thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Burnout Is Bad For Your Heart. Here’s How To Prevent It

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Burnout is a very real issue for our health – and we’re only just beginning to understand the physical and mental consequences of it.
Last year, burnout was classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an “occupational phenomenon”, legitimising the experiences of many who’ve fallen prey to the problem, also know as vital exhaustion.
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“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” said WHO. It’s characterised by three factors: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance or negativity surrounding your job; and reduced productivity.
And there are potentially physical repercussions of burnout, too. A new study has linked the issue to atrial fibrillation (AF) – an irregular heartbeat – which is a major cause of stroke.
Alexmia via Getty Images
For the study, more than 11,000 people were surveyed about burnout, anger, antidepressant use and poor social support. They were then followed over a period of nearly 25 years for the development of AF. Until now, the specific association between burnout and AF had not been evaluated.
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Published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, the study found participants with the highest levels of vital exhaustion, or burnout, had a 20% higher risk of developing AF, compared to those with little to no evidence of burnout.
“Vital exhaustion, commonly referred to as burnout syndrome, is typically caused by prolonged and profound stress at work or home,” said study author Dr Parveen Garg, of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
While further research is needed to better understand the link between burnout and AF, Dr Garg believes there are two mechanisms at play. Vital exhaustion is associated with 1) increased inflammation and 2) heightened activation of the body’s physiologic stress response, he said. When these two things are chronically triggered, it can have “serious and damaging effects” on heart tissue, which could eventually lead to the development of AF.
No connections were found between anger, antidepressant use or poor social support and the development of AF. “The findings for anger and social support are consistent with prior research but two previous studies did find a significant association between antidepressant use and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Clearly, more work still needs to be done,” said Dr Garg.
Further research is also needed to identify concrete actions for doctors to help patients with exhaustion, he said.
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Vanessa Smith, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, agrees. “More work is needed to fully understand how extreme stress can potentially lead to someone developing atrial fibrillation (AF).
“We already know prolonged and extreme stress is linked to unhealthy habits such as smoking, and eating unhealthily, which in turn increases your risk of heart disease.”
What do the study findings mean for us?
What can we take away from this study? Mainly, that burnout is bad news and we should try to mitigate the risks where possible.
“It is already known that exhaustion increases one’s risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke,” said Dr Garg. “We now report that it may also increase one’s risk for developing atrial fibrillation, a potentially serious cardiac arrhythmia.
“The importance of avoiding exhaustion through careful attention to, and management of, personal stress levels as a way to help preserve overall cardiovascular health cannot be overstated.”
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A previous study has also linked prolonged stress with a shrinkage of the area of the brain responsible for regulating thoughts and feelings, enhancing self-control and creating new memories. In addition, almost a third of people report having experienced suicidal thoughts or feelings because of stress, according to a survey commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation.
How to combat stress
If you feel burnt out, the NHS advises against turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms like smoking or drinking alcohol – and instead doing exercise, taking control of the situation that’s causing you stress, practising self-care and helping others. In addition to these points, Dr Garg recommends getting a good night’s sleep and spending more time outside.
Neil Shah, chief de-stressing officer for non-profit The Stress Management Society, previously told HuffPost UK that mindfulness could be beneficial to those who are stressed, to help them live more in the moment. If you’re mindful, he said, you’re more likely to pick up changes that are happening to your behaviour.
Breathing exercises can also help, so take five minutes out of your day, sit comfortably somewhere and focus on your breath. There are a number of deep breathing apps you can download on your phone to help guide you. Yoga can also be great for unwinding after a stressful day, with a focus on breathing, stretching and being in the moment.
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If you get to the point where you can’t focus, both Shah and the NHS recommend speaking to friends, family members and work colleagues. Make a list of the people you would turn to in a stressful situation – whether that’s someone you need to have a laugh with, moan about your relationship with, or air your work woes to. “One person might feature multiple times,” said Shah.
It’s important to talk through your worries with your support system, but with people living far apart and with increasing time pressures, it can sometimes be hard to know who to turn to. In this case, helplines and online support groups might help.
If your stress is causing you a lot of distress and you have nobody to turn to, or if you’ve exhausted the above options, speak to your GP. You can also refer yourself for free psychological therapy through the NHS IAPT service. “It is important to recognise stress and find ways to manage your stress levels,” said BHF senior nurse Vanessa Smith. But while talking to friends and family, a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can help, it’s important that any changes are sustainable and don’t become another source of stress, she added. “If you’re concerned about how stress could impact your heart health, you should speak to your GP.”
Useful websites and helplines:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Exercising During Your Period Can Be Bloody Brilliant, As Latest This Girl Can Campaign Shows

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This Girl Can is back – and this time, Sport England’s trailblazing fitness campaign is talking periods, menopause and motherhood.
The latest TV advert marks the five-year anniversary of the campaign, designed to empower more women to enjoy exercise. It features real people, instead of actors or athletes, who’ve overcome challenges and started to get active.
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Nearly two-fifths of women in England aren’t active, according to the latest research by the campaign. The survey of almost 2,000 women found that the majority believe seeing “slim-toned bodies” on social media has a negative impact on their own body image, while others find fitness influencers “unrelatable”.
This Girl Can Sam Mollaghan, 49 from Bournemouth
Hannah Johnson, 29, from Redbridge, Essex, appears in the advert exercising while on her period. Hannah suffers from debilitating period cramps, plus nauseousness and migraines. But she says transitioning from fearing the pain to using physical activity to manage it has been an “incredibly empowering process”.
She’s seen clutching a hot water bottle before throwing it to one side and pulling on her yoga leggings – with a tampon string poking out her underwear.
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This Girl Can Hannah Johnson
Patrice Bromley-Robertson, 24, from Haringey, London, appears in the ad using exercise to combat the symptoms she experiences due to polycystic ovaries, including irregular periods, cramps and weight gain.
Since taking up HIIT, circuits and weight training, Patrice says her physical and mental health has improved, adding: “Exercise is my medication and motivation for life.”
She enjoys working out alongside her mum, Yvonne, 54, who has been motivated to exercise to help manage her symptoms of menopause.
This Girl Can Patrice Bromley-Robertson and her mum, Yvonne
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Kirsti Hau, 37, from Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, is mum to three children aged six, four and 10 months. In the ad, she’s seen breastfeeding before going out to play netball.
Her advice to other mums worried about balancing exercise with parenthood is: “It’s all about taking small steps”.
“There are loads of ways to get active,” she says. “You can start off by doing a few bits at home (on apps or watching YouTube) – that way you can build up the confidence. Once you’re ready, you can find something in the community with like-minded women.”
This Girl Can Kirsti Hau
The latest research from This Girl Can supports the need for women from all backgrounds to be shown in fitness marketing – on TV and social media.
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It found nearly a quarter of those who follow fitness influencers say they make them feel bad about themselves, and less than a fifth find these influencers relatable.
But social media doesn’t have to be negative. While 89% of women said they don’t post about the exercise they do on social media, the campaign is encouraging women to share what it really looks like to get active.
Lisa O’Keefe, director of insight at Sport England, said: “This Girl Can is about helping women feel confident, so they can overcome the fears about being judged that our research showed was stopping many from getting active.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--How Lisa Nandy Can Pull Off A Shock To Become Labour Leader

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Preferential treatment?
Outside the office of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), deep in the bowels of the House of Commons, Emily Thornberry punched the air with delight. It was 2.18pm and, just 12 minutes before the deadline for Labour leadership nominations, she had crossed the line.
Fellow shadow foreign affairs frontbencher Afzal Khan had sauntered in to give her his promised vote, the 22nd and crucial nomination needed to go through to the next round. Reading MP Matt Rodda was the 23rd nomineed (he joked that if he’d demanded a charitable donation to his local party every time he was asked to back a candidate, his party would have a very healthy fighting fund).
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So, despite all the chatter that it would be fellow women who got Thornberry into the next round, it was two blokes who actually did it. In fact, three blokes if you include Clive Lewis’s decision to drop out and tell his supporters to switch sides. Still, a result is a result and there was an added spring in her step, and zing in her barbs, when she squared up to Dominic Raab in the chamber a few minutes later.
Yet while Thornberry (who had said yesterday “I’m gonna be fine!” despite having just 10 nominations) now deservedly goes through to the second phase of the contest, she knows it’s going to take some kind of earthquake to propel her into genuine contention for the top job.
A few miles to the east of Westminster, in working class Dagenham, Lisa Nandy was already on the next stage of the race, trying to reach out to party members, affiliates and trade unionists to convince them that she really does have a chance of coming out on top.
Her speech (delivered without notes) had no new policy nuggets but did repeat a warning she’d issued last week the PLP hustings: “If we do not change course, we will die and we will deserve to.” Yes, deserve to. “I am asking you to make the brave, not the easy choice, in this leadership contest,” she added. The bigger message was unmistakable: Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey were each, in their own ways, the ‘easy choice’.
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Nandy shares with Jess Phillips a claim to be the ‘bold’ choice, rather than a ‘safe’ one. And although MP nominations really aren’t a reliable guide to the outcome, there felt a significant symbolism in the fact that Nandy came third today on 31 MPs - just two behind Long-Bailey (and miles behind Starmer).
Why does that third place matter? Well, because Nandy may be the only contender in this election who is capable of pulling off a surprise by building from a low base. And just as any party leader has to deal with the realities a first-past the post voting system, the Labour leader first has to deal with the realities of their own party’s leadership alternative vote (AV) system.
With AV meaning voters get a first and second preference, the Nandy campaign are throwing the kitchen sink at making their candidate the second choice of supporters for all her rivals. In what they call their “preferential strategy”, the game is to woo Phillips (and Thornberry) voters who want a woman leader, while ruthlessly targeting Long-Bailey voters with her long-established soft-left credentials (for a while she was considered ‘too left wing’ to be in Miliband’s shadow cabinet).
If (and it’s a big ‘if’ at present) she can somehow force her way into second place, Nandy’s allies are confident they can beat Starmer with a mass transfer of Long-Bailey supporters’ second preferences. A snapshot of social media (and it still plays a part in internal Labour elections) shows lots of members already saying Nandy will get their second preference.
The ‘preferential strategy’ worked for Ed Miliband in 2010. David was ahead of first preferences at every stage until the final round when his brother pipped him to the post by a wafer-thin margin. Under rules closer to today’s, Sadiq Khan overhauled Tessa Jowell among party members (he led among affiliates) only on the fifth and final round to win the London mayoral selection in 2015. “Keir is either your first preference or he’s your last preference. Same for Becky. But Lisa is the person who few people really don’t like,” one ally says.
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Several non-aligned MPs told me Nandy was the clear winner of the PLP hustings last week after she neatly analysed why Labour lost and what it has to do next. If she can repeat that performance at the hustings organised by both the party and by the media, she could pull off a big shock. If (another important ‘if’) a big union like the GMB backs her, she won’t even need the really tough target of 33 constituency party nominations to get on the ballot.
The hustings may cause a fresh problem for Starmer. Lined up alongside four women, female Labour members in particular may feel uncomfortable about giving their second preference to a man. And that may cut across left-centre-right boundaries.
With a lower profile than the other contenders, Nandy’s real enemy is time. Although right now it looks like we have more than 11 long weeks to go, candidates who clear the second phase have only a week in which they are given access to crucial membership data before the first ballots can be returned.
The Nandy camp’s hope is two-fold: they make enough of an impression in the early hustings stage to build momentum; and that there are more ‘soft’ voters this time (38% of members returned their ballot in just a few days in 2016) who want to hold back, see more hustings and make their minds up later.
The next few polls of Labour members could prove crucial. The last YouGov poll gave Starmer a clear lead over Long-Bailey, with Nandy languishing way behind. Yet although she suffered on name recognition, among those who had seen her many really liked what they saw.
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The one big downer for Nandy could however come this week. The 48-hour window for ‘registered supporters’ could well favour both Starmer (with centrist voters deciding they need to act) and Long-Bailey (with left voters returning), but it’s hard to see how anyone will join simply because they want Nandy to win. If those registered supporter numbers are big, then we could be heading for a two-horse race with little time for the also-rans to catch up.
Then again, in the Labour party debate matters. And debates can upset the bookies’ odds. Jeremy Corbyn’s policy director Andrew Fisher (himself likely to back Long-Bailey) put it thus: “I would like to remind people we haven’t had any [party member] hustings yet.” He’s right.
Quote Of The Day
“Never mind the hand of history... I see the hand of the future,”
Boris Johnson can’t resist parodying Tony Blair as he visits a reinstated Stormont.
Monday Cheat Sheet
Angela Rayner, Ian Murray, Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon and Dawn Butler all went through to the next stage of Labour’s deputy leadership election.
Boris Johnson held talks with newly-installed Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster and deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill at Stormont. But amid reports the UK was planning a £2bn boost to local coffers, finance minister Conor Murphy said the offers so far “falls way short” of what was promised.
As anti-regime protestors turned out for the third day across Iran, Middle East minister Andrew Murrison summoned the Iranian ambassador for a formal reprimand after the arrest of his UK counterpart at the weekend. Murrison demanded such a violation of international law will not happen again.
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The PM has hired his personal photographer Andrew Parsons as a special adviser with wages funded by the taxpayer. Parsons - who will modernise No.10’s digital and video output - was previously taken off the public payroll while working as David Cameron’s snapper
Two former Tory MPs - the PM’s friend Zac Goldsmith and Nicky Morgan - have been sworn into the House of Lords so they can keep their ministerial jobs.
The UK’s economy grew by just 0.1% in the three months to November, according to the Office for National Statistics. Growth actually fell into negative territory, by 0.3% in November but was slightly stronger in September and October than previously thought. The ONS said growth in the economy year-on-year was at its lowest since the spring of 2012.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--High-Profile Iranians Take Stand Against Government Amid Anger Over Plane Crash Cover-Up

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At least three television presenters working for Iran’s state broadcaster have announced they have quit their jobs in the aftermath of the government admitting it downed a Ukraine airliner, killing all 176 people onboard.
The broadcasters are just the latest in a growing line of high-profile figures in the country that have publicly made clear their unease with the regime.
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Gelare Jabbari, an anchor on the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, took to Instagram on Sunday to break the news to her 50,000 followers in a now-deleted post.
In her statement, she suggested that the government had been dishonest with the public as she apologised for the “13 years I told you lies”.
“It was very hard for me to believe that our people have been killed,” she wrote.
“Forgive me that I got to know this late. And forgive me for the 13 years I told you lies.”
Gelare Jabbari Instagram
This followed Zahra Khatami’s resignation from her role at the same network. Also writing on Instagram, she said: “Thank you for accepting me as anchor until today. I will never get back to TV. Forgive me.”
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Saba Rad used the same platform to announce that she was quitting: “Thank you for your support in all years of my career.” she wrote.
“I announce that after 21 years working in radio and tv, I cannot continue my work in the media. I cannot.”
This comes as public anger has continued to intensify after the Iranian government denied that it was to blame for shooting down Ukrainian jetliner 752, before it eventually held admitted it had “mistakenly” caused the tragedy.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian-American journalist and analyst, described the resignations as “significant”, adding that dissent is being more accepted.
“The anchors’ resignations are a new level; to boycott the state TV, to also announce they are boycotting it and especially because they’re women,” she said.
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Mortazavi explained that a similar precedent was set during the 2009 presidential election when one of the news anchors of state TV stopped going on air following violent protests. “But he never announced it on social media the way these women have,” she said.
Negar Mortazavi Negar Mortazavi
The journalist said the resignations reflect just how the downing of the plane is impacting public morale.
“All the politics and social unrest aside, it is a completely new level of tragedy because it’s a direct result of war and tension,” the analyst added.
“On that plane you had students, children, families, a lot of non-political people. The victims were casualties of a war that hasn’t even started; that, combined with the incompetence of a government that people have been protesting against, saw things culminate in that way.
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“It just shows how conflict can take a toll on people who are completely uninvolved and don’t even live in the country can be victims. The incompetence just adds to the anger.”
This comes as the Tehran-based Association of Iranian Journalists said in a statement that the country was witnessing “a funeral for public trust” that was damaging the already shaky reputation of Iran’s official media.
Saba Rad & Zahra Khatami Rad, two news anchors quit Iranian state TV. They shared their decision in social media and announced people that we never get back #IRIB.
They were pro-regime anchors during serving on television. pic.twitter.com/tgF78TasvT — Ahmad Batebi (@radiojibi) January 11, 2020
But the crisis is not restricted to the media. Over the weekend Kimia Alizadeh, the only female athlete to win an Olympic medal for Iran, announced that she had defected from the nation because of “hypocrisy, lies, injustice and flattery”.
The Olympian, 21, also broke the news in an Instagram post, which was accompanied by a photograph from the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she was awarded a bronze medal for taekwondo.
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Alizadeh said she had been used as a “tool” by the Iranian government, writing: “I wore whatever they told me and repeated whatever they ordered. Every sentence they ordered I repeated. None of us matter for them, we are just tools.”
Two leading Iranian chess players, Shohreh Bayat and Mitra Hejazipour, took a stand against their country’s regime by removing their hijab in competitions outside of the country.
This led to their expulsion from the league because the action is considered defiance of Iran’s mandatory Islamic dress code.
Bayat, who is an international chess referee, said she would not be returning to Iran.
Just two days into 2020, the Iran Chess Federation expelled female chess grandmaster Mitra Hejazipour for removing her scarf during the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in Russia.
Hejazipour, who now plans to live in France where she will compete privately, was told she “has no place in the Islamic Republic’s national team any more”, the BBC reported.
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Iranian chess players Mitra Hejazipour and Sara Khademalsharieh. ATTA KENARE via Getty Images
There are many other examples of Iranian sportspeople bearing the brunt of the government’s stringent regime.
Iran has a blanket ban on any athletes competing against Israeli opponents because the state of Israel is not recognised by the country.
On occasion, Iranian authorities have placed pressure on its athletes to deliberately lose competitions if winning would result in them facing an Israeli opponent.
Alireza Karimachiani was winning a wrestling match against Russian opponent in the under-23 world championships last November when his coach ordered him to lose, otherwise he would face an Israeli competitor.
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Iranians hold hands during a demonstration in front of Tehran's Amir Kabir University after Iran admitted to having shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet by mistake. STR via Getty Images
For this, Karimi-Machiani was banned for six months.
The head of Iran’s wrestling federation resigned in response to this and, in clear condemnation of the Iranian government’s rules, said: “Forcing an athlete to accept defeat or run around all night looking for a doctor’s note is not right.”
However when faced with a similar predicament - lose or face an Israeli - Saeid Mollaei, the 2018 judo world champion in the 81kg category, withdrew altogether while defending his title in Tokyo last year.
“I am a fighter,” he said in response to the matter. “I want to compete wherever I can. I live in a country whose law does not permit me to. We have no choice; all athletes must comply with it.
“Even if the authorities of my country told me that I can go back without any problems, I am afraid. I am afraid of what might happen to my family and to myself.”
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Saeid Mollaei(in white) of Iran and Gulduren Ilker (in blue) of Turkey compete for the men's judo 81kg gold medal in 2017. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
These string of high profile protests comes as demonstrators denouncing Iran’s regime took to the streets and riot police were deployed to face them on Monday, in a third day of demonstrations after the government acknowledged mistakenly shooting down a passenger plane.
Iran’s president called last week’s downing of the Ukrainian plane a “disastrous mistake” on Saturday, saying its air defenses were fired in error while on alert after it carried out missile strikes on US targets in Iraq.
Iranian public anger, rumbling for days after Tehran had repeatedly denied it was to blame for the plane crash, erupted into protests when the military admitted its role.
Mortazavi assessed public sentiment in Iran through a comparison with a historical event that is fresh in the mind of many civilians: the downing of an Iranian plane in 1988. During the Iran-Iraq War, the US navy shot down an airliner, killing 290 civilians, during an offensive.
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“That event is in the public psyche and the Iranian government has been using that as a major grievance against the US, for making such a grave mistake, for three decades.
“Now they made the same exact mistake themselves; probably even worse because this is their own missile shooting down their own civilians. In that way, it’s really significant, in fact ironic, and it also speaks to the incompetence of the establishment that people have been talking about,” the journalist said.
“Honestly I believe human error can happen in such situations in wartime - but the problem starts when you let civilian flights be in the middle of a cross fire of an operation. And then the lies and the denial afterwards leads to a lack of trust and now we are hearing the people calling the government a liar.
“There’s a very iconic slogan that I heard on the street which I think sums this up: ‘You and I will pay the price of this harsh revenge’.”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Sheffield University Students Given Anti-Racism Classes To Stamp Out 'Offensive' Comments

University of Sheffield University of Sheffield
Students at the University of Sheffield are to be given training in how to tackle “subtle but offensive” racism witnessed at the institution.
The university has announced plans to recruit Race Equality Champions, which it says will help to change thinking about racism and give students the skills to deal with so-called “microaggressions”.
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According to the Sheffield Student Union website, a microaggression is a “subtle but offensive comment or action directed at a minority or other non-dominant group that is often unintentional”.
It lists a series of examples, including black and minority ethnic (BME) students being asked “Nah… but where you really from?”, “Why is black-face weird?” and “being asked if I feel ‘more white or black’”.
Sheffield said its new champions will be trained to lead “healthy conversations” on campus and in university residences, and to help their fellow students understand racism and its impact.
All students will be encouraged to attend the sessions, with content developed by students and academics.
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The discussions are designed “to encourage students to have healthy, open discussions, express their opinions and think critically about issues such as the Windrush scandal, perceptions of racism in British society and microaggressions”, the university said.
Jamaican immigrants welcomed by officials after the 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. east London. PA Images via Getty Images
Professor Koen Lamberts, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “Here at Sheffield, we think it’s important to be open and honest about racism, which is why we listened to our students and worked closely with our students’ union and our BME committee to develop the race equality champion roles to change the way people think about racism.
“These champions will give our students the skills to challenge micro-aggressions now and in the future. They will also ensure students are aware of the support available to them at the University of Sheffield.”
Rosa Tully, women’s officer of the University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union, said: “Standing up to racism and celebrating our diverse university and Sheffield community is a priority for students at Sheffield, so we’re proud to have worked with the university to introduce race equality champions.
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“The sessions are designed to facilitate healthy, open discussions – and to give students the tools to think critically about race in our society, to challenge micro-aggressions that have a real impact on BME students and to be actively anti-racist in our thinking.”
The move comes as universities are under increasing pressure to take action to address harassment and misconduct on campus.
In October, a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that racial harassment is taking place at an “alarmingly high rate” across British universities.
At least 24% of ethnic minority students have experienced racial harassment on campus, it said, adding that many universities are unaware of the scale of the problem and are over-confident in their ability to respond to it.
Last week, the Office for Students announced proposals that could see institutions face sanctions if they fail to deal with reports of harassment and sexual misconduct.
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From “we hate the blacks” being chanted across halls of residence at Nottingham Trent University students and a banana being thrown at a Black student during an ice hockey match at Sheffield Hallam University, to racist and anti-Semitic messages being shared via a Facebook group at the University of Warwick suspended 11 students, racism in UK universities has often hit headlines.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Boris Johnson Hires Personal Photographer As Taxpayer-Funded Adviser

One of Parsons' images of Boris Johnson, during a trip to China as London mayor. PA Archive/PA Images
Boris Johnson has hired his personal photographer as a special adviser with wages funded by the taxpayer, a government source has confirmed.
Andrew Parsons was previously taken off the public payroll while working as David Cameron’s personal photographer in Downing Street.
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Then PM, Cameron bowed to public pressure and took Parsons off the public payroll when a political storm erupted after it was disclosed he was being paid by the taxpayer in 2010.
Parsons will now re-enter Downing Street in a role that will see him focus on modernising Number 10′s digital and video output.
Special advisers are temporary civil servants and their salaries are paid by the taxpayer.
Parsons toured the country with the PM during the general election campaign, officially taking photographs for the Conservative party. He also sold his images to media outlets.
Cameron was said to have accepted in 2010 that the photographer’s appointment sent out the “wrong signal” at a time when the civil service was facing swingeing cuts.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Labour 'Edits Code Of Conduct To Stop Leadership Hopefuls Criticising Staff'

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Labour Party chiefs have updated codes of conduct for leadership hopefuls to prevent criticism of staff, HuffPost UK understands.
Insiders say general secretary Jennie Formby told employees the behavioural guidelines expected of MPs hoping to succeed Jeremy Corbyn had been amended by the party’s procedural committee.
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During a call with union reps and staff, Formby reportedly said she was “concerned” about “incredibly unfair” attacks in the press on staff “who cannot go out on social media and defend themselves”.
Formby is thought to have said she would personally raise “anything appearing to be a criticism of staff” with the individuals concerned.
The new Code of Conduct, which is understood to have been put in place last week, applies to all Labour candidates standing for election to any position, including those vying for the top job.
But one party insider said they believed the measures had been put in place to protect Corbyn’s closest aides, including Karie Murphy, the exiting leader’s chief of staff, and his communications boss Seumas Milne.
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Labour general secretary Jennie Formby Ian Forsyth via Getty Images
“Jennie completely failed to grasp the reasons we lost the election,” they told HuffPost UK.
“They have even changed the candidates’ code of conduct to prevent leadership candidates from criticising Karie and Seumas.
“In the wake of the anti-Semitism scandal and everything that has gone wrong in the party, it’s laughable to try to silence those who want to try and take Labour forward now.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Queen Agrees 'Period Of Transition' To Allow Harry And Meghan To Start Their 'New Life'

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A “period of transition” has been agreed between the Queen and the Sussexes to allow Harry and Meghan to start their “new life”, a statement by the monarch has said.
Her Majesty said that she is “entirely supportive” of the decision by the duke and duchess to step back as “senior royals”, and said that the family had “constructive discussions” in a crunch meeting on Monday.
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The Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK as the arrangements are thrashed out.
The statement read: “Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.
“Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives.
“It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.
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“These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”
A statement from Her Majesty The Queen. https://t.co/IVSyfeojqk — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) January 13, 2020
The Queen was joined at Sandringham by the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge for the face-to-face talks with Harry.
It is unusual for the Queen to issue a statement in her own name – when not paying condolences after the death of a foreign head of state or sympathising following a natural disaster or terrorist attack.
The formal titles of the couple – the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – were not used by the monarch.
Earlier, William and Harry issued a joint statement denying a newspaper claim about the brothers’ relationship which they branded “offensive and potentially harmful”.
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The statement did not name the newspaper but the Times has a front page story about the crisis, and says a source told the publication that Harry and Meghan “regarded themselves as having been pushed away by what they saw as a bullying attitude from the Duke of Cambridge”.
The report goes on to say that these allegations have been contested by other sources close to the Cambridges and Harry.
A joint statement issued on behalf of the princes said: “Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge.
“For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.”
There has been much speculation about the relationship of the brothers who, a few years ago, were working closely together on charitable projects and lived yards from each other at Kensington Palace.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Zac Goldsmith Becomes Lord Of Richmond Park - Where Voters Ousted Him As An MP

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Two former Tory MPs including Boris Johnson’s friend Zac Goldsmith have been sworn into the House of Lords so they can keep their ministerial jobs.
Goldsmith, who was ousted by voters in the December election, has become Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the seat that he lost, and will keep his job as an environment and development minister.
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Nicky Morgan has been given the title Baroness Morgan of Cotes and unusually stays on as culture secretary in the cabinet, having decided to quit the Commons at the election citing “abuse” she suffered while Loughborough MP.
The prime minister has been criticised for elevating the ermine-clad Tories to the Lords, and in particular Goldsmith, who is a friend of Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds.
The environmental campaigner wore synthetic ermine for the swearing in, while Morgan opted for real fur, a Lords spokesperson confirmed.
Goldsmith was once a leading champion for giving voters greater power to oust MPs via a recall mechanism, asking in 2014: “do we trust our voters to hold us to account or not?”
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Morgan meanwhile told reporters during the election campaign that she had not been offered a peerage and once said she would refuse to serve in a Johnson government.
Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney, who ousted Goldsmith in Richmond Park, said: “Boris Johnson is making a mockery of his so called ‘people’s government’.
“This is the second week of parliament since the election and already Boris Johnson is rewarding his cronies with peerages.
“It is time we reformed the House of Lords as a wider package of electoral reform, rather than allowing the prime minister to use the unelected second chamber as a job centre for his friends.”
Zac Goldsmith is sworn in as a member of the House of Lords. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park will retain his post as environment minister while sitting in the Lords. PA Wire/PA Images
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Nicky Morgan, flanked by supporters Baroness Verma and Lord Young of Cookham, is sworn in as a member of the House of Lords. Baroness Morgan of Cotes quit the Commons in the December election but was given a seat in the upper house by Boris Johnson. PA Wire/PA Images
Willie Sullivan, senior director of the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), said: “Prime ministers can’t keep packing parliament with unelected legislators.
“The government must bring forward plans for a genuinely democratic revising chamber to replace this discredited private members’ club at last.
“The bloated House of Lords is rapidly becoming a home for defeated MPs rather than a serious scrutiny chamber. The public want and deserve an overhaul of the unelected Lords.”
ERS research from last year showed that more than a third of eligible peers (36.9%) were former politicians, political staff or activists.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--A Reminder: The Oscars Are Still Very White

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Perhaps the most shocking omission of this year’s Oscar nominations was a harbinger for what was to come: Jennifer Lopez did not receive a best supporting actress nomination for the box-office hit Hustlers kicking off what ended up being an almost entirely white field of acting nominations.
Only one actor of colour, best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo for Harriet was named among the 20 nominees in the Oscars’ four acting categories. (Best actor nominee Antonio Banderas, nominated for Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory is white.)
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For two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016, the Oscars selected an entirely white slate of acting nominees, sparking activist April Reign’s #OscarsSoWhite hashtag. Activism from Reign and many others prompted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to announce long-needed changes to promote a more inclusive membership.
But the latest nominations were a reminder that change, particularly at the top, can be very, very slow, and the academy can’t just rest on its laurels and pat itself on the back for incremental gains from year to year. So much change is often one step forward, two steps back. (See also: last year’s Best Picture win for Green Book.)
Unlike a couple of years ago, the Oscars this year had plenty more opportunities to nominate people of colour, as representation in Hollywood for people of colour — although still incremental — has grown, thanks in part to the activism of #OscarsSoWhite.
In addition to Lopez, there were a number of other worthy contenders in the running, including but not limited to: Lupita Nyong’o for Us, Awkwafina for The Farewell, Eddie Murphy for Dolemite Is My Name and Song Kang-ho for Parasite.
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Perhaps the saddest observation regarding 2020′s nominations was that the nearly all-white acting nominees were not exactly surprising. Many Oscar prognosticators were predicting that actors of colour would mostly be shut out, as the ones in the running weren’t considered front-runners or a sure bet.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Oscars 2020 Nominations: The 11 Biggest Snubs And Surprises

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In what has turned out to be a year of very few surprises, Joker is leading the pack at this year’s Oscar nominations, where it has landed an impressive 11 nominations.
Let’s be honest, though, it’s often the case that we care just as much about who hasn’t made the cut as who has, and this year there are more than a few glaring omissions on the list of nominees.
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These are the biggest snubs – and shocking additions – starting with the most obvious...
SNUB: Every single female director
Best Director
Broadimage/J Salangsang/Shutterstock
Listen, we don’t have much to say on this subject other than it’s a complete joke that, after so many women made intelligent and thought-provoking and fantastic films in 2019, not a single one of them has been recognised in the Best Director category.
We’ve already seen this complete oversight at the Golden Globes and the Baftas, and here we are again. In all honesty, it’s just not good enough.
Lulu Wang and Greta Gerwig are probably the women who’ve been most repeatedly tipped for Best Director this year (Greta was previously nominated for Lady Bird), but the list truly does go on: Lorene Scafaria, Alma Har’el, Olivia Wilde and even Frozen II co-director Jennifer Lee all did great work in the last 12 months, and their films deserve recognition just as much as their more-hyped male peers.
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If this unfortunate trend is going to continue – which, regrettably, it looks like it is – something is going to have to be done to ensure women’s work receives the same accolades and recognition as their male counterparts.
SNUB: Frozen II
Best Animated Film
Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
A Disney sequel is perhaps a bit of a weird one to be keeping an eye out for on an Oscars shortlist, but by the same token, it’s also a weird one to have been omitted in the Best Animated Film category.
In fact, of all of the individual snubs on this list, Frozen II’s absence feels like the most deliberate, particularly considering that other animated follow-ups like Toy Story 4 and even a How To Train Your Dragon sequel have made the cut.
It’s true that Frozen II hasn’t quite made the same impact as its predecessor, but it was received well enough upon its release that being snubbed does feel noteworthy.
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Still, it’s not all bad news, as Into The Unknown is up for Best Original Song, meaning we can look forward to another Idina Menzel performance (let’s just hope John Travolta isn’t doing the introduction this time).
SNUB: Jennifer Lopez
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lopez BarbaraNitke/Annapurna/STX/Kobal/Shutterstock
Remember that brief period back in 2019 when it really looked as though Jennifer Lopez – the former star of Monster-In-Law, The Wedding Planner and *shudders* Gigli – was actually going to be nominated for an Oscar?
Good times, those, weren’t they?
They weren’t just people joking around, either. Jenny From The Block’s performance in Hustlers might not have been a total stretch for the actress, but she did a brilliant job with the role, which was critically acclaimed by both and critics audiences.
So, it’s a shame to see her absent from this list – although at least it’s a relief that her portrayal of Ramona in Hustlers might be enough to help her land a few more credible roles in the future.
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SURPRISE: Kathy Bates
Best Supporting Actress
Magnus Sundholm/Shutterstock
Now, listen. We’re big fans of Kathy Bates here at HuffPost, OK? Misery? Loved it. American Horror Story? Brilliant stuff. Titanic? All over it (even if there was room on that door for two people).
Anyway, what we’re about to say is not to discredit or disrespect this fantastic, celebrated and acclaimed actor who has been excelling for decades. But was anyone else just... not aware that Richard Jewell existed?
Congratulations to her, obviously, we haven’t seen the film, but she more than likely deserves the nomination. She is, after all, extremely talented. But we won’t deny that we were a little surprised to see Kathy’s name on the shortlist, particularly in the absence of, for example, Zhao Shuzhen and J-Lo.
SNUB: Lupita Nyong’o
Best Actress
Universal
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Academy Award-winning star Lupita Nyong’o didn’t just play a character that put us through our emotional paces in Jordan Peele’s Us... she played two.
Right from the word “go”, Lupita was getting Oscar buzz around her two performances in the horror film, so it’s a real shame that this hasn’t translated into a nomination – particularly as her two roles were so markedly different.
Us was also one of our favourites from last year, so it’s a shame the entire thing has been paid dust, but we know that horror has always been a hard sell around awards season (which is also why Ari Aster is going his second year without any Oscar noms, despite a two-for-two track record).
SNUB: The Farewell
Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay
The Farewell A24
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Do you see that list above of categories we think The Farewell should have nominated in? That was us being restrained. We truly could have gone on and on.
The Farewell was probably the best film released in 2019, and while Lulu Wang and Zhao Shuzhen were always long-shots regarding whether the Academy would nominate them, we’re truly disappointed to see its leading star Awkwafina missed off the list completely – especially considering she just won Best Actress at the Golden Globes.
Still, with a Rising Star nomination at the upcoming Baftas (though, tellingly, no Best Actress nod), we’re positive she has a bright future. And if you haven’t seen The Farewell yet... please watch it.
SNUB: The Lion King
Best Original Song
Walt Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
Despite being touted as another of Disney’s “live-action remakes”, The Lion King was actually totally CGI, so it’s interesting that, like Frozen II, Disney declined to submit it for Best Animated Feature list (weirdly, it was previously nominated in that category at the Golden Globes).
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Still, even more shockingly is that Beyoncé’s contribution to the soundtrack, Spirit, has not made the cut on the Best Original Song list, despite that being – we can only assume – half of the allure of her taking on the project in the first place.
However, with rumours claiming Bey is in line to take on the next James Bond theme, 2021 could well be her year...
SURPRISE: Florence Pugh
Sony Pictures
Between female directors being completely overlooked and so many of our faves getting snubbed, there’s a lot to pick apart on this year’s Oscars shortlist, so we’re happy to see one of our faves getting the recognition she deserved.
We’ve been stanning Florence Pugh since around 2017, and loved her performance in Midsommar last year, so it feels amazing to be kicking off 2020 seeing her get an Oscar nomination to her name.
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Plus, Little Women was just lovely, so if Greta Gerwig isn’t going to get nominated for Best Director, we’re at least pleased to see two members of the cast have made the cut.
SNUB: Uncut Gems
Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Score
A24
Another snub for production company A24 – last year you couldn’t move for glowing reviews for Uncut Gems, signalling it as Adam Sandler’s big Oscars vehicle.
And yet, now the Netflix offering is here, and both the film and its star have been totally left out of the Oscars shortlist.
SNUB: Taron Egerton
David Appleby/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
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Had Bohemian Rhapsody not performed so well at the Oscars last year (where leading man Rami Malek scooped Best Actor, no less), we probably wouldn’t have tipped Taron Egerton for such big things in what would be Dexter Fletcher’s follow-up biopic, Rocketman.
That being said, he just picked up Best Actor at the Golden Globes, which he’s also been nominated for at the Baftas, so it’s unusual to see he’s been left off the list at the Oscars.
SNUB: Taylor Swift
Best Original Song
Universal Pictures
Like the aforementioned Beyoncé, we can only guess that the promise of a Best Original Song nod was the big draw for Taylor to be associated with Cats, so we can only hope that her recent Golden Globe nomination made those scathing reviews worth it...
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The 2020 Oscars will take place on Sunday 9 February.
Want to watch the Oscars live? Sky is screening the event on its Sky Cinema Oscars channel or you can sign up for a seven-day free trial for a Sky Cinema pass from Now TV.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Love Island Kicks Off With Bombshell Arrival | Love Island Unpacked

Love Island Kicks Off With Bombshell Arrival | Love Island Unpacked
Let our resident Love Island expert, Ash Percival, break down the latest in the villa – the contestants are in there, but what they were, but what they weren't expecting was two (identical) bombshells.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Labour Leadership: Emily Thornberry Through To Next Stage Of Contest

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Emily Thornberry has made it though to the next stage of the Labour leadership contest, after securing the 22 MP and MEP nominations needed to make it through to the next round at the last minute.
The candidates to succeed Jeremy Corbyn had until 2.30pm on Monday to reach the threshold.
It means the battle to become leader will be between Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips and Thornberry.
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Nominations
Rebecca Long-Bailey: 33 Lisa Nandy: 31 Jess Phillips: 23 Keir Starmer: 89 Emily Thornberry: 23
Clive Lewis, the shadow Treasury minister, pulled out of the contest shortly before the deadline this afternoon having accepted he would not receive the required number of nominations.
In the race for deputy party leader, leftwinger Richard Burgon also managed to scrape into the next round shortly before the deadline.
He joins favourite Angela Rayner, Rosena Allin Khan, Dawn Butler and Ian Murray.
The leadership candidates must now get the nominations of 5% of all constituency Labour parties or three Labour affiliates – of which at least two must be trade unions – comprising at least 5% of the fully paid-up affiliate membership.
The freeze date for new members to join and be eligible to vote is January 20.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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People will also be able to join as a registered supporter for a fee of £25 provided they are on the electoral register and meet the qualification criteria for membership of the party.
Applications to become a registered supporter open at 5pm on January 14 and close at 5pm on January 16.
The second stage of nominations from constituency parties and affiliates then opens on January 15 and runs to February 14.
The ballot of members and registered supporters opens the following week on February 21, closing at midday on April 2.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Richard Burgon Through To Next Stage Of Labour Deputy Leadership Contest

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon Gareth Fuller - PA Images via Getty Images
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon has made it into the next stage of the Labour deputy leadership contest at the last minute.
The Leeds East MP managed to secure nominations from 22 parliamentary colleagues by Monday’s 2.30pm deadline, taking him through to the next stage of the race.
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A favourite among supporters of exiting party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Burgon’s chances of success had looked far from certain – at midday on Monday he was still four short of the required threshold.
Among his backers are shadow chancellor John McDonnell, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and Labour Party chair Ian Lavery.
Burgon, who has been an MP since 2015, promised to be a “campaigning” deputy leader should he win, claiming to take inspiration from John Prescott, who served in the same position under former PM Tony Blair.
Also through to the next round are shadow education secretary Angela Rayner, shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler, Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan and Ian Murray, Labour’s only remaining MP in Scotland.
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In the race for the leadership, Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips and Emily Thornberry all made it though to the next round.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Love Island Receives Ofcom Complaints Over Contestant Ollie Williams

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Love Island has been back for all of one episode, but it has already attracted Ofcom complaints.
More than 200 people have complained to the TV watchdog about contestant Ollie Williams, who was caught up in a press controversy over the weekend, in the lead-up to his entrance into the villa.
The Cornish land owner was the subject of a story in The Sun that revealed pictures of him posing with dead animals.
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The photos showed the 23-year-old posing next to a dead warthog, water buffalo and giant eland, with the paper claiming he had been promoting his hunting business Cornish Sporting Agency.
Love Island's Ollie Williams ITV
The Instagram account on which the pictures were allegedly posted was deleted prior to the announcement that Ollie – the heir to the Lanhydrock Estate in Cornwall – was one of this year’s Love Island contestants.
However, there have been conflicting reports about the nature of the pictures, with an unnamed “source” apparently close to the reality star also telling The Sun he “was involved in the culling of sick animals”.
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They were quoted as saying: “It is categorically untrue to suggest Ollie is involved in hunting for sport. Ollie is a passionate conservationist and worked with an anti-poaching unit in Mozambique.
“Conservation is crucial to the survival of animals and as part of that work Ollie was involved in the culling of sick animals who were a threat to the health of the herd.
“There is a very big and important difference between trophy hunting and the conversation work Ollie has previously been involved in.
“At no point has Ollie organised or booked anybody to go to Africa to shoot game.”
But according to Metro, that has not stopped 231 people complaining to Ofcom about Ollie’s inclusion on the line-up.
Ollie was caught up in controversy over pictures showing him posing with dead animals ITV
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As is standard procedure, the regulator will now assess the complaints before deciding whether or not to investigate.
A petition calling for Ollie’s removal from the villa has also been gathering pace.
As of Monday afternoon, more than 18,000 people have signed the Change.org petition, which says he should “not be allowed to take part or compete in the Love Island series”.
ITV declined to comment when contacted by HuffPost UK.
Love Island host Laura Whitmore has already spoken out about the pictures of Ollie, saying they “really upset” her.
Love Island host Laura Whitmore ITV
She told The Sun: “I saw pictures of one Islander when I came back to London that did really upset me.
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“It did make me sad. I just want to acknowledge that.”
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Clive Lewis Pulls Out Of Labour Leadership Contest

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Those who win the support of 22 MPs and MEPs, must then get the nominations of 5% of all constituency Labour parties or three Labour affiliates – of which at least two must be trade unions – comprising at least 5% of the fully paid-up affiliate membership.
The freeze date for new members to join and be eligible to vote is January 20.
People will also be able to join as a registered supporter for a fee of £25 provided they are on the electoral register and meet the membership qualification criteria of membership of the party.
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Applications to become a registered supporter open at 5pm on January 14 and close at 5pm on January 16.
The second stage of nominations from constituency parties and affiliates then opens on January 15 and runs to February 14.
The ballot of members and registered supporters opens the following week on February 21, closing at midday on Thursday April 2.
The result will be announced on April 4 at a special conference in London.
Clive Lewis has pulled out of the Labour leadership contest after he looked unlikely to secure the 22 MP and MEP nominations needed to make it through to the next round.
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Heartfelt thanks to everyone who’s supported me this far. But know my contribution to this election isn’t over. I’m going to continue to fight, inside and outside of the Labour Party, to ensure our future looks very different from our past. — Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) January 13, 2020
The candidates to succeed Jeremy Corbyn had until 2.30pm on Monday to reach the threshold.
Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips and Emily Thornberry are the remaining candidates.
Lewis said he was standing aside “in the spirit of pluralism, diversity and generosity”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Oscars 2020 Nominations: Joker Leads The Year's Top Films Ahead Of The Irishman And Once Upon A Time

Oscars 2020 Nominations: Joker Leads The Year's Top Films Ahead Of The Irishman And Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

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The wait is almost over, and this year’s Oscars winners are about to be revealed.
Joker is leading the pack this year with 11 nominations, while The Irishman, 1917 and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood each have 10.
Among the British nominees are Florence Pugh from Little Women, Cynthia Eviro from Harriet, The Two Popes stars Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce and film director Sam Mendes.
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Joaquin Phoenix, Renée Zellweger, Brad Pitt and Laura Dern have also received acting recognition, after all four of them enjoyed huge success at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Baftas and Critics Choice Awards earlier in awards season.
Essentially, we’re predicting big things for them.
Joker, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and The Irishman are the top nominees at this year's Oscars Warner Bros/Sony Pictures/Netflix/Shutterstock
Regrettably, despite a strong showing from filmmakers like Greta Gerwig and Lulu Wang, no women WERE nominated in the Best Director category, as was the case at the Golden Globes and Baftas this year.
Check out the full list of 2020 Oscar nominees below...
Best Picture
1917
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Le Mans ’66
Little Women
Marriage Story
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Parasite
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)
Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)
Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
Renée Zellweger (Judy)
Best Actor
Antonio Banderas (Pain And Glory)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell)
Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit)
Florence Pugh (Little Women)
Margot Robbie (Bombshell)
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood)
Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes)
Al Pacino (The Irishman)
Joe Pesci (The Irishman)
Brad Pitt (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Best Director
Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
Todd Philips (Joker)
Sam Mendes (1917)
Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Bon Joon-ho (Parasite)
Best International Feature Film
Corpus Christi (Poland)
Honeyland (North Macedonia)
Les Misérables (France)
Pain And Glory (Spain)
Parasite (South Korea)
Best Animated Feature Film
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4
Best Original Song
Toy Story 4
Rocketman
I’m Standing With You (Breakthrough)
Into The Unknown (Frozen II)
Stand Up (Harriet)
Best Cinematography
1917
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Original Screenplay
1917
Knives Out
Marriage Story
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Parasite
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes
Best Original Score
1917
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Best Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Production Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
1917
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Parasite
Best Editing
Le Mans ’66
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Parasite
Best Visual Effects
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
1917
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
1917
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil
Best Sound Mixing
1917
Ad Astra
Joker
Le Mans ’66
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Sound Editing
1917
Le Mans ’66
Joker
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Best Live-Action Short
Brotherhood
Nefta Football Club
The Neighbors’ Window
Saria
A Sister
Best Animated Short
Dcera (Daughter)
Hair Love
Kitbull
Memorable
Sister
Best Documentary Feature
American Factory
The Cave
The Edge Of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland
Best Documentary Short
In The Absence
Learning To Skateboard In A Warzone (If You’re A Girl)
Life Overtakes Me
St Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha
This year’s Oscars will take place on Sunday 9 February.
Want to watch the Oscars live? Sky is screening the event on its Sky Cinema Oscars channel or you can sign up for a seven-day free trial for a Sky Cinema pass from Now TV.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Philippines Volcano: Thousands Flee Their Homes As Lava Gushes From Taal Volcano

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Red-hot lava gushed out of a volcano near the Philippine capital as tens of thousands of people fled the area through heavy ash and frightening tremors.
Experts warned that the eruption of Taal – one of the world’s smallest active volcanoes – could get worse. With the volcano sitting on an island in the middle of a lake, there are also fears that the eruption could trigger a tsunami.
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Over the weekend, the volcano spewed huge clouds of ash that reached Manila, around 45 miles away.
It meant that all flights into and out of the capital city’s international airport were suspended on Sunday night “due to volcanic ash in the vicinity of the airport”.
A family rides through clouds of ash as they evacuate to safer ground from the area near Taal ASSOCIATED PRESS
The government’s disaster-response agency and police said about 30,000 villagers had already moved to 38 evacuation centres in Batangas and Cavite, with the numbers expected to swell as more attempt to move out of harm’s way.
However, while some residents could not move out of ash-blanketed villages due to a lack of transport and poor visibility, officials said others refused to leave their homes and farms.
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“We have a problem, our people are panicking due to the volcano because they want to save their livelihood, their pigs and herds of cows,” Wilson Maralit, the mayor of nearby Balete town, told DZMM radio.
“We’re trying to stop them from returning and warning that the volcano can explode again anytime and hit them.”
A man rides his motorcycle along an ash-covered road as they evacuate the area near the Taal volcano ASSOCIATED PRESS
Taal had been restive for months until it suddenly rumbled back to life on Sunday, blasting steam, ash and pebbles six to nine miles into the sky, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
The ash and steam column reached a height of around a mile on Monday, with lava fountains spurting less than half of that height before falling into lake waters surrounding the main crater.
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Lava also spurted from another vent north of the main crater, Renato Solidum, who heads the institute, told reporters.
Frequent tremors and inflation of the 311-metre volcano indicate a major and much more dangerous eruption could still happen, he said.
The government volcano-monitoring agency raised the danger level around Taal three notches on Sunday, to level 4, indicating “a hazardous eruption within hours to days was possible”.
Level 5, the highest, means such an eruption is under way and could affect a larger area with high-risk zones that would need to be cleared of people.
A child living at the foot of Taal volcano rides a canoe while the volcano spews ash TED ALJIBE via Getty Images
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It is difficult to say when Taal’s activity might settle, Solidum said, adding that the volcano’s last disastrous explosion occurred in 1965, when more than 200 people were killed.
Taal is among two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines, which lies along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-13--Doctor's Surgery Trials Group GP Sessions. Could It Catch On?

woojpn via Getty Images Would you attend a group doctor's appointment?
With GP appointments becoming as rare as gold dust, one doctor’s practice is trialling a new way to offer patients the support they need – under pretty stretched circumstances.
With increasing numbers of people nationwide waiting up to three weeks for a doctor’s appointment, Parchmore Medical Centre in southwest London is offering group GP appointments where multiple patients can have a health lesson, of sorts, with a medical professional – and rather than 10 minutes or less, it lasts over an hour.
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The group appointment isn’t for diagnosing issues, but rather for monitoring patients’ health and informing them on lifestyle changes and treatment plans that could help in the future.
Dr Zoe Williams, from BBC show Trust Me I’m A Doctor, spoke to one of the clinic’s patients, Anthony, who had weight and blood pressure issues. He attended a group session with six other people with weight issues or pre-diabetes, which lasted an hour and a half.
The appointment began with a facilitator going around the room taking patients’ measurements and speaking to them about any questions they wanted answering in the session. Patient details such as body mass index (BMI), body measurements and blood pressure were written up on a board in front of the group, so the GP could lead a discussion around them.
During this time, patients opened up about related symptoms and issues they’d been experiencing – ranging from gut health to mental health issues. The idea of a group session is nothing new for the NHS, which already runs group talking therapy sessions for people with poor mental health. During sessions, people learn techniques to cope with mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
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The group sessions are generally used to discuss long-term health conditions, such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They typically last around 90 minutes, with a clinician in the room for half that time. The rest of the session is led by a facilitator.
A spokesperson for the NHS Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group, under Parchmore falls, told HuffPost UK the number of sessions a patient attends depends on the individual’s availability and the practice’s schedule.
“A group consultation would be recommended to patients living with a long term condition, depending on what conditions the GP practice is able to provide group consultations for,” they said. “Group consultations are offered after diagnosis, and after discussing the format with the person.”
Parchmore has also been leading the charge on “community prescribing” in an attempt to free up GPs’ time. The trial has seen patients sent to fitness classes, debt lessons and housing advice sessions in community centres, churches and pubs, the Guardian reported.
It came after doctors from the practice reported that every third appointment involved an issue they were not qualified to help with.
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In the year leading to July 2018, Parchmore saw a 20% reduction in hospital outpatient referrals and a 4% drop in emergency hospital admissions from its practice.
There is no plan to end one-to-one appointments, the spokesperson told HuffPost UK, and said that group sessions simply “add something extra” for patients. “Patients are not obliged to attend group consultations, they can continue to review their condition on a 1:1 basis with their GP should they wish.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Will Huawei Prove That Boris Johnson Is Not Trump’s Lapdog?

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My way, or the Huawei?
Boris Johnson famously quit Theresa May’s government because he felt her soft Brexit would turn the UK into a ‘vassal state’ of the European Union. But now that he’s PM himself, is Johnson in danger of handing British sovereignty instead to the United States? If Tony Blair was George Bush’s poodle, is Johnson now Donald Trump’s pet chihuahua?
Well, judging by today, the evidence is mixed. Certainly, the prime minister has made a strong alliance with Trump his number one foreign policy priority. And perhaps more than any other world leader, Trump gets on famously with the British PM. In that context, his remarks to BBC Breakfast about Iran felt like yet another lovebombing of the White House.
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Sitting in his No.10 ‘den’ for a live interview, Johnson bent over backwards to flatter Trump. Asked about the getting no prior warning of the air strike on Qasem Soleimani, he said ”there was no reason for us to be notified” (even though the fall-out immediately put British troops and assets in Iraq at risk).
On the Iran nuclear deal that Trump has so heavily criticised, the PM trotted out the US administration’s line better than Sarah Huckerbee Sanders. He was careful to preface his remarks by saying “from the American perspective”, but then said “it’s a flawed agreement, it expires, plus it was negotiated by President Obama” that “has many faults”.
Clearly on a roll, Johnson added: “Well, if we’re going to get rid of it, let’s replace it - and let’s replace it with the Trump deal. President Trump is a great deal maker by his own account and many others. Let’s work together to replace the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action] and get the Trump deal instead.”
He undertook a similar wooing operation towards Trump at the UN last September, but went even further back then, saying Obama’s plan was “a bad deal...it had many defects”. Yet within hours, foreign secretary Dominic Raab was saying the UK wanted to “preserve” the Obama deal and No.10 said it was “fully committed” to it.
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While Downing Street tried to insist there was “no contradiction” between being committed to a deal and wanting to replace it with something better, it didn’t take Emily Thornberry long to make exactly that charge in the Commons. Even putting aside Thornberry’s attack on “toddler Trump”, she had a point when she said Johnson seemed to be hoping for “some mythical Trump deal”.
What’s really strange about Johnson’s stance, however, is that the UK government still firmly believes in the Obama deal (the Foreign Office worked incredibly hard with fellow Europeans to strike the deal back in 2015), warts and all. While it is far from perfect, no major international agreement is perfect, HMG believes. As our diplomats would say, that’s, er, diplomacy. The UK has a ‘hierarchy’ of concerns about Iran. Stopping it from getting a nuclear bomb is top, and the deal reflects that above all else.
In today triggering the Obama deal’s ‘disputes resolution mechanism’ (in response to Iran restarting its limits on enriched uranium, which was in turn caused by Trump’s sanctions), the UK, Germany and France were keen on stressing this wasn’t about imposing any automatic new sanctions. Instead, it was about proving the deal can still work - and seemed to be about sending a message to Washington as much as Tehran.
The UK knows the Obama deal is the only deal on the table and wants the Americans to explain what their alternative is. The real explanation is in heaping praise on Trump’s negotiating skills, Johnson is trying to get the president back down that diplomatic route, having already urged him to ‘dial down’ the tensions in the region. It appears supportive, but actually puts the onus on the US to come up with a solution. The problem is that after months of attempts at persuasion, a Trump ‘deal’ still remains distant.
Still, Johnson is preparing to stand up to Trump over Huawei, it seems. In what felt to me like a carefully planned softening-up exercise ahead of a final decision, MI5’s Sir Andrew Parker went on record yesterday to say he didn’t think allowing the Chinese firm limited access to our 5G network would create a problem for intelligence sharing.
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Today, Johnson let slip his own exasperation with Washington. Johnson put it pithily: “The British public deserve to have access to the best possible technology…if people oppose one brand or another then they have to tell us what’s the alternative, right?”
In a nutshell, if we don’t allow Huawei access, Britain faces higher costs and risks associated with the only two other firms (Nokia and SonyEricsson) that can deliver the tech. In an echo of the line on Iran, the UK is challenging the Americans to say what a viable alternative looks like (and right now, there isn’t one).
UK government sources are also withering about US claims overnight that there is some new ‘dossier’ of evidence against Huawei. Our intelligence agencies are fully aware of all that, and still clearly think this is a manageable risk. Johnson knows he’s going to get both barrels from Trump if he goes ahead with Huawei, but it’s looking like we won’t defer this decision for much longer.
If the PM does indeed refuse to join Australia and New Zealand (the only other countries in the world to bow to Trump pressure), he’ll have proved he is not the president’s lapdog after all - and have stood up for our own agencies and officials. Johnson won’t want to embarrass Trump by making his decision ahead of an election-year trip to the White House next month, and may delay his announcement until after all the ‘best buddies’ photocalls and overseas credibility he can lend the president.
It was a young presidential contender back in 2017, a little-known chap called Emmanuel Macron, who taunted Theresa May that Brexit would leave Britain as the ‘vassal state’ of America. Some Trump critics over the Atlantic think that ‘America First’ means he only treats other states as either ‘vassals’ or ‘enemies’. On Iran and on Huawei, we’ll find out this year whether there’s any third way for Johnson.
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Tuesday Cheat Sheet
Business secretary Andrea Leadsom tweeted the news that the government had stepped in to help rescue regional airline Flybe, after talks with its shareholders.
Boris Johnson said that the government was “working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong” to mark Brexit at 11pm on January 31. His official spokesman later said “there isn’t a specific government fund” to interrupt Westminster restoration works to allow the bell to toll. Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said it would cost more than £500,000.
Labour started its 48-hour period for the public to sign up as ‘registered supporters’, giving them full voting rights in the party leadership and deputy leadership elections. Applicants must pay a fee of £25.
The PM formally rejected Nicola Sturgeon’s call for Holyrood to be given the power to hold another vote on Scottish independence. Sturgeon said Johnson was “terrified of Scotland’s right to choose”.
Lord Alf Dubs told HuffPost UK he is “worried” that ministers could water down their promise to protect lone child refugees after Brexit.
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Labour peer Lord Lea was suspended from the party’s group of peers after the standards commissioner found he had harassed two women. He will receive ‘training’ to prevent further misconduct.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Big Ben: There Are Demands For The Bell To Bong For Brexit And Some People Are Losing The Will To Li

Big Ben: There Are Demands For The Bell To Bong For Brexit And Some People Are Losing The Will To Live

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Brexit has had many twists and turns - but will it be marked with Big Ben’s bongs?
This is the debate occupying the great minds of the political class as 2020 gets into full swing in the UK.
More than three years after the 2016 referendum, the UK will finally leave the EU at the end of January. At 11pm on January 31, to be precise.
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Brexiteers such as Nigel Farage will be celebrating and think it is fitting that the bell in Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower - known as Big Ben - should ring out to distinguish this seminal moment in Britain’s history.
But there is a problem. Big Ben is currently not chiming at all due to major restoration works and prime minister Boris Johnson has said the government will not fund a one-off Brexit bong.
It is thought the standalone chimes would cost £500,000 - or £45,454 per bong for the 11 bongs - as Big Ben’s clapper must be temporarily re-installed.
The government have rejected my idea for them to underwrite the cost of Big Ben bonging on Jan 31st.
If they were enthusiastic about celebrating Brexit and not embarrassed by it, they would make this commitment. https://t.co/Lvuj62s7Ml — Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) January 14, 2020
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Johnson initially suggested that the Great British public might like to club together to fund the bongs.
He told the BBC in his first big interview of the year/decade: “We are working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong.
“Because as everybody knows Big Ben is being refurbished they seem to have taken the clapper away, so we need to restore the clapper in order to bong Big Ben on Brexit night.
“That is expensive, so we’re looking at whether people can fund it.”
But Downing Street was forced to later admit that there was no specific organised page and take-up of his offer has so far been limited, with various crowdfunding pages struggling to break the £500 mark between them.
There are currently 22 individual crowdfunder pages on GoFundMe to raise funds to ring Big Ben on Jan 31.
Between them, 11 people have donated £485. — Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) January 14, 2020
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Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice suggested the government should fork out for the chimes, because they would “bring the nation together”.
And if snark and outrage were cash, the public would have their bongs for sure, because neither was in short supply.
Richard Tice just said on @LBC that Big Ben bonging for Brexit will ‘bring the nation together’.
What planet are these people on? — Damon Evans (@damocrat) January 14, 2020
Look if listening to the sounds of a hastily-restored clock bell ringing out in a small, non-residential area of London doesn't heal the political divisions in our country, it is hard to say what will. — Stig Abell (@StigAbell) January 14, 2020
There were also some creative suggestions for alternative ways for Big Ben to bong.
Instead of paying a fortune to have Big Ben bong on Brexit night, there are two simple alternatives:
1. Play a recording of Big Ben bongs
2. Everyone celebrating in Parliament Square brings their own bell to ring. Wouldn’t that be more fun? — Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) January 14, 2020
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Why would it cost £500,000 to make Big Ben bong? Can’t I go up there with a loudspeaker? Or just shout BONG at the top of my voice (I’ve got quite a big gob)? — Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) January 14, 2020
Why does it cost so much money to ring a bell?? I will do it for a tenner and a nandos. — Rachael Ward (@rachaelwrd) January 14, 2020
Others made some more serious points.
My best mate on whether we should spend £500,000 to make Big Ben bong on Brexit Day:
It's f**** pathetic. They could spend that cash on literally anything else. It would genuinely be more useful if they got a bunch of homeless people and set fire to it so at least they'd be warm. — Femi (@Femi_Sorry) January 14, 2020
Guarantee that the people willing to contribute towards Big Ben going bong for brexit at the cost of £45,454 per bong are the exact same people who look at news of hungry kids across the UK and think “yeah this is sad but I don’t want it solved if it means paying more tax” — James Felton (@JimMFelton) January 14, 2020
EU campaigner James Melville, meanwhile, wanted to use bong-gate to spark pro-EU defiance.
Why don’t we start a crowdfunder to hire the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to play the EU anthem ‘Ode to Joy’ on a boat on the Thames and light up the London Eye with the EU flag at 11pm on January 31st as a touché to the Big Ben bongs for Brexit. pic.twitter.com/x2ulqdZXzr — James Melville (@JamesMelville) January 14, 2020
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We believe that this tweet speaks for the silent majority.
OK, could some sensible Brexiteers please stand up and draw a line under this Big Ben madness. — (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) January 14, 2020
There are government plans to mark Britain’s exit from the European Union with festivities on January 31, with specific plans to be unveiled in the coming days
The PM’s official spokesman said there was not a “specific government fund” to meet the costs, but added: “If the public wants Big Ben to bong and the money is raised, then that is great.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Government Says No Taxpayer Money Injected Into Flybe To Save Airline

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The government has agreed a rescue deal to save ailing regional airline Flybe - but ministers insisted the bail-out does not include an injection of taxpayers’ cash
In a significant intervention by Boris Johnson’s new Conservative administration, ministers told the airline they would review air passenger duty (APD) while its shareholders would pump in additional investment in order to save the business.
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The review of the tax, which is estimated to be £106 million this year, was seen as crucial to keeping the firm afloat.
Environmental groups have warned cutting APD would hamper efforts to combat the climate crisis while airlines claim that it restricts connectivity and passenger growth.
Flybe’s shareholders agreed to a cash investment – understood to be in the region on tens of millions of pounds – to keep Europe’s largest regional carrier in business “alongside government initiatives”.
The airline would not comment when asked if the Treasury had separately agreed to the deferral of a portion of the airline’s outstanding tax bill over a period of months.
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Transport secretary Grant Shapps said APD worked “slightly oddly”, adding “it costs twice as much to fly within the country as it does to fly to for example France and back”.
Passengers on domestic flights pay £26 in APD for a return trip, with higher rates for longer flights and premium cabins.
The tax is expected to be worth £3.7 billion to the Treasury in 2019/20.
Shapps added the taxpayer had not paid any money into the firm. Ministers have also said they will review “regional connectivity”.
The emergency agreement seeks to prevent Flybe, which employs 2,400 staff, becoming the second UK carrier to fail in four months after Thomas Cook went bust in September.
Delighted that we have reached agreement with Flybe’s shareholders to keep the company operating, ensuring that U.K. regions remain connected. This will be welcome news for Flybe’s staff, customers and creditors and we will continue the hard work to ensure a sustainable future. — Andrea Leadsom MP (@andrealeadsom) January 14, 2020
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Business secretary Andrea Leadsom said she was “delighted that we have managed to reach an agreement with Flybe shareholders to keep the company in operation”.
Flybe chief executive Mark Anderson welcomed the deal as a “positive outcome for the UK” which “will allow us to focus on delivering for our customers and planning for the future”.
Flybe’s shareholders Connect Airways, a consortium including Virgin Atlantic, Stobart Group and Cyrus Capital Partners, will put in more funding as part of the agreement.
Connect Airways chairman Lucien Farrell said: “We are very encouraged with recent developments, especially the government’s recognition of the importance of Flybe to communities and businesses across the UK, and the desire to strengthen regional connectivity.
“As a result, the shareholder consortium has committed to keep Flybe flying with additional funding alongside government initiatives.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Does Canada Have A Responsibility To Pay For Harry And Meghan?

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Justin Trudeau’s Office says Canada has “responsibilities” to support the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s eventual move to Canada, but it remains unclear what financial obligations Canada has when it comes to their security costs.
The prime minister told Global News on Monday the federal government is “obviously supportive” of Meghan and Harry’s decision to relocate part-time to Canada. No decisions have been made about the potential millions in security costs that may be funded by the public purse.
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Watch Trudeau’s response below. Story continues after video.
“There are still a lot of decisions to be taken by the Royal Family, by the Sussexes themselves as to what level of engagement they choose to have,” Trudeau said, when asked if Canadians would be picking up the tab.
“We’re not entirely sure what the final decisions will be,” adding that he thinks most Canadians are “very supportive” of having royals choose Canada as their new part-time home.
No discussions yet: finance minister
Finance minister Bill Morneau said Monday that, as a member of the Commonwealth, Canada is “obviously” looking to play a role but that there have been no discussions on the matter.
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The Queen confirmed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will split their time between Canada and the UK. Her statement comes a week after the pair announced their plan to “step back” from their senior roles within the Royal Family.
Their indeterminate roles within the Royal Family, combined with their expressed desire to not be “reliant on public funds in their new lives,” have raised questions about who should pay for their security after they settle in Canada.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stand with High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom Janice Charette as they leave after their visit to Canada House in London on Jan. 7, 2020. POOL New / Reuters
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s eventual move to Canada has already ruffled the feathers of some Canadians, irritated by the idea of tax dollars being used to pay for the royals’ security costs. Their security costs are covered by British taxpayers when they’re in the UK.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) must provide protection services to members of the Royal Family during official visits. Mounties are obligated to provide security for Canadian and foreign dignitaries, at major events such as royal visits, and on select international and domestic flights.
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But as future residents of Canada with unclear roles within the Royal Family, it’s unclear if the Duke and Duchess would qualify for continual RCMP protection.
Internationally Protected Persons (IPP), a class of dignitaries and their families, defined under international law are also eligible for “special protection” by RCMP protective services under international law.
Prince Harry does not immediately appear to meet the eligibility criteria for who would be considered an Internationally Protected Persons (IPP), as defined under the Criminal Code. The Code’s definition of an IPP includes:
A head of state, including any member of a collegial body that performs the functions of a head of state under the constitution of the state concerned, a head of a government or a minister of foreign affairs, whenever that person is in a state other than the state in which he holds that position or office;
A member of the family of a person described who accompanies that person in a state other than the state in which that person holds that position or office.
Though the Sussexes may not automatically be eligible for RCMP security in Canada, there’s another avenue that allows the federal government to make the final call.
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Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair speaks during question period in the House of Commons on Dec. 10, 2019. Blair Gable / Reuters
According to the RCMP, the public safety minister has the authority to grant protection to designated people.
The RCMP are tightlipped about what their obligations would be for incoming Royals taking residence in Canada. Cpl. Caroline Duval told HuffPost Canada the national police force “would not confirm or speculate on any present or future personal protection measures.”
It still remains unclear what financial agreement the Duke and Duchess will strike with the family as they settle into their new lives in Canada. The reality is that round-the-clock security doesn’t come cheap.
Meghan and Harry’s eight-day family visit to British Columbia and the Yukon back in 2016 cost taxpayers nearly $2 million (around £1.2m) in security costs, including travel expenses and overtime.
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A royal security detail also apparently does no favours in securing tables.
A North Saanich restaurant reportedly turned down a request from the royal couple to dine at the waterfront restaurant because of the amount of security that would have been required to secure the premises.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-14--Lord Dubs Says Ministers' Pledge To Protect Child Refugees 'Not Watertight'

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Lord Alf Dubs has said he is “worried” that ministers’ promise to protect lone child refugees after Brexit is currently too “pie in the sky” to believe and could be watered down.
Ministers have responded to criticism of Boris Johnson’s decision to strip from his Brexit deal protections of family reunion rights for child refugees by insisting they will restore them in the forthcoming immigration bill.
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But Lord Dubs, who came to the UK on a kindertransport as a child refugee fleeing the Nazis, told HuffPost UK he was “worried” that ministers’ promise to allow child refugees to be reunited with “specified family members” after Brexit could signal a tightening of the rules.
The charity Safe Passage has described the language as “extremely ominous”, warning it could mean child refugees only being allowed to join parents and not other family members like siblings.
Lord Dubs met Home Office officials on Monday evening but said they failed to reassure him.
He will now look to force a defeat on Johnson’s government in a crunch Lords vote on his child refugees amendment early next week.
“Given I’ve committed up to the hilt there would have to be something fantastically clear cut and they’ve given me nothing except pie in the sky,” the Labour peer told HuffPost UK.
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“I’m worried about it.
“They might worry about the definition when it comes back.”
He added: “I’m not convinced this is sufficiently watertight. This could change – all sorts of things could happen.”
Afghan children ride their bicycles in a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, in February 2016 ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lord Dubs also raised concerns that the assurances given by Brexit minister Brandon Lewis may be worth nothing after Johnson carries out a major reshuffle of his team next month.
“I said: ‘I trust you, I don’t trust the government, and you might not be ministers in the same jobs in two months,’” the peer said.
“If they wanted to do it, they could give me a better assurance. They could give me something much more clear cut.
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“I think it’s ill advised – I think they are scoring an own goal.
“Because this went through, it’s very straightforward and if you are taking it out of the bill you are sending a signal you are not interested in child refugees, even if you are.”
Lord Alf Dubs joins campaigners from Safe Passage UK and Lord Alf Dubs Children Fund at a demonstration in Parliament Square, London in June 2019 SIPA USA/PA Images
Lord Dubs said ministers told him they did not want parliament to tie their hands in the upcoming negotiations on a long-term UK-EU relationship.
“That’s disgraceful, because then they are saying they want to use child refugees as a negotiating chip,” he said.
“They did say to me they want flexibility in the negotiations but that makes it a negotiating chip.”
He added: “To suggest they should then negotiate the rights of refugee children against something else is, I think, scandalous.”
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Even if Lord Dubs’ amendment passes in the Lords, MPs will almost certainly overturn it given Johnson’s 80-seat majority.
But the peer said he was in contact with Conservatives who are concerned about the government’s approach.
“Some of them may speak against the government, but I don’t think many will vote – I think they will just abstain,” he said.
“Some of them have said to me they are having discussions behind the scenes with the government because they are not happy.”
Lord Dubs added: “These are kids who are sitting in terrible conditions in what’s left of the Jungle in Calais, sleeping under tarpaulins in trees, or in terrible conditions on the Greek islands. These are awful circumstances.”
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In response, security minister Brandon Lewis said: “I welcomed the opportunity to meet with Lord Dubs and reaffirm our commitment to seeking an agreement with the EU for the family reunion of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. We do not require the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to achieve this.