but I’m actually alright,” she says.
“Ultimately I had a wicked experience: I got to play dress up: when you’re watching at home as a viewer, or if you’re one of us on the contestant side, we got to be distracted from the randomness of this year and everything it’s entailed.”
As for being voted out half way through the competition, Clara’s response is typically positive. “Sometimes it’s better to be a cult classic than a best seller, do you know what I mean?” she says.
Her optimism has become the hallmark of her radio and TV appearances: but does it come as naturally to the star as it seems? “Don’t get me wrong, I am a genuinely happy person, but that doesn’t mean I’m devoid of having sad days,” she says.
“Of course I have down days. Over the years I’ve learned to develop tools that sort of keep me in a happier place than what I’m naturally inclined to when I do get down.
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“I never try and pretend my life is perfect so I try and make that clear to my listeners and anyone that quote/unquote ‘follows me’. I hate that concept of followers, but you know what I mean.”
Clara Amfo in a publicity shot from this year's Strictly Come Dancing BBC, Ray Burmiston
Those coping mechanisms came in handy during her time on Strictly when Clara’s dancing was critiqued by the judges.
“There were some weeks when what the judges said did knock my confidence, and it gets to you. Even though you might smash it in rehearsal, all of a sudden you remember a not-so positive comment and it can throw you,” she explains.
“I think, for me, it was just about just trying to zone out, listen to [dance partner] Aljaž and be like, ’look, you know what, it’s not about the cause, it’s about how this song makes you feel, it’s about us having fun, it’s about entertaining people. I think that’s what kinda kept me in the zone.”
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Entertaining people is a language Clara understands well. Having begun her radio career in 2009 as an intern at KISS FM, she spent the early part of the last decade working her way through the ranks of music radio. In 2013, she joined BBC Radio 1 Xtra as host of the weekend breakfast show and later that year, began appearing in guest slots on Radio 1.
In 2015, she became the host of The Official Chart Show on Radio 1 and in February was announced as the replacement for Fearne Cotton in the 10am - 1pm slot. In the years since, she has hosted red carpet premieres from Leicester Square and hosted backstage from The Brit Awards for ITV2.
“This year taught me that: I am going to be in a good mood because I know there’s someone out there who’s struggling - who isn’t getting to do what they love every day.” - Clara Amfo
“I’m acutely aware of how fortunate I am,” she says. “And I think more than ever that’s been affirmed this year. I think it’s been quite easy to get in the zone when you know that life could really be a lot worse. I think this year sort of taught me that: I am going to be in a good mood because I know there’s someone out there who’s struggling, who isn’t getting to do what they love every day.
“That’s why I allow myself to feel things when I’m not feeling great, I’m kind to myself in that sense: I give myself space to be upset and to mourn and grieve like the next person but I stay happy and focussed because I’m acutely aware that I live a very privileged, fortunate and blessed life. It’s not perfect but that just keeps me in a happy place to be honest.”
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Alongside Strictly and her radio show, Clara has had another distraction through lockdown: recording new episodes of her podcast, This City.
On the phone, she comes across as curious and innately social (“I miss the clubs so badly!”), two qualities which lend the podcast its distinct warmth. Although This City takes London as its theme, Clara says it’s really about revealing new things about the famous household names she interviews.
“It definitely satisfies my curiosity,” she says. “Finding out [podcast guest] Louis Theroux cycles everywhere and that someone nicked his bike and that he loves West Indian food. Cool. For me, having those conversations was just a lovely sort of window into their day-to-day life.”
Clara Amfo Supplied
With other guests, such as Jade Thirwall from Little Mix, the podcast allows Clara the opportunity to talk about subjects she may not have time to squeeze into interviews on her Radio 1 show.
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“I was happy to talk to them about what they’re best known for, but to talk about the absolute opposite as well,” she reflects. “I could have said to Jade: ‘tell me about the latest Little Mix album, and where you recorded it, in London...’”
But they had other topics in mind. “Jade spoke about growing up in the North East of England,” remembers Clara. “Grimmy’s an upcoming guest and he spoke a lot about Manchester and the parallels with London…”
Clara’s conversation with Reni Eddo-Lodge on the podcast, author of seminal book Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, epitomises her approach. “She’s sick of talking about her book,” Clara insists.
“She spoke about it at length for the past two or three years and we made that clear in the interview, and I love that we could be that candid. It was like, look, we’ve spoken about your book loads, we’re not here to talk about that, I want to talk about you getting the night bus with your friends or going clubbing.”
British journalist and author Reni Eddo-Lodge is one of the guests on Clara's podcast, This City NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Night clubs feel like they existed in a long-forgotten past, so how does Clara escape the monotony of pandemic life? “I love riding my bike around London, that’s one of my favourite things to do in the city, I just cycle all the time.”
On days where the optimism flows a little less steadily, she cycles from her home in east London to Soho where she visits Hummingbird Bakery to hoover up a slice of red velvet cake for a well-earned break.
“That’s my go-to,” she laughs. “Eat it in the park and then cycle home. I get my government sanctioned 30 minutes in, cycle to Soho, get my cake, eat it, and cycle home.”
Clara Amfo at The BRIT Awards 2020 in February Joe Maher via Getty Images
It could be a metaphor for Clara’s abundant career right now: having her cake and eating it. But Clara isn’t greedy for more cake, or more work: perhaps her popularity stems from how she has never let all her successes change her outlook.
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She’s more after a slice of humble pie. When criticism got tough on Strictly she was cheered by viewers tagging her in hilarious memes. “They genuinely made me cackle,” she says.
Of the messages from her supporters she says: “When I haven’t had great weeks on the show it was really special and I appreciate people, man.”
Perhaps best of all, she tells me, is the van driver who pulled over and surprised her while she was out and about since leaving the show. “He was like, ’oh darling, you were robbed,′ and for me, I’m like, cool, that was all the validation that I needed.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-04--8 Showbiz Moments That Put A Smile On Our Faces This Week | Good Vibes Only

8 Showbiz Moments That Put A Smile On Our Faces This Week | Good Vibes Only
I’m A Celeb 2020 comes to an end, a Bake Off star proposes on TV, Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary take over This Morning, The Masked singer reveal their new costumes for series two, Dua Lipa and Kylie unite for an amazing disco livestream and Courtneney Cox dons a Thanksgiving turkey once again.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Matt Hancock Hails 'Historic Moment' As New Covid Vaccine Details Revealed

Hancock said: “This coming week will be an historic moment as we begin vaccination against Covid-19.
“We are prioritising the most vulnerable first, and over-80s, care home staff and NHS colleagues will all be among the first to receive the vaccines.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure we can overcome significant challenges to vaccinate care home residents as soon as possible too.
“I urge everybody to play their part to suppress this virus and follow the local restrictions to protect the NHS while they carry out this crucial work.”
NHS England said NHS staff were working through the weekend to prepare for the launch of the programme with the first vaccinations happening from Tuesday.
There are 50 hubs in the first wave, with more hospitals starting to vaccinate over the coming weeks and months as the programme ramps up.
NHS England have now officially confirmed the first 50 hubs, listed in full here:
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust
Royal Stoke Hospital
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
South Tees NHS Trust
Wirral University Teaching Hospital
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Blackpool Teaching Hospital
Lancashire Teaching Hospital Trust
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust - Wexham Park Hospital
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – William Harvey Hospital
Brighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust - Royal Sussex County Hospital
Portsmouth University Hospitals Trust
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
North Bristol NHS Trust
Patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, and those who are being discharged home after a hospital stay, will be among the first to receive the life-saving jab, health officials said.
Hospitals will also begin inviting over-80s in for a jab and work with care home providers to book their staff in to vaccination clinics.
Any appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from the virus.
All those vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later. GPs and other primary care staff are also being put on standby to start delivering the jab.
A small number of GP-led primary care networks will begin doing so during the week beginning December 14, with more than 1,000 practices across the country expected to join on a phased basis during December and in the coming months.
More vaccination centres treating large numbers of patients in sporting venues and conference centres will subsequently take part when further supplies of vaccine come on stream, officials said.
Plans published by the Department of Health and Social Care reveal the complex logistical challenges surrounding the delivery of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
The vaccine itself must be stores at extremely cold temperatures, which means defrosting the vaccine takes several hours, with additional time required to prepare the vaccine for administering.
Vaccine hubs only have a relatively short timeframe in which to administer doses of the vaccine, further complicating the vast programme of immunisation.
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday.
“The first tranche of vaccine deliveries will be landing at hospitals by Monday in readiness.
“The NHS has a strong record of delivering large scale vaccination programmes – from the flu jab, HPV vaccine and lifesaving MMR jabs – hardworking staff will once again rise to the challenge to protect the most vulnerable people from this awful disease.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-05--Keir Starmer Self-Isolating After Staff Member Tests Positive For Covid-19

A spokesman for the Labour leader said that he had not shown any symptoms of the disease but would be working from home in line with government regulations.
“This afternoon, Keir Starmer was advised to self-isolate after a member of his private office staff tested positive for the coronavirus,” the spokesman said.
“Keir is well and not showing any symptoms. He will now be working from home.”
It is understood Starmer will stay at home until December 16 – 14 days after he last came into contact with the staff member concerned last Tuesday.
This is the second time that he has been required to self-isolate.
In September Starmer went into quarantine when his daughter developed possible symptoms of the disease only for a test to come back negative two days later.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Labour Brexit Split As Len McCluskey Urges MPs To Back Boris Johnson's Trade Deal

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Labour divisions on Brexit have resurfaced as Unite boss Len McCluskey warned it would be “completely wrong” and “damaging” if the party did not vote for a trade deal with the EU.
Last ditch talks were taking place in Brussels on Sunday in what government sources called a “final throw of the dice” by negotiators.
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With the transition period set to end on December 31, time is running out and both the European and UK parliaments must ratify any agreement Boris Johnson signs off.
Keir Starmer is said to favour whipping Labour MPs to back a deal should one come before the Commons, but his shadow ministers on Sunday would not rule out the party abstaining amid internal divisions on the issue.
Some pro-Remain MPs and members of the shadow cabinet have been reported as vehemently opposed to vote for an agreement.
Unite general secretary McCluskey has now intervened, warning Starmer he needs to “win the trust of the red wall seats” after the 2019 general election result.
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Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey gives a speech on Brexit during the TUC Congress in Manchester. PA Archive/PA Images
He told Times Radio he expects a deal to go through parliament, adding: “Frankly, Labour need – on the most important issue of the day – not to be seen to be sitting on the fence.
“The idea of an abstention, to me, would be completely wrong. I hope they’ve learnt the lesson back in December that any confusion over this will be damaging to them.”
Pressed if Labour should not abstain but vote for a deal, McCluskey replied: “Yes, in my opinion let’s get Brexit done and out the way, it won’t stop us being critical if indeed the deal gives us all kinds of issues and problems going forward.”
McCluskey also said Johnson must avoid crashing the UK our of Europe without a deal, adding: “On the other hand if it’s a thin deal, which I suspect it will be, if indeed we get a deal, he needs to also be in a position in six months if things are going wrong to be able to attack the government without then being regarded a hypocrite because he voted for the deal.”
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Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds could not rule out the party abstaining, however.
If @NickTorfaen says leaving the EU without a deal would be "catastrophic" surely Labour will vote for a deal? @SophyRidgeSky
"It's the responsible thing to actually consider the deal that is agreed" says the Shadow Home Secretary.#Ridge https://t.co/Y7JlOUGQ4W pic.twitter.com/SXcFCpd4O6 — Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) December 6, 2020
Such a move is unlikely the result, given Johnson has a majority of 80.
Thomas-Symonds said: “On the issue of the Brexit trade deal, potential trade deal, my first message is this: we absolutely need to get a deal.”
He added: “In terms of our position on any deal, clearly we need to see what has been agreed, I think that’s a sensible, responsible position to take but we very much hope there is a deal because there seem to be two paths before us at the moment, a path of leaving the transition without a deal and leaving with a deal and we do know how catastrophic the no-deal outcome would be.”
When pressed by presenter Sophy Ridge on what position the party should take, he said “there are various options, when you get any particular vote that you get before parliament there are options” but that “the responsible thing is that first of all we need to get a deal, then consider what has been agreed”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--'No Doubt' About Covid-19 Vaccine Safety, Says Head Of UK Regulator

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The head of the UK’s medicines regulator has said there “should be no doubt” about the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine which will be rolled out this week in the largest scale immunisation programme in the UK’s history.
Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which approved the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, said there should be “real confidence” in the rigour of their approval.
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Vaccinations will be administered at dozens of hospital hubs from Tuesday – with people aged 80 and over, care home workers and NHS workers who are at higher risk the first to receive the coronavirus jab.
The distribution of the vaccine across the UK is being undertaken by Public Health England and the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland through systems specially adapted from those used for the national immunisation programmes.
NHS England said staff were working through the weekend to prepare for the launch.
Asked on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show about how important the public health message is to make sure that people actually take the vaccine, Dr Raine said: “It’s vitally important.
“And I would really like to emphasise that the highest standards of scrutiny, of safety and of effectiveness and quality have been met, international standards.
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“And so there should be real confidence in the rigour of our approval.
Vaccine list PA Media
“More than that, our Commission on Human Medicines has scrutinised every piece of data too, so there should be no doubt whatever that this is a very safe and highly effective vaccine.
“It will help us turn the corner. There’s really not one of us who hasn’t been affected by this pandemic, and our organisation, like every other, has been completely focused on doing our job to be able to help defeat this terrible disease.”
Dr Raine was asked how she had coped with becoming a “global figure” and about reports that the Queen, 94, will have the Pfizer injection within weeks.
She told the BBC’s Andrew Marr: “I’m proud, I’m honoured. I think that news that you’ve just given us is humbling, and it’s everything that we’re here to do at the MHRA.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Rudy Giuliani's 'Voter Fraud' Witness Accused Of Framing Woman For Stealing Sex Videos

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A Donald Trump supporter who gave bizarre and discredited testimony about voter fraud in Detroit was recently released from probation after being accused of sending pornographic videos to her fiance’s ex-wife and framing the woman for stealing them, HuffPost has learned.
Mellissa Carone, a contract information technology worker for a voting systems company, made sweeping allegations about mass voter fraud when she testified in hearings before the Michigan Senate and House last week.
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She was previously charged under the name Mellissa Wright with first degree obscenity and using a computer to commit a crime. Under a plea agreement, she reduced her charge to disorderly conduct and received 12 months of probation, a spokeswoman for the Wayne County, Michigan, prosecutor’s office told HuffPost.
Her probation ended on September 13, just weeks before Election Day, when a temporary staffing agency employed Carone to assist Dominion Voting Systems in Detroit.
But Carone, in an interview with HuffPost on Saturday, claimed that it was actually her fiance, Matthew Stackpoole, who sent the explicit videos to his ex-wife and that she took a plea deal only because they didn’t want to spend any more time in court.
Stackpoole also admitted to HuffPost in a text message that he sent the videos and suggested that police officers knew he had done so when officers “took [Carone’s] official ‘confession.’”
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“The reason I got charged for it is it was sent off of my phone,” Carone, a self-proclaimed cybersecurity analyst, told HuffPost. “I just said screw it, I’m going to have to take it.”
Carone’s alleged computer crime and false accusations about hacking are directly relevant to her credibility.
The Trump campaign and the president’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, put Carone forward, presented her as a credible witness and asked state legislators to disenfranchise millions of Michigan voters and declare Trump the winner of Michigan’s electoral votes based in large part on Carone’s claims.
“There is no rule that people coming off probation are incredible as a matter of law,” Giuliani texted HuffPost when asked about Carone’s credibility. “I don’t know her circumstances, but her testimony is corroborated by other witnesses, documentary evidence and expert testimony.” Giuliani also took the opportunity to point out that Hunter Biden used cocaine.
The Trump campaign stands by Mellissa Carone's wild accusations. JEFF KOWALSKY via Getty Images
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Stackpoole’s ex-wife, the target of the pair’s wrath, provided HuffPost with a prosecutor’s letter naming her as Carone’s victim, and her former attorney corroborated her story.
She told HuffPost that the couple had torn her life apart. (HuffPost is not identifying the ex-wife out of concern for the privacy of Stackpoole’s minor son.)
Explicit videos featuring Carone and Stackpoole came from an address with the ex-wife’s maiden name on it, which Stackpoole’s ex-wife believes Carone set up. Stackpoole, according to police records, claimed his ex-wife unlawfully accessed his account, a false allegation that Carone also made.
Carone later denied to police that she sent the videos but then confessed she did send them, adding that she wanted to send her boyfriend’s ex-wife “over the top,” Deadline Detroit reported, based on police records.
Now Carone is telling a much different story, despite what she reportedly told police. Carone admitted in a phone interview that she initially told police she believed her fiance’s ex-wife unlawfully obtained the videos. But she argued that she didn’t make a false allegation at the time because she honestly believed that was the case.
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“I didn’t make a false accusation. That is what I thought at the time. That is what I assumed to be the truth at the time,” Carone said. “He had not yet came out and told me that he had sent it.”
Stackpoole told HuffPost in a text message that he sent the explicit videos to his ex-wife.
Nevertheless, Carone insisted that Americans should still believe she told the truth about voter fraud in Detroit. “I’m 100% credible,” Carone said. “I’ve already talked to Trump and Giuliani about this.”
When pressed on her claim that she spoke to the president, Carone revised her story. “I’ve talked directly to Giuliani that has spoken directly to Trump,” Carone said.
Mellissa Carone's testimony alongside Rudy Giuliani was a viral sensation. Michigan government
A staffing agency hired Carone to provide temporary assistance to Dominion Voting Systems at the TCF Center in Detroit.
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She later appeared on Lou Dobbs’ show on Fox Business to float a conspiracy theory that vans of food for election workers might have secretly been filled with ballots. Giuliani repeated her claims on Fox Business and Fox News in mid-November.
A Michigan judge declared Carone’s wild accusations “simply are not credible.” Like many of the Michigan conservatives who made outlandish claims about the vote count in Detroit, Carone has posted a number of stories from conspiracy websites about mass voter fraud.
But it was her testimony alongside Giuliani that went viral last week. Carone made sweeping, baffling, wholly noncredible accusations of mass criminality. “Everything that happened at that TCF Center was fraud,” Carone claimed at one point. “Every single thing.”
A clip of Carone’s testimony posted by this reporter racked up more than 21 million views as Twitter users compared her to Cecily Strong’s “Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party” character on “Saturday Night Live.”
The video also made the rounds of the late night shows. Jimmy Fallon asked whether Giuliani found her on “LinkedInsane.” Jimmy Kimmel wondered if she was wearing a “Rosé All Day” tank top under her scarf. And Stephen Colbert joked that Carone ended her testimony by saying she’d “like to speak to America’s manager.”
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Decided to mix in clips of the SNL “Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With at a Party” character. It’s uncanny. https://t.co/A4pNFzaQZ1 pic.twitter.com/Al3s9JHfWb — Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) December 3, 2020
Even Giuliani, who twice appeared to audibly flatulate during his testimony, seemed embarrassed by Carone’s behavior. Giuliani tried to shush her and calm her down when she faced off with a Republican legislator asking basic questions about Carone’s conspiracy theories.
Provided with a summary of HuffPost’s reporting, Carone’s former attorney, David Loeckner, confirmed that he represented her in the case but said he couldn’t offer any details of the case. HuffPost asked the attorney whether the public should take any of her voter fraud claims seriously given what he knows about Carone.
“I do not have any comment,” Loeckner replied.
Todd Barron, an attorney for Carone’s victim, hadn’t seen any of Carone’s eye-opening testimony when he spoke to HuffPost. But he also wasn’t shocked once he was filled in.
“Let me say I’m not surprised,” Barron said.
Carone, based on her social media track record, has lived an eventful life. The charges that led to her probation grew out of a long-running dispute with Stackpoole’s ex-wife. An official with the Lincoln Park Police Department told HuffPost that there was “a lot of back and forth contact” between the couple and Stackpoole’s ex-wife, with somewhere between 15 and 20 police reports involving the trio dating back to 2017. Police in Southgate, Michigan, brought the case that led to Carone’s probation.
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The Southgate detective assigned to the case did not respond to HuffPost’s multiple requests for comment, but Stackpoole’s ex-wife said he eventually determined the videos were emailed from a public Wi-Fi network. Stackpoole now admits that he sent the videos, but police records showed that Stackpoole told Lincoln Park police earlier that “he is not sure how someone would get sexual videos of him and his girlfriend” and that he thought his ex-wife “somehow was able to access his Google account to view his pictures and videos that he had stored on his Google account.”
Stackpoole’s ex-wife said Stackpoole’s false report to the Lincoln Park police led to an investigation that cost her a lot of money. She said she eventually took a lie-detector test to show that she hadn’t unlawfully accessed her ex-husband’s account.
Barron, the attorney for Stackpoole’s ex-wife, said that he recalled that Carone “testified that my client had sent these videos out or had hacked [Stackpoole’s] phone” and was “adamant that she was appalled that these videos had gotten out.”
Stackpoole’s ex-wife has known Carone for years and said the pair were like sisters at one point. But she said she “never heard a political word out of her mouth” until recently and thinks Carone is simply seizing an opportunity for publicity.
Carone has posted plenty of Trump content on social media. Minutes after she testified that she “had to get rid of social media,” Carone posted images of herself with Giuliani and Trump attorney Jenna Ellis on Facebook.
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“I just think this was an easy bandwagon for her to jump on,” Stackpoole’s ex-wife said. “She is a very calculating and methodical person.”
Carone still pushes her discredited conspiracy theories about mass voter fraud in Detroit. In a conversation with HuffPost on Saturday, she declined to say how much actual training she received on how the voting process works but said HuffPost would “blow up” if it wrote about a 10-minute video she found on her phone that was going to expose a mass criminal conspiracy to steal the election for Joe Biden.
“You guys are acting stupid about it. You’re acting like you don’t know what’s going on. You’re acting, like, ‘Oh, my God, you guys are crazy,’” Carone said. “But you know what I just found? I just found something on my phone that is going to blow this all up in about three days.”
Stackpoole said that HuffPost shouldn’t focus on the false claims he and Carone made against his ex-wife and should instead look into the mass voter fraud conspiracy theories floated by his fiance.
He, too, appears to have bought fully into Trump’s false claims of a stolen election and still believes there’s a path for the Supreme Court to toss out the actual results and declare Trump the president for four more years.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--The Mandalorian Fans Rejoice As A Certain Star Wars Character Finally Appears

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Warning! Spoilers for The Mandalorian await.
A fan-favourite character finally made an appearance in episode six of season two of The Mandalorian, causing Star Wars fans to go wild.
His return was foreshadowed via Easter eggs and an ambiguous cameo. But Friday’s episode was the first time since 1983 that a certain bounty hunter made a glorious, full-fledged return.
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That’s right: After 40 years, Boba Fett is back.
He was played by actor Temuera Morrison, who also portrayed the infamous mercenary’s father, Jango Fett, in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones.
Boba Fett in Star Wars Disney/Lucasfilm
Boba Fett not only donned the iconic armour that cemented his place in pop culture and arguably inspired the entire aesthetic of The Mandalorian, he also took down an entire regiment of storm troopers.
Boba Fett debuted in the oft-forgotten 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special on TV and later appeared in both 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back and 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
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A galactic freelancer with a decidedly striking helmet, Fett appeared to meet his end after falling into a pit inhabited by a flesh-eating creature called a sarlacc in Return of the Jedi.
But numerous books, comics and games set in the Star Wars universe suggested that he escaped, and the franchise’s prequel trilogy further fleshed out his character, revealing that Boba was a clone of his father.
The jury is still out on how Boba Fett will interact with the protagonists of the Disney+ series, Din Djarin and the famous Grogu, popularly known as Baby Yoda. But Star Wars lovers across social media rejoiced.
Fans who didn’t think much of the character also chimed in, pointing out that his appearance in the show far surpassed anything he had done in any of the Star Wars feature films.
Favreau and Filoni, in just 30 minutes, made me believe Boba Fett is the badass we’ve been told he was in the past 40 years, than he ever was in 4 full movies. #TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/NJS4HLXkiA — ᴇᴅɢᴀʀ (@edckbar875) December 4, 2020
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my thoughts on my thoughts on
boba fett every boba fett
day of my life after watching
until watching the mandalorian
the mandalorian chapter 14
chapter 14 pic.twitter.com/pAsXLmeJRM — 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 (@heathdwilliams) December 5, 2020
#TheMandalorian Chapter 14: The Tragedy
We're cooking now! Lots to appreciate, but as a lifelong Boba Fett fan, all I'll say now is it was immensely gratifying to see the Galaxy's most notorious bounty hunter, played by Temuera Morrison, restored. And I don't care who knows it! pic.twitter.com/elqriWrZrv — Jared Kozal (@jkozal) December 5, 2020
I never want to see anyone call Boba Fett overrated ever again pic.twitter.com/e96765j8fm — Katie #DailyDidact | Thank you The Mandalorian ♡ (@scifi_fan_kat) December 5, 2020
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when i say i screamed that is an understatement. Boba fett is an icon. pic.twitter.com/WQClkLRNkZ — Lee 🏴 (@DjarinTheMando) December 4, 2020
mando spoilers / #TheMandalorian
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boba fett, the only man to be eaten by a sarlacc pit and survive, legendary pic.twitter.com/Hw8xaP2KW6 — b (@mauldaIorian) December 4, 2020
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Me having to take back all the shit I’ve talked about boba fett after watching last nights episode and kind of liking him pic.twitter.com/5YaHfuvjpI — jo nobody 👼🏼🦋 (@lighttkylo) December 4, 2020
I just want to thank John Favreau for doing more for the Boba Fett character in one episode of The Mandalorian then the movies ever did. #ThankYou pic.twitter.com/0fMffCEelZ — Kolby Crossley (@KolbyKRDO13) December 4, 2020
Boba Fett’s enduring popularity — despite appearing in less than 10 minutes of the original movies — has been attributed to his striking appearance, mysterious nature and limited dialog.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Netflix Responds To Calls For Disclaimer To Be Added To The Crown

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Netflix has insisted it will not add a disclaimer to The Crown to explain to viewers it is a work of fiction.
The regal drama has attracted criticism for its use of creative licence, particularly since the release of series four last month, which covers the early years of the relationship between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
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However, Netflix has remained firm on the matter, and said that its users understand that it is not completely factual.
Josh O'Connor and Emma Corrin play Prince Charles and Princess Diana in The Crown Netflix
In a statement issued to Deadline, the streaming service said: “We have always presented The Crown as a drama – and we have every confidence our members understand it’s a work of fiction that’s broadly based on historical events.
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“As a result we have no plans – and see no need – to add a disclaimer.”
Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), told the Mail On Sunday last week: “[The Crown] is a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that.
“Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact.”
It is understood the streaming service has received a private letter from Dowden, and has sent a private response.
Earl Spencer also told ITV’s Lorraine: “I think it would help The Crown an enormous amount if, at the beginning of each episode, it stated that: ‘This isn’t true but it is based around some real events’.
“I worry people do think [the show] is gospel, and that’s unfair.”
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The Crown creator and writer Peter Morgan had previously appeared on the podcast to defend his right to creative licence.
Discussing much-criticised scenes in which features the late Lord Mountbatten sending Prince Charles a letter admonishing his pursuit of Camilla Parker Bowles, who at the time was married.
He said: “In my own head I thought that would have even greater impact on Charles if it were to come post-mortem, as it were. I think everything that’s in that letter that Mountbatten writes to Charles is what I really believe, based on everything I’ve read and people I’ve spoken to, that represents his view.
“We will never know if it was put into a letter, and we will never know if Charles got that letter before or after Mountbatten’s death, but in this particular drama, this is how I decided to deal with it.”
Meanwhile, former royal butler Paul Burrell said the new season is a “fair and accurate dramatisation” of the royal family’s treatment of Diana.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Gary Neville Attacks Keir Starmer Over Failure To 'Take Stand' On Covid Tiers

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Former Manchester United star Gary Neville has accused Labour of failing to “take a stand” over the new Covid tiers system.
The Sky Sports pundit said Keir Starmer’s decision to abstain on a vote on local lockdowns last week was tantamount to sitting “in the stand” and letting “the home team have a clear run”.
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Labour’s refusal to join Tory rebels meant Boris Johnson’s new system, which leaves huge swathes of the north facing the toughest restrictions, could comfortably pass the Commons.
Neville, who has helped form campaign group UnitedCity, which aims to get Manchester “back on its feet” in supporting retail, leisure, culture and sports businesses, said the hospitality sector has been “devastated” by the pandemic.
He suggested Starmer should have done more to hold Johnson’s feet to the fire over economic support.
Greater Manchester is in tier 3, which means pubs, hotels and restaurants are closed.
Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United player Gary Neville PA
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Neville told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “We are in a situation where there is no plan, everything is so reactive and immediate and it cannot be like that. Leadership cannot be like that.
“I was as critical of the Labour Party earlier in the week because they’re there to protect the disadvantaged and the vulnerable and the restrictions (...) in place which protect health are fine, but they know that the economic support isn’t in place aligned with those restrictions, which means you’ve got to take a position and you cannot abstain. Take a stand.
“You told in the general election to all the people on the doorsteps, get out and vote so when you’re elected and you’re in that seat in Westminster, you’ve to take a position, you don’t abstain, you take part in the match, you’re the opposition.
'You've got to take a position, you can't abstain.'
Gary Neville criticises the Labour party, saying there is a "lack of leadership". He adds 'you take part in the match - you're the opposition, don't sit in the stand. They sat in the stand.'#Ridge https://t.co/7d85kNDhUM pic.twitter.com/roMPzV07fW — Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) December 6, 2020
“You’re the opposition, don’t sit in the stand. They sat in the stand while the home team had a clear run and even they didn’t have a clear run because some of their own players got sent off.”
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The footballer turned property developer jointly owns the luxury Stock Exchange Hotel in central Manchester with former teammate Ryan Giggs and the pair have plans to build a 40-storey tower elsewhere in the city which will accommodate another luxury hotel, as well as apartments and offices.
Asked how the past few months have been, he told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: “It’s shocking. It’s shocking, and I have to say the whole hospitality sector has been devastated.”
Labour’s shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds, who was interviewed on Sky News moments later, defended the decision to abstain.
He said the party came to the view health restrictions were necessary.
'We didn't sit in the stands at all, what we did was to act in the national interest' says Shadow Home Secretary @NickTorfaen on Labour abstaining from the vote on the #COVID19 tiers in England.#Ridge https://t.co/7d85kNDhUM pic.twitter.com/n1mWSpkske — Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) December 6, 2020
“We didn’t sit in the stands at all. What we did is act in the public interest,” he said.
Neville also described Johnson as being as “out of his depth”, adding: “I’ve got no doubt how difficult it’s been in the last eight to ten months being in government, I’ve got no doubt. It’s unique circumstances and I’ve been there when I was the leader of a football club for four months in Valencia and I was out of my depth and I was spinning and I had to just jump off the roundabout because ultimately, I was out of my depth and I didn’t know what I was doing. That’s what I feel in the last eight months I’ve seen in the leadership of this country.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Rita Ora Forced To Apologise Again After Second Breach Of Covid Regulations

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Rita Ora has been forced to apologise again after another violation of coronavirus restrictions.
Last week, the singer apologised after she was caught breaking England’s lockdown when she attended a party at a London restaurant in celebration of her 30th birthday.
Rita has now admitted she failed to self-isolate for two weeks after returning from a work trip to Egypt.
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Egypt is not on the UK’s ‘safe list’ of countries, meaning anyone who returns from there is required to quarantine.
Rita Ora Vittorio Zunino Celotto/amfAR via Getty Images
After the Mail On Sunday revealed she attended her birthday party just days after returning from Cairo, Rita issued a statement apologising for breaking the rules.
She said (via Metro): “I recently flew to Egypt to perform at a corporate event for a private company, where my travel party followed protocol and presented negative Covid tests upon entry, as required by Egyptian authorities.
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“Upon my return to Britain, I should have followed government advice and isolated myself for the required period. As you know, I didn’t follow government advice and for that I apologised earlier this week.
“I apologise again, unreservedly. I would like to add that I have been tested subsequently, including today, and remain negative for Covid-19 and the same is true for all members of my immediate family who form my support bubble.”
She continued: “While I realise the apologetic words of a pop star might not carry much weight, especially one who has broken the rules like I have, I do realise that some might seek to follow my example.
“My message to them is simple: please don’t. The guilt and shame I’ve carried this week for my mistake aren’t worth it. Instead, continue to listen to the government advice and the voices of the heroes of the NHS and take the required precautions.”
The singer previously apologised for breaking lockdown by attending a party for her 30th birthday Getty Images via Getty Images
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Rita said she would “take the criticisms coming my way because I deserve them”, continuing: “I hope to one day make it up to the public who have given me so much support over the years and, in particular, make it up to the heroes of the NHS.
“That is my promise to everyone disappointed in my behaviour. In the meantime, I will be donating my fee from Egypt to charity.
“Be better than I have been and learn from my mistakes so you don’t have to learn the hard way yourselves. Love, Rita.”
After pictures of her and her friends leaving her birthday party were published in the press last week, Rita wrote on her Instagram story that she was “deeply sorry for breaking the rules” and called her “spur of the moment decision” to attend the event an “inexcusable error of judgment”.
Scotland Yard confirmed that officers had been called to an address in Notting Hill amid a breach of Covid regulations, with Downing Street also issuing a warning to celebrities, including Rita, who have been flouting coronavirus rules.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Strictly Come Dancing's Sensational Drag Group Number Hailed 'Best Ever'

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Strictly Come Dancing is camp at the best of times, but the show took things to a whole new level with an incredible group routine on Saturday night.
Professionals Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez and Giovanni Pernice transformed into drag queens as they paid tribute to Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert on the BBC ballroom show.
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The trio were living their best lives as they performed in drag with make-up, high heels and headdresses in celebration of Strictly’s annual Musicals Week special.
Gorka, Johannes and Giovanni were serving looks as they took part in Strictly's Musicals Week performance on Saturday BBC
They kicked things off wearing denim and plaid dancing to the Village People’s Go West, before changing to full drag as CeCe Peniston’s Finally kicked in.
Their trousers were then ripped off to reveal mini dresses, as they served looks and choreography complete with rainbow-coloured fans.
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The routine went down an absolute storm on social media...
What a spectacular #Strictly musical night. If only the world were more Johannes, what a wonderful place it would be all the time! @jojo_radebe you are a true Strictly ICON. https://t.co/FbHDim4SKP — Bobby Seagull (UK Libraries Champion @CILIPinfo) (@Bobby_Seagull) December 5, 2020
Best opening ever! Please keep up the inclusive content bbc & strictly! Johannes you are the best! ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 — Sylvia Drever-Heaps (@sylvie8d) December 5, 2020
I am LIVING for Giovanni, Gorka and Johannes right now 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 #Strictly pic.twitter.com/xXqaFmhldg — Shirleigh (@HeyImShirleigh) December 5, 2020
If there is anything that could correct 2020, it’s Gorka, Johannes and Giovanni in drag! Bloody love it!#Strictly — Georgia (@GeekGManners) December 5, 2020
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Johannes, Gorka and Gio are the most iconic trio of divas since... #Strictly pic.twitter.com/ojUpT6gAvJ — Sid (@HertsSid) December 5, 2020
Aljaz dancing with Johannes in the opening group dance??? #strictly pic.twitter.com/rxeYuJNfF2 — Shaun Kitchener (@ShaunKitchener) December 5, 2020
johannes is more than a dancer he is such an entertainer #strictly — ho ho ho hoops (@itsmatthooper) December 5, 2020
Wow what an opening #Strictly Johannes, Giovani and Gorka were amazing. Thank you Strictly for making 2020 a bit brighter. pic.twitter.com/pah9FrdKzD — Jude Lennon Books (@JudeLennonBooks) December 5, 2020
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BEST. GROUP. NUMBER. EVER!!!!!Johannes and Gio have legit made my day!!!! @bbcstrictly #Strictly — Melissa Parsons 💕💕 (@missmelissa_19) December 5, 2020
Have now watched the @bbcstrictly opening dance four times and I feel like my eyes aren’t worthy to watch @jojo_radebe - he is just too pure for this earth. Best dance EVER, made me stop breathing and just start crying #strictly #Johannes — Siân (@Sianie_) December 5, 2020
The group dance came after musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber made an appearance on the show to discuss coronavirus’ impact on theatres.
He said: “Covid has had a devastating effect on theatre and live music and any kind of live entertainment and our wonderful theatres, which are just such sources of joy and wonder, have been empty for months now.
“None of us can wait until theatre goes live again.
“I think Strictly is the perfect tonic for the country at all times but I think right now Strictly paying tribute to musical theatre is absolutely what we, who have been working in this business for so long, is exactly what we want.
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“For one night only, musicals are back where they belong.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Donald Trump Had One Job At His Rally Last Night And He Completely Messed It Up

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Donald Trump had one task he needed to accomplish at his first rally appearance since he lost the US presidential contest – boost Republican chances in a crucial run-off election next month.
Instead, the outgoing president spent most of Saturday evening repeating baseless claims of election fraud, attacked members of his own party and refused to acknowledge that come next month, he will be leaving the White House.
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“They cheated and they rigged our presidential election but we will still win it,” Trump said.
“And they’re going to try and rig this election too,” he told the crowd, who chanted “four more years!”
Appearing at a rally in Georgia, Republicans had hoped Trump would use his time to boost senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
Republicans need one victory to maintain their Senate majority, and Democrats need a Georgia sweep to force a 50-50 Senate and position Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the tie-breaking majority vote.
The races will determine which party controls the US Senate. Democrats, who already have the majority in the House of Representatives, need to win both seats to control the Senate.
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If Republicans win one seat, they will retain their majority and be able to block much of Biden’s legislative agenda, Reuters reports.
Yet as soon as Air Force One landed in the state, it quickly became apparent Trump’s aim was to air his own complaints and stoke baseless doubts about the conduct of last month’s vote, rather than boost his party.
The president repeated his attacks on Republicans who have refused to back his claims, including Georgia’s governor, Brian Kemp.
In a move unprecedented in modern US history, the Trump team has tried, without success, to get Republican-controlled legislatures in battleground states won by Biden to set aside the results and declare Trump the winner.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump phoned Kemp and pressured the governor on Twitter to take further steps to help him overturn the election results. Kemp has refused to do the president’s bidding.
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I will easily & quickly win Georgia if Governor @BrianKempGA or the Secretary of State permit a simple signature verification. Has not been done and will show large scale discrepancies. Why are these two “Republicans” saying no? If we win Georgia, everything else falls in place! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2020
In a tweet, Kemp said Trump also asked him to order an audit of signatures on absentee ballot envelopes in his state, a step he is not empowered to take because he has no authority to interfere in the electoral process on Mr Trump’s behalf.
Trump, though, vented his frustrations with on Twitter and at the rally. “Your people are refusing to do what you ask,” he complained, as if speaking with Kemp.
“What are they hiding? At least immediately ask for a Special Session of the Legislature. That you can easily, and immediately, do.”
At the rally, he took aim once again at Kemp, saying he could assure him victory “if he knew what the hell he was doing”.
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But you never got the signature verification! Your people are refusing to do what you ask. What are they hiding? At least immediately ask for a Special Session of the Legislature. That you can easily, and immediately, do. #Transparency https://t.co/h73ZfjrDt3 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2020
At the rally Trump also pulled out a piece of paper and read a list of his electoral achievements, including falsely asserting he won Georgia and the White House, PA Media reports.
Biden took the state by 12,670 votes and won a record 81 million votes nationally, but Trump continued to reiterate his unsubstantiated claims of fraud, despite his own administration assessing the election to have been conducted without any major issues.
Before the rally, Matt Towery, a former Georgia Republican legislator who is now a political analyst and pollster, said Trump could help if he praised the candidates, but warned:
“If he talks about them for 10 minutes and spends the rest of the time telling everyone how terrible Brian Kemp is, then it will only exacerbate things.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--UK Government WILL Break International Law If Brexit Talks Fail, George Eustice Confirms

Environment Secretary George Eustice in Downing Street PA
Boris Johnson’s government will press ahead with international law-breaking UK legislation if Brexit talks end in no deal, minister George Eustice has said.
The environment secretary admitted on Sunday that negotiations were in a “very difficult position” and a critical 24 hours lay ahead, with negotiators still split on fisheries, governance and competition rules.
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When asked whether the UK would reinstate controversial clauses of the internal markets bill and finance bill, which override the Brexit withdrawal agreement, Eustice confirmed they would.
It is likely to raise tensions as negotiating teams meet again in Brussels, as the EU has previously warned it would pull the plug on trade talks if key powers were not dropped.
Both pieces of legislation are due to go before parliament next week.
European figures are particularly worried about the internal markets bill, which if brought into force could lead to a hard border with the EU in Northern Ireland.
Asked by Sky News’ Sophy Ridge whether the government would continue with the legislation, he said: “Yes, we will. These clauses are very important.”
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"Yes, we will" says George Eustice, confirming clauses breaking international law will be reintroduced to Parliament if a deal isn't agreed by tomorrow.
He says the "clauses are very important in the event we leave without an agreement" and give clarity for business.#Ridge pic.twitter.com/xMOUFLCkLc — Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) December 6, 2020
He added the legislation, which ignores parts of the withdrawal agreement brokered by Johnson that say Northern Ireland will follow some EU rules, gives “clarity to businesses” in the event of no agreement.
The environment secretary accused the EU of introducing “a whole load of additional demands” late in the negotiations.
“It is in a very difficult position – there is no point denying that,” he told Sky News’ Ridge On Sunday programme.
“There was some hope early last week, some progress was being made, and at one point it looked like there might be a breakthrough but then the European Union added a whole load of additional demands after that which caused some problems.
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“We will continue to work on these negotiations until there is no point doing so any further but there is no point denying that what happened late last week was a setback.”
Theresa May’s former chief of staff Lord Gavin Barwell has criticised the government for its behaviour over the controversial internal market bill, adding it ultimately made negotiations regarding the future role of the European Court of Justice “much more difficult than it would otherwise have been”.
He told BBC Breakfast: “I completely understand why the government is determined to avoid the jurisdiction of the European court, but on the other side, the way the government has behaved over the Internal Market Bill has clearly strengthened the view on the European side that they need to make sure there’s a robust process there where they can retaliate if the UK doesn’t stand by the commitments that it made.
“I think it was a real mistake of the government to go down that road.”
Barwell said he believes a deal on a post-Brexit trade agreement is “definitely still possible”, although it will rely on whether or not both sides are “prepared to make the compromises necessary”.
He added: “We are now 25 days from the end of the transition period and business, both in the UK and in Europe, have no idea on what terms they’re going to be able to trade with their nearest market from January 1.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--First Pictures Released Of Specialist Covid-19 Vaccine Freezers In The UK

Vaccine Freezers PA Media
The first pictures have been released of freezers that will be packed with coronavirus vaccines in the UK, as each of the four nations prepares to start administering the jabs next week.
Images from Public Health England (PHE), taken at a secure location, show specialist Covid-19 vaccine freezers lined up which can each hold more than 80,000 doses.
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A picture taken of the interior of one of the freezers shows stacks of trays which will hold the Pfizer/BioNTech doses.
Vaccine Freezers PA Media
The vaccine needs storage temperatures of minus 70C to minus 80C.
PHE said it has secured 58 specialised Twin Guard ultra-low temperature freezers which provide sufficient storage for approximately five million doses of potential Covid-19 vaccines which require ultra-low temperature storage.
The freezers are in the UK, fully operational, and located in national storage facilities in Britain and in Northern Ireland, in readiness for the start of a Covid-19 immunisation programme.
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The freezers, which are not portable, each hold around 86,000 doses.
Preparations are under way to roll out the vaccine from as early as Tuesday in what has been described as “one of the greatest challenges the NHS has ever faced”.
The are a number of operational and logistical steps that need to happen before the vaccine can be administered to the public.
The distribution of vaccine across the UK is being undertaken by Public Health England and the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland through systems specially adapted from those used for the national immunisation programmes.
PA Media
So far, Pfizer has dispatched initial volumes of vaccine from Belgium which has arrived at secure locations in the UK.
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The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said this is followed by a “post-delivery quality assurance process” to ensure the vaccine’s quality and integrity has been maintained through transit.
This process, which could take 12-24 hours, is carried out by the specialist medical logistics company, and relies upon information on the shipment temperature data being supplied by Pfizer.
Over the following few days, each box needs to be opened and unpacked manually, and temperature data has to be downloaded from each box, the DHSC said.
There are five packs of 975 doses per box, and only sites with the necessary MHRA licence can split the vaccine packs.
Once all checks are complete, the vaccine will be made available to order by authorised sites in the NHS, with around 50 sites in England so far.
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The DHSC pointed out that delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is complex due to it needing to be stored at very cold temperatures and moved carefully, so it will at first will be administered from hospital hubs.
Defrosting the vaccine takes a few hours and then additional time is required to prepare the vaccine for administering.
The DHSC said more than 1,000 local vaccination centres, operated by groups of GPs, will also come online shortly and these will be increased as more vaccines come into the country.
Stage one of the phased rollout of the vaccine will begin when it has been distributed.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Strictly Come Dancing's HRVY Responsible For 'Dance Of The Decade' After Wowing Judges With Musicals

Strictly Come Dancing's HRVY Responsible For 'Dance Of The Decade' After Wowing Judges With Musicals Week Performance

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HRVY has been hailed as responsible for performing the “the dance of the decade” on Strictly Come Dancing.
The pop star topped the leaderboard on Saturday night’s episode of the BBC ballroom competition, after impressing the judges with his American Smooth.
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HRVY and his partner Janette Manrara sported matching gold glittery tuxedos as they danced to One from the musical A Chorus Line as part of the show’s annual Musicals Week.
He received a score of 29 out of 30, with 10s from Motsi and head judge Shirley Ballas.
Motsi Mabuse said: “I just have to calm myself down, this choreography challenged you and every single person must be challenged.
“We knew on week one what a fabulous talent you were, but what I celebrate is you do not sit on your talent. I think this was the dance of the season, the dance of the decade.”
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Craig Revel Horwood told him: “It’s like looking in the mirror darling, you can sing you can dance, you can act, you’re a triple threat darling, I think I might have to call myself CRH now.”
Shirley added: “You were absolutely so professional, you are so on your way.”
EastEnders star Maisie Smith and her partner Gorka Marquez also impressed after they danced a Jive to the theme tune for Little Shop Of Horrors.
Craig told her she “absolutely smashed it”, adding: “Your energy is absolutely insane, fantastic musicality, really complex changes of rhythm that you absolutely nailed.”
She received a combined score of 28, including a 10 from Shirley.
Good Morning Britain’s Ranvir Singh and Giovanni Pernice also dazzled as they performed a Viennese waltz to She Used To Be Mine from Waitress, receiving a score of 27.
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She received a standing ovation from Motsi, who told her: “I’m emotional about your dancing, I feel you’ve come into you, that was such a magic moment.”
TV presenter JJ Chalmers languished at the bottom of the leaderboard after his Charleston to music from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Craig said: “It was too stop and start for my liking, the characterisation I thought was very good but you could go a little bit more over the top.”
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He received a combined score of 20 from the three judges.
The episode also featured Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse performing an Argentine tango to Phantom Of The Opera, while Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer performed a jive to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Find out who is next to leave Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday at 7.30pm on BBC One.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--Pubs And Bars Are 'Hibernating' Over Winter Due To Strict Covid Rules

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Pub and restaurant owners are deciding to “hibernate” over winter rather than reopen and face losing more money under the new tier system.
Tier 3 pubs must close their doors and are limited to takeaway only. In tier 2, they can only serve alcohol if it is accompanied by a “substantial meal”.
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In tier 1, pubs can stay open with no requirement to serve food, but only around 1% of England’s population falls under this tier.
The Tollington, a wet-led pub in north London announced it would be staying closed “until London is dropped into tier 1 or the regulations are relaxed further”, saying: “The decision has been taken out of our hands.”
Owner Martin told HuffPost UK he would not even stay open for takeaways, because: “To be quite honest with you, on every street corner in Islington you’ve got an off-licence. Number one, we are not geared up to be run as off-licences. Number two, you’ve got a problem because the brewers are not really brewing beer.
“They got stung in the summer with millions of pints being thrown down the drain. We had to throw maybe £40,000 of beer away. With the most recent lockdown we were a little wiser and kept our stocks down lower.”
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Unfortunately the Tollington is a wet led pub & due to the new government regulations, we shall have to remain closed until London is dropped into Tier 1 or the regulations are relaxed further. The decision has been taken out of our hands. — The Tollington (@TheTollington) November 28, 2020
Located close to the Arsenal football stadium, the Tollington would ordinarily serve around 2,000 on an average match day. When it has been able to reopen briefly under new social-distancing regulations it has been able to seat around 80 people, which Whelan says: “Does not pay the rent.”
Whelan, who owns three pubs in north London, will be “hibernating” his venues for the winter. He added: “You’ve got to write this year off. If a vaccine came available, if we’re all able to get back and say ‘this nightmare is over’ and start back from 1 April, that would be be glorious.”
Bolton bar owner John Wray told the Bolton News: “We almost feel as if we are in hibernation, I don’t think we will be able to reopen before March next year.
“Usually we would be having Christmas parties and events throughout December, and Boxing Day is one of our busiest days.”
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But he added: “I am remaining optimistic and hopeful things will get back on track in the spring.”
Earlier this week, Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price suggested hospitality should be able to retire over winter and bounce back in the new year with higher financial support. Addressing the Welsh government, Price said the “crippling uncertainty” that accompanied locking and unlocking venues was doing “untold damage” to the industry.
Closed bars and restaurants and empty streets on a Saturday night in Soho, London, during the coronavirus pandemic (file picture) Empics Entertainment
Jonathan Neame, chief executive of the Shepherd Neame pub group, says the latest restrictions are devastating during what is an “absolutely critical month”.
He told HuffPost: “There seems to be this view in government that you can just flick a switch and turn a key and the pub is open. You’ve got to get the beer, you’ve got to get the food, you’ve got to unfurlough your staff. There’s an awful lot to do in preparation to reopening a pub.
“And so, if you’re told, well you can open, you may not open at all because you may not be able to get hold of beer and if you go further up the supply chain, there’s no guarantee that brewers can assess what the demand is going to be, higher or lower.
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“What’s going on now is this huge charade to give a little bit of Christmas and the reality is we will probably be in lockdown again in January. This is just a crazy situation, absolutely crazy.”
One tapas restaurant group, with locations in Wales and Bristol, has also announced it is opting out for now.
Hi all. Have written a statement on behalf of all from team 44. 👇 pic.twitter.com/QSkIApIuIT — Owen Morgan (@sherrymonster44) November 30, 2020
Owen Morgan of Forty Four Group wrote: “We need to be here on the other side. With Covid continuing to force new and increasingly difficult trading restrictions upon us, the only correct option for us is to go back into hibernation.
“We would be haemorrhaging more money that we don’t even have, if we stayed open. All this at a time when 99% of the hospitality industry is on its knees and on the edge.”
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In Wales, JD Wetherspoon has closed the majority of its 46 pubs, while the country’s largest chain SA Brain is closing 100 of its managed properties.
CEO Alistair Darby told The Caterer: “Sadly we will lose less money hibernating the pubs than leaving them open. It’s a terrible decision to make and I’ve had to apologise to staff and customers. Even closed we’re making a loss.”
The prime minister has announced a one-off payment of £1,000 for establishments which are unable to offer food – so-called “wet” pubs, an offer which has been roundly dismissed by the industry as an “insult.”
Neame said: “It’s absolutely insulting. That won’t even cover the Christmas decorations.”
Simon Emeny, the chief executive of brewers Fuller, Smith and Turner, said it would not be enough to save many of those affected.
“A thousand pounds really doesn’t really go any way to solving the financial Armageddon that many individual and independent operators are going to face,” he told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One.
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“The challenge for wet-led pubs is if they don’t sell food they will find it impossible to operate, but you have still got bills to pay.
“They have still got to pay potentially rent, insurance costs, national insurance and the apprenticeship levy. That is far more than £1,000.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-06--How To Make Mondays Less Hard

How To Make Mondays Less Hard

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If Mondays bring you dread, listen up.
Multiple studies have shown that this particular weekday is associated with low moods and morale. There are numerous psychological and physiological reasons for this phenomenon, from loss of freedom and work stress to issues with transitional moments and disruptions to the body’s natural rhythm.
Fortunately, there are ways to lessen the blow of the start of the workweek and ward off a “case of the Mondays.” Below, mental health experts share their tips for making Mondays less psychologically hard.
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Prepare in advance
Take some time to prepare for Monday ― mentally, physically and logistically. it could be as simple as going through the emails that trickled in over the weekend while you weren’t checking your inbox.
“At some point, and I would recommend it be Sunday, look at your schedule for Monday and get familiar with what you face. This lessens the dreaded unknowns,” said John Mayer, a clinical psychologist.
“Take care of your biorhythms,” he added, referring to the body’s natural wake-and-sleep schedule. “Don’t stay up late on Sunday playing video games or scrolling Twitter to all hours and then expect to get up early on Monday. Sadly, Sunday’s sleep cycle should copy your weekday sleep cycle. And chill your alcohol consumption on Sunday. Very few things make Monday morning worse physically than a hangover.”
Start the workday early
“Someone who struggles with transitioning from the weekend to Mondays can find it helpful to get to work early,” said Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist in New York.
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She advised arriving at the office (or your designated work-from-home desk) a little earlier than you do on other days, grabbing a cup of coffee, reading the news and maybe having a social interaction with co-workers.
“This will help to ‘wake up’ the mind and quietly adjust to being in the work environment,” Hafeez explained. “Once the workday starts and you’ve found focus, begin with the easy tasks and gradually work up to the more difficult or challenging ones.”
twomeows via Getty Images There are ways to make Mondays suck less.
Give yourself something to look forward to
“To ease the difficulty of Mondays, it can be helpful to build our own personal joy by creating something to look forward to on Monday,” said Becky Stuempfig, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Encinitas, California. “It can be small, simple things such as a favourite breakfast or lunch, or perhaps Monday is ‘takeout night’ to relieve the pressure of cooking a family dinner.”
Planning a special treat for yourself can give you some control over Monday ― whether it’s a personal reward like bar trivia with friends or a favourite workout class, or a work event like casual dress day or pizza day for everyone.
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“Maybe you take an extra break on Monday,” Mayer said. “Schedule yourself lighter on Monday if possible. Be creative and make it something to look forward to each Monday.”
10'000 Hours via Getty Images Take control of Monday by preparing for the day, starting off on a good note, and scheduling a special treat.
Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings
As you wake up and go through the routine of Monday morning, pay extra attention to the thoughts and feelings that arise.
“Even though thousands of them pass through our minds each day, focus on the first ones that pop up,” Hafeez suggested. “Those usually predict the worst and absorb a ‘can’t do’ mentality.”
She noted that negative thoughts often have little or nothing to do with reality and facts, so once you embrace the fact that they aren’t based on anything real, they can more easily fade away with time.
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“Lastly, try to obliterate negative feelings like ‘this won’t work,’ ‘this will make me look stupid,’ or ‘I’m going to fail,’ and instead challenge it with a positive thought,” Hafeez said. “For example, turn them into ‘this will work,’ ‘I can do this,’ ‘I am not stupid,’ and ‘it’s worked before, and it can work again.’ This way, a person has control over their thoughts instead of giving them power.”
Set a cutoff time for social media
“I encourage people to limit their social media exposure on Sunday nights and Monday mornings, as there tends to be a very negative attitude about Mondays that often sets the tone for the day with people posting about how much they dread the day and how much caffeine/alcohol they will ‘need’ to simply get through the day,” Stuempfig said. “That kind of constant negativity, even if it is presented as humour, tends to be contagious and can leave us feeling drained.”
Creating boundaries around your technology use in other ways can be helpful as well. If you tend to get overwhelmed by the volume of emails that accumulate on Mondays, consider designating specific times during the day to go through your inbox or sort emails into folders like “needs action” or “review later” to make the task simpler.
Make time on Mondays to focus on your mental health
Make Mondays as pleasant as you can by turning to your favourite self-care techniques, from meditation to journaling to hot baths.
“Doing one thing that feels a little luxurious can go a long way with our mental health,” Stuempfig said. “That could be drinking coffee out of a special mug or taking a 20-minute walk before you start your Monday demands, getting fresh air at lunch or setting up a standing dinner date or, in pandemic times, FaceTime date with a friend on Monday evenings.”
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Noel McDermott, a psychotherapist, suggested using psychological tools to cope with feelings of anxiety or stress.
“Like a child who is upset, you can trick your brain into looking at other things and not focusing on the pain, fear or sadness,” he said. “What do you like, what is fun, have you an emotional safe place? Think about those things, not the worry.”
Drazen Zigic via Getty Images Turn to your favorite self-care techniques to cope with the Monday blues.
Assess your general happiness at work
“If you consistently find yourself complaining about your job or feeling bored and uninspired, it may be time to create a new situation for yourself,” Stuempfig said. “That does not have to mean a new job necessarily, but you might try examining your current role and how you can find more meaning and enjoyment out of your current situation.”
Do a self-assessment to see if you’re burned out. If so, seek out a career counsellor or therapist to gain insight into how you can find more meaning in the way you spend their time during the weekdays.
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“Let’s face it, life is short and if you are not finding joy in the way you spend 8-plus hours a day at work, that translates to a large chunk of your life that feels unfulfilling,” Stuempfig said. “Mondays often represent how we feel about the remainder of our week to come. If you struggle with Mondays, it is a worthwhile effort to dig deeper to uncover the root cause of the struggle and take steps to improve it. The benefits will likely have a ripple effect that goes much further than just Mondays.”
Look at the bigger picture of the week
“Make a plan for some spectacular event beyond Monday,” Mayer suggested. “Maybe Friday is date night, so plan that ahead of Monday and you will embrace Monday’s arrival because that gets you to Friday all the sooner. Be creative.”
He also advised against scheduling unpleasant obligations or general “downer” events for Monday, but rather balancing out the emotions of the week by planning to do these tasks on other days.
“Try to not schedule spectacular, fantastic events on Sunday evening,” Mayer added. “This just makes the transition, loss and grieving of ‘MoanDay’ all that harder.”
Accept that Mondays can just suck
Coming to terms with the reality of something unpleasant can lessen its impact on you and give you more power over it.
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