thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Russell Howard Insists He ‘Did The Right Thing’ Walking Off Stage After Spotting Member Of Audience

Russell Howard Insists He ‘Did The Right Thing’ Walking Off Stage After Spotting Member Of Audience Filming

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Russell Howard has defended his decision to walk off stage five minutes into a stand up gig after he spotted a woman filming in the front row.
The comedian, who was trying out new material at the outdoor gig in Bristol last month, confronted the woman mid-performance.
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After seeing she was filming, Russell stopped and told her “that’s literally the worst thing you can do”.
Seriously... fuck phones at live events. It's the same with people watching football through their phone's camera. More interested in letting the followers know than actually enjoying themselves. https://t.co/vTlD5DKf7y — Sam Frost (@frosty920) August 13, 2020
According to BristolLive, he then told the woman to “live in the moment” before telling her that she’d “ruined it now”.
“I was really looking forward to this gig,” Russell told the crowd before apologising, picking up his backpack from behind the stage area and heading for the exit.
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Speaking about the incident for the first time, Russell has said he “probably did the right thing” and that other performers would back his decision.
Russell Howard Empics Entertainment
“I was amazed that it went as big as it did, because you know, there’s a lot going on in the world at the moment, but apparently a wonky-eyed comedian telling a lady to live in the moment trumped all of that,” he said.
“You won’t find any kind of artist, or performer, or comedian, or musician that would feel differently. Particularly if you’re doing a small gig, and somebody’s recording it, it’s not going to be good for you and it’s not going to be good for the performer.
“It’s just pretty simple. But I dunno, I was surprised at how crazy it went. But I think I probably did the right thing.”
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Comedians frequently require audience members to leave their phones switched off during gigs.
Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson reportedly asked fans to sign a non-disclosure agreement before a performance in San Francisco last year. The fine for breaking the NDA was one million dollars.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Lily Allen’s Wedding To David Harbour Couldn’t Be More Vegas If It Tried

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Lily Allen has confirmed she’s tied the knot with Stranger Things star David Harbour in a Las Vegas ceremony.
The 35-year-old British singer and actor exchanged vows at the Graceland Wedding Chapel, which was officiated over by an Elvis Presley impersonator (obviously).
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Sharing photos from their wedding on Instagram, David, 45, wrote: “In a wedding officiated by the king himself, the people’s princess wed her devoted, low born, but kind credit card holder in a beautiful ceremony lit by the ashen skies courtesy of a burning state miles away in the midst of a global pandemic.
“Refreshments were served at a small reception following.”
The pair celebrated with a delivery of burgers, fries and shakes from the US fast food chain In-N-Out Burger.
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Lily, who wore a short buttoned white dress for the occasion, also shared photos from the day, captioning them with three love-heart emojis.
In one image, the Smile singer is seen eating a burger in her wedding dress, while another pictures the couple moments after tying the knot.
Lily, was previously married to builder Sam Cooper, with whom she shares her two daughters.
In July, she marked a year of sobriety, saying she was “grateful” for her “health and happiness”.
David, who plays Jim Hopper in the hit Netflix sci-fi series, was previously in a relationship with Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them actress Alison Sudol.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--The Funniest Tweets About Working From Home With Your Significant Other

Working from home with your partner during a pandemic is both a blessing and a curse.
On the upside, you get to eat lunch together, canoodle near the coffeemaker without getting a call from human resources and see what your boo looks like when they’re in work mode.
On the other hand, you also have to put up with your partner’s annoying habits (incessant throat-clearing, anyone?) while you’re trying to work, fight for the quiet spot in the house and avoid getting caught doing something embarrassing in the background of their Zoom meetings.
Below, we’ve rounded up 23 hilarious and accurate tweets about what it’s really like to WFH alongside your S.O. day after day.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--‘Conversion Therapy’ Is Nothing More Than Torture. It’s Past Time For A Ban

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Every year on World Suicide Prevention Day, we have a duty to consider how we can create a world where fewer people feel they have no option left but to take their own lives.
As an MP, I’m fortunate enough to be able to push for tangible solutions to issues which harm our communities, and I’m determined to ban so-called LGBT ‘conversion therapy’ which causes life-long emotional, and sometimes physical, trauma.
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I’m sure some readers will be surprised that this fraudulent and abusive practice still takes place in our country. Indeed, I was appalled to learn that 2% of respondents to the government’s 2018 LGBT survey had undergone malign attempts to change their sexuality, to tell them that their sexuality is a pathology in need of curing.
Of those who had undergone this so-called therapy, almost 70% reported having suicidal thoughts as a direct result of their ‘treatment’. Since being elected, I have been devastated by the stories that members of our LGBT+ community have been brave enough to come forward and share with me, and I thank them for doing so. Stories of electrocution, coercive rape, appalling abuse, deprivation of basic needs, and perverted and fraudulent so-called counselling and emotional torture. Because let me be clear, this practice is nothing less than a form of torture, the effects of which scar survivors for the rest of their lives.
“Being a member of the LGBT+ community should not be controversial in the year 2020, and it most certainly should not leave members of our community feeling isolated, or suicidal.”
Therefore, ending this practice has been an absolute priority for me, and I’m delighted to have received the backing of both the Prime Minister and Health Secretary, who both recognise that this is an abhorrent practice.
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The sheer notion that being gay is some form of curable pathology is absurd. Being a member of the LGBT+ community should not be controversial in the year 2020, and it most certainly should not leave members of our community feeling isolated, or suicidal. Allowing this cruel practice to continue within the law propagates societal prejudices, and gives legitimacy to those who wrongly seek to vilify, denigrate and demonise others.
Survivors of ‘conversion therapy’ deserve a legal recourse to justice, to prosecute those responsible for their abuse and deter perpetrators from performing it. The Conservative government must and will protect the right of individuals to determine their own sexuality free from the fear of abhorrent so-called treatments that directly lead to people taking their own lives.
Any legislation to end the scourge of ‘conversion therapy’ must be targeted, measured, robust, have victims at the heart of it and be guided by our commitment to human rights and freedom of conscience.
I want to see legislation passed that criminalises a person who forces someone to undergo ‘conversion therapy’, aids in the execution of this abusive procedure, or fails to protect a child, who under no circumstances can consent, from the so-called treatment. I also wish to see fraudulent advertisers of ‘conversion therapy’ stopped and prosecuted.
“The Conservative government must and will protect the right of individuals to determine their own sexuality free from the fear of abhorrent so-called treatments.”
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Abstract modern vector bright rainbow blurred background. Colorful trendy chaotic mesh wallpaper in rainbow colors for web design Tatiana Mezhenina via Getty Images
But we must go further than simply criminalising ‘conversion therapy’ and work at every level of our justice system, focusing on prosecution alongside prevention, safeguarding and closure for survivors.
We can seek to prevent and safeguard by placing a legal mandatory duty to report to police known or suspected cases of children or vulnerable people either undergoing, or being at risk of undergoing, ‘conversion therapy’ on health and social care professionals as well as teachers. If created, Conversion Therapy Protection Orders could then be issued by the Family Court to protect these vulnerable children or adults, including from being taken abroad for this vile practice. Any changes to the law must put survivors first, guarantee their lifelong anonymity and provide them with support under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.
I recognise that for many people who have grown up in a religious community, engaging with faith leaders can be part of their process of coming out, and I am committed to ensuring the legislation does not create an environment of fear for religious members of the LGBT+ community, nor religious ministers who wish to support members of their parish, regardless of their personal opinion. Many senior religious leaders from faiths across our country have given their full backing to a ban, because they too recognise that there must be a recourse to justice for those who seek religious guidance, and where that is met with improper practices by religious figures.
It would be unrealistic to expect legislation to eradicate a malign practice such as this completely, but it can help us close in on the worst practitioners, take a clear stand in our country that we embrace the LGBT+ community, and give survivors the support and crucially justice they so utterly deserve.
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I’m proud to stand alongside so many of my colleagues on this important issue and very much hope that today will be the last World Suicide Prevention Day where the UK is plagued by the vile practice of conversion so-called therapy.
Alicia Kearns is the Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Hugs Are Our Pandemic Weakness. Are They Gone Forever?

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Of the many things we miss from our pre-pandemic lives, hugging may top the list. And, as we continue to navigate the new rules and regulations around lockdown easing, we’re having to learn new ways to connect and socialise.
With people making up for lost time with long-overdue catch-ups, the question on everyone’s minds is: “Are we allowed to hug friends and family now?”
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In Boris Johnson’s recent briefing, he reiterated that we should still keep a distance from people outside our household bubbles – even if they are your close friends. But it’s tough, we know.
Last week, I caught up with a friend in the park for the first time since March. We greeted one another with an elbow, but after a bottle of wine between us, naughtily ended up clutching each other in a longing embrace as we said our goodbyes. It felt like a jolt of electricity to be able to touch someone else – even if I did feel guilty afterwards.
The thing is, I know I’m not the only one who’s been accidentally handing out free hugs.
Alexander Shelegov via Getty Images
Why do we feel the need to hug?
The simple pleasure of being able to press one’s body onto someone else’s and have that human touch can bring joy to our lives. “We’re sociable beings,” says Lisa Johnston, cognitive behavioural therapist and director of My Therapist Online, “at times of trouble we seek comfort from others.”
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“Humans benefit from touch,” she says, “and a hug can help to calm our threat system. When we hug, we experience decreased heart rate, higher levels of ‘feel-good hormones’ such as oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine as well as a reduction in cortisol levels.”
Johnston says we’re “at our best” when we feel connected with others.
But, is hugging good or bad right now?
For months we’ve been practising social distancing. Not being able to see or hug loved ones has been one of the biggest emotional tolls on people during the pandemic. Hugging is still not risk-free. Surprisingly, the risk of catching something during a brief hug can be pretty low, but if the person we want to hug is high risk – or either person has any symptoms – a hug should be avoided.
“There’s the combination of being in close proximity with someone and having increased breathing of the same air, so to speak,” Dr Adam Boies, expert in Nanomaterials and Aerosol Engineering at University of Cambridge tells HuffPost UK.
So technically, we can’t hug. But, adds Boies: “Ultimately, this kind of thing boils down to granular detail of how we live our lives and what we do. We don’t calculate risk matrices in our heads when we interact with loved ones. Hugging is risky behaviour, but it can be mitigated by wearing masks, keeping the encounter brief, avoid facing each other and washing hands after interaction.”
Andrea Migliarini via Getty Images
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What about elbow bumps or foot taps?
While reducing the natural frequency of physical contact with others, Johnston says it’s important we explore other ways of feeling supported and connected. So how do we interact with each other in a way that keeps us safe but doesn’t offend? Smile with your eyes while wearing a mask, wave, thumbs up, elbow bump, feet tap, secret air handshake, bow?
Greetings can be replaced with other, non-contact behaviours such as a friendly smile, good eye contact and warm greetings or gestures, she says. “But there’s a place where we are naturally drawn to offering a hug to another as a way of communicating support, comfort, love and a closer connection to someone who needs it.”
What if you’re offered an unwanted hug?
Not everyone feels the same about hugging. Social psychologist and author of the Psychology of Wellbeing, Dr Gary Wood, says the pandemic has made some of feel us less touchy-feely – while hugging is often portrayed as an affectionate thing, it can also be triggering and crossing the line for others.
“Some people are keen huggers and assume it’s okay to automatically hug,” he says. “But the way we’ve been communicating is causing some of us to be more reflective and more creative.”
What do you do when someone comes swooping in for a hug, then? Do you... a) swat them away like a fly; b) accept it without your consent; or c) politely decline and squirm at the awkward silence that suddenly fills the air?
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Recognise it’s a bizarre situation, says Wood, approach each other and ask: “Okay, what do we do instead?”
Martin Novak via Getty Images
Or, if you’re the one who intends to go in for a hug, Wood adds: “In that situation, simply break the ice and ask if they’re comfortable. Lots of people just dive in and start hugging people. It’s important to respect people’s boundaries. Do people want to be hugged? Do we have the right to go up to start hugging people willy nilly? Who decides on the whole thing of body autonomy?”
Ultimately, you need to address and acknowledge the awkwardness – and decide whether a hug, in that situation, is safe and needed.
When will we *officially* be able to hug again?
This is likely to be when social distancing is dropped completely, which – when we asked the experts – isn’t easy to answer. It’s likely to be until there’s high enough levels of immunity in the population for distancing to be unnecessary.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--11 Hilariously Bad Reviews Of Your Favourite UK Tourist Destinations

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Be warned that if you go to climb Ben Nevis – the highest mountain in the UK – it’s going to be pretty high. That’s the takeaway from a recent TripAdvisor review, which says the mountain is “too steep”. Well, what did you expect?
TripAdvisor has a wealth of comedy reviews if you’re willing to look hard enough. Several have even been doing the rounds on Twitter, so we decided to dig out a few more. You wouldn’t want to get your staycation wrong, now.
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The majority of these UK tourist destinations had thousands of positive reviews, but there are always a few people who like to point out the negatives.
Here’s our pick of the most invaluable ones.
1. Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, is ‘too high’.
2. The Tower of London, founded in 1066, is ‘old’.
After seeing that Ben Nevis TripAdvisor review describing it as “very steep and too high” I had a look at what people were saying about the Tower of London pic.twitter.com/eTrPBrsRRG — Tom Hourigan (@TomHourigan) September 4, 2020
3. Hever Castle gets one star from someone who’s ... never been there.
My all-time favourite review has to be this classic. pic.twitter.com/dZDGHFUNiA — Dr Owen Emmerson (@MOwenEmmerson) August 19, 2020
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4. Big Ben is ‘just a big clock’ (without a bar).
HuffPost UK TripAdvisor
5. Stonehenge, prehistoric monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, is meaningless.
HuffPost UK Tripadvisor
6. The London Eye’s view is one-star ‘fantastic’.
HuffPost UK Tripadvisor
7. Edinburgh Castle is ‘massive’ but ‘boring’.
HuffPost UK TripAdvisor
8. The Roman Baths are ’99% late Victorian’.
HuffPost UK TripAdvisor
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9. Arthur’s Seat doesn’t have any chairs.
HuffPost UK Tripadvisor
10. Mount Snowdon is quite the climb.
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11. Dreamland Margate is *not* a dream.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Coronavirus Has Ruined My Sense Of Taste And Smell For Months

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To say I am food-obsessed is an understatement.
From the time I had teeth with which to chew, I was an avid eater. As a child, my parents knew that when I asked what time it was, what I really meant was: is it lunchtime yet. This passion for eating grew as I did, and I became a food blogger – yes, I’m one of those annoying Instagrammers who shares everything I put into my mouth – before making a career in food marketing. I even wrote my own cookbook for guests at my wedding five years ago.
And yet, here I am, 38 years and thousands of meals later, almost unable to eat due to parosmia, a disorder which has completely distorted my sense of taste and smell. Never heard of it? Neither had I. Until I contracted coronavirus.
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When lockdown hit in March, so too did coronavirus in our household. My husband barely had any symptoms, while my daughter had a cough and one night of a fever. I, however, had every symptom going for three weeks. When I was starting to finally feel more normal, I realised I had lost my sense of taste and smell. Friends joked this was the worst thing that could happen to someone like me, but no one could know what would follow.
In June, after believing that the virus had been out of my system for two months, I suddenly started to smell very strange and unpleasant smells. I noticed that coffee, onions and garlic in particular all smelled wrong – worse than wrong, almost rotten. Cleaning products, shampoos, soaps and fruit all started to smell bad too, like sour vomit. I couldn’t quite work out what was going on, and no one else could smell what I was smelling. I knew something wasn’t right.
“Cereal, bread, chocolate, fruit, peanut butter, rice, potatoes – everything all tasted the way I might expect faeces to taste.”
This quickly progressed into almost everything smelling rotten and food starting to taste the same way. Cereal, bread, chocolate, fruit, peanut butter, rice, potatoes – everything all tasted the way I might expect faeces to taste (and if I could give it an even stronger description, believe me, I would).
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Suddenly, I couldn’t eat. At all. I spent weeks feeling completely lost, emotional, full of tears and mostly, hungry. Incredibly hungry. Everything smelled and tasted so awful it became impossible to eat anything other than celery, grapes and raw carrots. I had no energy, felt shaky and was worried how this was going to impact me, my husband and, most of all, my two-year-old daughter.
My symptoms went beyond just smell and taste. I was also starting to have painful cuts inside my nose and my teeth constantly felt as if they were incredibly dirty with built-up plaque. My breath felt terrible, though my husband assures me it never was. I felt a bit like I was falling apart, despite thinking that I had been coronavirus-free for some time, and I didn’t know what to do about it.
Google suggested I was suffering from something called parosmia, a disorder which can be brought on following an upper respiratory virus (ding, ding, ding – we have a winner). The more I read, the more afraid I felt. There were horror stories of sufferers never getting their senses back fully, or those who took years to recover. I decided I couldn’t wait around literally wasting away and I went to see the doctor.
“My brain is trying desperately to make sense of the smells around me, but it is unable to receive these smells correctly, so it interprets them as ‘bad’.”
The doctor stuck some cameras up there and finally made some sense (pun, of course, intended) of it all. Coronavirus had effectively killed some of the cells in my nose, which are now trying to repair themselves. At the same time, my brain is trying desperately to make sense of the smells around me, but it is unable to receive these smells correctly, so it interprets them as ‘bad’. This, in turn, means that I am tasting food ‘bad’ as well. The cuts inside my nose, along with my ‘dirty’ teeth are due to the fact that my brain is now hypersensitive in my whole nose and mouth area so any small, otherwise insignificant feeling is now multiplied by 100 to me.
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He told me that I need to work on mindfulness (a term I’ve never been a huge fan of) to let my brain do the work required to recover. I also needed to focus on staying stress-free (so easy during a global pandemic), get proper rest, and give my cells and senses time to heal. He gave me nasal steroid drops to help the cells repair, told me to do smell training (which I am now doing through Abscent) and said that he thinks the fact I have any smell at all is a good sign. He predicted that in a year – a year! – I should hopefully be better.
Since then, I’ve seen some improvement. I am now able to eat some things and am working out how to avoid the really problematic foods. I know, for example, that anything caramelised, grilled, roasted, fried or where the sugars have been cooked too much must be avoided. I know I still can’t do cereal, toast, chocolate, nuts, processed food or onions. But I also know that, most days, I can do fish or meat that is simply baked or poached. I can do pasta, brown rice and most dairy products. I can do mostly all vegetables and the list of fruits is growing too.
It is still not easy, and I feel upset I can’t enjoy any food the way I once did. Even if it doesn’t taste bad, it normally doesn’t taste right. I have to plan my meals properly in a way I never did before – and even with all of that thought and planning, on any given day, a food I thought was okay may be inedible again. It’s a constant guessing game.
“We all know the symptoms of coronavirus. But what we aren’t talking about are the ongoing and lasting effects we still know so little about.”
I worry regularly the impact this will have on my daughter, who is perhaps the world’s greatest two-year-old eater. She has always eaten everything and enjoyed food with such gusto, and I don’t want her to pick up bad habits from watching this new way I struggle through meals.
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Everyone is talking about coronavirus. We all know the symptoms of cough, fever and loss of taste and smell. But what we aren’t talking about are the ongoing and lasting effects of the virus that we still know so little about. Parosmia is only one such example, but it is a disorder that can last years and have a real impact on sufferers’ mental and physical wellbeing. We need to be talking about it in an open forum because the hardest part for me, and now I know for others also suffering, has been the feeling that others simply don’t get it.
I will continue to share my story so that others know they are not alone and so that we can all become more knowledgeable about the lasting impacts of this virus we’re talking so much about. I am much more hopeful now that by this time next year, I will be able to eat and enjoy my food again the way I once did. I know, if anyone is committed to the cause of relishing meals again, it is certainly me.
Amy Cowley is a marketing consultant and freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter at @greedygirlblog


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Harry Dunn Death: Anne Sacoolas On ‘Wrong Side Of The Road For 20 Seconds’ Before Fatal Crash

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Harry Dunn’s alleged killer Anne Sacoolas drove on the “wrong side of the road for 20 seconds” before the fatal crash, her lawyers have said.
Legal representatives for the 43-year-old issued a public statement on Thursday detailing her side of the story, in which they claim she was “otherwise driving cautiously and below the speed limit”.
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According to her lawyers, Sacoolas “instinctively” began driving on the right hand side, and could not see Mr Dunn due to “the crest of a small hill”.
Reacting to the suspect’s statement and speaking on behalf of the 19-year-old’s family, their spokesman Radd Seiger told the PA news agency: “The parents have noted the statement issued this evening on behalf of Mrs Sacoolas.
“Their position is that these issues should not be aired in any form other than a court of law.
“Once again, they invite her to do the right thing and return to the UK to answer to the charges laid against her.”
The teenage motorcyclist was killed in the crash outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August last year – a US military base where the suspect’s husband worked as an intelligence official.
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The US authorities asserted that Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity and, according to her lawyers, “determined that it would be difficult for her and her family to remain in the small Croughton community”.
Dunn’s alleged killer returned to the US on a commercial flight after the US Embassy “informed the Foreign Office of this decision and instructed Anne to return home”.
Sacoolas was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in December but an extradition request submitted by the Home Office was refused in January.
The US State Department have since said the decision to reject the request was “final”.
Harry Dunn Supplied
In a public statement, Sacoolas’s lawyers said: “Anne did everything she could to assist Harry. After the accident, she ran from her car and tried to help him.
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“Anne then saw another motorist approach and flagged her down for more support.
“The other motorist immediately called for the emergency services and Anne made calls to alert the police from the nearby air force base.
“The base police arrived quickly and assisted Harry.
“Tragically, it took over 40 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and nearly two hours passed before Harry was admitted to the hospital.
“Anne did not leave the scene until she was instructed to do so by the UK authorities.”
Sacoolas’s legal representatives also made an on-the-record statement regarding her position on the prospect of a virtual trial.
They said: “We have been and remain willing to discuss a resolution, including the possibility of virtual proceedings, with the UK authorities.
“Anne has never tried to avoid being held accountable for the tragic accident and she would like nothing more than to find a path forward and to provide the family some measure of peace.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Can Tory Rebels Really Stop Boris Johnson From Breaking International Law?

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Rebel yell?
Sir Robert James MacGillivray Neill is an unlikely assassin. The mild-mannered, softly spoken backbench Tory MP is noted for his geniality across the Commons. But when he got up in the Commons on Tuesday, he ambushed cabinet minister Brandon Lewis with a political stiletto knife.
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In the debate on the government’s new Brexit fallback legislation, it was Bob Neill who asked the killer question: “Will he assure us that nothing proposed in this legislation does or potentially might breach international obligations or international legal arrangements?” Lewis replied: “Yes”, before adding the immortal line: “This does break international law in a very specific and limited way.”
Fast forward to tonight and it’s Neill who is again proving a thorn in the government’s side. Alongside fellow Tory grandees Damian Green and Oliver Heald, he’s tabling an amendment to the Internal Markets Bill which looks for all the world like a wrecking ball. It would give parliament, rather than ministers, the power to trigger any tearing up of the UK-EU Withdrawal Bill.
Now, when I say it looks like a wrecking amendment, looks can be deceptive. It’s perfectly possible that this could be a clever way for the government to avoid the row about the UK’s reputation and integrity on the rule of law, giving ministers a ladder to climb down. No.10 may even like the idea of MPs “taking back control”, but only on the assumption that few would dare actually press the nuclear button and defy their government. Neill has form in drafting whip-friendly amendments on Brexit (though his last one didn’t really help Theresa May).
If the PM wants to play hardball however, he may whip against it. In which case Neill is going to need a hefty army of at least 40 colleagues behind him. Michael Howard’s withering attack on Johnson’s plans today (echoed by Lord Lamont too) offer some powerful Brexiteer backing, and may persuade some middle-of-the-road MPs that this really isn’t a “Remoaner Tories” rearguard action.
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Tory MP Bob Neill. Bob Neill
A string of backbenchers have made their unease plain since Tuesday, from Tom Tugendhat (who points out British prosperity overseas depends on its reputation for the rule of law) to Simon Hoare, George Freeman and Sir Roger Gale (the latter today threatening on SkyNews to defy the whip and even vote against the whole bill). Asked by TimesRadio (which broke the scoop on the amendment) if he had the numbers, Neill said: “I wouldn’t be continuing to press the issue if it was purely something it was a hobby horse of mine.”
But a string of MPs is not an army and although the One Nation Caucus of Tory MPs is vocal, some of its members are now ministers and its numbers don’t look more than 20. The rebellion could of course be strengthened by the legal wing of the party, as typified by Neill himself, Heald (and Howard in the Lords), and Theresa May’s symbolic backing. Yet if the DUP are on board with the government, rebels need even more than 40.
One asset of the Neill amendment is that it may attract “constitutional” Brexiteers who like to talk about putting British parliamentary sovereignty first. The downside is that many of them think the Internal Markets Bill isn’t tough enough anyway and that the Withdrawal Agreement should be simply torn up. Some also see Neill as the last remnant of the Letwinocracy that did so much last year to drag parliament into disrepute in their voters’ eyes.
Meanwhile, Michael Howard’s filleting of the PM today has got some thinking there could be a Tory rebellion in the Lords too. Michael Heseltine claimed earlier this week the bill hasn’t “the ghost of a chance” of getting past their lordships. But before anyone gets carried away with the red benches rising up to defeat Johnson, I’m told it’s very unlikely to happen.
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Labour insiders tell me that all the talk about delaying the bill – talk which has spooked No.10 into fast-tracking it next week in the Commons to ensure it becomes law this calendar year – is coming not from them but from Conservatives. The government has plenty of time to overturn any ping-pong on this bill. More importantly, in the real world, Labour is never going to breach the fundamental principle that the unelected Lords should not deny the wishes of the elected Commons.
There’s a lot of talk about the Salisbury/Addison convention (which deems the Lords should not oppose legislation promised in a manifesto) being turned on its head. This is because the Withdrawal Agreement was indeed in the Tory manifesto and peers would be voting to uphold it if they voted against the Internal Market Bill.
But this is so much hot air, Labour sources tell me. The onus is instead on Tory MPs in the Commons to “give the lead for the Lords”, they say. Without that lead and without Labour backing, the large cross-party and no-party grouping of “legal eagle” peers can huff and puff but ultimately cannot defy the will of the Commons. So, it’s down to Neill and his hardy band. But whether they have the numbers, or the quiet backing of No.10 (or its dripping contempt), is unclear.
Quote Of The Day
“How can they walk away from an international agreement?”
Nancy Pelosi on the UK’s threat to tear up the Brexit deal it signed
Thursday Cheat Sheet
Relations between the UK and EU hit their lowest point since we left the bloc in January, as Brussels told London to ditch its Internal Market Bill plan by the end of the month. After talks with the 27, Michael Gove announced he would do no such thing. The EU threatened legal action.
Barely hours after he was formally made a peer, Lord Frost has taken a leave of absence from the Lords for the rest of this parliament, so he can focus on his new job as national security adviser once his Brexit role is over.
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Portugal (apart from the Azores and Madeira), plus Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion were all put on the UK’s red list for quarantine by Grant Shapps. Theresa May urged rapid testing for airports.
Matt Hancock was told by former cabinet minister Greg Clark that the government “needs a grip” on the testing bottlenecks faced by the public.
The PM’s flagship NHS Test and Trace programme posted its worst ever figures for contact tracing, dropping to just 69.2%. The figure experts say is needed to make the system viable is 80%.
The number of people in England who tested positive for coronavirus rose by 43% in a week. There were 2,919 cases of coronavirus across the UK in the previous 24 hours, the fourth day running the total was well above 2,000.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Is History Repeating With Brexit And Coronavirus?

Is History Repeating With Brexit And Coronavirus?
Arj Singh and Paul Waugh, Anand Menon from UK In A Changing Europe and Tory MP Andy Carter take a look at the week in Westminster as Brexit and the pandemic's resurgence give a sense of history repeating itself.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Government Cites Gina Miller Case To Defend Breaching Own Brexit Deal

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The government has used the Gina Miller Brexit case to try and justify going back on the “oven ready” Brexit withdrawal agreement Boris Johnson agreed with the EU this year.
The prime minister is attempting to take powers to renege on key sections of the deal if the UK and EU cannot agree on how Northern Ireland is treated when the standstill transition period ends on December 31.
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European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic has told Johnson to drop the laws in the Internal Market Bill by the end of the month and warned that he has “seriously damaged trust” needed for ongoing talks on a long-term trade deal.
The plans have triggered a major Tory backlash, with Sir Roger Gale telling Sky News he would be willing to be sacked from the party he has represented as an MP since 1983 to vote against the Bill, insisting he will “do what I have to do” on the basis of the principle that “the United Kingdom keeps its word internationally”.
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Tory grandee Sir Roger Gale indicates that he is ready to lose the Tory whip when he votes against Boris Johnson’s internal market bill next week
Sir Roger is no serial rebel....
Watch part of my interview: pic.twitter.com/7b0o2QNZb9 — Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) September 10, 2020
Former Tory leader Michael Howard, Johnson’s predecessor as PM Theresa May, and several senior MPs including three select committee chairs have also criticised the plans.
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But UK attorney general Suella Braverman has attempted to justify giving ministers powers to determine what goods traded between Northern Ireland and Great Britain require exit checks, and to decide when government subsidies need to be notified to the EU in case they breach Brussels regulation.
Braverman admitted these powers would be “incompatible with the withdrawal agreement” if exercised as she took the rare step of publishing her legal advice to the government.
It states that the parliament is sovereign and so can pass laws that breach the UK’s obligations under international treaties, like the WA.
Braverman said this was similar to how Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate, with international treaty obligations only becoming binding when passed in UK law decided by “parliament and parliament alone”.
In an ironic twist, Braverman argued that principle was “recently approved unanimously by the Supreme Court” in the 2017 Miller case, in which judges found that only MPs – not the government – could trigger Article 50 to begin the UK’s departure from the EU, to the anger of then prime minister May.
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Gina Miller makes a statement outside the Supreme Court in London in 2017 ASSOCIATED PRESS
But Sefcovic insisted that the bill, if adopted, would be in “clear breach” of the WA that Johnson proclaimed was “oven ready” during December’s election and signed in January.
The legal mess comes as a result of the WA treating Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the UK: NI will follow Brussels rules in some areas in order to maintain an invisible border with the Republic of Ireland, which is in the EU.
During an emergency meeting of the so-called “joint committee”, which is meant to determine how the rules operate for Northern Ireland, Sefcovic urged his opposite number Michael Gove to “withdraw these measures from the draft bill in the shortest time possible and in any case by the end of the month”, the Commission said.
The statement went on: “He stated that, by putting forward this bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK government to re-establish that trust.
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“He reminded the UK government that the withdrawal agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text – which the European Union will not be shy in using.”
Shadow attorney general Lord Falconer, meanwhile, said Braverman had done nothing to justify breaching the law.
He shared a post by Cambridge public law professor Mark Elliott that described the attorney general’s advice as “utterly risible”, and said Braverman had failed to justify the breach.
“Treaty obligations are binding upon the UK, and to suggest that they are not ‘because parliament is sovereign’ is as embarrassing as it is dangerous,” Elliott concluded.
AG’s Opinion explains UK Parliament can as a matter of domestic law break international treaty UK is a party to. Nobody disputes that. She offers no justification for breach of international law Bill perpetrates. Voice of of law is silent in govt. She colludes in its breach. https://t.co/Cmo42oIsQV — Charlie Falconer (@LordCFalconer) September 10, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Portugal And Hungary Added To Quarantine List Amid Spike In Covid Cases

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Portugal and Hungary have been removed from England’s air corridor list, meaning people returning from either country will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
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The Azores and Madeira remain on the air corridor list but French Polynesia and Reunion have also been added to the quarantine list.
Sweden, meanwhile, has been added to the list of safe countries.
The Department for Transport said there has been a “consistent increase” in new cases in Portugal, up 81% over the last seven days from 1,464 to 2,652. Hungary, meanwhile, has seen an even sharper rise of 192% over the past week to record 3,047 new cases.
Data shows we need to remove PORTUGAL (minus the AZORES and MADEIRA), HUNGARY, FRENCH POLYNESIA and REUNION from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe. If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days. — Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 10, 2020
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said the new rules would be enforced from 4am on Saturday.
He said on Twitter: “Data shows we need to remove Portugal (minus the Azores and Madeira), Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion from the Travel Corridor list to keep everyone safe.
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“If you arrive in England from these destinations after 4am Saturday, you will need to self-isolate for 14 days.”
He added: “Through enhanced data we now have the capability to assess islands separate to their mainland countries. If you arrive in England from the Azores or Madeira, you will NOT need to self-isolate for 14 days.”
The minister also said all travellers returning to the UK are legally required to complete a passenger locator form.
Shapps said: “This is vital in protecting public health and ensuring those who need to are complying with self-isolation rules.
“It is a criminal offence not to complete the form and spot checks will be taking place.”
Confirming Sweden has been added to the travel corridor list, allowing people to avoid self-isolating when arriving in England, Shapps said: “This week, Sweden has been added to the travel corridors list. If you arrive in England from Sweden, you will not need to self-isolate for 14 days.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Exclusive: Even Emergency Service Workers Are Being Turned Away From Coronavirus Testing Sites

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Drive-in coronavirus testing centres are even turning away key workers and schoolchildren if they have not pre-booked their checks, HuffPost UK can reveal.
Workers at sites run by the contractor G4S have been told as of Tuesday to only accept those who have booked online, despite ongoing reports of people being unable to access tests.
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HuffPost UK has been told that 1,500 cars were turned away from sites across England on Tuesday alone.
Tests gov.uk
A worker – who wished to remain anonymous – at a drive in testing site in an area where cases are on the rise, told HuffPost UK: “I was shocked to be told that we could no longer take anyone in for a test that had no booking, especially when the booking website was either unavailable or only offering testing sites several hours drive away.
“We have had people arrive for tests after driving over two hours due to being shown that our site was the only one showing up for them.
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“There were no exceptions to having a test with no booking, which included us being specifically instructed that no exception could be given to any blue light workers, doctors, nurses, carers and police, who had not booked even if the reason they could not book was due to the website or the 119 phone line not working.
“Many cars also had to be turned away containing schoolchildren with symptoms.”
Nearly 12 hours now trying to get a test.
No home tests.
No drive-through tests.
No walk-in tests.
Testing in North London appears to have completely ground to a halt.
Stop the talk of Moonshots, focus on, and sort out the absolute basics. pic.twitter.com/b1w6tCKrrX — Rob Aldridge (@rob_aldridge) September 10, 2020
Hundreds of schools and colleges have reported difficulties in accessing tests, forcing staff and pupils to miss classes, according to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).
Julie McCulloch, head of policy at the ASCL, said it is likely that the number of students and school staff who have had to self-isolate at home and are awaiting test results “will be into the thousands”.
Within hours of inviting feedback on the issue in an email to union members on Wednesday afternoon, more than 200 school and college leaders in England reported problems with the test and trace system.
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Within two hours of sending out this bulletin we’d received more than 100 responses with details of symptomatic staff or pupils unable to access tests, & so having to self-isolate. School & college leaders rightly furious. They can’t stay open under these conditions. https://t.co/iICKTco07o — Julie McCulloch (@juliecmcculloch) September 9, 2020
Matt Hancock has suggested the shortage in testing is due in large part to people “coming forward for tests when they’re not eligible” and has said people could face “eligibility checks” and be subject to an order of priority system.
MPs have raised concerns over test shortages in their areas and people having to travel several miles in a bid to get one, with Tory former minister Greg Clark calling on the health secretary to get a “grip” of the testing situation.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson told HuffPost UK: ”NHS Test and Trace is working and our capacity is the highest it has ever been but we are seeing a significant demand for tests including from people who do not have symptoms and are not otherwise eligible.
“New booking slots and home testing kits are made available daily for those who need them and we are targeting testing capacity at the areas that need it most, including those where there is an outbreak, and prioritising at-risk groups.
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“Our laboratories are processing more than a million tests a week and we recently announced new facilities and technology to process results even faster.”
It comes just a day after a whistleblower working at a coronavirus testing centre described a litany of problems with the supposedly “world beating” system and accused health secretary Matt Hancock of “lying through his teeth”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Police Pull Coronavirus-Infected Surfer From Ocean For Breaking Isolation Rules

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Police in northern Spain pulled a surfer infected with coronavirus from the sea for breaking self-isolation rules and charged her with public health violations.
Officers descended on a beach in San Sebastian on Monday after they were tipped off about the woman’s flouting of the public health law by her own colleagues, reported the Euro Weekly website.
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The unidentified woman reportedly resisted police commands to come out of the water for an hour. Viral video showed her swimming to shore and attempting to flee officers.
She eventually was detained by two officers in protective suits, marched away in handcuffs, and charged with disobeying the authorities and crimes against public health.
Check out the video here:
VIDEO: A woman who went surfing when she should have been self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 is arrested on a beach in San Sebastian in northern Spain, according to police and as seen in Twitter footage of her arrest pic.twitter.com/xVLwupOZgT — AFP news agency (@AFP) September 10, 2020
Spain imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns when the virus began to ravage the country in March.
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It emerged from a state of emergency in June, but has since joined other European nations experiencing rapid growth in the number of new daily infections.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Craig Revel Horwood Has Already Started On This Year's Strictly Come Dancing Contestants, Before The

Craig Revel Horwood Has Already Started On This Year's Strictly Come Dancing Contestants, Before They've Even Danced A Step

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During his time on the panel, Craig Revel Horwood has earned himself a reputation as the most outspoken of the Strictly Come Dancing judges – and this year he’s started voicing his opinions on the celebrities before he’s even seen them dance.
Asked for his thoughts on this year’s line-up during a Mecca Bingo Online appearance (via The Sun), Craig took a jab at contestants Nicola Adams and Bill Bailey.
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Of the Olympic boxer, Craig admitted he feared she would be “punching above her weight, darling” when it came to dance ability, but did say he was excited to see her performing as part of Strictly’s first ever same-sex pairing.
“I am looking forward to seeing a same sex couple,” he added. “That’s going to be cool.”
Craig Revel Horwood Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
Here’s hoping she can prove him wrong when the series finally gets underway later this year.
Meanwhile, Craig was similarly cutting when it came to stand-up comedian Bill Bailey, predicting he would be “terrible”, but noting he was “looking forward to the disasters”.
Nicola Adams and Bill Bailey are two of this year's Strictly stars AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth/Shutterstock/Ken McKay/ITV
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Completing the line-up are former home secretary Jacqui Smith and Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, returning to Strictly after an injury cost him his spot on last year’s series.
Due to the coronavirus crisis, the forthcoming series will look a little different to usual, running for less time than previous years and without Bruno Tonioli on the judging panel.
Although a start date is yet to be confirmed, Strictly is expected to return to our screens in October.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Dame Diana Rigg Remembered In Tributes From Game Of Thrones And James Bond Co-Stars

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On Thursday, it was announced the former James Bond and Game Of Thrones star had died at home earlier that morning, after being diagnosed with cancer in March.
John Bradley, who starred in Game Of Thrones alongside Diana, was among the first to pay tribute to her after news of her death broke.
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Writing on Twitter, John said: “Diana Rigg was just wonderful. But you all knew that already. Everybody did. Very sad news.”
Diana Rigg was just wonderful. But you all knew that already. Everybody did. Very sad news. #dianarigg — John Bradley (@johnbradleywest) September 10, 2020
The hit drama’s official Twitter account also put out a tweet remembering Diana, who played Olenna Tyrell between 2013 and 2017.
Be a dragon.
The realm will always remember Diana Rigg. — Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) September 10, 2020
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Diana’s former James Bond co-star George Lazenby remembered working with her on 1969′s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, in which she played Bond’s wife Tracy Di Vicenzo.
“I’m so sad to hear of the death of Diana Rigg. She undoubtedly raised my acting game when we made On Her Majesty’s Secret Service together,” George wrote.
“We had fun together on the set of the movie in Switzerland and Portugal. Her depth of experience really helped me. We were good friends on set.
“The death of Contessa Teresa di Vincenzo Draco created a memorable cinema moment over 50 years ago. As my new bride, Tracy Bond, I wept for her loss. Now, upon hearing of Dame Diana’s death, I weep again.”
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James Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli added that they were “very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg”, saying their “love and thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time”.
"We are very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, the legendary stage and screen actress who was much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the only woman to have married James Bond." pic.twitter.com/nqQCSg35oM — James Bond (@007) September 10, 2020
Other tributes from across the entertainment world flooded in online...
It was my great joy and privilege to have known Diana Rigg. From three slightly hysterical months at the Old Vic in ‘All About Mother’ to writing The Crimson Horror for Diana and her wonderful daughter Rachael. Flinty, fearless, fabulous. There will never be another. RIP pic.twitter.com/2EGc4MVx0S — Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) September 10, 2020
Funny, feisty, beautiful, intelligent & gifted. A whole generation fell for her when we first saw on screen in The Avengers. It’s the end of an era - and a special life. A sad day. RIP Dame Diana Rigg. https://t.co/2ezhNbVKyT — Gyles Brandreth (@GylesB1) September 10, 2020
RIP Dame Diana Rigg. Great actress and good sport - lest we forget, she let Daniel Radcliffe flick a condom on her head in Extras. pic.twitter.com/scFC8KPlZz — Stephen Merchant (@StephenMerchant) September 10, 2020
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Dame Diana Rigg . She always raised the bar with her incredible talent, intelligence and wit. An absolute joy and honor to work with. May her soul Rest In Peace https://t.co/BC4annah1H — Nikolaj CosterWaldau (@nikolajcw) September 10, 2020
Oh NO! Not Dame Diana Rigg. She was a legend. What a shame, but what a legacy... — Rebecca Front (@RebeccaFront) September 10, 2020
Dame Diana Rigg has died at age of 82. From The Avengers to Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service to Game of Thrones, she had an incredible career #RIPDianaRigg pic.twitter.com/yM5YfDzaiW — lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) September 10, 2020
RIP Diana Rigg. She was 82 and an absolute superstar x pic.twitter.com/TthwmxJNK7 — Kay Burley (@KayBurley) September 10, 2020
Meanwhile, Bafta also paid tribute to Diana and her 60-year career in a statement posted on Twitter.
They said: “We’re sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, Bafta-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the Bafta Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers.”
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We're sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, BAFTA-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the BAFTA Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers. pic.twitter.com/v0tzBczNKU — BAFTA (@BAFTA) September 10, 2020
Playwright Sir David Hare also wrote: “Diana Rigg had a dazzling change of direction in middle age as a great classical actor.
“When Emma Peel played Euripides’ Medea, Albee’s Martha and Brecht’s Mother Courage she swept all before her.”
Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard added: “For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a trooper.
“She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.”
Diana’s death was announced in a statement from her agent Simon Beresford, who described her as a “much loved and admired member of her profession, a force of nature who loved her work and her fellow actors”.
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Her daughter – actor Rachael Stirling – shared her own statement, revealing her mother had spent the months since her cancer diagnosis “joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Theresa May Criticises Government Again – This Time Over Quarantine

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Theresa May has led Tory demands for the government to introduce coronavirus testing at airports to cut quarantine and boost the travel industry.
The former prime minister criticised the government for the second time in as many days as she warned the UK was “lagging behind” and “dragging its feet” as air passenger numbers fall dramatically and threaten jobs.
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She was backed by former transport secretary Chris Grayling, Commons transport committee chair Huw Merriman, and backbencher Andy Carter, who told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast that airport testing would be “another weapon in our armoury”.
The government has so far resisted introducing airport testing and has faced criticism for imposing requirements for travellers coming from certain European countries to quarantine for 14 days.
May, whose Maidenhead constituency is near Heathrow, said passenger numbers had fallen 82% at the airport, while cargo had fallen 35%.
“It is reckoned that for every 1,000 passengers, one job is created,” she told a Commons debate on aviation.
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“The fewer passengers, the fewer jobs.”
"Far from leading the world, the UK is lagging behind"
Former PM Theresa May calls for the government to allow UK airports to trial coronavirus testing to "get planes flying again" and get the economy movinghttps://t.co/XEDoXgw8dI pic.twitter.com/W4gL5VCD9I — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 10, 2020
The ex-PM went on: “Sadly, there are those who say that if you want to promote testing and therefore reduce quarantine and increase the number of flights, you’re putting public health at risk and putting the economy first.
“This is not an either-or situation. It is about assessing the proportionate risks. It’s about mitigating the risk of people coming into the UK with the virus, while at the same time reducing the risk of a damaging impact on the economy.”
She added: “I’m certain that testing has to be the way forward in the foreseeable future, but at the moment airports aren’t even permitted to trial tests on passengers.
“I think this is an incredibly important point – far from leading the world, the UK is lagging behind.
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“So my message is to No.10, it’s to BEIS (the business department), it’s to the Treasury and it’s to the Department of Health and it’s a very simple one – if you want to get the economy moving, get planes flying again. If you want to get planes flying again, give our airports permission to trial tests.
“Stop the UK dragging its feet, let’s lead the world and set the standard to restore world travel and world trade.”
Grayling called for trials on popular travel routes, telling the government “we have got to do this and we have got to do it now”.
“There is absolutely no reason why a regime of trial testing could not be introduced in a few days in this country, why the results could not be carefully monitored on selected routes to give us a blueprint to take things forwards,” he said.
Merriman outlined the “absolute collapse” in demand carriers have faced due to the pandemic and called for an extension of furlough for aviation.
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“Numbers are down compared to April last year by 97%. Just to put that in focus that’s 5,800 flights whereas we previously had 201,000 – it has been an absolute collapse.
“I think that justifies a sector-specific deal for aviation. I would like to see an extension of furlough for aviation.
“I would like to see a cut completely of air passenger duty for a period of time – easyJet say that would allow 60% of national flights to continue if there was such a cut.
“And I would like to see the business rate cessation in the same way that the Scottish government has brought forward.”
Carter meanwhile told Commons People that Manchester airport, near his Warrington South constituency, was running at 17% capacity but more “frequent, immediate testing” will boost consumer confidence and drive that figure up.
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“This isn’t the thing that is going to solve everybody’s problems but it could cut quarantine periods down significantly and it’s another weapon in our armoury to try and tackle this virus,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--The 'Rule Of Six' Is Just Another Excuse To Over-Police Young BAME People

Police break up a gathering in Hyde Park in May ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Monday, the government will introduce a law banning any social gatherings of more than six people.
It is a policy that will disproportionately affect young people – particularly young Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people, who are statistically the most likely to be stopped and harassed by the police even when doing nothing wrong.
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This is yet another excuse for us to be over-policed and under-served. Indeed, just days earlier, health secretary Matt Hancock was blaming young people for the new rise in Covid-19 cases.
This change of law and language coincides with universities welcoming new and existing students to campus. Young people are more likely to socialise outdoors in groups with our friends, especially if we cannot afford to visit pubs, restaurants and cinemas. Yet these places will continue to operate as if they and their workers are exempt from the risk of coronavirus.
We fit the bill for blame shifting. It suits the government to avoid taking ownership for their poor decisions. The recent rhetoric used in the news has catapulted us into the limelight but where has the attention on the impact of Covid-19 on young people been?
Through recently graduating, I have experienced first hand the lack of support we have received through the last months of our degrees, like students being charged for empty accommodation. We have felt abandoned. The government continues not to take responsibility for its inconsistent actions throughout the pandemic and is resorting to blame shifting onto young people.
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Meanwhile, Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in England are 54% more likely to be fined under coronavirus laws than white people. Young people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups are already more likely to be stopped by the police. We are an easy target, who can be penalised within a system that has already shown to neglect us.
In June, a Public Health England report suggested that BAME people are 10 to 50% more likely to be at risk of Covid-19, as they are more likely to work in occupations with a higher Covid-19 risk.
As part of an ethnic minority group we have been let down repeatedly, from over-policing mosques to inconsistent guidelines about social gatherings during Eid. The government announced a local lockdown hours before Muslims celebrated Eid-Al Adha at the beginning of August. Like many other young Muslims, I was not able to celebrate with family and friends, but we continued to see people socialising at pubs and restaurants. The recent decision to keep workplaces, schools, pubs and restaurants open reflects the priorities of this government, which is simply to rebuild the economy at the expense of its citizens. If this does not reflect the government’s incompetency in decision making, then I’m unsure what does.
Through working as a youth worker at the Aaina Community Centre, I work with many Black, Asian and ethnic minority young people who are from deprived areas. I have witnessed the long-term impact our services have, as well as the lack of support from the government, especially through the pandemic. Long-term policy changes should be implemented as opposed to negatively targeting young people through sudden law changes. For the government to then target us and shift the blame of rising Covid-19 cases is incredibly hypocritical, as there are only a small number of individuals who do not abide by guidelines. To paint all young people with the same brush reinforces prejudice, particularly as there is already a lot of pressure from the media on BAME individuals to follow government guidelines.
Social gatherings were not a problem during Rishi Sunak’s “Eat out to Help Out” scheme in August, encouraging young people to help the economy whilst eating with friends. But, after cases have started to rise, the government has now introduced a law that contradicts the fundamentals of this scheme. If the government wants to see a reduction in cases, their rules should apply universally to all places with more than six people, like workplaces and pubs, rather than solely targeting groups and by extension primarily young people.
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The government has been giving mixed messages since the beginning of the pandemic. Young people are tired of feeling let down, and now being blamed and punished for its incompetence.
Zayra Sajid is a qualified audiologist currently working as a youth worker at Aaina Community Hub in Walsall


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Operation Moonshot: Four Astronomical Hurdles The Government Must Overcome

First things first: What the hell is Operation Moonshot?
Amid all the commotion on Wednesday about the new law making gatherings of more than six people in England illegal, you might have missed Boris Johnson’s other big announcement – Operation Moonshot.
Speaking from Downing Street, the prime minister laid out his plans for a mass Covid-19 testing programme that would allow people to check within minutes that they were free from the virus and could therefore “behave in a more normal way” without fear of making others ill.
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“Literally millions” of tests could be processed “every single day”, Johnson told the public, describing new “simple, quick and scalable” tests that could determine whether someone had coronavirus in as little as 20 minutes.
He described how this new technology would allow theatres and sports venues to test entire crowds of people and had the potential to transform workplaces.
According to leaked memos seen by the British Medical Journal, the UK has drawn up plans to eventually carry out up to 10 million Covid-19 tests a day by early 2021 – at a cost of more than £100bn.
Sounds great, right? Sure. But the government has some seriously big hurdles to overcome before getting Operation Moonshot off the ground.
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Hurdle one: The technology doesn’t actually exist...
“If these quick 20-minute tests are available, why aren’t we already using them?” you might be asking yourself. In short – because they’re not.
Amid a crisis in the government’s current test and trace programme, transport secretary Grant Shapps admitted that the technology for the PM’s “moonshot” testing plan doesn’t actually exist yet.
"This is technology that requires further development".
Transport Sec @grantshapps admits there isn't yet a "certified COVID test in the world" that gives results in minutes as the government's 'Operation Moonshot' programme hopes to do. JJ#KayBurley pic.twitter.com/5FfdrKlFda — Kay Burley (@KayBurley) September 10, 2020
“We know this isn’t simple to achieve, but we hope it will be possible through technology and new tests to have a test which works by not having to return the sample to a lab,” he told Sky News.
“This is technology that, to be perfectly blunt, requires further development – there isn’t a certified test in the world that does this but there are people that are working on prototypes,” he said.
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That’s one pretty big obstacle to try and get over...
And if you’re concerned about how long it might take to design the “pregnancy test-style” device the government is talking about, you’re not alone.
Speaking at the coronavirus press conference on Wednesday, Professor Chris Whitty – England’s chief medical officer and the government’s own chief medical advisor – said it was “likely” there would be fast new tests “in the not too distant future”.
But he said “that covers quite a wide time range”, adding: “I think it is important that we don’t pin ourselves to a date and say by this time this will be achieved.”
Hurdle two: The potential for false negatives
So what are the other potential downsides to the PM’s plan for us all to take a Covid-19 test as part of our morning routine, alongside our first cup of tea and bowl of cornflakes?
According to Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter a “huge danger” with the project is the potential for a “very large number of false positives” that could leave thousands of people self-isolating unnecessarily.
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Spiegelhalter, who is a statistician, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that experts in his field were “banging their heads on the wall” at the proposal.
“Mass screening always seems like a good idea in any disease – ‘Oh yes, let’s test everybody’. But the huge danger is false positives – no tests are perfect, it is not a simple yes/no thing.”
He said the threshold would have to be set to a level that would “pick up anything that hints at being infectious”, meaning that the tests would “always generate a very large number of false positives”.
Hurdle three: Who would manufacture and distribute the tests?
Luis Alvarez via Getty Images
Say the technology necessary to launch Operation Moonshot is discovered in time to prevent a second wave of Covid-19 – how would it work in practice? It’s a key question that the government has yet to answer.
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According to reports, the government hopes to carry out 10 million tests a day – that equates to as many as 310 million tests a month. Who would be in charge of manufacturing these tests?
And how would the government distribute these tests?
With some people experiencing coronavirus symptoms currently being asked to travel hundreds of miles for a test, ministers will be under strict scrutiny about how they could roll out such a huge programme.
Hurdle four: The support network around Operation Moonshot
Taechit Taechamanodom via Getty Images
The government has already been warned that any mass testing system for coronavirus must be about more than just finding technology that can tell people if they have the infection.
In August, Sage – the scientific body which advises the government – published its key recommendations for any mass testing programme.
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Among them was the insistence that any system must include structured financial support – especially for the most disadvantaged groups.
The government has already faced criticism for the lack of support offered to people unable to work from home after being told to self-isolate by the current NHS Test and Trace system.
Under the current guidelines, many workers are only eligible for statutory sick pay if they have to self-isolate – less than £96-a-week.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Dame Diana Rigg Dies, Aged 82

Dame Diana Rigg Dies, Aged 82

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Dame Diana Rigg has died from cancer at the age of 82.
The legendary actor, known for her roles in the likes of The Avengers, James Bond and Game Of Thrones, died at home on Thursday morning, her agent confirmed.
In a statement, Simon Beresford said: “It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Dame Diana Rigg died peacefully early this morning.
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“She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
JOEL SAGET via Getty Images
He continued: “Dame Diana was an icon of theatre, film, and television... [She] was a much loved and admired member of her profession, a force of nature who loved her work and her fellow actors.
“She will be greatly missed.”
Dame Diana was diagnosed with cancer in March, her daughter – actress Rachael Stirling – said.
In her own statement, Rachael said she would miss her “Beloved Ma” “beyond words”.
She said: “She died of cancer diagnosed in March, and spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words.”
Diana shot to fame as Emma in The Avengers Studiocanal/Shutterstock
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During a career that spanned over 60 years, Dame Diana was the recipient of Bafta, Emmy, Tony and Evening Standard Awards for her work on stage and screen.
After a number of smaller TV roles, Diana shot to fame in 1965 when she was cast as Emma Peel in TV series The Avengers.
From there, she went on to play James Bond’s wife, Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969 opposite George Lazenby as 007.
Diana played James Bond's wife Teresa in On Her Majesty's Secret Service Moviestore/Shutterstock
In 1994, Diana was made a dame for services to drama.
More recently, Diana played Olenna Tyrell in Game Of Thrones from 2013 to 2017, and appeared in the second series of ITV’s Victoria.
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Diana Rigg in Game Of Thrones HBO
Bafta paid tribute to Diana in a statement on Twitter, which read: “We’re sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, Bafta-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the Bafta Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers.”
We're sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, BAFTA-winner for her performance in Mother Love in 1990 and joint recipient of the BAFTA Television Special Award in 2000 for The Avengers. pic.twitter.com/v0tzBczNKU — BAFTA (@BAFTA) September 10, 2020
Playwright Sir David Hare also said: “Diana Rigg had a dazzling change of direction in middle age as a great classical actor.
“When Emma Peel played Euripides’ Medea, Albee’s Martha and Brecht’s Mother Courage she swept all before her.”
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Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard added: “For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a trooper.
“She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-10--Reese Witherspoon Celebrates Daughter Ava's 21st Birthday And The Resemblance Is Genuinely Uncanny

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Listen, we totally get it. On a fairly regular basis you’ll come across a headline about a celebrity’s “lookalike” child, and read the full story, only to find there’s actually only a passing resemblance.
And anyway, it’s understandable that parents and their children might look similar, that is quite literally how genetics work. Right?
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Well, that being said… we have to talk about Reese Witherspoon and her daughter, Ava.
On Wednesday, the Oscar-winning star posted a photo with Ava in celebration of her 21st birthday, and we’re genuinely a little bit shook at just how much they look like one another.
Ava and Reese at the premiere of Big Little Lies Monica Schipper via Getty Images
“How is it possible that this little girl is now 21 years old?” the Legally Blonde actor wrote. “Happy Birthday to my sweet girl who has become the most incredible young woman.
“Her kindness, her compassion, and her huge heart never cease to amaze me. Ava, there aren’t enough words to describe how proud I am of everything you’ve already accomplished. I cannot wait to see ALL the Good you will put into this world. I love you so much.”
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And seriously… see what we mean?
Unsurprisingly, the photo’s comments were full of people commenting on the resemblance, with singer Meghan Trainor writing: “Twins... happy birthday Ava!!!!”
Photographer Brian Bowen Smith – who was worked with Reese in the past – also wrote: “What the twins.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Coronavirus R Rate Jumps Above 1 – And Could Be As High As 1.7

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Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
The coronavirus R rate has risen dramatically to above 1.0 across most of the UK and could be as high as 1.7, scientists have said.
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Official estimates by government scientists put the key figure, which shows how quickly the virus is spreading, between 1.0 and 1.2 across the whole of the UK.
An R rate (reproduction rate) above 1.0 is likely to spark fresh demands for new lockdown measures as it means that the pandemic is growing rather than shrinking.
Detailed figures released by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), a subgroup of SAGE (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies), on Friday say all regions of England have an R that is “higher than or which spans 1.0”.
Its data put the R rate squarely above 1.0 London and the north-west.
The growth rate, meanwhile, was highest in the north-east and north-west, where they predict it could be as high as 5%.
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SAGE has set out the R rate and the growth rate for the UK and each region of England HuffPost UK
A separate study by Imperial College London painted a more worrying picture still. Its latest modelling, which drew on a cohort of 150,000 volunteers, put the R number at 1.7.
The research also suggested that coronavirus cases in England were doubling every seven to eight days at the beginning of September.
It found the highest rates among 18 to 24 year-olds, with Yorkshire and the Humber, the North East and the North West worst affected.
Professor Paul Elliott, director of the programme at Imperial from the School of Public Health, Elliott said: “Our large and robust dataset clearly shows a concerning trend in coronavirus infections, where cases are growing quickly across England and are no longer concentrated in key workers.
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Latest results from our @IpsosMORI study with @imperialcollege for @DHSCgovuk shows that there has been an increase in prevalence and confirms an R rate above 1 across England. Check out our infographic below for all the latest 👇 pic.twitter.com/OaAsDf0yTl — Kelly Beaver (@KellyIpsosMORI) September 11, 2020
“What we are seeing is evidence of an epidemic in the community and not a result of increased testing capacity.
“This is a critical time and it’s vital that the public, our health system and policy-makers are aware of the situation as we cannot afford complacency.”
It comes after Boris Johnson announced the legal limit on social gatherings in England would be cut from 30 to six from Monday.
Asked whether the jump in the virus’ growth meant more stringent lockdown measures were on the cards, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said on Friday: “We keep all measures under review but it was on Wednesday that we set out the steps which are currently required to help us bring the virus under control.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Gordon Brown's Way Of Ending His Zoom Call With BBC Breakfast Is A Total Friday Mood

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When it gets to Friday, many of us are absolutely done with the working week – a feeling that Gordon Brown perfectly summed up with his recent appearance on BBC Breakfast.
The former prime minister was interviewed on the show via video call on Friday via video call, where he discussed the latest developments in the UK’s trade negations with the EU.
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But after the segment ran into familiar pandemic-era technical difficulties, Gordon’s abrupt way of ending the Zoom call had viewers howling.
Gordon Brown's stunned BBC Breakfast presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt BBC
Presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were left stunned when he swiftly closed his laptop lid without hanging up the call after they told him they would have to cut the interview short.
“Well there you go,” Charlie laughed. “That’s definitely over.”
Naga was also seen blinking and smirking in disbelief.
As a clip of the moment circulated on Twitter, others also saw the funny side...
Me at 5pm on a Friday 👋 https://t.co/DqpOakiUnr — Chris Whitehead (@christof88) September 11, 2020
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Honestly this is a mood https://t.co/PC78ChatI2 — Sarah 🌹 (@sarahtroke92) September 11, 2020
I want that Gordon Brown energy just be like yep I got shit to do see ya https://t.co/cHph8a7SQf — Josh (@JoshFowell) September 11, 2020
This is literally how I feel in work when teams and zoom start mucking about in calls haha https://t.co/aBtvdtA0Xy — 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘓𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘰𝘳 (@paullawlor23) September 11, 2020
Did he just invent the Zoom 'mic drop'? https://t.co/PhjJABafM9 — Dan Smith (@DanSmith_Writer) September 11, 2020
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Power play move right here! Adopting this to end my friends and family zoom calls for sure https://t.co/Fl5YPlYBmG — Aditya Iyer (@Thatadityaiyer) September 11, 2020
Inject Gordon Brown just being completely done into my veins https://t.co/yIh76gzxm2 — Jessie Thompson (@jessiecath) September 11, 2020
TV’s pivot to Zoom calls has served up many other memorable moments during the pandemic.
There was the time another BBC News interview came to an early end when the caller ran out of free Zoom minutes, and how could you forget when a Sky News editor’s son burst into the room during a live broadcast with a biscuit request?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Uncovering The Reality Of Islamophobia In The NHS Shocked Me In A Way I Wasn't Expecting

Doctor or surgeon stood in hospital ward using digital tablet MartinPrescott via Getty Images
As a journalist, I have often thought of myself as unshockable. Spending years documenting the more disturbing sides of human behaviour, and events, it often feels that you’ve seen it all.
So when I set out to investigate the incidence of Islamophobia in the NHS, I was prepared to hear dispiriting accounts of Muslim healthcare workers being subjected to slurs from patients in the line of duty.
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But what I wasn’t expecting was to uncover a far bigger, and often hidden, issue within the NHS – the prejudice faced by Muslim medics on a daily basis from their own colleagues and bosses.
When it came to abuse from patients, many of the Muslim NHS staff I interviewed shrugged their shoulders and dishearteningly accepted it as an inevitable reality.
However the Islamophobia directed at medics by those who work alongside them had a very different impact.
Those I spoke to described it as “covert” and “insidious”.
Even worse, many of these Islamophobic incidents go completely under the radar as it is disguised as “banter” or “just a joke.”
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These “jokes” included describing someone as looking like a terrorist, taunting them for not eating bacon or drinking alcohol, or asking them if they’re planning to join Isis.
How the same people who strive together in the common goal of improving and saving lives, could inflict this kind of vitriol on their colleagues, was something that truly horrified me.
And coming amid the coronavirus pandemic, when so many Muslim medical staff have put themselves in the firing line by risking their own lives to save others, is another major kick in the teeth.
Let’s not forget the first NHS doctors to die of coronavirus on the frontline were Muslim.
“Many non-Muslim NHS staff might not even realise that their off-the-cuff remarks might be viewed as Islamophobic.”
While some of the incidents recounted are downright discrimination and bullying, others are more inconspicuous – and by that very nature more dangerous as difficult to prove. From the rolling of eyes, to being excluded from nights out, and backhanded compliments telling someone they speak “Good English” – even when they’ve been born and brought up in the UK.
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Those who are visibly Muslim, such as women wearing hijabs, divulged they were particularly susceptible to Islamophobia – from being treated with the stereotype they are less educated to being denied training opportunities and career progression to being yelled at for entering theatre with a hijab on.
Many non-Muslim NHS staff might not even realise that their off-the-cuff remarks might be viewed as Islamophobic.
But the Muslim NHS workers I spoke to described the profound and lasting effect of such a constant sense of “othering” and not belonging, and said it makes them feel they’re always on the outside looking in, no matter how hard they work.
Many highlighted that “it’s not about being brown” even though plenty of racism also occurs in the NHS, but suggested that among some colleagues, there is an anti-Muslim agenda as rising Islamophobia in society seeps into the NHS.
As one expert so eloquently put it, NHS professionals are “just people” and wearing a white coat doesn’t make them immune to holding prejudices, behaving in a discriminatory manner, or unconscious bias – and neither does being middle class or well educated.
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“This is a real issue affecting real people in the NHS for simply trying to do their job. It needs to be tackled and shouldn’t be minimised or brushed under the carpet.”
It was deeply disturbing to hear of the widespread Islamophobia endured by those working in the NHS, an organisation made up of such a diverse workforce – although as many pointed out, lacking in Muslim and BAME senior leaders at the top.
It comes as no surprise that the cumulative drip-feed effect of such constant battering has led to 43% of Muslims we surveyed admitting they have considered leaving the NHS due to Islamophobia.
Islamophobia in the NHS is completely unacceptable in any form – whether it’s blatant, covert or subtle. No one should be abused, disadvantaged or discriminated against for their faith or belief when coming to work.
This is a real issue affecting real people in the NHS for simply trying to do their job. It needs to be tackled and shouldn’t be minimised or brushed under the carpet.
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Most importantly of all, those experiencing it need to be given a voice, listened to and believed.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Katie Holmes' New Relationship Has Hit An Ex-Fiancée-Sized Bump In The Road

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Not one to wait for her life to be over... or allegedly her boyfriend’s former engagement, Katie Holmes is already seeing some major drama in her new relationship.
This week, the Dawson’s Creek alum went public with her brand new beau, Emilio Vitolo Jr., a New York City-based chef on whom she was spotted passionately kissing during a dinner date on Monday night.
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The new couple has been seen out and about together in recent days, but it’s not exactly clear when they linked up. Emilio, however, left a comment on a post on Katie’s Instagram in July, suggesting that they might have been in each other’s orbit for some time now.
The relationship is Katie’s first since splitting up with Jamie Foxx in May 2019 after six (mostly secret) years together, following her marriage to Tom Cruise.
But apparently Emilio’s romantic history isn’t as cut and dried.
Katie Holmes Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images
The 33-year-old chef was apparently engaged to designer Rachel Emmons as of very recently if her Instagram feed is any indication.
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Rachel frequently shared photos of herself and Emilio over the past few years, including a post announcing their engagement last February.
“The most celebratory, generous, honest, genuine person I’ve ever met. You always have my back and make every day a new adventure,” she wrote alongside a photo of herself beaming at Emilio. “You walk into a room and people gravitate to you. I couldn’t feel more lucky to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Rachel gave her followers lovey updates about her personal life, including how the former couple adopted a puppy last year, as well as their frequent globetrotting travels together.
Per her Instagram, the two were still very much an item as of their last pic together in July, which was posted after Emilio left a comment on Katie’s photo, indicating there was indeed some sort of overlap.
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In a post shared in August, Rachel appeared to be wearing her engagement ring.
Emilio’s Instagram, meanwhile, has no trace of his ex, leading some people to suggest online that he scrubbed his account of their relationship.
Everyone involved has stayed silent on the matter. But an anonymous friend of Rachel came forward claiming that Emilio ended the 18-month engagement via text hours before photos of himself and Katie went public.
“Up to this press coming out, Rachel had no idea what was going on,” the friend told The Daily Mail, adding that Katie was likely unaware of the situation. “He is a cheater, and this isn’t a ‘happy ending’ story.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--NHS Coronavirus Contact-Tracing App To Be Launched On September 24

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The long-awaited NHS coronavirus contact-tracing app will finally be launched in England and Wales on September 24.
Health secretary Matt Hancock described the app’s launch as a “defining moment”, saying it would help to contain the virus “at a critical time”.
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It comes amid rising coronavirus infections in the UK, with cases reaching almost 3,000 each day since Sunday.
The app will allow people to scan QR codes when visiting hospitality venues as a way to check-in.
“We need to use every tool at our disposal to control the spread of the virus including cutting-edge technology,” Hancock said on Friday.
“QR codes provide an easy and simple way to collect contact details to support the NHS Test and Trace system.
“Hospitality businesses can now download posters for their premises ahead of the launch of the NHS Covid-19 app. This will allow the public to seamlessly check in to venues using the app when it launches.
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“It is vital we are using the NHS Test and Trace system to reach as many people as possible to prevent outbreaks and stop this virus in its tracks. This function will make it simple and easy so we can keep this virus under control.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said ongoing trials of the app in Newham and the Isle of Wight had revealed the app is “highly effective when used alongside traditional contact tracing to identify contacts of those who have tested positive for coronavirus”.
Ahead of the roll-out, businesses including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas are being urged to ensure they have NHS QR code posters visible on entry so customers who have downloaded the new app can use their smartphones to check-in.
Simon Thompson, managing director of the NHS Covid-19 app said: “We are now giving businesses the time to prepare their venues ahead of the app becoming available across England and Wales.”
He added: “The QR system is a free, easy and privacy-preserving way to check in customers to venues, and we encourage all businesses to get involved and download and display the official NHS QR code posters.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Daisy May Cooper's Baby's Name Is A Beautiful Tribute To Michael Sleggs

Matt Crossick - PA Images via Getty Images
Daisy May Cooper has revealed she’s named her son after her co-star and friend Michael Sleggs, who died last year.
The star of This Country revealed she’d given birth earlier this month on Instagram, writing: “The bubba has landed and he’s absolutely perfect.”
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Recently, she says, fans have been asking what her son’s name is. “We have named him Jack Michael Weston,” she wrote on Friday.
“The middle name Michael after our dear friend Michael Sleggs who we lost last year. May the spirit of sluggs live on!”
Sleggs was a fellow star of This Country, who died, aged 33, in July 2019. The actor had previously revealed on Facebook that he’d been placed on palliative care due to heart failure and only had a short time to live.
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Cooper paid tribute to her former co-star earlier this year in lockdown, after Michael’s family sent her a copy of his book that included all of the funny Photoshops he had made.
“My god, he really was a genius, such a funny guy and the first one to laugh at himself,” she wrote. “Michael spent a lot of his childhood receiving treatments at St Ormond’s hospital, which is where a percentage of the proceeds of this book will go to.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Stevie Lee, Wrestler And Jackass Star, Dies Aged 54

Wrestler and Jackass star Stevie Lee has died at the age of 54.
Stevie, who appeared in 2010′s Jackass 3D, died at home “unexpectedly” on Wednesday, his family said in a statement.
Steve Lee pictured in 2013 Steve Granitz via Getty Images
A statement on a GoFundMe page set up to help with funeral costs read: “He was beloved by many and has many friends that were family, fans that adored him, but only his brother Jim left to take care of final arrangements.
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“Puppet [his wrestling name] has put smiles across the world with his hardcore attitude and lifestyle.”
Stevie – who went by the stage name of Puppet The Psycho Dwarf when wrestling – was also honoured in a statement from Impact Wrestling, the organisation formerly known as TNA.
They wrote on Twitter: “It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Stevie Lee, better known as ‘Puppet The Psycho Dwarf’ in the early days of TNA.
“We send our deepest condolences to his friends and family.”
It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Stevie Lee, better known as "Puppet The Psycho Dwarf" in the early days of TNA. We send our deepest condolences to his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/tdVdCFkNCJ — IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) September 10, 2020
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As well as his wrestling and appearances on Jackass, Stevie was also an actor, whose credits included horror anthology series American Horror Story, and the Disney film Oz: The Great and Powerful.
Stevie also starred in his own reality TV series, Half Pint Brawlers, which followed him running his own wrestling company.