thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--One Million People Back Marcus Rashford's Petition To Extend Free School Meals

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A petition created by footballer Marcus Rashford urging the government to provide free meals for the poorest children during school holidays has been signed more than a million times.
It is only the fifth petition to have ever reached one million signatures on the government petitions website.
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Marcus Rashford petition Gov.UK
The England and Manchester United forward – who was made an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours for his work on child hunger – has also called on Boris Johnson to expand the free school meals programme to more children.
In recent days, the prime minister and his government have faced a huge backlash from the public after the Conservative Party voted down Labour’s motion to implement Rashford’s plan and fund free school meals out of term-time.
Marcus Rashford in action during the UEFA Champions League Group H match at Old Trafford, Manchester. PA
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The sportsman capped off a remarkable day when he scored his first Manchester United hat-trick and inspired his team to a 5-0 win in the Champions League against RB Leipzig.
Following the game, Rashford said he “can’t stop smiling” as his petition to extend free meals for children into the school holidays passed 1,000,000 signatures.
Also referencing Manchester United’s win against RB Leipzig, Rashford wrote on Twitter: “3 goals, 16 minutes, 1,030,000 signatures.
“Can’t stop smiling, I’ve waited a long time for that. Just wish the fans were in to experience it with me.”
3⃣ goals
1⃣6⃣ minutes
1⃣0⃣3⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ signatures
Can’t stop smiling, I’ve waited a long time for that. Just wish the fans were in to experience it with me ♥https://t.co/FvvpO6JYWX#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY pic.twitter.com/QJGJxSzTlj — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 28, 2020
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The anti-hunger campaigner is to be given the City of Manchester Award on top of his MBE for his work to tackle child poverty.
Rashford was born in Manchester and raised in the Wythenshawe area of the city. Wythenshawe councillor Tommy Judge, who will give the award as his first act in his new role as lord mayor of Manchester, said it was “remarkable” to see him “give a voice to the powerless”.
Today, the @LordMayorOfMcr, Cllr Judge, announced that @MarcusRashford MBE will receive the City of Manchester Award for his 'outstanding contribution to the city', following his Free School Meals campaign.
Wythenshawe & the rest of Manchester is beaming with pride. ❤ pic.twitter.com/h4t0w9mZKg — Manchester City Council #StaySafe❤ (@ManCityCouncil) October 28, 2020
The Tories have argued that there is a “whole range of additional support” to make sure children and their families don’t go hungry during the pandemic, as well as alleging that feeding children outside term-time would mean “nationalising children” and suggesting free school meal vouchers “effectively” go to brothels and crack dens.
Hundreds of local businesses and councils have stepped in to fill the gap over the October half term – which began on Monday – volunteering free meals for those in need.
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In the wake of the vote in the Commons, 22-year-old Rashford said people must not allow their views to be clouded by politics.
Boris Johnson gestures as he holds a plate of cooked food during his visit to Royal Berkshire NHS Hospital JEREMY SELWYN via Getty Images
“We talk about the devastating impact of Covid-19 but, if projections are anything to go by, child food poverty has the potential to become the greatest pandemic the country has ever faced,” he wrote on Twitter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--This Is The Refugee Family Who Drowned On Channel Crossing. Their Baby Is Still Lost At Sea

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The family who drowned after the sinking of a refugee boat in the English Channel have been pictured – as a search for their missing 15-month-old baby continues.
The bodies of Kurdish-Iranian Rasoul Iran-Nejad, 35, Shiva Mohammad Panahi, 35, Anita, nine, and Armin, six, have been found and identified, the BBC reports.
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Their 15-month-old son, Artin, is believed to be still missing. The family is believed to be from the city of Sardasht in western Iran, close to the border with Iraq.
Rasoul’s brother told the channel he had sold all of his belongings and paid more than £20,000 to smugglers in a bid to secure a better future for his family.
Pictures of the family have been shared publicly by a human rights organisation.
تصاویری از اعضای خانوادە سردشتی کە در آبهای فرانسە غرق شدەاند https://t.co/KrHDJrFBLO pic.twitter.com/d4VN376ejb — Hengaw Human Rights Organization (@HengawO) October 28, 2020
The tragedy is believed to be the single biggest loss of life during the current migrant crisis.
More than a dozen people from the boat have been taken to hospitals in Calais and Dunkirk, according to the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea.
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Charities say there is “no excuse for failing to act now” and called on the UK Government to create a legal route for refugees. Refugees charity Care4Calais said it was “utterly devastated”.
Bertrand Ringot, the mayor of Gravelines, south-west of Dunkirk, described the deaths as “tragic”.
He added that as the end of the Brexit transition period approaches, he will call for more security resources in the area around the port.
Bella Sankey, director of Detention Action, said: “News that a child has died at sea while trying to reach safety in the UK is the horror that we dreaded would come.
“Where is the decency and common humanity of the UK government?
“How can they allow our children to perish in this way? It would be easy to create a legal route for refugees who reach northern France to seek asylum in the UK; there is no excuse for failing to act now.”
Home secretary Priti Patel was strongly criticised earlier this year for suggesting sending in the Navy to stop refugees crossing the Channel, despite the fact the UK’s resettlement scheme has been closed since March – meaning there is no safe, legal route for refugees to reach the UK by other means.
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Mariam Kemple Hardy, head of campaigns at Refugee Action, said the incident was “absolutely heartbreaking”.
She added: “Our thoughts are with the people caught up in this horrible tragedy, their families, and the rescuers.
“No one wants to see people make dangerous crossings but the government’s hostile rhetoric does nothing to help.
“It must stop trying to look tough and urgently create more safe and legal routes for people to seek sanctuary in the UK.”
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds tweeted: “This is an absolute tragedy. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones and people who have been injured.
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“It is a heartbreaking reminder of the human cost of this crisis.”
Yvette Cooper MP, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “This is truly awful news – and it is even more distressing that children should be involved in this tragedy.
“The thought of children ending up in the cold waves is terrible.
“These boats are incredibly dangerous. The criminal gangs who organise journeys in these precarious dinghies are profiting from putting lives at risk and from other people’s desperation.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--UK Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 300 For Second Day In A Row

Images By Tang Ming Tung via Getty Images
The UK’s coronavirus death toll has exceeded 300 for the second day in a row as the country battles another surge in infections.
On Wednesday, the deaths of 310 more people were recorded, bringing the UK’s total death toll to 45,675.
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Of those, 236 were reported in England, while Scotland accounted for 28 of the fatalities.
In Northern Ireland, the deaths of nine more people were recorded, while 37 were also reported in Wales.
It comes just a day after the daily death count topped 350 for the first time since May, with the Covid-19 deaths of 367 people added to the government’s coronavirus dashboard.
Boris Johnson speaks during a Number 10 Downing Street coronavirus press conference EDDIE MULHOLLAND via Getty Images
The grim milestone prompted calls for Boris Johnson to impose a stricter lockdown, with the government’s own scientific advisors warning that the coronavirus death toll could remain high throughout winter.
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Sir Mark Walport, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), told the BBC on Wednesday it was “certainly not unrealistic” to think of 25,000 people being in hospital with Covid-19 by the end of November.
The PM has so far resisted calls for a “circuit breaker” lockdown in England, preferring to stick to regional restrictions.
However, cases across the UK continue to rise, with 24,701 new infections reported on Wednesday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Is Summoned Back To Court And Told: Pack A Bag For Jail

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A British-Iranian mother who has been held in Iran since 2016 has been ordered to pack a bag for prison so she can appear before a judge on Monday – just days after a fresh trial was postponed.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian dual national, was convicted of plotting to overthrow the government in 2016 – an accusation she completely denies.
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Her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who lives in north London, said the new trial would hear charges of spreading anti-government propaganda. It had been due to take place on November 3 has now been postponed until after the end of her current sentence.
The move is a blow Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family who had hoped she would be home for Christmas Handout . / Reuters
Having been moved to house arrest in March, when thousands of prisoners were granted clemency and freed from Iranian jails amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was returned to court last week only months away from her expected release date, and told she would face a second trial.
Meanwhile Labour’s Tulip Siddiq – who is Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s MP – said: “She is being treated with contempt.”
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Siddiq urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step up the efforts to bring her back to the UK.
Richard Ratcliffe has called on foreign secretary Dominic Raab to assert Britain’s right to attend the trial and visit his wife.
In a statement, Ratcliffe said Raab had reassured him that “the UK’s diplomatic push is ongoing and despite recent events, the government still does not judge it time to change strategy.
“We disagreed on this. Seclusion of the victim, with bouts of conspicuous cruelty in the face of decisions to wait, are key pillars of hostage taking. Both must be challenged robustly if British citizens are going to be protected from hostage diplomacy by Iran or others.
“As Nazanin’s husband, I do think that if she’s not home for Christmas, there’s every chance this could run for years. So I really hope there’s something we’re not being told, as on the face of it the government’s response seems disastrous, just extraordinary that they won’t change course.”
Zahari-Ratcliffe will appear before Judge Salavati on Monday where she will learn more about her latest summons.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--Bristol Says It's Now In Tier 1+ And Things Are Getting Complicated

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Bristol Council has unveiled new measures to control the local rise in Covid-19 cases – and created a whole new sub-tier of lockdown for itself in the process.
England is currently under a three-tier system, with alert levels set at medium, high and very high – translating to tier 1, 2 and 3 of restrictions.
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But that wasn’t enough for Bristol, where there are currently 340.7 new cases per 100,000. Home to around half a million people, the city declared it is now under “tier 1+”, an entirely new sub-tier altogether.
"We regard ourselves now as being in Tier 1+" Ms Gray said — Amanda Cameron LDR (@AmandaSCameron) October 28, 2020
The government’s tiered system, announced on October 12, was intended to improve the functioning of test and trace (which isn’t exactly going brilliantly) and clear up some of the confusing public health messaging.
But with Bristol City Council going rogue by putting itself in a new tier all of its own, we’re not sure things are getting any simpler.
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So let me get this right:
Tier 0 (Scotland only)
Tier 1 (UK)
Tier 1+ (Bristol only)
Tier 2 (UK)
Tier 3 (UK)
Tier 4 (Scotland only)
Tears (Me) — Conrad Quilty-Harper (@Coneee) October 28, 2020
Inventing a whole new subtier for Bristol is very Bristol. https://t.co/GkTd5unhRu — Rachael Krishna (@RachaelKrishna) October 28, 2020
Tier 1 plus you know. Business class Covid. https://t.co/VRHa5TBCmy — TransJamaican (@Whitb_xx) October 28, 2020
explaining how Tier 1 Plus fits into the system pic.twitter.com/OcfAB9M6Gk — Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) October 28, 2020
What does tier 1+ actually mean?
It’s important to note that tier 1+ isn’t a national strategy – it was created locally by leaders in the South West but implemented first by Bristol City Council, explained the city’s director of public health Christina Gray.
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Ms Gray said the Tier1+ concept was a local one, and not a national one. She said it had been discussed by local authorities throughout the South West but Bristol was the first one to try it — Amanda Cameron LDR (@AmandaSCameron) October 28, 2020
She added: “The tier 1+ is because we recognise the importance of maintaining people’s livelihoods, and the hospitality sector is the most difficult to manage safely.
“In order to keep open, we need to drive down infections.”
Tier 1+ doesn’t actually mean there will be any new restrictions for members of the public to follow – up to six members of different households will still be able to meet indoors, unlike in tier 2 where this is forbidden.
What it does mean, however, is that the council will enforce the current rules more effectively, with eight Covid marshals targeting busy areas of the city especially in the evenings and at weekends.
Bristol Live reported that tier 1+ boiled down to three main components – “using data to provide messages on how to safely use public spaces, taking on parts of Test and Trace, and ensuring compliance.”
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Bristol City Council is also using £3 million in funding from government to boost local resources for test and trace, which Rees said was “failing” on a national scale, as well as concentrating on more targeted approaches to reducing transmission – particularly amongst 30- to 60-year-olds, where case numbers are on the rise.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has clarified that it is not introducing a plus system.
“There are three local Covid alert levels which are enshrined in law and we are not considering the introduction of a ‘plus’ system,” a spokesperson said.
“Bristol is currently at medium and local leaders have the authority to bring in some additional measures for their area, and we welcome local efforts to break chains of transmission.”
So... what happened to the three-tier system?
When Boris Johnson announced the three-tier system it was billed as a way of simplifying the local lockdowns and boosting the effectiveness of test and trace.
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Millions of people across some of England’s biggest cities are now living under heightened restrictions under tier 2 and 3, with the government already facing significant backlash from Manchester’s leaders over “disgraceful” financial support.
Inconsistencies between different cities have also been pointed out, with Liverpool told gyms had to shut under tier 3 while they stayed open in Lancashire under exactly the same tier – a move Liverpool’s mayor Joe Anderson described as an “inconsistent mess”.
But with cases and deaths rising, there is some concern that even tier 3 doesn’t go far enough – with calls reportedly being made for tier 4, or tier 3+.
Leicestershire Live reported on Tuesday that Whitehall officials were discussing a fourth tier of restrictions, and local circuit breaker lockdowns, in regions where tier 3 restrictions hadn’t brought the virus under control.
Under tier 4, or tier 3+, restaurants and non-essential retail such as clothes shops could also be forced to close – similar to the current “firebreaker” lockdown across the whole of Wales.
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The three-tier system only applies in England, but Nicola Sturgeon was met with some accusations of complication Westminster’s public health messaging after introducing a five-tier system in Scotland earlier in October.
The Scottish first minister said the additional two steps, 0 and 4, “sensibly add” to the English system – with 0 being the “closest to normality we think we can safely get to”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--‘We Must Take Care Of Each Other’ – These People Stepped In To Feed The Nation’s Kids

By the time the half-term holidays are over on Friday, more than a hundred thousand meals will have been delivered to hungry children all across the country.
These meals will have come from one of the hundreds of businesses and community groups who have stepped up to do what 322 Tory MPs refused to – extend the free school meals scheme into the holidays.
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Spearheaded by England footballer and anti-hunger campaigner Marcus Rashford, the campaign to feed the country’s poorest children has set social media alight and has been met with widespread praise.
Yet despite a huge backlash and outpouring of public anger, the government has refused to continue the programme that had kept more than a million children fed through lockdown and the school holidays.
The Royal Mahal was one of the first businesses in south London to jump onto Rashford’s #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY scheme, offering a main course and dessert for children who usually receive a free school meal. “We find it ludicrous that our children are being victimised,” director Arfan Javid told HuffPost UK.
“The government should have extended free meals at the very least until the pandemic is over – this would have been the right thing to do.
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“To see this happening in our own communities is a wake-up call for all of us to rethink our minds. No child should go hungry.”
Shuhel and Zak Ahmed of Babul's of Barnard Castle: "Free school meals helped our parents massively." HuffPost UK
The restaurant suffered “hugely” as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and received no help from the government, he said. But the local community stuck by them.
“The support and well wishes we have received from our most regular customers has been amazing. To provide these free meals is our way of paying them back and letting all know that we are in this together,” he said.
Indiaana, in Ramsey, Huntingdon was also hit hard by Covid-19. “We’ve had a very rough time since lockdown,” said owner Jay Choudhury.
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During the height of the first wave, the restaurant provided free food to the over-70s who were in self-isolation. “This time it was children in our community and I believe they deserve this more than anyone else.”
Choudhury has been a supporter of many of the government’s decisions since the start of the pandemic – until now. “They have been doing what they can and to a certain degree, they have done a great job.
“But I totally disagree with children’s school vouchers being voted against. There are other places where they could have cut corners, not with children.”
“It’s despicable,” said Bradley Martin, owner of the Swiss Cottage Cafe in North Devon, which is offering a free packed lunch throughout the week. “Kids are not responsible or have any control of the food in their households and if no one helps, they will go hungry.
″[The government] is so far removed from the reality of real life. They have an expense allowance for almost everything, on top of a well-paid job and discounted restaurants in the [House of Commons].”
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Martin said it was no surprise that local businesses were the ones who had come to rescue. “Businesses have been stepping in for years making up for government’s failures. This is not the first time we have had to help out, and probably won’t be the last.”
Over the weekend, Tory MP Selaine Saxby said in a now-deleted Facebook post that she “very much” hopes businesses offering to feed hungry children for free “will not be seeking any further government support”.
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.”
Her comments were “shocking”, Martin said. “It shows how little empathy for the situation and understanding of the troubles small businesses are facing in this economic climate.”
Mandy Sc’erri of Cherries Cafe in Bournemouth: "As soon as I heard there may some children going without this week I had to offer something." HuffPost UK
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Shuhel and Zak Ahmed were both recipients of free school meals when they were young. “It helped our parents massively, financially as well as with peace of mind not having to worry about making sure we were fed properly,” they told HuffPost UK.
So it felt natural for the owners of Babul’s of Barnard Castle to step up after they heard about the vote. “It’s our moral obligation to look after those around us. This isn’t a politically motivated decision.”
The restaurant is providing 100 meals each day for 15 days, consisting of grilled chicken and fresh vegetables.
“We feel that it is our responsibility to look after one another, regardless of whether the government helps or not. We are one big family, and must take care of each other in every way we possibly can.
“This is our way of showing appreciation to the community that has supported us through the years. It’s our way of giving back.”
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“I will always give food to anyone who needs it regardless if I can afford to or not. I can’t bear the thought of any child anywhere going hungry”
Mandy Sc’erri, of Cherries Cafe in Bournemouth, said she felt “utterly disgusted” by Saxby’s comments. “We’re by no means back on our feet,” she said. “The pandemic has had a disastrous effect on most small businesses.
“I personally chose to do this because I will always give food to anyone who needs it regardless if I can afford to or not. I can’t bear the thought of any child anywhere going hungry. As soon as I heard there may some children going without this week I had to offer something.”
She said she had felt “very saddened” by the government’s vote last week.
“I have been a single parent myself and struggled at times to feed my son when he was young,” she told HuffPost UK. “I was also a school cook and know that sometimes a school meal is the only decent meal a child may get in a day.”
Although her cafe has been hit hard by the pandemic, her regular customers have offered to help towards the cost of the meals she is providing this week to both the children and their parents. “If they are struggling to feed their kids I’m sure they will be in need too,” she added.
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“We’ve had very positive feedback. I have been inundated with people offering donations towards the cost of the lunches. I love the community spirit that this issue has created.”
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme cost the government £522m, while free school meals cost £20m each week. As one of the businesses that participated in the initiative in August, the owners of Piccolo Mondo Pizzeria in Wimborne, Dorset, have pointed to the hypocrisy of last week’s vote.
“Why subsidise those who can afford to eat out while not offering support to those who rely on help to feed their children?” asks Alessandra, adding that she “strongly disagrees” with the North Devon MP.
“Mrs Saxby is very wrong,” she said. “It is, and continues to be, a hard time for hospitality. We are helping the community in spite of our own hardship.”
Jay Choudhury of Indiaana, Ramsey, Huntingdon: "The children in our community deserve this more than anyone else." HuffPost UK
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“It was a no-brainer, really,” says Kathy Diamond of Denton Island Soul Kitchen in Newhaven, which is giving jacket potatoes and fruit juices to children this week. “If kids are going to go hungry then something needs to be done.”
Her business joined the scheme after hearing about other cafes offering to provide free school meals. “We had to do the same. It’s not rocket science – it’s filling hungry tummies.”
Diamond said she had received “amazing” feedback, with local businesses dropping off bottles of squash and water to show their support.
“I feel there’s a real community spirit in these strange times. We have had nothing but warmth, thanks and praise but, really, it’s simple stuff.
“The government should be ashamed of themselves. Times are hard at the moment.”
Nowhere has the debate surrounding free school meals been more divided than in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where its MP has recently made headlines for claiming that free school meals “effectively” go towards paying a crack den and brothel in his constituency.
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Schools and food banks in the area reacted with shock and anger, while businesses have taken it upon themselves to publicly declare themselves at odds with their elected representative.
“You have to be a very callous human to vote against feeding children,” says Amy Hancock of the White Post pub in Farnsfield. “Regardless of parental choices, to argue against feeding children who might go hungry through no fault of their own is despicable.”
Her pub is offering free packed lunches along with treats and tinned goods for anyone who needs it – not just families who are in receipt of free school meals.
“Even though the pandemic has turned my life upside down, I’m not in a position where I can’t feed my children,” she said. “Many people aren’t so lucky.
“You never know what’s happening behind closed doors. I’ve personally been in the position of literally counting the pennies but was too proud to ask for help.
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“I believe that there’s incredible strength in asking for help when you need it, and I truly truly hope that this initiative reaches the people who do need it.”
“A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable and right now the British government seems to be treating them with disdain”
Northern Soul Kitchen in Berwick-upon-Tweed has opened a half-term breakfast and lunch club where families can pay what they can afford, if anything.
“It’s very difficult for us to understand the government’s decision, to be honest,” said owners Millie Stanford and Harriet Grecian.
“Every day, we see the effects of austerity from the last decade or so. We see that families can be working and still struggle to feed themselves and their children. And now with the pandemic, things are worse than ever.
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“It is baffling to us that the government can one day offer vouchers for people to eat out in restaurants but then the next day they say they won’t help the poorest families in the country.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--Cops And Dobbers! Now We Know Who Calls The Police On Covid Rule-Breakers

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Picture the scene: It’s a Friday night in 2020, which means just one thing – you’re staying in with a takeaway pizza and a boxset yet again.
But when you go to the door to greet the delivery man (who you are now on first-name terms with), you notice a stream of booze-laden groups going into your neighbour’s house. They’re having an illegal lockdown party.
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What do you do? Do you turn a blind eye and retreat to the sofa with your margherita to rewatch Normal People for the third time?
Or do you indignantly get on the phone to the police to report your neighbours? After all, don’t they know there’s a pandemic going on?
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, just a tiny proportion of us would actually report it if we spotted someone breaking coronavirus restrictions.
Only 6% to 7% of people in England and Wales who spotted people breaching lockdown rules called the police PeopleImages via Getty Images
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The ONS found that between June and August, around half of adults in England and Wales had spotted someone breaching restrictions put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.
But only 6% to 7% of these people had gone on to report this rule-breaking to the police, with most people saying they hadn’t done so because they felt it was “too trivial”.
The debate over whether to dob in your neighbours has been raging for months now.
Back in September, policing minister Kit Malthouse encouraged the public to report their neighbours if they spotted them breaking the “rule of six”.
Meanwhile, home secretary Priti Patel said she would “call the police” about rule-breakers on her street.
But just days later, Boris Johnson said he wasn’t a fan of “sneak culture”, saying he would only report his neighbours if they were having “some huge kind of Animal House party” with “hot tubs and so forth”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--Gemma Collins Somehow Managed To Out-Diva Naomi Campbell When They Met Last Year

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Gemma Collins has revealed that she and Naomi Campbell hit it off when they met for the first time last year – even though the former TOWIE star somehow managed to out-diva one of the most legendary supermodels in the world.
During the latest episode of her ITVBe reality show Diva Forever & Ever, Gemma exhibited some typical GC behaviour which included shutting down a Chelsea boutique so she could go on a spending spree, and promising every passenger on board her Wizz Air flight a free drink on her (then promptly redacting the offer when she worked out how much it would all cost).
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Later, Gemma was seen getting ready for a photo-shoot in Crete with a bit of help from a makeup artist, who it emerged had previously worked on The Jonathan Ross Show.
Naturally, the conversation quickly turned to Gemma’s appearance on the talk show last year, when she shared the couch with none other than fellow diva Naomi Campbell.
Naomi Campbell and Gemma Collins on The Jonathan Ross Show Brian J Ritchie/Hotsauce/Shutterstock
And The GC was keen to make it clear - even to Naomi Campbell - who was the head diva in charge.
“I liked her, I had a laugh with her when the cameras were off,” Gemma revealed. “She went to me, ‘honey, DM me on Instagram and give me your number’.
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“I thought, ‘Naomi, darling. I don’t give anyone my number. It was nice meeting you today but… I’m The GC, babes. DM me your number’.”
Gemma spoke about her encounter with Naomi Campbell on her reality show Diva Forever & Ever ITV
Suffice to say, it doesn’t sound like we should expect Naomi Campbell will be making a cameo appearance on Diva Forever & Ever any time soon…


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--UK Election Guru Says Joe Biden 'Should Be Home And Dry' If US Polls Are Correct

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Joe Biden “should be home and dry” in the United States presidential election even though there is still a “pathway” to victory for Donald Trump, one of the UK’s leading polling gurus has said.
Sir John Curtice explained that Trump needs to win several states where Biden is narrowly ahead in state polls, including the likes of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, to stand any chance of victory.
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But the Democrat’s leads are more solid than Hillary Clinton’s in 2016 and only one or two battleground states need to fall in Biden’s favour for Trump to be ousted from the presidency, he said.
Curtice, who is a politics professor at Strathclyde university and president of the British Polling Council, conceded he does not pay close attention to US polls but was now “casting an eye over what’s going on” before Tuesday’s election.
He dismissed suggestions that American pollsters got it wrong in 2016 because they gave Clinton a 3% lead and she eventually won the popular vote by 2%.
But he conceded that four years ago polling in Midwest states like Michigan and Wisconsin was “light and patchy in quality, not least because these were not states which were thought to be up for grabs”.
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US president Donald Trump, left, and his challenger Joe Biden, right ASSOCIATED PRESS
Professor Sir John Curtice Ken Jack via Getty Images
However, even looking at the final state polls in 2016, Curtice said a candidate needed to be 6% ahead to be 95% sure of winning any one state.
“You could see in 2016 that the numbers were not there for Clinton and you could see how if the cookie crumbled in North Carolina, in Florida, in Pennsylvania, and in the Midwest states that Trump could just do it, which is exactly what happened,” he told the Lords liaison committee.
Turning to this year’s election, he went on: “You can still see now a pathway to Trump.
“It means certainly winning Pennsylvania, it probably also means winning Wisconsin and or Minnesota, but it also means winning Florida and Texas, Georgia, Arizona and a whole load of other states, many of which have at least Biden narrowly ahead.
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“So in other words – yes you could see how Trump could still win but many more cookies have to crumble in the right direction for him than had to in 2016 for the pathway to work.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--Priti Patel Has Blood On Her Hands. Her Condolences Mean Nothing

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by Border Force following a small boat incident in the Channel. PA
Yesterday evening saw the single biggest loss of life in the English Channel in recent years – the death of two children – aged five and eight, along with two adults, after a migrant boat sank off the coast of northern France.
Sadly, this story and the subsequent response from our government has become all too routine.
Asylum-seekers desperately seeking safety in England are deprived of safe and legal routes to safety, are treated without humanity, and without any other plausible options on offer from the callous British government, are driven in desperation to such drastic measures.
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Following the reports of these deaths, politicians offer up their sympathies. Indeed, both Priti Patel and Boris Johnson have expressed their condolences, making sure that both of their apologies refer to the “ruthless criminals” or “callous criminals” who they attribute to be at the helm of these tragic losses.
In both cases, they abdicate culpability from a situation that the British government bears responsibility for. Their apologies have become as rehearsed as the faux compassion that they show.
These words ring incredibly hollow given the government’s barbaric stance on asylum seekers and those seeking refugee. Words mean nothing without actions to back them up.
Rather than pinning the blame on traffickers or migrants themselves, Patel should accept responsibility for the actions of her government, or rather lack thereof.
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Speaking to the Conservative Party conference earlier this year Patel said: “Those defending the broken [asylum] system – the traffickers, the do-gooders, the lefty lawyers, the Labour Party – they are defending the indefensible”.
Is it indefensible to want a system that doesn’t force children to row in a boat across the Channel and die in the process?
Rather than implement punitive deterrents, the government should allow for safe legal access to prevent what are such preventable tragedies, at a time when the world does not need any more needless death.
Last week, Lord Dubs, a former child refugee himself, proposed for the fourth time an amendment to an immigration bill that would ensure that lone child refugees had the legal right to family reunion after the UK leaves the EU on 31 December.
But, as the government, with a majority of 80, has thrown out the amendment three times before, it is likely they will do so again, leaving no safe alternates in its place.
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The one successful bid that Lord Dubs had previously secured – that the Home Office were obliged to accept at least 3,000 child refugees for resettlement – was compromised by ministers who placed a cap on the numbers.
Last week, it was reported that those children – some as young as 12 – who have been able to make the journey across the Channel on small boats are being sent to adult detention centres where their safety and conditions are questionable.
Time and time again this government has thwarted measures which offer basic humanity to some of the most vulnerable people which has lead to the death and endangerment of children.
Rather than proposing draconian measures such as transferring asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea or Ascension Island, the government need to take responsibility for those who are attempting to travel to Britain with substantial measures rather than letting innocent children die.
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In 2019, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, which Patel was on, warned that “a policy that focuses exclusively on closing borders will drive migrants to take more dangerous routes, and push them into the hands of criminal groups”.
She was warned this would be the outcome, yet Patel only thinks of the cost of asylum. She told the Conservative Party conference that asylum seekers costs the UK £1bn a year – is that a humane way of thinking about the value of someone seeking safety’s life?
Surely it is a waste of more time and money to order Parliamentary inquiries and reports if advice that does not fit the government agenda is so brazenly disregarded.
Charities have said these deaths should serve as a “wake-up call” to those in power to realise that rigid borders and the current approach is not working for anyone. We do not need more of the same – we need secure routes for those seeking asylum.
The facts are that in the past decade more than 10,000 unaccompanied children have risked their lives to enter Britain, with more than 4,900 people entering the UK via small boats.
We continue to hear of more cruel and tragic unnecessary deaths, and we repeatedly see the government voting against protections for child refugees.
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The government needs to wake up and recognise that there is no safety in empty condolences – but there is reassurance in safe legal routes.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-28--Lily Allen Gets Real About Masturbation: 'I Wish I'd Come To Terms With It Sooner'

Allen says it’s a “co-dependent attitude to pleasure” when people believe they have to rely on someone else to orgasm – especially when we can do it ourselves.
She wishes she spoke about it more openly when she was younger – “nobody talked about and I didn’t engage with it” – saying that it wasn’t until she committed to “masturbation, self love and ultimately sex toys” that she considered my own needs.
In HuffPost UK Life’s podcast, Am I Making You Uncomfortable, sex educator Alix Fox said many people feel awkward about masturbation because people “just don’t talk about it”.
“A lot of us worry about whether we should be doing it or shouldn’t be doing it,” she said. “And we don’t know what the normal is. So we can really scrutinise our own behaviours – or lack thereof.
“I think that conversation is starting to change, but still a lot of the images and a lot of the messages that people get about female masturbation come from porn where it’s something that’s performed often for male pleasure and as a result, it’s all play and display.”
Allen was speaking about the topic after the news she’s put her name to a brand of vibrators. Her title? “Chief Liberation Officer”.
“I wish I’d come to terms with [masturbation] much sooner, it would’ve saved me a lot of headaches,” she added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Sir David Jason Nearly Played A Very Different Character In Only Fools And Horses

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Sir David Jason will forever be known as Only Fools And Horses’ Del Boy, but it turns out he nearly played a very different character in the hit sitcom.
The actor has revealed that he was originally lined up to play Grandad when he auditioned for the BBC show.
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David made the admission during an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, after presenter Charlie Stayt asked: “You were possibly going to play Grandad, is that right?”
David Jason (centre) in Only Fools and Horses BBC
David replied: “When I went into the interview with the director and (writer) John Sullivan, because I’d played so many silly old fart parts, like Blanco in Porridge and the 100-year-old gardener in Hark At Barker, they thought I’d come up for the Grandad part.
“When I said no, I wanted to read Del Boy, that’s the part, that is the part that I want, and so they said, ‘well go on see if you can read that’, and the rest I suppose is history”.
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Del Boy as Grandad? 😂
Actor, David Jason tells #BBCBreakfast how he was originally supposed to play Grandad in Only Fools and Horses ⤵https://t.co/VlAq55vnYs pic.twitter.com/KDoGYYOfK3 — BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 29, 2020
David went on to play Del Boy in 64 episodes of Only Fools And Horses, which ran between 1981 and 2003.
The role of Grandad was eventually awarded to Lennard Pearce, who appeared in the first three series prior to his death in 1984. The character was subsequently written out.
Sir David recently admitted he had watched an old episode of Only Fools And Horses during lockdown, and was left in fits of giggles at the iconic moment when his character fell through a wine bar hatch.
He told The Mirror: “It gave me great joy. The hatch scene still makes me laugh out loud. Normally I’m very critical of what I do, I don’t enjoy watching very much. But that one just works.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Jeremy Corbyn Suspended From Labour Party Over Anti-Semitism Comments

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Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended from Labour over his reaction to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report into anti-Semitism in the party.
“In light of his comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation,” a spokesperson for the Labour Party said on Thursday.
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“He has also had the whip removed from the Parliamentary Labour Party.”
Corbyn had said allegations about anti-Jewish racism on his watch had been “dramatically overstated” by his political opponents.
On Thursday the EHRC found the party committed unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination while Corbyn was leader.
Keir Starmer, who took over as party leader in April, said the findings were a “day of shame” for the party and he was “truly sorry”.
He said he was “disappointed” in Corbyn’s statement in response to the report and he “fully supports” the decision to suspend him from the party.
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He told reporters: “I made it clear that we won’t tolerate anti-Semitism or the denial of anti-Semitism through the suggestion that it’s exaggerated or factional, and that’s why I was disappointed in Jeremy Corbyn’s response and that is why appropriate action has been taken, which I fully support.”
He added: “I want to unite the Labour Party and bring our factions together as a united party.
“But I made a very clear commitment to root out anti-Semitism and I’m going to follow through on that commitment.
“We cannot say ‘zero tolerance’ and then turn a blind eye.”
I will strongly contest the political intervention to suspend me.
I’ve made absolutely clear those who deny there has been an antisemitism problem in the Labour Party are wrong.
I will continue to support a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of racism. — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 29, 2020
Defending his actions, Corbyn said he had been “always determined to eliminate all forms of racism and root out the cancer of anti-Semitism”.
In a statement on Thursday morning the former Labour leader also said he did not accept all of the EHRC’s conclusions.
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“Anyone claiming there is no anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is wrong. Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and sometimes it is voiced by people who think of themselves as on the left,” he said.
“Jewish members of our party and the wider community were right to expect us to deal with it, and I regret that it took longer to deliver that change than it should.”
Be he added: “One anti-Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media.”
Speaking at a press conference earlier on Thursday morning, Starmer was repeatedly questioned over Corbyn’s claim the allegations had been “overstated”.
Starmer said anyone who believed accusations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party were “exaggerated or a factional attack” was “part of the problem” and “should be nowhere near the Labour Party”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Sacha Baron Cohen Reveals He Had To Wear Bullet-Proof Vest During Borat 2 Filming

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Sacha Baron Cohen has revealed he had to wear a bullet-proof vest during filming for the Borat sequel.
The movie sees Sacha reprising his role as fictional Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev as he interacts with real people, and found himself in a precarious situation when attending a gun rally.
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Speaking on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Sacha revealed he’d had to take precautions for the scene, which sees him singing a song about coronavirus called The Wuhan Flu.
Sacha Baron Cohen in character as Borat Supplied
“Word got out that it was me and then the organisers and a lot of people in the crowd, got very angry,” Sacha said.
“They tried to storm the stage. Luckily for me I had hired the security so it took them a while to actually storm the stage.”
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Sacha said that an angry mob had then followed him off stage.
“It’s fairly rare. It happens occasionally,” he continued. “This was the first movie where I had to wear a bulletproof vest. One of the guys who stormed the stage went for his pistol.”
Sacha originated the character of Borat on his series Da Ali G Show.
The first Borat film, directed by Larry Charles, grossed $262 million worldwide and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars after its release in 2006.
He filmed the sequel during the lockdown, even spending five days in character living with “two conspiracy theorists”, which he admitted was the hardest part of making the new film.
In an interview with The New York Times, he said: “The hardest thing I had to do was, I lived in character for five days in this lockdown house. I was waking up, having breakfast, lunch, dinner, going to sleep as Borat when I lived in a house with these two conspiracy theorists.
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“You can’t have a moment out of character.”
The critical response to Borat 2 has so far been positive, with the film holding an 84% rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--The Masked Singer US Has Once Again Knocked It Out Of The Park With Its Celeb Bookings

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The US version of The Masked Singer has got a reputation for featuring an array of top notch names, and things were no different after the latest unmasking.
American chat show legend Wendy Williams was revealed as one of the mysterious singing celebrities on the madcap series on Wednesday night.
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She was unmasked as the voice behind the giant lips costume, much to the shock of panellists Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke – although Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy had correctly guessed her identity.
Wendy Williams was unmasked on The Masked Singer Fox
Wendy was just the latest in a line of impressive bookings for the show, which has seen rapper Busta Ryhmes and Oscar winner Mickey Rourke umasked in the last few weeks.
Mickey made history for the show last month, when he became the first celebrity to ever unmask himself, quitting the show after becoming too hot in his costume.
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The other stars who have so far been unmasked are actor Brian Austin Green and former NFL player Mark Sanchez, while 11 unidentified celebrities still remain in the competition.
Following Wendy’s unmasking, she couldn’t help but make a quip about host Nick Cannon’s previous marriage to Mariah Carey, after Ken had incorrectly guessed Mimi was behind the lips.
“Are you two going to get back together eventually?!” she asked. “You belong together!”
Nick, who has maintained a close relationship with Mariah after splitting with the singer in 2016, laughed off the question.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Keir Starmer Says EHRC Anti-Semitism Verdict Marks 'Day Of Shame' For Labour

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Keir Starmer has called the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s findings a “day of shame” for the Labour Party – but refused to expel Jeremy Corbyn when asked if he would.
The leader described the watchdog’s report as “clear and stark” and used a press conference on Thursday to tell Jewish members he was “truly sorry” for the pain and grief caused.
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The EHRC found the party was guilty of three breaches of equality law, including harassment and discrimination against Jewish people, and political interference in anti-Semitism complaints.
The watchdog found 23 instances of political interference from people working in former leader Corbyn’s office.
But the report does not name the former leader and instead criticises a “collective failure” of leadership at the top of the party.
Starmer said: “I found this report hard to read and it is a day of shame for the Labour Party.
“We have failed Jewish people, our members, our supporters and the British public.
Former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks to the media PA
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“And so, on behalf of the Labour Party: I am truly sorry for all the pain and grief that has been caused.”
During the press conference, Starmer was asked repeatedly whether he would move to suspend or expel Corbyn.
The former leader attracted a torrent of criticism over his reaction to the report on Thursday, as he claimed anti-Semitism allegations were “dramatically overstated”.
He said in a statement: “Anyone claiming there is no anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is wrong. Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and sometimes it is voiced by people who think of themselves as on the left. [...]
“One anti-Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media.”
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Asked whether Corbyn had been fit to be Labour leader, Starmer said: “The report doesn’t make individual findings about Jeremy Corbyn.”
He acknowledged it made “strong findings about leadership”, adding: “We all have to accept the findings in this report – we all have to accept responsibility.
“We all have to understand the hurt and pain caused by this.”
Starmer said he would look at Corbyn’s response to the report later, but added: “Those that deny there’s a problem are part of the problem.”
Starmer added: “Under my leadership we will have zero tolerance of anti-Semitism.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--This Scathing Supercut Exposes Trump's Long History Of Racism

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Journalist Ari Melber aired a montage of Donald Trump’s decades of racism during Wednesday’s broadcast of The Beat on MSNBC.
And the anchor asked viewers: “Are you for or against this?”, referring to the choice voters have to make in the US election on 3 November.
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The scathing 80-second supercut begins by recalling Trump’s racist attacks in the late 1980s on the teens falsely convicted in the so-called Central Park Five case.
It also calls out Trump over his promotion of the racist birther conspiracy theory about former President Barack Obama and ends with Trump’s instruction to the far-right Proud Boys group, during the first presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden, to “stand back and stand by.”
Watch the montage here:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Pret Slaps Down Its Own Founder For Anti-Lockdown Comments

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Pret a Manger has distanced itself from its own multi-millionaire founder, Julian Metcalfe, after he urged the government not to introduce another lockdown to save a “few thousand lives”.
Metcalfe – who sold his remaining stake in the coffee chain last year but still owns the majority of high-street restaurant Itsu, where he is the chief exec – prompted an angry response after he told the Daily Mail that “society will not recover if we do it [lockdown] again to save a few thousand lives of very old or vulnerable people”.
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“The young people of this country will be paying for this for the next 20 to 30 years. It’s terrible what’s happening. Just because France does this with its socialist government, doesn’t mean we have to.”
Julian Metcalfe, co-founder of Pret a Manger South China Morning Post via Getty Images
Metcalfe’s words came a day after French president Emmanuel Macron announced a four week national lockdown to apply a “brutal brake” on coronavirus infections.
This week the number of people in the UK who have died with 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 passed 45,000 as the country hit a 200-a-day death toll much earlier than experts had predicted.
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Pret later tweeted: “We are aware of Julian Metcalfe’s comments this morning, but he has not run the business for over 10 years and we do not agree with his opinion.
We are aware of Julian Metcalfe’s comments this morning, but he has not run the business for over ten years and we do not agree with his opinion.
We at Pret strongly believe we must take steps to stop the spread of the virus and tackle the new wave of infections — Pret (@Pret) October 29, 2020
“We at Pret strongly believe we must take steps to stop the spread of the virus and tackle the new wave of infections.”
Pret has made about 3,200 job cuts since the start of the pandemic, after announcing a significant restructuring in August.
Metcalfe, who is worth £215m, has been outspoken about the Tory party’s approach to coronavirus in the past, in particular singling out prime minister Boris Johnson for a lack of leadership which has amounted to nothing more than “sitting down with his Union Jack talking utter nonsense”.
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He has described the 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants plus a call for office staff to work from home if possible “criminal”.
In September, Metcalfe warned the restrictions – which could last for six months – are having a “devastating” impact on people’s lives and the loss of thousands of jobs while the government is just “bickering, arguing and not agreeing on what to do”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: “The repercussions of this six months is going to be devastating to so many people, to local councils, to industry, to people all over our country, just devastating.
“We have just not begun to touch the seriousness of this.”
He added: “What we need is the government, particularly our prime minister, this man sitting down with his Union Jack talking utter nonsense – that’s where we need leadership.”
Metcalfe said that Itsu is now running with around half of its original 1,400 staff during the pandemic, but the wider concern must be for the wellbeing of the nation.
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He said that clarity is needed from the government, which should also share information and behave in a responsible way.
Metcalfe told the programme: “To turn to an entire nation and say ‘stay at home for six months’ and to spout off some Churchillian nonsense about ‘we’ll make it through’, it’s just terribly unhelpful to this country.
“Speak to people in the local councils – devoid of income.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Borat 2 Babysitter Reveals How She Ended Up Starring Alongside Sacha Baron Cohen

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Jeanise Jones, the woman who appears in the film Borat 2 as a babysitter, believed she was taking part in a real documentary – and she was genuinely concerned for the child in her care.
In the film, Sacha Baron Cohen’s titular character hired Jones to watch his 15-year-old Kazakh daughter Tutar Sagdiyev, who was played by 24-year-old actor Maria Bakalova. During their time together, Tutar told Jones that she plans to get breast implants so she can be given as a gift to an American man.
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Jones responded with an empowering speech that turned her into one of the film’s breakout stars, explaining to Tutar that “any man should like you as you are” and “your daddy is a liar.”
“I’m thinking she’s really from a third-world [country] and that’s how they treat women and young girls,” Jones told Variety in an interview. “I [suggested they] take her to a school and let her observe girls in a classroom who can read and write just like boys. I was thinking it was real, so my thought was they were going to take her to see different things and make it so she could be able to stay in the United States. Evidently, that’s not what happened.”
Jeanise Jones, right, was hired to watch an alleged 15-year-old girl, who was played by 24-year-old actor Maria Bakalova. Borat
According to Jones’ pastor Derrick Scobey, the production approached Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church to recruit a “Black grandmother” for a documentary. Jones said she was aghast when Cohen’s character first dropped off Tutar.
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“You can’t print what first went through my mind. I was like, ‘What … in the world…. is this?’ It threw me off,” she said.
Jones said she had no idea she was being set up by the filmmakers:
Jones was paid £2,800 in total for her role in the film, she told Variety.
“I can’t say it was fair because they knew it was going to be a movie, and I didn’t,” she said. “I just thought I was doing a documentary about how we do things in America. But I blame myself for not reading when I signed those papers.”
Since the film’s release last week on Amazon Prime Video, Jones’ pastor has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the mom of three and grandmother of six, who he said has been unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have been praying for the young lady in the movie because we all genuinely thought she was in trouble. The joke is on us/Jeanise and that’s no problem,” Scobey wrote. “Many of you have reached from around the world to say thank you, so I thought it would be great to give people a vehicle to say thank you in a tangible way.”
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So far, the campaign has raised over £70,000.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Jeremy Corbyn Says Labour Anti-Semitism Allegations Were Overstated

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Jeremy Corbyn has said the problem of anti-Semitism in Labour was “dramatically overstated” by his political opponents – but accepted that anti-Jewish racism exists in the party’s ranks and should have been tackled faster.
His comments came after the human rights watchdog concluded the party broke equality law in its handling of anti-Semitism.
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The damning report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission published on Thursday found the party was responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination.
The Jewish Labour Movement has said blame for the “sordid, disgraceful chapter” in the party’s history “lies firmly with those who held positions of leadership”.
But defending his actions, Corbyn said he had been “always determined to eliminate all forms of racism and root out the cancer of anti-Semitism”.
And the former Labour leader said he did not accept all of the EHRC’s findings.
“Anyone claiming there is no anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is wrong. Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and sometimes it is voiced by people who think of themselves as on the left,” Corbyn said in a statement.
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“Jewish members of our party and the wider community were right to expect us to deal with it, and I regret that it took longer to deliver that change than it should.
“One anti-Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media.”
Corbyn added: “That combination hurt Jewish people and must never be repeated.
“My sincere hope is that relations with Jewish communities can be rebuilt and those fears overcome.
“While I do not accept all of its findings, I trust its recommendations will be swiftly implemented to help move on from this period.”
But the EHRC investigation found evidence of “political interference” by Corbyn’s office in the complaints process.
The watchdog’s interim chair, Caroline Waters, said there had been “inexcusable” failures which “appeared to be a result of a lack of willingness to tackle anti-Semitism rather than an inability to do so”.
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The party has been found responsible for three breaches of the Equality Act (2010) relating to: political interference in complaints, failure to provide adequate training to those handling anti-Semitism cases, and harassment.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Mark Hamill Nails Why Donald Trump Is The 'Worst President Ever’

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When screen icon Mark Hamill tried to fact-check a series of clips featuring President Donald Trump, he realised he might need The Force to make it through the experience.
“I don’t know about you, but after four years of this administration I’m exhausted,” the Star Wars star declared in a new video for the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
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In the video, Mark reacted to the president’s failure to commit to a peaceful transition, his lies about healthcare and more.
“This guy couldn’t be the president of the PTA,” he said. “He is easily the worst president ever.”
Mark concluded with a plea to vote Trump out.
“Oh please, please,” he said. “That’s all I want for Christmas.”
It’s not the first time the Star Wars legend has weighed in on US politics. After a very chaotic first presidential debate between Trump and Biden, he summed up what everyone was thinking in one perfect tweet:
That debate was the worst thing I've ever seen & I was in The Star Wars Holiday Special. — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) September 30, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Why Ben Cajee Is The CBeebies Presenter We All Need In 2020

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A CBeebies presenter who speaks openly and emotionally on kids’ TV about being mixed race might just be the role model all our kids need in 2020.
That’s because Ben Cajee, 33, who has worked for the children’s channel as a presenter since 2015, gave out the simplest of messages to millions of viewers: that it’s really important to be kind to each other.
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“Sometimes people have been unkind about what I look like and the colour of my skin,” Cajee said in his viral video. “But I try and forget about those people and instead focus on the people who were there for me and who supported me. I think at the moment it’s really important to be kind because you never know, you might just make someone’s day.”
HuffPost UK spoke to Cajee, who said that the response from the public had been “overwhelming”.
“It was a pretty overwhelming week, to be honest,” he said. “The reaction and overall reach has blown me away – and to know that it’s meant something to so many people is amazing.”
I don’t really have the words for this one - so I’m just going to leave it here. With love, always. @CBeebiesHQ pic.twitter.com/fp0YP7rwqR — Ben Cajee (@ben_cajee) October 19, 2020
“We did something about the ethos of CBeebies back in June and the messaging that “everyone’s welcome” – it doesn’t matter what you look like, where you come from or what you sound like.
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“This is just an extension of that really.”
In the recent clip, Cajee explained that his mum, Fiona, is white, and his dad, Yacob, is black – and that he’s “really, really proud” to be mixed race. He also told viewers that he’s inherited loads of things from both his parents, such as his smile from his mum and his “really bendy toe”, from his dad.
It received an outpouring of positive responses on Twitter. One woman wrote: “What an amazing young man with a beautiful heart.” Another said: “Fantastic but it makes me so sad that racism is still a thing. Why do some parents think it’s ok to bring children up to hate?”
I genuinely don’t know where to start with the reaction over the last 24 hours. To quote Vinnie in Lock Stock - it’s been emotional. Thanks for the vast amount of love. The negativity just proves it’s still needed.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” 🖤 — Ben Cajee (@ben_cajee) October 20, 2020
Cajee admitted he’d had some concerns about how it might be received.
″You always have to consider whether you’re serving your audience and by being open and discussing issues that are personal, like your family, you have to think about that too,” he said. “I’ve always said that I’ve wanted to use my platform and voice to make a difference – whether that’s reading someone’s birthday card, making them smile by doing something daft in a ridiculous costume, or talking about some of these bigger issues.” Ipswich-born, Cricket-mad Cajee grew up watching children’s TV himself. When he turned 5, his birthday card was even read out by former BBC broom cupboard resident, Philippa Forrester – as you can see in this vintage clip. But as he told BBC Radio 5 Live in a recent interview, “I was called every name that you could possibly imagine that I can’t say live on the radio, from when I was 5-years-old,” which is why he feels “duty bound to talk about this stuff”.
26 years ago today with my hero @BrianLara. Wearing @PopWelch’s hat after @WarwickshireCCC won the treble and my Dad was honorary 12th man. YOU BEARS! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/5UW1Yb15pG — Ben Cajee (@ben_cajee) September 18, 2020
I showed my kids Cajee’s video, and my eight-year-old told me what she understood about Cajee’s message.
“He’s telling us to ignore people who are racist, and telling us something important about the world,” she said. “He’s telling those people who are having trouble with their colour or who don’t like it or who are trying to hide themselves all the time to be proud – this might give them the confidence to come out a little more.”
It’s not the first time Cajee has made a heartfelt appeal to the nation’s children.
In June, as Black Lives Matters protests escalated following the killing George Floyd in the US, he told young viewers: “In the CBeebies house, we believe everyone is different, and everyone is equal. Some people are treated unfairly because of the colour of their skin – and they shouldn’t be.”
Cajee emphasised the importance of working together to change views on racism, adding: “One day you will be older, and one day you will be looking after the world, and all of the people in it.”
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Then, as now, the message received huge support. As one grown up viewer wrote: “In under a minute, @CBeebiesHQ makes the clearest, most inclusive statement that anyone can understand.”
Cajee said he believes his message hit home, in 2020 particularly, because people are focused on creating a better world for their children.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Equality Watchdog Finds Labour Harassed Jewish Members

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An investigation into anti-Semitism by the Equality and Human Rights Commission has found Labour responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination. The party could face legal action after the equalities watchdog found the party guilty of three breaches of the law, including political interference in the complaints process.
The EHRC inquiry was triggered in May 2019, when Jeremy Corbyn was leader, with the body saying it had been approached about a number of complaints.
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Labour has been served with a legal notice and has six weeks to respond with an action plan.
The body did not make a finding on whether the party was institutionally anti-Semitic, but said its analysis “points to a culture within the party which, at best, did not do enough to prevent antisemitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it”.
The report names two individuals whose anti-Semitic conduct the Labour Party was responsible for - former London mayor Ken Livingston and councillor Pam Bromley.
Both were found to have used anti-Semitic tropes and suggested anti-Semitism accusations were fake smears. The EHRC found they were representing the Labour Party at the time.
The EHRC also said it “uncovered serious failings” in the way complaints were handled, until at least 2018.
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The report stated: “We found that the Labour Party’s response to anti-Semitism complaints has been inconsistent, poor and not transparent, in terms of the process used, reasons for decisions, record-keeping, delay and failures to communicate with complainants.
“Some complaints were unjustifiably not investigated at all.”
The body found the party is responsible for three breaches of the Equality Act (2010) relating to: Political interference in antisemitism complaints.
Failure to provide adequate training to those handling antisemitism complaints.
Harassment
The report also found “evidence of political interference in the handling of anti-Semitism complaints throughout the period of the investigation”.
The EHRC examined 70 files and uncovered 23 instances of “inappropriate involvement” by people working in then leader Corbyn’s office.
The 130-page report on the investigation concluded there were “significant failings in the way the Labour Party has handled anti-Semitism complaints over the last four years”.
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It said they found “specific examples of harassment, discrimination and political interference”, but also noted “a lack of leadership within the Labour Party on these issues”, which it said was “hard to reconcile with its stated commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitism”.
It said: “The Labour Party must live up to this commitment and acknowledge the impact that multiple investigations and years of failing to tackle anti-Semitism has had on Jewish people.”
Reacting to the report, the Jewish Labour Movement said blame for the “sordid, disgraceful chapter” in the party’s history “lies firmly with those who held positions of leadership”.
A statement from the group said: “Since 2015, we have consistently warned the Labour Party about a deepening casual culture of anti-Jewish racism, that saw Jewish Labour members and activists harassed and discriminated against.
“Instead of listening to our growing concerns over the scale of the challenge, we were told that this racism was imagined, fabricated for factional advantage or intended to silence debate.
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“Today’s report confirms that our voices were marginalised and our members victimised.
“As set out in forensic detail by the EHRC, the blame for this sordid, disgraceful chapter in the Labour Party’s history lies firmly with those who held positions of leadership – those who possessed both power and influence to prevent the growth of anti-Jewish racism, but failed to act.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--‘Rock On My Friend’: Cannon & Ball Star Tommy Cannon Leads Tributes To Bobby Ball, Following His Dea

‘Rock On My Friend’: Cannon & Ball Star Tommy Cannon Leads Tributes To Bobby Ball, Following His Death Aged 76

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The world of entertainment and comedy has been paying tribute to Bobby Ball who has died at the age of 76.
Bobby died after contracting Covid-19, his management confirmed on Thursday morning.
In a statement, his spokesperson said that Bobby had first been taken to hospital for tests after experiencing breathing problems.
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“At first it was thought to be a chest infection but a test proved positive for Covid-19,” they said.
Tommy Cannon, who partnered Bobby in the hugely successful Cannon and Ball double act, was one of the first to pay tribute to his friend.
“Rock on, my good friend, I can’t believe this, I’m devastated,” he said.
Tommy Cannon (left) and Bobby Ball PA
Fellow comic Les Dennis paid tribute on Twitter, writing: “Just heard the sad news that the wonderful Bobby Ball has died. He was a true entertainer with real funny bones. Thoughts with Tommy,Yvonne and his family at this sad time. RIP Bobby.”
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Just heard the sad news that the wonderful Bobby Ball has died. He was a true entertainer with real funny bones. Thoughts with Tommy,Yvonne and his family at this sad time. RIP Bobby — Les Dennis (@LesDennis) October 29, 2020
Comedian Jason Manford paid his respects on Twitter, describing Bobby as a “comedy legend”.
“So heartbroken to read about the passing of comedy legend Bobby Ball,” he tweeted. “Such a hilarious man. The comedy community is a poorer place without him.”
So heartbroken to read about the passing of comedy legend Bobby Ball. Such a hilarious man. The comedy community is a poorer place without him. ❤💔 #RockOn #RIPBobbyBall pic.twitter.com/CP74RSPEx4 — Jason Manford (@JasonManford) October 29, 2020
Rest in Peace @TheBobbyBall. Thank you for making me laugh since I was a young lad with my red braces on impersonating you. Was a genuine highlight of my life getting to speak to you. — Chris Moyles (@ChrisMoyles) October 29, 2020
Heartbroken that my gorgeous funny talented generous friend Bobby Ball has gone . He made me laugh more than anyone I know . He will be so missed by millions . He will always be in our hearts . Love you Bobs xxxxxx — sherrie hewson (@SherrieHewson) October 29, 2020
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Dearest Bobby,rest in peace,you legend,you beauty,always at the end of the phone for me. Making me laugh since I was born. You will be so very missed, the laughter in heaven today will be exceedingly loud 😢😢😢#rockontommy #rip Tommy,Yvonne my prayers are with you 💔💔💔 pic.twitter.com/fYob4Oo1Dx — Lisa Jane riley (@Reallisariley) October 29, 2020
So sorry to hear that Bobby Ball has passed away. He was a very funny man and gave us some good comedy over the years. R.I.P. thanks for the laughs. — Tony Blackburn (@tonyblackburn) October 29, 2020
Sad news Bobby Ball has died. I went to see C&B when they were at the top of their game in the west end - he just had funny bones
RIP — Nick Knowles (@MrNickKnowles) October 29, 2020
I’m so terribly sad to hear that the brilliant Bobby Ball has died. Apparently he had corona virus. God bless your beautiful soul Bobby.
You were so funny and lovely. Rest in peace Bob. Xxx — Kate Robbins (@KateRobbins) October 29, 2020
Just heard the news about my friend and fellow I’m a celebrity contestant Bobby ball ...I’m devastated by the news. Thoughts go out to the Yvonne and the family R.I.P #bobbyball xx so so sad x — Antony Costa (@AntonyCosta) October 29, 2020
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Bobby was most famous for his work as one half of Cannon and Ball, who appeared in the variety show Bruce Forsyth’s Big Night, before landing their own series.
The Cannon And Ball Show went on to run for nine years, eventually coming to an end in December 1988.
Cannon and Ball first met when they began working in the same factory, before venturing into the world of comedy as a duo.
More recently, Bobby competed in the fifth series of I’m A Celebrity, and appeared in the Sky comedy Mount Pleasant.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Tory Donor Sir Rocco Forte Slams Government For ‘Overreacting’ To Coronavirus

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Hotelier and Tory donor Sir Rocco Forte has launched an attack on the Conservative Party for its reaction to the coronavirus pandemic – branding it an “overreaction and completely unnecessary”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today Programme, the 75-year-old revealed revenues from his hotels are at 20% of what they were before the pandemic and said 80 members of staff stand to lose their jobs when the furlough scheme comes to an end.
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Of the Conservative government, for whom he hosted a £12,000 victory party at his Brown’s hotel in Mayfair when Boris Johnson won the leadership last year, he said: “I think they’ve overreacted. They’ve panicked in the first instance on the basis of a forecast of 500,000 deaths.
“We are now seeing new forecasts done by the same people who made the mistakes the last time around forecasting Armageddon and they’re starting to panic again.”
Sir Rocco Forte David M. Benett via Getty Images
This week the number of people in the UK who have died with 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 passed 45,000 as the country hit a 200-a-day death toll much earlier than experts had predicted.
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The Office for National Statistics has compiled separate figures showing how many people have died with coronavirus mentioned on their death certificates. This figure stands at about 60,000.
But Sir Rocco continued to state incorrect figures comparing coronavirus deaths to those caused by influenza and pneumonia.
Sir Rocco, who boasts a wealth of £345m according to the Sunday Times Rich List, said: “The reality of the virus is that it’s not the killer it was thought to be at the beginning – they were talking about a bubonic-type plague where a third of the population dies. Deaths are terrible in any circumstances but we’re looking at a very, very small proportion. At the moment, now, we have more people dying of influenza and pneumonia than we have of Covid and yet the concentration is solely on Covid.”
At the beginning of the month, the ONS released figures which revealed that 122 times more people were dying of Covid-19 than by flu, and more than three times more had died of pneumonia during the same period between the months of January and August in England and Wales this year,
He added: “It doesn’t matter what you die of, you die of a heart attack or cancer or something, that’s irrelevant, the only thing that matters is if you die of Covid, it’s quite ridiculous. In terms of our industry, which employs 10% of the workforce of this country, 3.2m people and another 2.8m which depend on the industry on the supplies side are looking at a very bleak future and high levels of redundancy and unemployment.”
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Sir Rocco also revealed he has had the virus himself, and gallantly offered to endure it again rather than see further shutdowns to the economy.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Bobby Ball, Cannon & Ball Star, Dies Aged 76

British comedian Bobby Ball has died at the age of 76.
Bobby – best known as one half of comedy duo Cannon & Ball – died after contracting Covid-19, his management confirmed on Thursday morning.
In a statement, his spokesperson confirmed that Bobby had first been taken to hospital for tests after experiencing breathing problems.
“At first it was thought to be a chest infection but a test proved positive for Covid-19,” they said.
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Bobby Ball on Good Morning Britain in 2014 Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
“His wife Yvonne said the hospital and staff could not have been more wonderful, as they were outstanding in their care of duty and they did everything possible for him and she cannot praise them enough,” the statement continued.
“She said that the family and Tommy would like to express their sincere thanks to the many, many people who have been fans of Bobby and they know that they will all share in part the great loss and total sadness that Yvonne, the family and Tommy all feel.
“Yvonne added that their need for privacy at this time has to be a priority. No further announcements or statements will be made.”
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Yvonne said in her own statement: “I will always miss him, he was so joyful, full of fun and mischievous.”
His comedy partner Tommy Cannon has also paid tribute, saying simply: “Rock on, my good friend, I can’t believe this, I’m devastated.”
Bobby Ball and Tommy Cannon at the British Soap Awards in 2013 Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images
Bobby was most famous for his work as one half of Cannon & Ball, who appeared in the variety show Bruce Forsyth’s Big Night, before landing their own series.
The Cannon & Ball Show went on to run for nine years, eventually coming to an end in December 1988.
Cannon & Ball first met when they began working in the same factory, before venturing into the world of comedy as a duo.
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More recently, Bobby competed in the fifth series of I’m A Celebrity, and appeared in the Sky comedy Mount Pleasant.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly featured a picture of Robert Winston. We apologise for this error.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Three Dead In Knife Attack In Nice

Three Dead In Knife Attack In Nice

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Three dead in Nice
Police shoot dead attacker in Avignon
Man arrested at French Embassy in Saudi Arabia after knife attack on guard
Three people have been killed and several others wounded after a knife attack near a church in the French city of Nice.
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The victims were two women and a man. One has been reported to be a 70-year-old woman who was allegedly beheaded in the church, according to Reuters.
Mayor Christian Estrosi said on Twitter the knife attack had happened around the city’s Notre Dame church and that police had detained the attacker, who was shot. He described the attack as terrorism.
The attacker kept shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest) even after he had been arrested by police, Estrosi told reporters.
French forensics officers arrive at the site of a knife attack in Nice on October 29, 2020. VALERY HACHE via Getty Images
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One of the people killed inside the church was believed to be the church warden, Estrosi said, adding that a woman had tried to escape from inside the church and had fled into a bar opposite the 19th century neo-Gothic building.
“The suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained, he is on his way to hospital, he is alive,” Estrosi said.
“Enough is enough,” Estrosi said. “It’s time now for France to exonerate itself from the laws of peace in order to definitively wipe out Islamo-fascism from our territory.”
Police armed with automatic weapons had put up a security cordon around the church, which is on Nice’s Jean Medecin avenue, the city’s main shopping thoroughfare. Ambulances and fire service vehicles were also at the scene.
The attack came just hours after French president Emmanuel Macron announced a sweeping new national lockdown will begin on Friday to tackle surging cases of Covid-19 in the country, once again confining people to their homes. The government has now raised its security alert status to the highest level.
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I am close to the Catholic community of #Nice, mourning the attack that sowed death in a place of prayer and consolation. I pray for the victims, for their families and for the beloved French people, that they may respond to evil with good. — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 29, 2020
Macron said on Thursday that he would be stepping up the deployment of soldiers to protect key French sites, such as places of worship and schools, following the fatal knife attack.
Speaking from the scene, he said France had been attacked “over our values, for our taste for freedom, for the ability on our soil to have freedom of belief”.
“And I say it with lots of clarity again today: we will not give any ground.”
“Everyone is in a state of shock,” said Lauren Provost, the editorial director of HuffPost France. “The simultaneity of a new barbaric attack with the second wave of the pandemic and the lockdown is weakening the entire country. Right now, the present and future look bleak to us.”
Within hours of the Nice attack, police killed a man who had threatened passers-by with a handgun in Montfavet, near the southern French city of Avignon. He was also shouting “Allahu Akbar”, according to radio station Europe 1.
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Also on Thursday, a man was arrested in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after attacking and injuring a guard with a “sharp tool” at the French consulate.
The French Embassy said the consulate was subject to an “attack by knife which targeted a guard,” adding the guard was taken to hospital and his life was not in danger.
“The French embassy strongly condemns this attack against a diplomatic outpost which nothing could justify,” an embassy statement said.
The attack comes while France is still reeling from the fatal attack earlier this month of French middle school teacher Samuel Paty. The attacker, 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov, had said he wanted to punish Paty for showing pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a civics lesson. Anzorov was shot dead by police shortly after the attack.
Je suis sur place avec la @PoliceNat06 et la @pmdenice qui a interpellé l’auteur de l’attaque. Je confirme que tout laisse supposer à un attentat terroriste au sein de la basilique Notre-Dame de #Nice06. pic.twitter.com/VmpDqRwzB1 — Christian Estrosi (@cestrosi) October 29, 2020
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Since Paty’s killing, French officials – backed by many ordinary citizens – have re-asserted the right to display the cartoons, and the images have been widely displayed at marches in solidarity with the killed teacher.
That has prompted an outpouring of anger in parts of the Muslim world, with some governments accusing French leader Emmanuel Macron of pursuing an anti-Islam agenda.
In Paris, politicians in the National Assembly observed a minute’s silence in solidarity with the victims of Thursday’s attack.
Pope Francis tweeted: “I am close to the Catholic community of Nice, mourning the attack that sowed death in a place of prayer and consolation. I pray for the victims, for their families and for the beloved French people, that they may respond to evil with good.”
Prime minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I am appalled to hear the news from Nice this morning of a barbaric attack at the Notre-Dame Basilica.
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“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and the UK stands steadfastly with France against terror and intolerance.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--BBC Stars ‘To Be Forced To Disclose Outside Earnings’

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The BBC is reportedly set to introduce a Parliament-style register of outside earnings for its stars.
New director-general Tim Davie will bring in the rule as part of a crackdown on alleged bias at the broadcaster, according to the Daily Telegraph.
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Question Time host Fiona Bruce, BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty and North America editor Jon Sopel have all been criticised for taking on other paid work.
Davie had previously said there would be a “clearer direction on the declaration of external interests”.
Tim Davie, new Director General of the BBC, arrives at BBC Scotland in Glasgow for his first day in the role. PA
As it stands, there is no central database of BBC employees’ outside work and they do not have to disclose how much they earn.
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Davie hopes the register of interests will shame stars and prevent them accepting such jobs, according to the Telegraph.
The BBC has also introduced new rules regarding its employees’ use of social media, which will be published on Thursday.
Davie is reportedly expected to say impartiality is the “bedrock” of the BBC and needs to be observed both on and off-air.
Staff will be supplied with a list of “dos and don’ts,” according to the Telegraph, and the rules will be backed by enforcement measures which may include disciplinary action and, in extreme cases, the sack.
Davie warned BBC staff over their use of social media in September.
Addressing workers at the corporation’s Cardiff office, Davie said: “If you want to be an opinionated columnist or a partisan campaigner on social media then that is a valid choice, but you should not be working at the BBC.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--More Than 4,000 People Have Now Died In The UK 'Second Wave'

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More than 4,000 people have died of coronavirus in the UK since the start of the second wave, which experts say is now at a “critical stage” with infections doubling every nine days.
This week, the daily Covid-19 death toll topped 350, meaning the UK has shot past an earlier warning by chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance that the country could see 200 coronavirus deaths a day by mid-November.
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In the week between July 27 and August 2, daily deaths from Covid-19 in England did not go above 10. During that period, Scotland and Northern Ireland recorded no deaths, and Wales saw 17 during the entire week.
At the point of August 2, the UK had recorded a total death toll from Covid-19 of 41,276.
Latest figures published Wednesday show the total death count at 45,604, meaning 4,328 people have died since that week.
On Tuesday, the UK’s daily coronavirus death toll reached 367 – the first time the number had topped 350 since May.
Of those deaths, 322 were recorded in England, 25 in Scotland, seven in Wales and 13 in Northern Ireland.
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Deaths are rising across all age groups as well, with figures from October 22 showing that, out of the total 139 people who died in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, 82 were above the age of 80 years, and 47 were between 60 and 79.
Nine people between the ages of 40 and 59 died in hospital in England that day, and one person aged between 0 to 39.
Back in September, the UK’s chief scientific adviser warned there could be 200 Covid-19 deaths a day by mid-November if the rate of infection was not halted.
Speaking at a public briefing in Downing Street, he said: “At the moment we think the epidemic is doubling roughly every seven days.
“If, and that’s quite a big if, but if that continues unabated and this grows doubling every seven days [...] if that continued you would end up with something like 50,000 cases in the middle of October per day.
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“Fifty thousand cases per day would be expected to lead a month later, so the middle of November, say, to 200-plus deaths per day.”
At the time, Vallance was ridiculed for his “implausible” claim that the UK was on course for 200 deaths a day by mid-November, with some claiming he had based his projections on “misused” data.
One Nottingham university professor even suggested the figures may warrant investigation from the Office for Statistics Regulation.
But on October 20 the UK soared past that grim milestone when the country recorded 241.
On Wednesday, the UK’s coronavirus death toll exceeded 300 for the second day in a row, as the government’s own scientific advisers warned the coronavirus death toll could remain high throughout winter.
The news comes as experts warn the second wave of Covid-19 has reached a “critical stage”, with infections doubling approximately every nine days.
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A study by Imperial College London shows a national reproduction number (R) estimated at 1.56, compared to 1.16 in the previous round.
“The co-occurrence of high prevalence and rapid growth means that the second wave of the epidemic in England has now reached a critical stage,” the study warns.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-29--Piers Morgan Reveals Kirstie Allsopp Fall-Out Led To Further Behind-The-Scenes Drama

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Piers Morgan has claimed his social media spat with Kirstie Allsopp earlier this year led to TV executives urging him to apologise.
Back in March, the two presenters clashed on Twitter, after Kirstie was called out for choosing to travel to her second home in Devon in the early stages of lockdown.
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“The last 24 hours has been utterly horrible, full of vile, unpleasant and frankly frightening comments,” she tweeted at the time.
Piers was less than sympathetic, though, quote-tweeting her post with the message: “Kirstie, you’re rich, privileged and isolating in a lavish country home with your family.
“Maybe stop making this crisis about your struggle with trolls and direct your energy into rallying support for NHS workers risking their lives for us all in very dangerous circumstances?”
Piers Morgan at the TRIC Awards in March David M. Benett via Getty Images
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Kirstie – a frequent former guest on Good Morning Britain – then branded Piers a “bastard” for retweeting his post to his millions of followers, insisting: “[That] was a totally unnecessary and unkind thing to do.”
In a new interview with The Mirror, Piers has claimed things didn’t end there, saying: “She got a load of TV execs to call me up trying to get me to stop and apologise.
“I was like, ‘You’ve got to be joking’. It was a very short phone call. I said, ‘I’m entitled to my opinion and I intend to keep saying it’, which they accepted.”
He added: “Everyone’s going to have an opinion but you should respect opinions you don’t agree with.”
Kirstie Allsopp Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
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The Mirror has reported that Kirstie “denied” Piers’ claims, telling them: “I’m sure Piers can find ways to promote his book which don’t involve bringing my name up. I thought he was friendly with proper stars?”
HuffPost UK has contacted Kirstie Allsopp’s representatives for additional comment.