thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Does The World Really Need A New Borat Film?

In the year that the first Borat film came out, Hannah Montana premiered, Facebook opened to the public and YouTube had recently celebrated its first birthday. George W. Bush was president, and Tony Blair was still prime minister.
Social media was very much in its infancy in 2006. The first tweet was sent eight months earlier, and Instagram was still four years away.
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Out of this transitional world of internet discovery popped Borat, the satirical Kazakh journalist headed to destroy middle America, played by British comedian and actor Sacha Baron Cohen.
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Borat was a smash hit, scoring 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing £260 million worldwide. The character was appealing: he probed Americans and exposed bigotry, racism and homophobia. It felt fresh. But how will the eccentric besuited Kazakh partial to a naked wrestle fair in a post-woke, post-Me Too society that has moved the goalposts in terms of what it expects from its comedy?
In 2016 Sacha Baron Cohen implied time may be up for the character in an interview with The Telegraph. “I wonder now if I had taken Borat to a studio, whether the studio would actually say ‘yeah you can make Borat,’ or I would have to change Kazakhstan to a mythical country,” he wondered, articulating the thoughts of many Borat detractors who found the character offensive in the first place.
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Fast forward to 2020, and Borat Sagdiyev, to give him his full name, has joined social media, embracing the latest TikTok trends. He has also been spotted driving a truck around Los Angeles, and then at a Mike Pence rally for the Trump 2020 presidential race.
Then came the release date of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan as October 23rd 2020.
Somehow, under lockdown, Borat has been reprised.
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In a rare interview with the New York Times, Sacha Baron Cohen drip-fed some early details about the new film. Borat will relieve himself on some flowers in front of the Trump hotel in New York, keep his daughter in a cage (she wonders, ‘Is it nicer than Melania’s cage?’), and spend five days in lockdown, in character, with some conspiracy theorists.
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There are many questions. Firstly, how exactly did Sacha Baron Cohen manage to run riot around America in the midst of a global pandemic? And will the character fly again now he’s famous? And perhaps more pressingly, does the world actually need another Borat film?
The film’s detractors might argue the reasonable-sounding case for comedians not targeting minority groups in their jokes, in the interests of fairness. Whether that be men not picking on women, straight people not picking on gay people or Oxbridge educated British comedians like Sacha not pretending to be from smaller developing countries, like, say, Kazakhstan.
What Kazakhstan actually looks like: the modern Nur-Sultan Frans Sellies via Getty Images
Perhaps the fairest way to judge the appropriateness of reprising Sacha’s bizarre idea of pretending to be, let’s face, a bit of a backwards idiot from Kazakhstan, is to ask the actual Kazakh people.
HuffPost UK approached film-makers in Kazakhstan, as well as Kazazkhs now living in the UK, to hear their thoughts.
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“If I met Sacha, my first question would be why Kazakhstan?” - Akan Satayev, president of Kazakhfilm
“If I met Sacha, my first question would be why Kazakhstan?” asks Akan Satayev, president of Kazakhfilm, Kazakhstan’s government-funded cultural organisation. Akan reminds that “Kazakhs have a great and ancient culture,” none of which is distilled into the dishevelled Borat.
He recommends the Legend of Tomiris and The Road to Mother as two recent examples of authentic Kazakh film. “These films completely differ from the imagery of Borat,” he urges. “Language, traditions, history, culture, ethnicity: all of them are totally different.”
Scenery in Almaty, Kazakhstan Ozbalci via Getty Images
Kazakhs like Akan are left in a confusing place. With unanswered questions about why Sacha chose to mock Kazakhstan in the first place, they also cannot deny the money the film has driven, bolstering the Kazakh economy. Akan confirms foreign tourists increased “considerably” for five years following the initial film, but the film’s critics argue that revenue alone cannot justify the making of a film that feels offensive without proper cause.
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“I think you would only understand how someone from Kazakhstan would feel if you were the butt of the joke,” says Duse Kudabayev, a London-residing Kazakh who works in recruitment.
“I think you would only understand how someone from Kazakhstan would feel if you were the butt of the joke.”
“Most people from Kazakhstan don’t like Borat nor Sacha Baron Cohen,” he continues. “I think Cohen has used Kazakhstan to his advantage, the jokes are crude.”
Bayan Alaguzova (née Mukhitdenova), a prominent female film-maker in Kazakhstan, takes a more pragmatic approach. She believes the film will be valuable for the country and respects Sacha’s filmic style, but asserts that 90% of the film’s Kazazh scene-scapes are completely made up.
“The film is not true,” she says. “It is an absolutely different universe: gypsies, prostitutes etc. Nothing even close to Kazakhstan in real life.”
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Sacha Baron Cohen aka "Borat" attends his book signing at Borders on November 7, 2007 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage) Steve Granitz via Getty Images
The issue about writers telling their own stories is a polarising one though, and many comedians, film-makers and writers today would still argue that a comedy producing laughs for its intended audience (the film is largely marketed in the UK and US) is a success.
Kaleem Aftab, film Critic and programmer, and a prominent voice on diversity, enjoyed the first movie and is excited for the second, although he acknowledges that Kazakh’s may not feel the same.
“The poster generated excitement for everyone outside of Kazakhstan ( I think),” he tells HuffPost UK. He agrees that sensibilities have changed, “but not to the extent that Borat will cause tremendous offence,” he says, although he imagines the jokes about Kazakhstan will be toned down.
Sacha Baron Cohen photographed on the red carpet of the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards in January 2020 Barcroft Media via Getty Images
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“There are plenty of films that people make about people outside their own culture that people do not complain about at all,” he says. “Also, what is someone’s own culture? There is a lot of drilling that needs to be done. I think if the jokes are funny, and not simply mean-spirited this will not be an issue.”
The trouble, says Bronwen Low, the academic who wrote Borat and the Problem with Parody after the initial film came out in 2007, is that the fictitious character can, and does, feel unkind.
“It is often not clear who we are laughing at and why,” she reflects. “Importantly, key to satire is ‘punching upwards,’ which Borat does, for instance, in exposing jingoistic, racist, or sexist Americans, but which falls apart in the character of Borat himself, the ‘backwards’ Kazakh. I suspect that choice and portrayal will seem even more random and mean-spirited in 2020.”
Bronwen refers back to the earlier point about comedy being at its strongest when it derives from lived experiences. “I would be much more interested in seeing the film if the targets of satire weren’t southern US conservatives, people attending rodeos, Pentacostal Christians at a camp meeting, frat boys—but instead were members of the urban, elite university-educated, cultural class to which SBC belongs,” she argues.
“I don’t like prescriptivism in art, but it does seem that many of the most interesting and compelling voices in comedy are telling their own stories, and probably always have.”
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Regardless of the gradient of political insensitivity, the film’s trailer has already been received warmly by fans on social media. It’s hard to deny Sacha’s talent for comedy; great at eliciting the right responses from Americans which feed into his narrative, he is also defiantly great at physical comedy. Love or hate the character, the naked wrestling scene in the first movie has gone down in cinematic history.
The Borat Subsequent Moviefilm poster Amazon Prime Video
“Those jokes will fly,” says Kaleem. “I remember slapping my thigh in the cinema during the wrestling scene. The announcement that there will be a new Borat, and that we shall be able to see it, was so welcome with all the news of cinemas going dark.”
Perhaps, with the second wave of lockdown and predictions that more of us are suffering with mental health ailments due to the virus, Borat will have come at the right time. Perhaps we crave silliness as an escape now more so than ever. “2020 has been an annus horribilis like no other, so we can all do with some slapping our thighs on the sofa,” believes Kaleem.
The Kazakhs don’t seem to agree. The hashtag #WhereBoratLives has appeared on Twitter and Instagram, leading to thousands of posts of stunning nature and vibrant city centres.
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“Y’all were not ready for this video,” posts one user, before sharing a ‘what people think of Kazakhstan’ and ‘what Kazakhstan really looks like’ with the additional hashtag #CancelBorat2.
“I am not an expert on comedy, but it seems that it is much less of a White boy’s club, with a much more diverse range of artists and perspectives gaining attention and shaping the field” - Bronwen Low, author of Borat and the Problem with Parody
Ironically, the dawn of social media culture which propelled Borat in 2006 is becoming Sacha’s biggest force to reckon with. Not only can more ordinary people publicly air their thoughts over the film, but more broadly, social media has democratised the sphere of comedy: it has celebrated minority voices and given every person a platform. And not only to make comedy, but to criticise the pervasiveness of comedy made largely by privileged men at the cost of others.
“Social media has now transformed the comedy landscape,” argues Bronwen. “I am not an expert on comedy, but it seems that it is much less of a White boy’s club, with a much more diverse range of artists and perspectives gaining attention and shaping the field.”
Of course, Sacha Baron Cohen is Jewish, which goes some way to justifying the framing of the character and the various jokes about Jews from the original movie, but angry Kazakhs, including the thousands on Instagram, clearly feel incensed.
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Many of them are wondering how much longer the privileged can continue to punch down, and not up, when it comes to writing new jokes.
HuffPost UK approached Amazon, who distribute the new Borat film, for comment, but they did not respond to our request.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--I’m An NHS Doctor. Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Are Making Our Job Harder

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Through the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, I worked in acute adult medicine at the hospital front door and on the wards just like colleagues around the country who put their own health, and in some cases lives, on the line to keep the show on the road. In my 31 years as an NHS doctor, I have never witnessed anything as challenging and unaccustomed, as frightening for staff, or as distressing for their families.
We are professionals and looking after the sick is our job. We did it willingly and will do so again, mindful that key workers do remain safely employed unlike many across Britain. We were often embarrassed by all the clapping and food parcels – after all, we’d prefer adequate resources, staffing, access to Covid-19 testing, PPE and respectful treatment by the government than gestures.
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We’d also prefer it if there weren’t people spreading hostile misinformation alleging that Covid-19 is a ‘scamdemic’ or global hoax that doesn’t make people sick or kill them.
When we’ve seen serial failings in the government’s pandemic communications and poor news management has made journalists’ jobs harder, it’s not surprising we find ourselves in an environment where rumours, conspiracy theories and misinformation about coronavirus have taken hold.
But shopfloor NHS staff and managers see and hear this stuff every day, and much of it is insulting, demoralising and inaccurate. If we try to correct it or argue back, we find ourselves being accused (by people with no clinical training or experience) of lying, and find our own jobs and experience being explained to us. The recent #pandemicisoverUK hashtag is the latest of many examples.
“Clapping for us has been replaced by crapping on our reputations, professionalism and integrity.”
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Conspiracy theories seem to have replaced the clapping, and NHS staff like me are left wondering of the social media keyboard warriors, libertarian commentators writers and radio shock jocks: why? Why are you doing this?
Bolstered by a handful of contrarian but totemic biomedical scientists and medics and editorial lines which confirm their biases, we see a range of assertions which help no-one. They all have a counter-narrative but it gets tiresome battling and debunking them when you have a day job trying to help sick people.
Here’s just a few examples of what I’ve seen. I’ve read that ‘hospitals are half-empty and the staff are kicking their heels’, that ‘most of the people certified as dying from Covid-19 did not have it and weren’t killed by it’ (in effect accusing doctors of breaching professional codes en masse and lying about people we were looking after as though we’re a whole team of Harold Shipmans), and I’ve read the lie that ‘90% of Covid-19 tests are false positives and these people were never infected, or infectious’ when, in reality, false negatives are a much bigger problem. I’ve heard too the gross, slanderous distortion that “most of the infections are caught in hospital anyway due to your negligence”.
Thousands of demonstrators take part in Unite for Freedom rally in Trafalgar Square to protest against the restrictions imposed by the Government to control the spread of coronavirus, lockdowns, wearing face masks and vaccines, on 26 September, 2020 in London, England. The protesters urged MPs to abolish the Coronavirus Act 2020, which is due to be reviewed in Parliament next week. (Photo by WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images
I’ve also heard repeatedly that ‘what doctors are calling Covid is just other seasonal infections like flu or a cold and no more deadly,’ when we know from experience and research that Covid-19 has a distinct pattern of presentation and hits people harder – not to mention flu has never killed 620 frontline staff, unless you think they were fake death certificates too?
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Where it gets more vicious is when the clapping is replaced by accusations that we ‘murdered’ care home residents and ‘sent them to their deaths’, that GP surgeries are offering no consultations (despite them seeing high volumes online and on the phone following central guidance about avoiding large numbers of face to face consultations). And remember, if you accuse responsible mainstream news media of lying, you are in effect accusing their sources – clinical staff and public health teams – of lying too.
As I write this, we’re running into the usual increase in attendances and admissions we’d see at this time of the year, alongside a big imperative to catch up on all the work postponed or cancelled in the spring. But we’re also seeing a gradual upsurge in Covid-19 admissions – with all the signs, symptoms, tests and sickness patterns we remember so well from the first time. That means people are tired. Large numbers of medics are self-isolating or off sick with Covid symptoms, and around one in three nurses is reportedly considering quitting. There have been too many reports of staff who spoke out over PPE, testing or staffing gaps being silenced or threatened. Now we are gearing up for several tough months of Covid and non-Covid challenges, and we have people telling us the virus is fake? If you want to damage the wellbeing of the very people we rely on to care for the sick, this is a great way to do it.
“If you want to damage the wellbeing of the very people we rely on to care for the sick, this is a great way to do it.”
I believe much of the animus comes not only from the actions of an inept and untrustworthy Cabinet and special advisors, and that more comes from totally understandable concern about repeated lockdown, jobs, livelihood, the economy and restrictions on individual freedoms.
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But it was never NHS staff in charge of lockdown decisions. And it wasn’t frontline NHS staff who engineered a decade of underfunding of social care and public health, or who failed to ensure we had adequate pandemic infrastructure in place. Nor were we the ones slow out of the traps to react to the World Health Organisation’s declaration of a global health emergency and miss serial opportunities. Quite the reverse – we stepped up, and quickly.
Clapping for us has been replaced by crapping on our reputations, professionalism and integrity. I wish the keyboard agitators would realise this and would instead start from a position of understanding that we are acting in good faith, and know our own jobs. And I wish they knew their relentless diet of disparaging disinformation is only compounding the strains of what is already a difficult job.
David Oliver is an NHS physician and writer. Follow him on Twitter at @mancunianmedic


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--I’m An EndSars Protester In Nigeria. Despite The Brutality, We Won’t Give Up

LAGOS, NIGERIA - OCTOBER 20: Demonstrators protest police brutality at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020 in Lagos, Nigeria. The Nigerian government had imposed a 24-hour curfew to tamp down on sustained protests against the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police division accused of abuse, extortion and extra-judicial killings. Witnesses said security forces later opened fire to disperse the crowd, killing several people. (Photo by Adetona Omokanye/Getty Images) Adetona Omokanye via Getty Images
My favourite restaurant in Lagos, where I’ve celebrated birthdays and passing the Bar, is also the place where I have twice in the last year got a call to say someone I love had been kidnapped – by our own police.
Young Nigerians like me have had to learn to coexist with the casual cruelty of our police, but most especially Sars, the so-called Special Anti-Robbery Squad. A rogue unit of the Nigerian Police Force known for torture, extortion and kidnapping, Sars do as they like, when they like. And if anyone dies under their watch, they face no repercussions.
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When my friends were kidnapped by their ‘anti-kidnapping unit’ on their way home from dinner last year, we spent the next hours walking the streets of Lagos, asking people on the roads of Victoria Island if they had seen police take two girls away. Two police stations told us that if it was indeed Sars who had taken our friends, they could be anywhere in the state, or country, by morning. When my brother was stopped by a Sars-filled van, the officer who cocked his gun at him was wearing a SpongeBob Squarepants t-shirt. That is the near-comedic level of insanity we have come to accept as part of life in Nigeria.
Something changed this October. After a young man was killed by Sars officers, who then proceeded to steal his car, went viral, the hashtag #EndSars took on a new life. It became a movement. My generation, born into a failing country, decided enough was enough. #SoroSoke, which means ‘speak out’ or ‘speak up’ in Yoruba soon started trending, and the youth of Nigeria, from Ughelli to Lagos to Abuja to Benin City, began speaking out about the horrors of Sars.
“I can never explain how it felt to watch people die on Instagram Live while sitting in your house less than five miles away.”
To truly understand the movement you must also understand how personal this fight is for most Nigerian youth, regardless of tribe, geographic location, party affiliation, socioeconomic background, or religion. As a whole generation sprung into action, I started to think about the ways to be useful, and headed home to Lagos.
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Friends had already begun sorting themselves into different streams of work: lawyers doing pro-bono work freeing protesters, others organising security, some funding food for protesters, some on the frontline themselves. I began fundraising for the Feminist Coalition and the End Sars Response Unit, and then joined a team feeding protesters that became the Food Coven. When it rained I sourced umbrellas and raincoats, when it was cold I sourced hot tea for the front lines.
At the Lekki tollgate – the most symbolic of all protest sites – a community was built. There were prayers for Muslims, while Christian protesters stood watch. On Sunday, there was mass. There were candlelight vigils, prayers, dancing, singing, and community. With no discernible leadership, the youth of Nigeria formed a pro bono legal service that spanned over 20 states, a healthcare response service, security services, and welfare services including food and mental health support. Right before our eyes, it felt like we had begun to create the society we wished to live in.
Our five protest demands were simple: disband Sars, justice for the murdered, the release of detained protesters, police reform, and accountability. The Nigerian government responded to these demands with indiscriminate violence.
The federal government began a campaign of terror almost as soon as the protests started. Police officers killed a man named Jimoh Isiaq, along with at least 12 other people around the country. Sponsored thugs attacked protesters as police stood by and watched.
Then came what we now call Black Tuesday. On Tuesday evening, reports of armed forces approaching the protest site began appearing on social media. Soon, the sound of a barrage of bullets rang around Lekki, and across the lagoon. Armed forces can now be seen in multiple videos trapping and shooting at peaceful protesters holding the Nigerian flag, singing our national anthem.
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As the news flooded in on my phone, I felt cold. My chest tightened and I sat on the floor of my room with my parents flipping through news channels in disbelief – disbelief that no local station was covering what was happening. We listened all night as shots continued to ring out and Lagos began to burn. Our city had become a warzone, and it felt like an out of body experience. I can never explain how it felt to watch people die on Instagram Live while sitting in your house less than five miles away.
“The government have grossly miscalculated and underestimated the youth of the country they claim to lead. We will continue this fight...”
As I type this days later, gunshots are still going off around Lagos, and the whole country is reeling from sporadic violence. Different groups have used the chaos as an opportunity to loot and be violent. Co-workers and cousins are texting me from underneath their beds as police continue to shoot indiscriminately in their areas. It is impossible to fully capture the terror that currently resides in my body. I keep asking myself, how did we get here? What did we ask for that was so terrible?
I do not know where to go from here. What I do know is that the Nigeria I woke up in on Tuesday 20 October is no more. As much as I wish to return to spending my Fridays with friends watching Succession, discussing our jobs, our side hustles, and our hopes for the future, there is no such thing as returning to normal. ‘Normal’ has been shattered by this depraved government.
But they have grossly miscalculated and underestimated the youth of the country they claim to lead. We will continue this fight until the lives of those we have lost are honoured, until Sars ends and we get justice for Jimoh, Tina, Chijioke, Anthony, Ayomide, Linda, and the countless others killed by Sars or still languishing in their custody.
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The brutality that the Nigerian government has inflicted upon us, and continues to inflict upon us, cannot be normalised, and I beg that no one is apathetic to our plight. As Martin Luther King Jr said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Omolara is a campaigner and lawyer in Nigeria, writing under a pseudonym for fear or reprisal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--9 Questions Kids Will Ask About Christmas – And How To Answer Them

miljko via Getty Images
One thing’s for sure, Christmas isn’t going to be the same as usual, this year.
Not least because rather than facing the standard questions from curious kids – such as how Santa can possibly visit every child in the world in one night, what happened to the large glass of sherry we left for him and why does mummy have a hangover on Christmas morning – children are wondering, rightly, about how Covid will affect the most wonderful time of the year.
Here are nine questions you might find yourself fielding in the run-up to December 25 – and some handy tips on how to answer them.
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Jeronimo Granadal Ruiz via Getty Images
Is Christmas cancelled?
Kids – they get straight to the point, the little heartbreakers. The answer to this is... no, Christmas isn’t cancelled. Not completely, anyway. When children ask whether the big day is cancelled, just like trick or treating has been axed for Halloween, it’s best to tell it’s going to be a little different this year.
Kids like routine, so it stands to reason that preparing them for what to expect might alleviate anxiety over the unknown. Draw a mental (or physical, if you’ve got the skills) picture of what Christmas might be like, even though we can’t be 100% sure yet.
At the moment, outside of local lockdowns, the ‘rule of six’ still applies, so it’s worth telling your children to expect something substantially smaller – with fewer people, but full of love. It’s likely there may be a few family members they may not see this year, too – perhaps because they are vulnerable, or live in a different tier. Make sure your kids know this in advance. Preparing them is key.
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Will Santa have to wear a mask?
It seems as good a time as any to hit home the importance of good hygiene, including wearing masks, so I’ll be telling my kids a firm “yes” to this one. I might even use it as an opportunity to get them to do something creative – like “let’s design a mask for Santa”.
After all, I need something to occupy them at half-term, and if you buy a pack of ten disposable masks, you can decorate the hell out of a couple and still have loads to spare.
Will Santa be allowed into our house?
In tiers 2 and 3, people aren’t able to mix indoors – so if your kids are old enough, they might question whether Santa can even come down the chimney to drop off their presents.
There are a few ways you could answer this. The government has made exemptions to the rules associated with local lockdowns for support bubbles and childcare bubbles, and as far as Santa is concerned? He’s exempt, too. Well, that’s what you could tell them anyway.
If your kids really want to quibble, you can tell them the rules only apply to socialising with regular human people inside your household – and Santa is, arguably, a magical being who can fly. So. He doesn’t count. Neither do his reindeer (a good thing, seeing as there are nine of them).
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If they still aren’t happy? Tell them Santa is dropping the presents outside, and you’ll be getting up in the early hours to bring them all inside.
Will I be able to visit Santa’s grotto?
A number of Christmas markets across the UK have been cancelled, including some of Santa’s grottos. Those that choose to stay open will have to change the rules a little, which means no sitting on Santa’s knee, this year. It’s worth checking your local area to see if there is one you can visit before answering.
James Lovell, founder of Ministry of Fun, which runs “Santa School” in London, told Reuters they’ve created red velvet masks for Santa with white fur trim, and presents will be piled onto a small sleigh, which children can pull towards them.
Lovell insists social distancing won’t take anything away from the grotto experience. “It’s very easy to do and to make a child two metres away from Santa does not in any way take away from the magic,” he said.
What about the Christmas lights?
Your kids can still see the twinkly lights, for sure. But can they visit any light switch-ons? In Leeds, the traditional Christmas light switch-on is going online, with Leeds City Council asking people to submit video clips and images of their Christmas light displays at home so they can feature in an hour-long virtual event at 4pm on November 15.
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Meanwhile, London’s Oxford Street famous switch-on will be happening quietly on November 2, earlier than usual to let people allow them for longer, and without an official event to mark the moment. It looks likely that there won’t be any grand displays during the pandemic – but you can tell your kids you’ll be bringing the magic to your home, instead.
Have a “light switch-on” in your living room. I’ll be making a special effort to light up my window this year, so that kids have a local light display to look at. We’ve done rainbows and teddy bears, could this Christmas herald the start of the collective Christmas window display?
Can we go to the pantomime?
A family Christmas tradition for many is going to the panto every year. Unfortunately, it looks set to be more like “oh no, he isn’t” in 2020, amidst ongoing theatre closures.
However, while many venues and production companies have cancelled their shows altogether, some venues – such as London’s Palladium, Blackpool’s Grand and Nottingham’s Playhouse, and others according to the listings – are staging socially-distanced productions, so it’s worth checking to see what’s on where you are. If not, can you watch a virtual one in the living room, with festive snacks and cosy blankets?
Will I get to be the sheep in the school nativity, again?
School nativity plays and Christmas concerts might not be happening this year, but some enterprising teachers are planning on putting their video editing skills to the test.
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I *think* we are going to film separate sections and cut it together to send out to parents... 😬 When I say ‘we’, I mean I will organise this and become a video cutting pro 😂 we just need to make sure we have all the permissions sorted before we go for it. — Shannen Doherty (@MissSDoherty) October 16, 2020
One teacher said her school is planning to live-stream a version of carols around the tree, and another said they would be going ahead with a nativity as usual – but filming it and putting it on a password-protected page on the school website for parents to access.
One teacher said they would be attempting to Zoom the entire thing for parents and carers. What’s that old adage about never working with children or animals, again?
Yes - we're hoping to live stream via Zoom to our Eyfs and Ks1 parents. As it's going to take place under our outdoor shelter I've even found some live sheep and a donkey. What could possibly go wrong?! 😂 — David Metcalf (@davidmetcalf30) October 16, 2020
It’s worth asking your school what they’re doing (but prepare yourself – and your kids – if the answer is, “not very much”). Take heart: you can still make that sheep, wise man or lobster costume at home, and entertain the family with a special Zoom nativity.
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Can I cuddle Granny on Christmas Day?
If you live with Granny, your kids can cuddle her because she’s part of your household. If you don’t live together but you’re in a support or childcare bubble with Granny, hugs are probably okay – but be careful if Granny is vulnerable.
At the moment, if you’re in a tier 1 area, you can still mix indoors with up to six people, but family members or friends should not hug or kiss each other. This is because the rules on social distancing still apply, and members of different households should take care to keep two metres apart from each other.
Will we still have Christmas dinner?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--5 Bizarre Moments From The Final Trump And Biden US Presidential Debate

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After the torturous first debate, and the cancellation of the second head-to-head after the US president contracted coronavirus, Donald Trump and Joe Biden locked horns for the final time before America goes to the polls.
And it wasn’t pretty.
Trump initially adopted a more restrained tone than he did during their first encounter in September, which was marked by his constant interruptions. But it didn’t take long for the lies and incoherence to begin.
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While it’s unlikely few in a deeply divided country will agree who “won” – whatever that means – there were some stand-out moments likely to fuel conversations at least in the morning after.
“I am the least racist person in this room.”
Biden accused Trump of being “one of the most racist presidents” in history.
“He pours fuel on every single racist fire,” Biden said. “This guy has a dog whistle as big as a foghorn.”
Trump responded by criticising Biden’s authorship of a 1994 crime bill that increased incarceration of minorities while asserting that he had done more for Black Americans than any president with the “possible” exception of Abraham Lincoln in the 1860s.
Trump later added: “As far as my relationships with all people, I think I have great relationships with all people. I am the least racist person in this room.”
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He made the statement to Kristen Welker, the first Black woman to moderate a presidential debate since 1992, as Trump attempted to backpedal on his rhetoric toward Black Americans.
The most memorable part of the debate for me: President Trump said "I'm the least racist person in this room."
Kristen Welker, a black woman, was in the room.#PresidentialDebate2020 #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/xf8Qo4QEpO — Eric Cox (@EricCoxTV) October 23, 2020
Did Trump seriously claim he is the “least racist person in the room” to the BLACK FEMALE MODERATOR?!#Debates2020 — Steph Frosch (@ElloSteph) October 23, 2020
Migrant children taken from their parents are “so well taken care of”.
In another jaw-dropping moment, Biden attacked Trump over his administration’s unpopular policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the US-Mexico border.
His administration started and carried out a policy that took more than 4,000 children from their parents, at least 545 of whom are still split apart years later. But at Thursday’s debate, the president insisted that he did nothing wrong at all ― blaming his Democratic predecessors and even insisting the kids are doing fine.
“They are so well taken care of,” Trump said of the children taken from their parents by his administration. “They’re in facilities that were so clean.”
i gotta say “they were so well taken care of” took my breath away. — b-boy boooo-eebaisse (@jbouie) October 23, 2020
Trump says the kids his administration separated from their parents, and now has failed to reunite with their parents, are being "so well taken care of." Which I'm sure is a great comfort to the kids WHO ARE NOT WITH THEIR PARENTS. — Binyamin Appelbaum (@BCAppelbaum) October 23, 2020
Splitting up families was intentional and calculated, according to multiple reports.
Thanks to mass public outrage and a court order, Trump was forced to stop his family separation policy. Most families were reunited, but the American Civil Liberties Union, which was part of the lawsuit against the government that stopped the policy, said this week that at least 545 kids are still away from their parents.
“Their kids were ripped from their arms and separated,” Biden said during the debate. “And now they cannot find over 500 sets of those parents and those kids are alone. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to go. It’s criminal.”
A Covid-19 vaccine is “going to be announced within weeks”.
Trump opened the debate by falsely claiming a vaccine for Covid-19 was potentially “weeks” away. Most experts, including his administration officials, have said a vaccine is unlikely to be widely available until mid-2021.
The coronavirus has killed more than 222,000 Americans. And more than 1,100 deaths were reported on Wednesday, the highest daily toll in more than a month.
So...there were at least three egregiously false claims in Trump's first answer:
- 2.2 million deaths "expected"
- We're rounding the turn, it's going away
- Vaccine "ready" — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 23, 2020
As he’s done before, Trump attempted to paint his administration’s botched Covid-19 response as a success by pointing to one of the worst possible death projections — an early estimate by British researchers that found there could be as many as 2.2 million fatalities in the US if no containment measures were taken.
“This is a worldwide problem, but I’ve been congratulated by the heads of many countries on what we’ve been able to do,” Trump said, without disclosing a single specific world leader. “It will go away, and as I say, we’re rounding the turn, we’re rounding the corner. It’s going away.” “There’s a reason why he’s bringing up all this malarkey”. Trump repeated his accusations that Biden and his son Hunter engaged in unethical practices in China and Ukraine. No evidence has been verified to support the allegations, and Biden called them false and discreditted. “All of the emails, the emails, horrible emails of the kind of money that you were raking in, you and your family,” Trump said to his Democratic opponent on the debate stage. “I think you owe an explanation to the American people.” The vague reference to “emails” may not make sense to people who do not consume large amounts of conservative media: Trump was elevating to the national stage a storyline that is full of holes and may be the product of a foreign disinformation campaign.
Trump brings up the New York Post’s Hunter Biden story at #Debates2020. Critical elements of the feature are dubious, contradictory or outright false. https://t.co/hu6Pppk4c6 — HuffPost (@HuffPost) October 23, 2020
Trump’s effort to uncover dirt on Hunter Biden’s Ukraine business ties led to the president’s impeachment. The president and his children have been accused of conflicts of interest of their own since he entered the White House in 2017, most involving the family’s international real estate and hotel businesses. Biden defended his family and said unequivocally that he had never made “a single penny” from a foreign country, before pivoting to accuse Trump of trying to distract Americans. “There’s a reason why he’s bringing up all this malarkey,” Biden said, looking directly into the camera. “It’s not about his family and my family. It’s about your family, and your family’s hurting badly.”
“Little, tiny, small windows”.
There were moments that were just plain weird.
Biden mistakenly referred to the far-right group the Proud Boys as the “Poor Boys” for the second consecutive presidential debate.
“He says about the poor boys, last time we were on stage here, he said, ’I told them to stand down and stand ready,” Biden said, referring to Trump’s remarks on the group last month.
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They're just the Poor Boys, they need no sympathy — John Hendrickson (@JohnGHendy) October 23, 2020
Hitler came up too.
In the national security portion of the debate, the former vice president said that the president legitimised North Korea by meeting with Kim Jong-un.
The Democrat pointed out that the North Koreans now have a much more enhanced missile capability able to reach US territory with greater ease.
Trump said: “Having a good relationship with leaders of other countries is a good thing.” To which Biden responded: “We had a good relationship with Hitler before he, in fact, invaded the rest of Europe. Come on.” Oh, so did “little, tiny, small windows”.
The left loves tiny little windows, it’s right there in The Communist Manifesto after public education. — Zach Carter (@zachdcarter) October 23, 2020
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He’s talking about tiny windows again. Where does he get this bullshit? — Angry Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) October 23, 2020
Biden described climate change as an “existential threat” requiring an all-out government response, and Trump’s response was ... bizarre.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Trump’s Debate Hail Mary: Lie After Brazen, Incoherent Lie

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Looking to turn around a trailing campaign, US president Donald Trump dug deep, chilled out and threw a bunch of garbage at the wall, hoping at least some of it would stick.
Trump opened Thursday night’s debate by falsely claiming a vaccine for Covid-19 was imminent, followed up by continuing to lie about his refusal to release his tax returns, then raised a series of nonsensical allegations about Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s son, and ended with a pack of mistruths about both his and Biden’s policy accomplishments and proposals.
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Trump mostly abandoned the constant interruptions and abrasive style he deployed in the first debate, but continued with the falsehoods and exaggerations. His performance is likely to reassure some Republican political strategists who are fretting about a potential Democratic landslide.
Still, the incumbent badly needed a dramatic moment to have any hope of improving his flailing chances ahead of November 3. Roughly 50 million Americans have already cast their ballots, and Biden has led for months in nearly every available public poll both nationally and in the critical swing states that will decide the electoral college.
He didn’t get it.
The debate’s defining moment came during an exchange over Trump’s allegations of corruption surrounding Biden’s son, Hunter. Biden, after pointing to Trump’s own moneymaking entanglements with foreign governments, said the issue was a distraction compared to the coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying economic downturn.
“It’s not about my family or his family, it’s about your family,” Biden said. “We should be talking about your family. But that’s the last thing he wants to talk about.”
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“That’s a typical politician statement,” Trump responded. “I’m not a typical politician.”
The exchange highlighted a fundamental problem for Trump: Many of the issues he has focused on are obscure to all but the most dedicated watchers of Fox News, while Biden has remained narrowly focused on the pandemic, the economic downturn and health care. Those are typically the highest-priority issues for the electorate in public polling.
Trump displayed his atypical tendencies during the debate’s opening, promising the imminent delivery of a coronavirus vaccine, before quickly backing down after fact-checking from moderator Kristen Welker. Biden quickly attacked Trump for failing to develop a plan to control the pandemic.
“220,000 deaths,” Biden said, noting the number of deaths from coronavirus so far. “If you hear nothing else I say tonight, hear this: Anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain president of the United States.”
Trump, meanwhile, continued to cast about for others to blame. “I take full responsibility,” he said at one point, appearing to engage in some rare self-reflection. He quickly added: “It’s not my fault that it came here, it’s China’s fault.”
Trump’s assertions on policy didn’t hold water. A brief sampling:
On immigration, Trump baselessly claimed that “less than 1%” of asylum-seekers apprehended crossing the border actually come back to immigration courts for their hearings. His own administration puts the number closer to 50%.
On health care, Trump asserted that Biden’s plan to include a public option in the Affordable Care Act would get rid of private health insurance for 180 million Americans. Biden has never supported a single-payer health care program that would move all Americans to government-sponsored insurance.
On criminal justice reform, Trump said Biden used the phrase “super predators” in the 1990s — that was Hillary Clinton.
On taxes, Trump again claimed Biden wanted to raise “everybody’s taxes.” Biden has said he wouldn’t hike taxes on anyone making less than $400,000.
Trump’s best moments came when he deployed tried-and-true political attacks, mostly slamming Biden as a do-nothing career politician. During debates over criminal justice and immigration, he repeatedly questioned why Biden and president Barack Obama did not pass significant legislation on those issues during their administration.
“Why didn’t you fix all of these thing when you were there?,” Trump asked rhetorically.
Biden’s answer was accurate ― they were dealing with a recalcitrant Republican-controlled Congress ― but the attacks could still land with undecided voters.
But if they were designed to win over the relatively small percentage of Black and Latino men whose votes the Trump campaign hopes to win, the incumbent undercut that outreach in other moments.
At one point, while looking directly at Welker, who is Black, Trump claimed to be “the least racist person in the room”. At another, when Biden attacked him over his administration’s unpopular policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the US-Mexico border, Trump said the children “are so well taken care of. ... They’re in facilities that were so clean”.
Biden, as the frontrunner in the race, primarily sought to avoid mistakes. Freed from Trump’s badgering, he delivered more coherent answers, while still occasionally fumbling on policy details. But in the latter stages of the debate, he displayed more fire and populist language than he typically does.
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At one point, Biden noted the wealth of American billionaires had increased by more than $700 billion over the course of the pandemic.
“What happens to the ordinary people out there?” Biden asked, jamming his finger on the lectern for emphasis. “What happens to them?”
At other times, Trump walked into Biden’s attacks. At one point, he criticised Biden for wanting to raise the minimum wage, arguing it would lead to job loss. The problem? Increasing the minimum wage is broadly popular, supported by roughly two-thirds of Americans.
Tara Golshan contributed reporting.
President Donald Trump reacts during the final presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. JIM WATSON via Getty Images


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--This Is Just How Badly The Government's School Meals Vote Went Down

The government's refusal to extend free school meals has led to an outpouring of anger. REUTERS
On Wednesday, Tory MPs voted down a motion to implement footballer Marcus Rashford’s plan to extend free school meals for pupils right through until the Easter holidays next year.
The motion, put forward by Labour leader Keir Starmer, was defeated by 322 votes to 261. The majority of 61 was less than the government’s 80-strong majority. Some 38 Tories did not register a vote.
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By refusing to extend the scheme, the government opted to cut short a lifeline for the most vulnerable families. As a result, 1.4 million children risk going to bed hungry this Christmas.
The Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland governments have already put in place funding for the holiday extension.
But on Friday Downing Street confirmed it would not U-turn on the issue, insisting the government’s position was “clear”.
The government earlier this week said it had boosted Universal Credit during the pandemic by £20 and had a “generous” wage support scheme for those struggling.
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Here’s a rundown of the response to the vote:
Marcus Rashford
The England footballer – who has spent months campaigning to stop child hunger through school holidays – reacted to the vote by vowing not to give up his campaign.
He tweeted: “These children are the future of this country. They are not just another statistic. And for as long as they don’t have a voice, they will have mine.”
Time we worked together. pic.twitter.com/xFPsgBiPQC — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 21, 2020
Rashford and his mother visited food charity FareShare in Greater Manchester on Thursday, a day after the Tories voted down the motion, to meet staff and volunteers to see how the charity will be responding to soaring demand this Christmas.
He has himself made clear that he wants a long term solution to child hunger, on top of the holiday extension and has challenged Johnson to honour his election pledge to “level up” the UK by introducing a comprehensive package to end child poverty and hunger.
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He has called for major changes to the welfare system, including an end to the Tories’ two-child cap on Universal Credit and an increase in the value of healthy eating vouchers for pregnant mothers.
His parliamentary petition has so far attracted more than half a million signatures.
Businesses
One pub in Rishi Sunak’s constituency said the chancellor and three northern MPs were “barred for life” after they voted down the motion.
Rashford has been sharing posts from businesses and groups nationwide that are volunteering free food for children who may otherwise go hungry.
Marcus Rashford reacted to the vote by vowing not to give up his campaign. REUTERS
On Thursday night, he wrote: “Blown away by news of local businesses stepping up to fill the voucher scheme deficit during the October half term. Selflessness, kindness, togetherness, this is the England I know.
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“Add #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY to your tweets so I can track them. I will share as many as I can.”
A wave of businesses have responded to Marcus Rashford’s anti-hunger campaign by offering to help feed families after the Tories refused to extend support over holidays.
From free sandwiches, sausages and curries to the offer of taxis to the nearest available foodbank, dozens of posts have now been shared online as millions of families face a half term of potential hardship.
On Friday, Downing Street three times refused to praise those who offered to help during a Westminster briefing.
Councils
On Friday, Tory-run Hillingdon Council – the prime minister’s own constituency –said it will be giving free school meals to children over the half-term holidays.
Hillingdon Council will be offering free school meals to eligible children during the half-term holiday. Full details of the scheme and how to claim will be made available on Monday. — Hillingdon Council (@Hillingdon) October 23, 2020
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The Conservative-run council of Kensington and Chelsea said it would provide a £15 voucher to families for food or essential supplies during the half-term holidays.
The following councils have promised to step in to provide help for the most vulnerable children over half-term.
Ashfield
Barnsley
Birmingham
Bradford
Brent
Bristol
Camden
City of York
Doncaster
Enfield
Essex
Greater Manchester
Greenwich
Hackney
Halton
Hammersmith & Fulham
Havering
Hull
Islington
Kirkless
Knowsley
Lambeth
Lewisham
Liverpool
Medway
Middlesbrough
Newcastle
North Tyneside
Oldham
Portsmouth
Redbridge
Rochdale
Rotherham
Salford
Sheffield
Southwark
St Helens
Staffordshire
Telford & Wrekin
Tower Hamlets
Wigan
Wolverhampton
Labour
Shadow education secretary Kate Green said after the vote: “Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have badly let down more than one million children and their families.
“No child should go hungry over the holidays, but the Government is blocking the action needed to prevent this.
“We pay tribute to Marcus Rashford and others for shining a spotlight on this incredibly important issue. This campaign is not over and the government must reconsider.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Will Boris Johnson Turn From Santa Into Scrooge This Christmas?

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a news conference on Thursday. REUTERS
You’re reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening.
The clocks go back this weekend, and as the darkness kicks in Boris Johnson must be desperately hoping he can somehow rewind the clock back to summer’s relative Covid calm.
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No.10 is acutely aware that for many of the public the PM’s success or failure in tackling the virus will be judged by one blunt test this winter: will he have it under control in time for a “normal” Christmas?
That’s certainly the aim of the localised tiered system of restrictions. If your area stays in Tier 1 or returns to it from Tier 2, then at least you’ll be able to spend the holiday period with some of your extended family. If you’re still in Tier 2 or 3, the ban on household mixing means only those who are in a social ‘bubble’ will be able to sit down together for Xmas lunch.
But even in Tier 1, the ‘Rule of Six’ will apply, meaning for larger families there’ll be no room at the inn for grandparents, aunts. uncles and cousins. At one point a few weeks ago, before cases escalated dramatically, someone in government floated the idea that the Rule of Six could be suspended just for a few days at Christmas. Right now, that seems fanciful, though an exemption for young children in England could well be one way Johnson could ease the pain.
So at some point in the next few weeks, the PM is going to have to, to use the phrase he deploys for bad news, “level with you” that this will not be a normal Christmas. In Scotland, at least national clinical director Jason Leitch has been candid that it’s a “fiction” to presume the festive period will be normal and the public should “get their digital Christmas ready”.
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Yet the emotional pull of the holiday period, with all its associations of the one time in the year when people forget their woes and meet family and friends, is strong in all parts of the UK. Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford defended his ‘firebreak’ by saying “provided we do the right thing we will still be able to enjoy a version of the holiday”.
Circuit-break supporter and Sage member Professor John Edmunds told the Press Association “the only way that we can have a relatively safe and normal Christmas is if we take radical action now”. “The notion that we can carry on as we are and have a Christmas that we can celebrate normally with friends and family is wishful thinking in the extreme,” he said.
There was good news on the R number reducing slightly today, but given the lag in the system it’s going to take some serious reductions in cases before it gets below 1. And even if it does, it seems there’s just not enough time between now and December 24 to abandon that Rule of 6.
Still none of that stopped cabinet minister Steve Barclay told the Today programme a normal Christmas was “a shared endeavour for all of us..the ability of families to spend Christmas together – that is something we all hope to be in a position to do”. The PM’s spokesman added: “we’ve been clear about the ambition to ensure that people may celebrate Christmas as a family this year.”
Yet the same spokesman was remarkably coy on another topic that really does get to the heart of family life for millions this Christmas: child hunger. He repeatedly refused to welcome the moves by businesses and local councils that have stepped in to provide free school meals this half-term and over the festive season.
Marcus Rashford’s Twitter feed – “selflessness, kindness, togetherness, this is the England I know” – was simultaneously a thing of joy for many and a deep embarrassment for Tory MPs, exposed as they are by Johnson’s refusal to spend a relatively small sum on the extra provision. Backbencher Ben Bradley’s tweet tonight that meal vouchers “effectively” went to a crack den and a brothel in his constituency only served to show how tone deaf some in the party still are on the issue.
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Time is running out for the PM to admit Christmas will be different for many this year. But although the October half term has now arrived, he still has time to ensure poorer families get the meal voucher help over the late December and New Year holiday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Tory MP Suggests Free School Meals 'Effectively' Go To Crack Dens And Brothels

On Wednesday, 322 Tory MPs voted against a measure to extend free school meals over the half-term and winter school holidays. REUTERS
A Tory MP has suggested free school meal vouchers for the children in his constituency “effectively” went to crack den and brothel.
Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, claimed on Friday evening that one of the kids in his constituency “lives in a crack den” while another “in a brothel” and that extending free school meals would not reach these children.
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When one Twitter user responded suggested a ”£20 cash direct to a crack den and brothel” could be “the way forward”, the MP said: “Thats what FSM vouchers in the summer effectively did.”
The conversation has since been deleted from Twitter, but not before it was screenshotted and met with a backlash on social media.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayer said the comment was “disgraceful and disgusting”, while Labour MP Jim McMahon said it marked “a new low”.
Bradley later responded to Rayner’s tweet, claiming she had “ignored all context and sense”.
A Conservative MP has said that free school meals are effectively a direct payment to brothels and drug dealers.
Notwithstanding the fact that the vouchers in summer could only be used to purchase food, this stigmatisation of working class families is disgraceful and disgusting. pic.twitter.com/0gvieYM4a9 — 🌈 Angela Rayner 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) October 23, 2020
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One Labour source told HuffPost UK: “On Wednesday, the Tories were clutching their pearls over ‘unparliamentary language’.
“Tonight, one of their MPs is accusing hungry kids of spending free school meal vouchers on drugs and prostitutes.
“One rule for them, another for everyone else.”
Bradley has been engaged in a public Twitter dispute with the England footballer Marcus Rashford since he and 321 other Tory MPs voted against a motion to extend the free school meals voucher scheme to the half-term and Christmas holidays.
On Wednesday, the MP wrote: ”[Government] has lots of responsibilities: supporting the vulnerable, helping people to help themselves, balancing the books.
“Not as simple as you to make out Marcus. Extending [free school meals] to [school holidays] passes responsibility for feeding kids away from parents, to the State. It increases dependency.”
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Rashford responded saying: “Ben, the economy already pays a high price for child hunger. If children were fed properly you would increase educational attainment and boost life chances.”
The anti-hunger campaigner later added: “Nobody is pointing fingers, I’m asking we work together to protect our most vulnerable children dealing with the devastating effects of the pandemic.
“This is nothing to do with politics.”
Bradley previously justified his decision to vote against the motion by suggesting extending the scheme would encourage parents to choose not to feed their children.
Some do... dont think that's controversial to say, tbh. Some parents are not good parents and prioritise other things ahead of their kids. Small minority, yes... but some do. Step out of the PC bubble and come live in the real world. https://t.co/oDPzxmbiWL — Ben Bradley MP (@BBradley_Mans) October 21, 2020
In 2018, Bradley was forced to apologise for an earlier blog post in which he suggested benefit claimants should have vasectomies.
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The 2012 post – which has since been deleted – said: “Sorry but how many children you have is a choice; if you can’t afford them, stop having them! Vasectomies are free.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--People In Wales Say Shopping Ban On Non-Essential Items Feels Like A 'Punishment'

Personal perspective of a shopper pushing shopping trolley along product aisle while shopping in a supermarket d3sign via Getty Images
People in Wales say a rule banning supermarkets from selling non-essential goods during the country’s 17-day “firebreak” lockdown is confusing – and could damage people’s mental health.
On Thursday, the nation’s first minister Mark Drakeford said the rule was a “simple matter of fair play” for hundreds of small businesses that have been forced to close under lockdown restrictions.
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“We are looking to minimise the amount of time that people spend out of their homes during this two-week period,” he added.
“This is not the time to be browsing around supermarkets looking for non-essential goods.”
According to guidance published on Friday afternoon – just hours before the lockdown is set to begin – the list of “non-essential” supermarket aisles that must be closed off includes electrical goods, telephones and clothes.
Toys and games, products for the garden and homeware products also made the list.
A photo circulating on Twitter showed a supermarket shelf, seemingly stocked with bedding, being covered with plastic.
You absolute tool @WelshGovernment @tesco covering what YOU THINK are non essential items. So what happens if my child is sick or has an accident and I need to replace the quilt. #steptofar #lockdown #wales pic.twitter.com/9gRtSN8w0P — Danielle Jones (@sullydano1) October 23, 2020
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But people living in Wales have slammed the new regulation as a “step too far”.
Carl Twinney, who lives in Bridgend, told HuffPost UK it felt as if the government was “punishing” people during lockdown.
“What’s more worrying to me is I think it’ll have a big effect on mental health,” the 27-year-old said. “Sometimes when you’re struggling to pass the time, you need things to help keep your brain active like DVDs, PlayStation or Xbox games or puzzles.
“Or maybe you just fancy treating yourself to help cope with low mood – treating yourself may sound silly but it counts as self care and that’s one of the most important things to do to keep going during a lockdown.”
Twinney also questioned how the move would protect small businesses, with people still able to order items online.
“It’s just going to push people to order stuff from online retailers that deliver within 24 hours, so smaller businesses will suffer either way,” he said.
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A confused, last minute announcement that will simply send business to Amazon instead of the Welsh economy. Mark Drakeford thinks no-one needs to buy a hairdryer before 9 November but if mine blew up, I would! And now I’d buy it from Amazon. — Gill Phillips (@GillyMac99) October 23, 2020
It’s a concern echoed by Gill Phillips, who called it a “confused, last minute announcement that will simply send business to Amazon instead of the Welsh economy”.
“Mark Drakeford thinks no-one needs to buy a hairdryer before November 9 but if mine blew up, I would. And now I would buy it from Amazon.”
Meanwhile, Susie – who is retired and lives in Prestatyn – said the new rule would hit the poorest in society the hardest: “Those with the least who have to live on day-to-day and for whom everything is a struggle at the best of times.”
First Minister Mark Drakeford PA
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“It’s ok for people who can afford to order online when their child needs some new trousers because he’s ripped his or some pants or warm socks.”
But for the poorest families, clothes from the supermarket are often the most affordable option, she said.
Susie added: “I am just so angry at the Senedd thinking it can decide what is essential in people’s lives and yet classing alcohol as essential. So a bottle of designer gin is fine, a coat for a child isn’t?”
The circuit-breaker lockdown in Wales – which is due to begin at 6pm on Friday and end on November 9 – comes amid a spike in coronavirus cases across the UK.
On Friday, 20,530 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the UK – 761 of which were in Wales.
As of Thursday, there were 546 coronavirus patients in hospital in the country, 47 of whom were on ventilators.
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As the second national lockdown for Wales loomed on Friday, Drakeford said the measures “are about saving lives, not Christmas”.
“That’s the seriousness of the position we are in,” the first minister said. “Our ambition is we will not need to have this level of restriction again in Wales before Christmas.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Revealed: Number Of Covid Patients On Ventilators Nearing Pandemic-High At 4 NHS Trusts

Generic photo of a hospital patient in a mechanical ventilation bed Taechit Taechamanodom via Getty Images
The number of coronavirus patients on ventilators is already nearing the figure recorded at the peak of the pandemic at a handful of NHS trusts in England, analysis by HuffPost UK has revealed.
Examination of figures published by NHS England on Thursday shows there are four trusts where the number of mechanical ventilation beds occupied by Covid-19 patients is approaching the highest figure recorded between April and the start of October.
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It does not mean these trusts are close to being overwhelmed – but it’s an indicator of how the second wave of the virus is developing in England.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were among those where the number of mechanical ventilation beds occupied by coronavirus patients is at 75% or more of the highest recorded figure.
Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust also made the list.
NHS England said it was vital the public did everything they could to try and control the spread of the virus.
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Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Peak number of ventilator beds occupied with Covid patients during first wave: 14 (April 14) Number of ventilator beds occupied October 20: 12 (85.6% of peak) Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Peak number of ventilator beds occupied with Covid patients during first wave: 27 (April 5) Number of ventilator beds occupied October 20: 23 (85% of peak) Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust Peak number of ventilator beds occupied with Covid patients during first wave: 21 (April 5) Number of ventilator beds occupied October 20: 17 (80.9% of peak) East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust Peak number of ventilator beds occupied with Covid patients during first wave: 25 (April 7) Number of ventilator beds occupied October 20: 19 (76% of peak)
It comes as England faces a second wave of Covid-19, with swathes of the country under additional restrictions in a bid to get the virus under control.
On Tuesday, 26,688 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in the UK – the highest figure since records began. Almost 23,000 of these cases were in England.
According to government data, there were 601 coronavirus patients in England in mechanical ventilation beds as of October 23.
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Kevin McGee, chief executive of the East Lancashire Hospital, said that the “huge rise” in infection rates across the north-west was having an impact on the trust and its ICU.
But he added: “Our critical care capacity is fluid and we have the flexibility to expand and contract as required, dependent upon the acuity of our patients.
“We have robust plans in place which we have escalated to ensure we can accommodate the growing numbers and also to prepare effectively for the coming winter months.”
McGee was quick to emphasise the importance of the public following coronavirus guidance, including social distancing, washing their hands, covering their faces and making space.
“It is absolutely essential that everybody reading this understands the seriousness of the situation,” he said.
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In a separate response on behalf of hospitals across Lancashire and South Cumbria – including Blackpool – McGee emphasised that while NHS services are “under a huge amount of pressure”, they remain open.
“As a result of the increases in Covid admissions in our hospitals, it is important that we are continuing to provide services for our patients for treatments such as cancer and routine appointments and patient safety remains of the highest importance,” he said.
“It’s important that anyone with concerns continue to come forward for help and treatment.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for NHS England told HuffPost UK: “Coronavirus cases and hospital admissions are rising and so it is vital everyone does what they can to control the virus, particularly by following government guidelines.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--A Pub In Rishi Sunak's Constituency Just Banned Him For Life

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak leaves Downing Street London. PA
Rishi Sunak has been “barred for life” from a pub in his own constituency after ministers refused to back free school meals for poor children over Christmas.
The Mill pub and its restaurant Il Mulino in North Yorkshire’s Stokesley will refuse entry to the chancellor and three northern Tory MPs – Jacob Young, Simon Clarke and Matt Vickers – after they voted down a motion to end holiday hunger amid the pandemic this winter.
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It follows a high-profile campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford to extend the free school meals voucher scheme, which Boris Johnson rejected this week.
A statement on the Facebook page for The Mill, which is in Sunak’s Richmond (Yorks) constituency, called the vote “disgusting”, and included an image of the House of Commons canteen menu, where prices are subsidised by the taxpayer.
It reads: “Don’t usually do politics but here goes. I have never known a government which is consistently the wrong end of every argument.
“Forget the poor handling of Covid for a minute and concentrate on what happened yesterday.
“The government voted against extending free school meals. This is disgusting! What’s worse Matt Vickers MP, Simon Clarke MP & Jacob Young - MP for Redcar & Cleveland, & Rishi Sunak all voted against the scheme. DISGUSTING!
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“All 4 are now barred from The Mil l & Il Mulino for life. I don’t want their business.
“Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday next week I will deliver 100 freshly cooked healthy meals to three separate food banks in the Middlesbrough area.
“If you have any contacts at any food banks in the Middlesbrough & Stockton area please tag them in the comments below.
“Below is a copy of the Subsidised menu from the House of Commons. You know who is subsiding it? YOU!
“Shame on our government, this is so wrong.”
It is not the first time during the pandemic that ministers have clashed with landlords.
Last week, the owners of Merseyside pub The James Atherton renamed the venue The Three Bellends in protest against Johnson’s administration imposing tier 3 lockdown measures in Liverpool.
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The pub replaced its crest from a portrait of its namesake – the founder of New Brighton – to a picture of prime minister Boris Johnson, health secretary Matt Hancock, and the PM’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings, pictured quite literally with bells on their heads.
Rashford, who has been retweeting scores of restaurants and takeaways who are providing meals for children for free instead, has vowed to carry on campaigning.
Footballer Marcus Rashford has been campaigning to help poor kids he says will go hungry over Christmas PA
He called on politicians to “stop stigmatising, judging and pointing fingers” as he warned a “significant number” would go hungry over half term and Christmas.
Urging people to “unite” to protect the most vulnerable children, he said after the vote: “For as long as they don’t have a voice, they will have mine.”
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On Friday, Downing Street three times refused to praise those who offered to help during a Westminster briefing.
Five Conservative MPs rebelled to back the motion on Wednesday to extend the voucher scheme.
The government has defended the decision, saying it had boosted Universal Credit during the pandemic by £20 and had a “generous” wage support scheme for those struggling.
Young, who represents Redcar and is among those barred from the pub, took issue the voucher scheme, claiming some parents had used the £15 a week vouchers on “alcohol, tobacco or on unhealthy food” during the holidays.
Clarke, meanwhile, who represents Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said there was a broader point, adding: “I believe personal responsibility matters – looking after your own family.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Dolly Parton's Christmas On The Square Finally Gets A Trailer, And It's Obviously A Total Joy

Thank heavens for Dolly Parton, who is ready to fill what’s left of a bizarre year with an abundance of holiday cheer.
The country superstar is a celestial being in the trailer for Netflix’s Christmas on the Square, which puts a female-centric twist on such holiday classics as A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life.
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Due out November 22, the musical stars Christine Baranski as Regina Fuller, who returns to her hometown after her father’s death.
The miserly Regina plans on evicting all of the town’s residents by Christmas Eve to sell the land off to a developer. Thanks to some divine intervention by way of angel Dolly, however, she experiences a change of heart. Yuletide merriment — punctuated by 14 original songs written by Dolly — ensues.
Directed by Debbie Allen, Christmas on the Square is one of several new projects unveiled by Dolly this autumn.
The film’s title is taken from a track that first appeared on her new holiday album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, featuring collaborations with Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon and released earlier this month.
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Netflix's "Christmas on the Square" stars Christine Baranski (left) and Dolly Parton. COURTESY OF NETFLIX
In November, she’ll publish the book Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, highlighting 175 of the more than 3,000 songs she’s written.
Appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert earlier this week, Dolly suggested she has turned to music even more than usual to stay grounded amid the tumult of 2020.
“I just feel like I can express myself in ways that I don’t need a doctor for,” she told Stephen. “I don’t have to have therapy. I just sing it all out, write it all out. I can write for other people, too, like you said, because I see things happen to other people, and I think, ‘They don’t know how to express how they feel.’ They’re depressed, or they’re sad, so I write songs for them as well.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Indoor Venue Hit With £10k Fine For Pretending To Be Outdoor Venue

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A Birmingham venue has been slapped with a £10,000 fine for breaking coronavirus regulations by falsely claiming to be outdoors.
Lab 11 had tried to pass a marquee off as an outdoor beer garden but was let down by the presence of both walls and a roof.
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Officers were called to the specially-constructed tent amid concerns that different households were mixing – which is banned because Birmingham is in tier 2 lockdown. There were up to 120 people inside the venue in Trent Street, Digbeth.
Sgt Nick Giess, from Birmingham police’s licensing team, said: “The venue tried to argue that it was an outdoor event, but there were walls and a roof so it was essentially a building and did not fall into the same category as a beer garden.
“We spoke to people sat at five tables, and four of them had people from different households on.
“People were being allowed to freely move around without masks on and dance to really loud music – all of which goes against the rules that have been put in place to stop the virus spreading.
The event at Lab 11 West Midlands Police
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“People shouldn’t think that we’re trying to stop people’s fun. It’s the opposite – we’re trying to protect people and limit the spread of the virus so that restrictions can hopefully be eased.”
A message on Lab 11′s website said the venue was temporarily closed with immediate effect. It added: “We will assess the viability of re opening as and when the guidelines change in the future. If we consider it safe to do so then we will be back at that point.”
It’s the fourth £10,000 fine the force has handed out in recent weeks.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Matthew McConaughey Shuts Down Trump Question In Awkward TV Interview

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If you want to pick the brain of Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey about politics and the upcoming US election, put aside a good chunk of your time or consider it a no-go zone.
On Wednesday night, the Hollywood star shut down Australian TV presenter Carrie Bickmore’s question about US president Donald Trump, saying he needed “a longer forum” to answer that to avoid his words being misconstrued.
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When Carrie asked “how he felt” about Trump ahead of the November 3 election, the interview on The Project took an awkward turn.
“How do I feel about him?”McConaughey responded. “I want a fuller context and a longer form to talk about that.”
Matthew McConaughey Channel 10
“If I said something to you now, one line could be taken out of context and could be put into a headline, so I don’t want to take the chance for that.
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“I need a longer forum where I know it’s word for word [and] everything I’m saying is being broadcast.”
“Well, let’s lock in that chat for another day!” Carrie then responded, looking a little taken aback by his response.
Matthew McConaughey has led an unconventional life. He sat down with Carrie Bickmore and didn't skip a single detail, including being blackmailed at 15, resisting arrest after bongoing naked, and having 78 stitches sewn into his forehead by a vet. pic.twitter.com/yyiEdL81Ij — The Project (@theprojecttv) October 21, 2020
Though he doesn’t speak much about politics, the 50-year-old answered a question about Trump while promoting his film ‘Gold’ in 2017.
During a recorded sit-down chat with UK’s ChannelFI ― which was later taken down from YouTube ― the interviewer first suggested the film is about “redneck America sticking one up to the snotty East Coast and the elites” before directly asking Matthew for his views on Trump.
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“Every single American actor or arty type who comes over to London dumps on Trump. You all completely hate him. Do you think it’s time that maybe Hollywood and the cultural elite of America gave this guy a break?” the interviewer asked the actor.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--Pat Sharp's Spoof Autobiography Is The Perfect Antidote To 2020 (And All The Usual Celeb Memoirs)

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It’s been a while since 90s kids TV legend Pat Sharp has been on our radar, but he’s currently amusing a lot of people over on Twitter.
That’s because they’ve been given a preview of his new book, Re-Run The Fun: My Life As Pat Sharp.
But far from being the usual celeb autobiography, the former Fun House host has penned a spoof book, which blends events from his life with complete and utter fiction.
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And from what’s out there so far, it looks like an absolutely wild ride.
Pat Sharp, pictured in 1991 Clive Dix/Shutterstock
In a passage that Telegraph journalist Anita Singh tweeted out on Thursday, Pat details a meeting with Princess Diana, claiming he was actually responsible for a memorable line in her 1995 Panorama interview.
Pat writes: “The one thing I had realised in advance was that we’d both had ups and downs in our relationships, something that’s entirely natural in the glare of the spotlight.
“I explained to her that it sometimes felt as though the mullet got so much more attention that ‘there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded’.
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“I thought nothing more of the remark until I saw Diana use it, verbatim, in her Panorama interview with Martin Bashir...”
Pat Sharp and Diana pic.twitter.com/gLKTnx1zKA — Anita Singh (@anitathetweeter) October 22, 2020
In another extract, Pat discusses the (presumably fictional) home of fellow 90s telly legend Noel Edmonds, who was famous for his Saturday night House Party...
I’ll leave you with the fact that Pat has devoted an entire chapter to an imaginary (I think) party at Noel Edmonds’ house pic.twitter.com/UUIb1RsuMw — Anita Singh (@anitathetweeter) October 22, 2020
Based on this, it looks like Pat’s going to be shifting quite a few copies...
The necessary 2020 antidote... — Caroline Hyde (@CarolineHydeTV) October 22, 2020
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Liquid gold this, pure Partridge 😍 — Liam Kennedy (@willpak72) October 22, 2020
I'm getting it...and I have no idea why?? Mesmerising — Mehaff (@i_mehaff) October 22, 2020
I know what I'm asking Santa for this year then! — Rachel Harding (@DrRachelGeo) October 23, 2020
I am so grateful this has arrived in my life 😁 @_hollycameron I'm sure this will appeal to you too x — Stone dweller Lucy (@narrowboatlucy) October 22, 2020
Oh my god I am crying with laughter — Laura Churchward (@LauraChurchward) October 22, 2020
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An official blurb for the spoof book also reveals what else is in store for readers when it hits shelves on 5 November.
“With time on his hands and now reliant on a faulty memory, Pat has expertly blended fact and... fiction: revealing all about his adventures with David Hassselhoff at the Berlin Wall in 1989; how he broke up a fight between Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher at a house party; the time he suggested Geri’s dress be a Union Jack; and much more.
“A definitive work (based on very little fact) that anatomises the cultural trends of the ’80s and ’90s, Re-Run The Fun is just the kind of sorta-biography we need in these turbulent times.”
Radio 1 breakfast show DJ Greg James, who is known for his love of silliness, is also quoted as one of the reviewers, saying: “A must-read if you like funny things.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--US Man Charged With Child Abuse Images Had Van Full Of Guns And Had Researched Killing Joe Biden

Alexander Hillel Treisman, 19, had a cache of weapons and plans to target presidential nominee Joe Biden, authorities said in a recent court filing. Kannapolis Police Department
A Seattle man arrested in North Carolina on child pornography charges had a trove of guns in his car and researched plans to “execute” Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, according to a federal court order.
“Should I kill joe biden?” Alexander Hillel Treisman, 19, posted online in April, according to an October 6 order filed the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina requesting that Treisman remain jailed over child pornography charges, WBTV first reported Thursday.
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Treisman was arrested May 28 after officers from the Kannapolis Police Department in North Carolina responded to reports of an abandoned van outside a Fifth Third Bank. Through the windows of Triesman’s van, officers saw an AR-15 assault weapon, a box for a Taurus .380 handgun, a canister of the explosive material Tannerite and a box of 5.56-caliber ammunition, according to the order.
A search of the vehicle revealed even more weapons: a Sig Sauer AR-style rifle, a 9 mm Luger, a .22-caliber rifle and a bolt-action rifle, the order said. The search also turned up books about bomb making and drawings of swastikas and planes crashing into buildings, the order added.
After officers towed the van, Treisman returned to the Fifth Third Bank in a new vehicle in which police reported finding two more guns. Officers also found three state ID cards, including a Florida driver’s license bearing the name Alexander S. Theiss, with a date of birth that differed from Treisman’s, according to the federal filing.
In an interview with authorities later that day, Treisman admitted he “has an interest in terrorist incidents and mass shootings,” the filing said.
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The FBI obtained a warrant to search his cell phone and other electronic devices, on which investigators said they found more than 6,000 images of child pornography. They subsequently charged him.
A further search of his devices revealed that Treisman referenced raping and killing children, committing mass shootings and assassinating Biden, according to law enforcement.
Treisman posted an iFunny meme on April 15 with the caption, “should I kill joe biden?” the order said. That was just the tip of what investigators found to be a credible threat to the presidential nominee.
“A timeline of internet searches conducted by Defendant between March and May 2020 seeking information about Joe Biden’s home address, state gun laws, rifle parts, and night vision googles, along with actions taken by Defendant, including posting the above mentioned meme about killing Joe Biden, purchasing an AR-15 in New Hampshire, traveling to a Wendy’s within 4 miles of Joe Biden’s home, and writing a checklist note ending with ‘execute,’” the order said.
Treisman remains in custody but has so far not been charged with any crimes beyond the child pornography charges, WBTV reported. The office of the US Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina declined to comment on possible future charges, citing an “ongoing investigation.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-23--CNN Fact-Checker Rips Apart Donald Trump's 'Bombardment Of Dishonesty' In Final Debate

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Trump was “better behaved tonight, but he lied more,” Dale told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer in a post-debate analysis.
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Dale noted that Trump had trotted out many of the same lies at his recent campaign rallies. They covered subjects “big and small,” the journalist noted. “Important stuff like the coronavirus pandemic, about Biden’s policies, about his own record, about Democrats’ record.”
“It was just on and on,” said Dale.
“Biden was imperfect,” he continued. “There were at least a few false, misleading or lacking-in-context claims from him. But for a fact-checker, you’re kind of sitting there with Biden occasionally you’re like, ‘Oh that’s wrong.’”
“With Trump you’re like that ‘I Love Lucy’ episode in the chocolate factory, you don’t know which one to pick up because there’s so much,” he said. “And so again with this president we just see a constant barrage, incessantly, of false or misleading stuff.”
Check out Dale’s full analysis here:
"President Trump was better behaved tonight. But he lied more."
CNN's Daniel Dale fact-checks key moments from the final presidential debate between President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. #Debates2020 https://t.co/eqZVVGqxQq pic.twitter.com/EPgkueYYcU — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) October 23, 2020
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Mehdi Hasan, meanwhile, the host of “The Mehdi Hasan Show” on NBC’s Peacock streaming service, listed “the top 10 whoppers” that Trump told:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-24--A Council In Boris Johnson's Own Constituency Is Now Providing Free School Meals

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A council in Boris Johnson’s own constituency has said it will provide free school meals over the half term after Tory MPs voted overwhelmingly against extending the voucher scheme.
In a tweet posted on Friday evening, a spokesperson for Hillingdon Council, which is run by Conservatives and sits inside the PM’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, confirmed the local authority would be supporting children through the school holiday.
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They wrote: “Hillingdon Council will be offering free school meals to eligible children during the half-term holiday.
“Full details of the scheme and how to claim will be made available on Monday.”
Hillingdon Council will be offering free school meals to eligible children during the half-term holiday. Full details of the scheme and how to claim will be made available on Monday. — Hillingdon Council (@Hillingdon) October 23, 2020
As the PM, Johnson whipped Tory MPs to block the motion to extend free school meals to more than a million of the country’s poorest pupils, insisting it was not the job of schools to “regularly provide food during the school holidays”.
Downing Street has also repeatedly refused to praise businesses, community groups and councils who have stepped in to ensure children don’t go hungry during the half term.
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Asked on thewhether Boris Johnson would praise those firms offering food, a No.10 spokesperson dodged the question and instead told reporters: “We’ve set out our position a number of times. “There’s no change.
“As we have set out before we’re in a different position now with schools back open to all and the vast majority of pupils back in school.
“And I believe the PM said during PMQs free school meals will continue during term time and he wants to continue to support families throughout the crisis and there is cash available to feed kids if they need to.”
Hillingdon Council has joined hundreds of businesses, community organisations and local authorities who have stepped up to provide free meals to children in the absence of government support.
The wave of groups offering to help for free began on Thursday evening when footballer Marcus Rashford, who has spearheaded the campaign to end child hunger, shared the details of participating businesses on his Twitter feed.
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The support quickly snowballed, and by Friday evening hundreds of organisations across the country had pledged their support – with Rashford telling BBC Newsnight “I couldn’t be more proud to call myself British tonight.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-24--Donald Trump Jr.’s 'Pumped' Fox News Interview Gets The Treatment From Jimmy Fallon

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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-24--I'm A Celebrity 2020 Line-Up: Have These 8 Stars Just Been Confirmed For The New Series?

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With anticipation building for the new series of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, there’s been many names linked to a spot on the ITV reality show.
However, fans have been given their biggest hint yet as to who will be heading into the Welsh castle when the series launches next month.
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The Sun has obtained pictures of a number of stars who had already been rumoured for the show arriving at a London photography studio for a photoshoot.
The paper published pictures of presenter Vernon Kay, Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard and broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire arriving for the secret photoshoot in Kensal Green on Friday.
There were also three new names photographed outside the venue – opera singer Russell Watson, Paralympian Hollie Arnold and stage star Ruthie Henshall.
The Sun also reported sightings of previously rumoured contestants EastEnders star Jessica Plummer and former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard at the photography studio.
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Take a look at all the names below...
Jessica Plummer
Karwai Tang via Getty Images
The actor and singer is best known for playing Chantelle Atkins on EastEnders, but her character was killed off in traumatic scenes last month, following a hard-hitting domestic violence storyline.
Vernon Kay
PA
The presenter and radio DJ is known for hosting the likes of All Star Family Fortunes, Radio 1 and T4 during his career. He now works as a Formula E presenter and is married to Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly.
Victoria Derbyshire
David M. Benett via Getty Images
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The BBC journalist hosted her eponymous, mid-morning current affairs show on BBC Two from 2015 until earlier this year, when it was axed amid budget cuts in the broadcaster’s News division.
Beverly Callard
EMPICS Entertainment
The soap legend is known to millions as Coronation Street’s Liz McDonald. She left her role as the former Rovers Return landlady earlier this year.
AJ Pritchard
Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
The professional dancer was part of the pro line-up on Strictly Come Dancing for four years prior to quitting the BBC ballroom show earlier this year.
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Hollie Arnold
Francois Nel via Getty Images
The Paralympic athlete competes in the javelin and won her first Paralympic gold at the Rio 2016 games. She was made an MBE the following year.
Ruthie Henshall
Tim P. Whitby via Getty Images
The stage star is known for her work in musical theatre, starring in a plethora of West End productions including Cats, Crazy For You, Chicago and Billy Elliot. She previously served as a judge on Dancing On Ice.
Russell Watson
Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
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The opera singer is commonly referred to as ‘The Voice’ having enjoyed a hugely successful classical music career over the last 22 years.
––
However, with only eight stars appearing to be confirmed for the line-up so far, it’s looking like other names will be joining them.
Among the others who have been linked to I’m A Celebrity include singer Jessie J, former footballer John Barnes and RuPaul’s Drag Race winner The Vivienne.
A spokesperson for the show said that “any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity are just speculation” at this point.
This year, the ITV reality show is relocating from the Australian outback to Gwrych Castle in Conwy this year due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
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The contestants will still take part in the familiar tasks and trials fans are used to, but will be competing to be crowned the King or Queen of the Castle, rather than the Jungle.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for Gwrych Castle insisted the show would not be affected by the current national lockdown in Wales, which is due to end on 9 November.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-24--Tory MP Says She Hopes Businesses Who Feed Hungry Kids Won't Seek Government Support

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A Tory MP has said she “very much” hopes businesses offering to feed hungry children for free “will not be seeking any further government support”, as the row over free school meals continues.
In a now-deleted Facebook post Selaine Saxby, who represents North Devon, wrote: “I am delighted our local businesses have bounced back so much after lockdown they are able to give away food for free, and very much hope they will not be seeking any further government support.”
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Saxby is one of more than 300 Tories who voted against extending free school meals to the UK’s poorest children through the half term and Christmas holidays on Wednesday.
Another Tory MP in a show of utter contempt for her constituents @SelaineSaxby actually having a go at businesses going out of their way to feed hungry kids
Lower than low this https://t.co/qVtcjixy2Y — Liam Thorp (@LiamThorpECHO) October 24, 2020
After facing intense criticism online for her comment Saxby insisted her words had been taken “out of context”, but did not explain the context they should have been read in.
She added: “The portrayal of my recent comments on social media, out of context, does not accurately convey my views – I of course deeply regret any offence which may have been caused.”
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Statement follows below: pic.twitter.com/7RPKTV9GPG — Selaine Saxby MP (@SelaineSaxby) October 24, 2020
Leaders in North Devon – where the hospitality industry has been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic – have responded furiously to Saxby’s comments, with the North Devon Liberal Democrats’s spokesperson telling Devon Live: “I am stunned at what I have read from Saxby.
“Not only has she tried to justify the fact that she has voted in a way that could see children go hungry, but she’s also attacked the hospitality industry in North Devon who have taken one of the biggest beatings during this pandemic, but still step forward to support children.”
The North Devon MP’s Facebook post began to circulate just ours after fellow Tory MP Ben Bradley, suggested free school meal vouchers for the children in his constituency “effectively” went to crack dens and brothels.
Bradley, who represents Mansfield, claimed on Friday evening that one of the kids in his constituency “lives in a crack den” while another “in a brothel” and that extending free school meals would not reach these children.
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When one Twitter user responded suggested a ”£20 cash direct to a crack den and brothel” could be “the way forward”, the MP said: “Thats what FSM vouchers in the summer effectively did.”
The conversation has since been deleted from Twitter, but not before it was screenshotted and met with huge backlash on social media. Like Saxby, Bradley has also claimed his comments were taken out of context.
Saxby and Bradley are amongst 112 MPs who signed letter to Labour leader Keir Starmer claiming that Angela Rayner’s “scum” comment had provoked “widespread abuse” towards Tories.
We’ve written to @Keir_Starmer after @AngelaRayner’s comment resulted in widespread abuse towards our MPs, staff and families.
Will Sir Keir take action against Labour MPs and party members who perpetrate abuse, and apologise for Rayner’s record of unparliamentary behaviour? pic.twitter.com/E0q7quLaAb — Amanda Milling (@amandamilling) October 23, 2020
The letters calls for the opposition leader to “publicly apologise for Angela Rayner’s record of unparliamentary behaviour”, complaining that the deputy leader’s use of the word “scum” (for which she has since publicly apologised) had led to it trending on Twitter and sparking abusive phone calls.
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But critics of the government have accused the Tories of trying to shift the blame for public anger onto Labour, instead of addressing the widespread unpopularity of their vote against a motion to extend free school meals.
Starves the nation's kids.
Nation gets angry.
Blames Labour. https://t.co/2fGcKd7bZx — Femi (@Femi_Sorry) October 24, 2020
If I understand this correctly your saying widespread outrage across the country has nothing to do with Conservative MP’s wanting to let kids go hungry during the holidays & everything to do with one Conservative MP having been called a name in Parliament https://t.co/MwSBXdb6yQ — Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) October 24, 2020