thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--I Was On Indian Matchmaking. Here's What You Didn't See On The Show

The photo the author used for his biodata on "Indian Matchmaking." Courtesy of Ravi Guru Singh
“Hello, Guru. I’m Sima, from Mumbai,” she said when we spoke for the first time, months before my date on the second episode of Netflix’s Indian Matchmaking. I was having my marriage consultation with Sima Taparia, who is touted as Mumbai’s top matchmaker. I connected with her after replying to an advertisement on Backstage.com, a casting site for film, television and entertainment jobs. Though I was a lawyer working at a firm in Manhattan, I took theatre classes for fun on the weekends, and visited Backstage.com occasionally to check out acting gigs in New York. The listing sought participants for a docuseries centred around singles paired by an elite Indian matchmaker. I applied and got cast, but the episode I eventually appeared in did not come close to covering what I experienced.
As a single, American, millennial lawyer working at a white shoe firm in Manhattan, I never thought I’d use an Indian matchmaker to find a partner. American culture emphasises the importance of the individual and made me think that the primary responsibility of choosing a partner rested with me. Arranged marriages, which involve the family in the selection process, reflect Asian culture’s emphasis on the “we.” Hiring someone to help find me a spouse sounded like a personal failure ― it would mean I lacked the swag to do it on my own.
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My parents didn’t expect me to have an arranged marriage either. Even though my mom was from Guyana and my dad was from India, they met without a matchmaker. Seeing the listing challenged my views. It made me wonder whether using an elite matchmaker could be better than relying on the matching algorithms of dating apps. I remembered being resistant to yoga as a kid so that I could better assimilate into American culture, only to feel surprised when yoga ended up proliferating in America after being embraced by the dominant culture. I questioned whether my resistance to arranged marriages was similarly influenced by xenophobic views about Asian cultural practices and if I was ruling out something that could actually benefit me.
I applied to be on the show and felt more confident about doing so after learning more about the production team and feeling those involved had legitimate experience in filmmaking. Smriti Mundhra, one of the lead producers, had directed a well-reviewed documentary called “A Suitable Girl,” which followed women preparing to participate in arranged marriages in India. Still, I didn’t tell anyone I was going through the process because I figured that most people would judge me negatively for applying to be on a reality dating show.
Once I heard back from the producers, I underwent hours of interviews and a rigorous psychological screening. Then, after months of hearing nothing, I received a call to schedule a telephone meeting with Sima. I was excited to chat with her and genuinely curious to see what all the hype was about.
“I instantly became self-conscious as I wasn’t sure how my choices would be portrayed by the production company. I wondered if I’d come across as ageist if Sima excluded women of a certain age from my search or if I’d look like a jerk if I had a preference for my partner’s height.”
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Our call started out warm and informal. It actually felt like a relief to have someone want to help me find a partner. But, as soon as we started to get into details about what I wanted, I struggled.
Sima asked me if I had any age, height or educational preferences and whether I was okay with someone who was a vegetarian, drank alcohol or had kids. I instantly became self-conscious as I wasn’t sure how my choices would be portrayed by the production company. I wondered if I’d come across as ageist if Sima excluded women of a certain age from my search or if I’d look like a jerk if I had a preference for my partner’s height. I wondered if I’d be portrayed as elitist for preferring a partner who held a degree from a high-ranking university. I noticed that Sima did not include persons with disabilities.
I found myself running into a wall as I tried to figure out if it was possible to take an intersectional approach to reviewing the dating profiles. I wanted to decentre norms around ethnic, religious, and economic statuses and make a holistic choice about my match, but the biodata ― or biographical information about my matches ― was flimsy and shorter than a resume.
As we continued chatting, I could tell Sima was also asking questions to determine my suitability as a partner. We discussed whether my parents were still together, what their religions were, and their ethnicities. I had never encountered these kinds of questions on a dating app and I had mixed feelings about answering them. When I said my parents were divorced, I felt less-than for not being in an intact nuclear family, something that was totally out of my control. When I told Sima my father was Sikh and my mother was Hindu, I wondered why the faith of my parents mattered. Even though it may be easier to create a relationship between two people where both of their families are of the same or similar faiths, I was wary of having my personal views on God subsumed by the religious practices of my family and ancestors. Talking with Sima about my ethnic and caste preferences also forced me to consider whether wanting to marry someone of the same ethnicity was problematic.
After my chat with Sima, the producers provided with me with the biodata of a woman who lived in California and they offered to fly me and my mom to meet her. One of the producers sent me a contract that I needed to sign in order to move forward. The contract would have required me to sign away the rights to my image, in perpetuity, without compensation. I spoke to a lawyer and a few lawyer friends, and they all advised me against moving forward. I contacted the producers and tried to back out the show. They wanted me to stay on. They insisted the show was a docuseries, not reality TV, and that I had nothing to worry about because the other single professionals on the show were comfortable participating. I didn’t think I’d be able to be as vulnerable about dating as I wanted and was concerned about how they’d portray my mom too. I declined to move forward and didn’t hear from the producers for months.
Then, out of the blue, I got a call from a producer practically begging me to go on a date for the show. The producer told me I would be meeting Nadia, a Guyanese American, and promised that the date would be casual, that the team might not even use the footage, and that my portrayal would be handled well. The producer also said the contract I was concerned about was a formality and that I could trust the team. Ultimately, though I was still somewhat wary of what I was getting myself into, I agreed to go on the show. Little did I know I’d end up in the trailer for the show, be featured significantly in one of the episodes, and find myself in the middle of a controversy about a mimosa.
The author with his mom at a family day at the law firm where he worked in New York City in 2019. Courtesy of Ravi Guru Singh
Based on the biodata that I received, I learned that Nadia and I were similar ages and ethnic backgrounds, grew up in similar parts of the country and both went to graduate school. But I had never gone on a date with someone without communicating with them at all prior to us meeting. I don’t know whether Indian matchmakers intentionally block matches from talking before meeting, or whether we weren’t allowed to speak to build suspense for the show, but it felt strange. The benefit of online dating is that I could banter via text or have a phone call with someone to figure out whether we had a good rapport. But for my date with Nadia, we didn’t speak at all before we met to film our date.
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The producers asked me to arrive at the restaurant where the date was being held an hour before it was scheduled to begin. I chatted with the team when I got there but I was nervous and a big part of me just wanted to go home. But then Nadia arrived and the date began.
There were cameras on both sides of our table and light reflectors shined in my eyes. Though the date was only a few minutes long on the show, in reality it lasted over 90 minutes. I tried to keep the conversation casual and really concentrated on trying to get to know Nadia. The way the date was edited made it seem like I judged her for ordering a mimosa and for wanting bacon mac and cheese, but, honestly, neither of those choices was a dealbreaker. The episode also made it seem like I was being vague about what I wanted in a partner. The truth is I didn’t want to get into a protracted conversation about my gripes with Sima’s services.
At one point I told Nadia that she reminded me of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and she told me she didn’t know who that was, but I said that was OK, and noted that there were probably well-known people that she knew of that I didn’t know about. Still, that exchange, and several others like it, did highlight for me that it didn’t seem like we had a lot in common and we probably weren’t a match. When the date was over, we traded our contact information, but I didn’t move forward, largely because I did not want to give Hollywood producers the right to tell my love story without any of my input.
“It's hard to gauge whether the overall impression was negative or positive. I posted my reaction video and it generated tens of thousands of views. A mob of mimosa lovers attacked me for judging Nadia over having a drink. People on Twitter claimed I had 'Indian Dad Energy' and that I wore ill-fitting clothes.”
As the premiere of the show approached, I decided to record my reaction to the episode and taught myself how to use iMovie to do so. The night the show debuted, I set up some lighting equipment in my apartment. Then, when I finally saw the date ― or at least how it was portrayed on the show ― I almost broke down. My friends texted me things like, “Netflix played you” and “they made you look antisocial.”
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Some of my friends were happy for me, and it’s hard to gauge whether the overall impression was negative or positive. I posted my reaction video and it generated tens of thousands of views. A mob of mimosa lovers attacked me for judging Nadia over having a drink. People on Twitter claimed I had “Indian Dad Energy” and that I wore ill-fitting clothes. Though some friends told me to ignore the negative reactions, I couldn’t help but take the attacks personally.
At first, I tried to respond to the negative comments, in hopes of getting my truth out. Though some people became fans, I realised that responding only made sense if it was strategically tied to a social media strategy or objective. For example, a brand can use negative comments to understand customer pain points, reply with a constructive message that drives sales or show responsiveness to customer needs. I’m not a company and on my personal social media profile, I don’t offer a product or a service. I had to think differently about how my replies further my mission and whether or not it was really worth it to respond to negative commenters.
But for the most part, my inbox was overwhelmingly filled with support, and I even received messages from single women who said they loved me for not drinking or cutting back on meat. Still, in the period after the show came out, I experienced a flood of emotions, and I struggled to sleep or eat.
I reached out to a South Asian therapist. Instead of having a private session with her, I suggested we record our session with a videographer and post it online. I wanted to use my new larger platform to reduce the stigma around therapy and mental health among cis, straight, South Asian men. I talked with her about my experiences with social media trolls, dating, marriage and identity. The video got thousands of views and I received messages from people all around the world thanking me and saying it was courageous of me to open up.
As for Nadia and I, we exchanged a few texts before “Indian Matchmaking” premiered but nothing came of our interactions. Since the show aired, the cast has participated in private calls over Zoom, and we’ve all enjoyed getting to know each other. We also continue to chat in a Facebook group.
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The author at a Muslim Bangladeshi wedding for one of his best friends from college in New Jersey in summer 2020. Courtesy of Ravi Guru Singh
Now that I know the kind of editing that takes place and other manipulations that go on behind the scenes on reality television, I would not audition for another show. I want to be seen and known as someone credible and authentic, and it’s difficult for me to trust anything or anyone I’ve seen on a reality TV show. What’s more, the “appearance release” each participant of “Indian Matchmaking” was forced to sign is non-negotiable and leaves almost no rights to us. The contract essentially assigns image rights to the company in perpetuity, bars the ability to terminate the contract, and gives the production company the right to alter a participant’s image in any way, regardless of how harmful the depiction may seem. I understand that this is common practice for reality TV series, but I personally am not comfortable with signing something like this again. Finally, I’m also disappointed that the producers did very little to help cast members prepare for a possible social media backlash.
Sometimes I have regrets about going on the show and wish I had known more about how vulnerable I would be to editing and the producers’ desire to tell a good story. Other times, I wish I had done my date with Nadia differently and maybe even decided to go on a few more to see if anything was there. Once in a while I even daydream about what would have happened if I had been ― and created ― a completely outrageous character for the cameras.
I thought the first few episodes of the show were entertaining, largely because of the novelty of seeing an Indian tradition and a South Asian cast represented on Netflix, but I feel the show’s energy waned later in the season. It’s hard for me to objectively talk about the show because I was on it, but I will say that the producers missed opportunities to discuss and explore casteism, homophobia, and ethnocentrism. I believe some of these tough issues could have been broached while keeping the series light and funny.
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Surprisingly, Indian Matchmaking made me realise my opposition to arranged marriages was based in Western biases. While there are valid criticisms of the practice ― the most significant one being that it’s a form of family control over a child’s choices ― Sima opened my eyes up to the benefit of having a person in your corner trying to find you a match. As I move forward, I’m leaving all options on the table with respect to finding a partner. I believe that a matchmaker who can provide a thorough consultation, involving substantive biodata, would be a strong alternative to online dating. Still, there are limitations to a matchmaker’s strengths. Online dating benefits from network effects, where the number of people participating increases the value of the service. In contrast, a matchmaker is only as good as his or her clientele.
My life now is not much different than before, except that I get recognised on the street occasionally. New people I meet are surprised I’m not an awkward mimosa hater. As far as my love life goes, being on Netflix has provided me with a fun story to tell on dates. I now take a more methodical approach to dating and ask questions about marriage, finances, children, family and careers. I’m still excited at the possibility of getting married one day ― you just won’t see it on Netflix.
Ravi Guru Singh is a writer and lawyer based in New York City. This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--27 Photos That Sum Up Trying To Work From Home With Pets

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When you’re working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, your pets become your de facto co-workers.
Rarely do they abide by the office rules, but, hey, you let it slide because who could stay mad at those sweet little faces?
You can count on your cat to lie on your keyboard when you’re trying to meet a deadline or knock over your coffee mug before you’ve taken a sip. Inevitably, your puppy will chew on your computer charger, bark incessantly during Zoom calls or give you a not-so-subtle nudge when it’s time to play. But we love them anyway.
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We asked HuffPost readers to show what working from home with pets looks like in their house. Check out their photos below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Trump Says He'll 'Begin Quarantine Process' After Aide Tests Positive For Coronavirus

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Donald Trump is to start quarantining after close aide Hope Hicks tested positive for coronavirus.
The US president said he and first lady Melania Trump will begin the “quarantine process” as they await coronavirus test results.
Trump tweeted: “Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible!
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“The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!”
Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Hicks, one of Trump’s closest and most trusted aides, travelled on Air Force One with the president to Cleveland for Tuesday’s presidential debate and to Minnesota for a rally on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported.
She was photographed leaving Air Force One in Cleveland while not wearing a mask.
Hicks, a former model and public relations consultant who previously worked for the Trump Organisation, returned to the White House as Trump’s counsellor in February after resigning in March 2018 from her role as White House communications director.
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Several White House employees have tested positive for Covid-19 since the pandemic began, including national security adviser Robert O’Brien, vice president Mike Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller and one of Trump’s personal valets.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-01--Keir Starmer Calls For New Powers For Mayors To Decide Local Lockdowns

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Keir Starmer has called for council chiefs and mayors in England to be urgently given new powers over both local lockdowns and NHS Test and Trace.
Amid a growing revolt among local leaders at fresh restrictions imposed by the Tory government, the Labour leader told HuffPost UK that it was now time for them to be “put in the driver’s seat” in the battle against coronavirus.
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Starmer said that health secretary Matt Hancock should share decision making with council leaders and metro Mayors, offer cash packages for businesses locked down and end the confusing public health messages.
In an exclusive interview, he also demanded a radical overhaul of NHS Test and Trace to prevent it from damaging the reputation of the NHS itself, with local public health teams leading the service rather than Tory peer Dido Harding or private firms like Serco and Deloitte.
On Thursday, Hancock unveiled a new ban on different households mixing in pubs or homes in Liverpool City region, Warrington, Teesside and Hartlepool from Saturday.
Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston said he would “defy the government and we do not accept these measures”, and he was backed up by Hartlepool council leader Shane Moore.
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Some 57 different areas of the UK, making up a third of the population, are now under tougher restrictions than the rest of the country.
Starmer said: “The message to the government is: involve local local leaders, whether it’s council leaders or mayors, much more intensely, and much earlier. Because what’s going on is sometimes consultation, sometimes not.
“There’s a massive frustration if you talk to the mayors in Manchester or Liverpool, they’ve not been properly brought into the process and listened to. The same in the northeast with the leader of Newcastle Council, a sense that the decision is being made centrally in London, when they should be in the room as part of the process.
“And this isn’t just about another layer of bureaucracy, bringing someone else in. These are people who know their communities. And not only do they know their communities, they’re in very regular contact with the police, with the hospitals and their community groups, and they can put messages across their communities. So they need to be in the driver’s seat, much more central to the process.”
He added: “The other part of this is that there’s a huge mismatch now between local restrictions and economic support. So instead of saying, here’s the package of restrictions, here’s the support that goes with it, the second bit isn’t there. Local leaders are a mess of tearing their hair out about what’s going to happen to jobs and businesses on their own patch.
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“It should be shared decision making. I don’t think local mayors and leaders should have a veto. I don’t think they should make decisions on their own. But they should be a proper part of the process.”
NHS Test and Trace chief Dido Harding and Matt Hancock ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Thursday, NHS Test and Trace again posted worsening contact rates for those who have been close to people who tested positive for Covid.
Just 64.3% of contacts were reached in cases handled either online or by private sector outsourced call centres. But the figure was 97.6% for cases handled by council-run local health protection teams.
In one of his biggest breaks with government policy since he became leader, Starmer called for the first time for a complete overhaul of the system and that he agreed with Manchester metro Mayor Andy Burnham that it had to now be “locally led”.
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Labour wants the English system to resemble that in Wales, where the Welsh government meets with council chiefs, shares evidence on cases and positivity rates and where test and trace is not run as a “privatised enterprise”.
“I completely understand the concerns that the NHS brand is being associated with test and trace when in fact, it’s been parcelled out, often with contracts to Serco and other companies,” Starmer said.
“What the government should have done is to put it locally, months and months ago. Local authority leaders were saying to the government ’they should let us lead on test, trace and isolate.
“‘We can do it, we can do it locally, we know our communities, and we’re up for the responsibility’. The government nearly went down that track and did start bringing them in a bit, but still insists on putting the big contracts elsewhere. Big mistake. Compare that with Germany, where they have done it from the local up and you’ve got a much better system.”
Asked if that meant the end of a role for firms like Serco and Deloitte, Starmer said: “It should be locally led. I’m not going to say that you should be no involvement of others, but nobody could look at the test, trace and isolate arrangements and think that they’re working, let alone effective, let alone world class.“
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In a Zoom summit with Labour council chiefs, Starmer was later told by Burnham that the government had just a couple of weeks to give local leaders to put “contact tracing in hands of local authorities” or face a winter of rising ill-health and joblessness.
Burnham said “local restrictions must have local support”, adding that “local control of test and trace” was essential. “This is a tough time for any government but to have made mistakes and keep on making them, that is arrogant,” he said.
He pointed out that northern areas had been ignored when the “London-centric” decision was made to lift the national lockdown this summer.
“We were in a different position and yet they lifted it. From our point of view we’ve never been in a position to keep cases low, they were too high and then we were already in a difficult position, then people were being encouraged to eat out to help out and god knows what.”
Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes added that NHS Test and Trace, which this week announced it was replacing an NHS official with a former head of Sainsbury’s, was “privatised and centralised”.
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Shadow communities secretary Steve Reed agreed that the system now needed “to be local by default” because “the centralised Serco system hasn’t worked”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Tory Voters Face £1,000 Hit From Rishi Sunak’s Planned Welfare Cuts

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Six million households face losing £1,040 a year if chancellor Rishi Sunak allows the coronavirus temporary boosts to welfare to expire as planned in April, a new analysis warns.
The so-called “red wall” in the north, west Midlands and Wales, where the Tories took swathes of seats in its December election victory, will be worst hit by the £20 reduction in main UC and tax credit payments, with one-in-three working age households affected.
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The losses from the planned £8bn cut will be even higher in some of the seats that switched from Labour to Tory at the last election, according to the Resolution Foundation report, released on the eve of the Conservative virtual conference.
Almost two-in-three households in Blackpool South would lose out, along with over forty per cent of households in seats such as Great Grimsby, Bolton North East, West Bromwich West and Dudley North.
The plan to reverse this year’s pandemic-related benefit increase presents a major headache for Sunak, Boris Johnson and his backbenchers.
It would also reduce the generosity of unemployment support down to its lowest real-terms level in three decades, and leave the poorest fifth of households facing a huge 7% income loss next year.
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Resolution Foundation chief executive Torsten Bell urged Sunak to follow George Osborne’s lead from 2015, noting the former chancellor scrapped tax credit cuts that would have caused a major overnight income loss for millions of households six months later.
The difference is that Osborne’s cuts would have affected half as many people – 3.3m – and came against a backdrop of fast-rising employment.
Sunak, however, is on course to cut benefits when unemployment could be high and rising, and when the economy needs a boost from the spending power of families.
Bell said: “The £20-a-week boost to universal credit and tax credit this year has been a living standards lifeline for millions of families during the pandemic.
“But allowing the policy to expire next year would be disaster not just for household incomes but for economic policy too as the chancellor seeks to secure a recovery next year. It would also be a blow aimed squarely at the ‘red wall’, with one-in-three working-age households on course to lose over £1,000 next year.
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“This policy is bad politics, bad economics and bad for living standards too. The chancellor should act swiftly to extend the boost to universal credit and tax credits beyond next spring.”
A government spokesperson said: “We’ve invested an extra £9bn in our welfare system to help those most in need through the pandemic, including by increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £20 a week, as well as introducing income protection schemes, mortgage holidays and additional support for renters.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Donald Trump Taken To Hospital Hours After Testing Positive For Coronavirus

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US president Donald Trump is set to remain in hospital “for a few days” as his condition appears to have worsened after testing positive for coronavirus.
Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed hospital on Friday evening “out of abundance of caution”, officials said, and will undergo treatment at the military hospital on the advice of doctors.
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Trump, 74, will be moved to a special suite at the Medical Centre in Bethesda, Maryland, as doctors urged the move so the president could get immediate care if needed, they said.
At least six people in the president’s inner circle have now tested positive for the virus, including the first lady Melania Trump, his campaign manager Bill Stepien and former White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway.
Shortly after boarding Marine One, the president tweeted a video saying: “I’m going to Walter Reed hospital, I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out. The first lady is doing very well.”
SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
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“President Trump remains in good spirts, has mild symptoms, and has been working throughout the day,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts, the president will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed for the next few days.” Trump had a low-grade fever on Friday, reported multiple outlets. It emerged on Saturday that Trump had already been treated with an experimental cocktail of drugs – which are starting to be rolled out in hospitals across the UK – prior to leaving the White House, and has also been given Remdesivir.
Trump, who has played down the threat of the coronavirus pandemic from the outset, wrote on Twitter on Friday that he and his wife Melania were going into quarantine after testing positive for the virus, which has killed more than 200,000 Americans and severely damaged the US economy.
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Trump is at high risk because of his age and weight. He has remained in apparent good health during his time in office but is not known to exercise regularly or to follow a healthy diet.
The news came after White House doctor Sean P Conley wrote that Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits”.
The language shifted over the day, with White House officials initially majoring on the fact he was in “good spirits”.
Boris Johnson – himself previously hospitalised with Covid-19 – wished the president well on Saturday, telling reporters he thought the US president would “come through it very well”.
He added: “I think obviously everybody’s wishing him and Melania the very best and hoping that they recover speedily and I’ve no doubt that he will, he’ll make a very strong recovery.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Is ‘Sorry, Not Sorry’ The Johnson/Sunak Message Ahead Of A Grim Winter?

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. NurPhoto via Getty Images
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
“I am sorry. When you’ve made a mistake you should apologise. But most important of all, you’ve got to learn from your mistakes…” Sound familiar? Yes, Nick Clegg’s words on tuition fees (apologies but it’s hard to get autotune in print) hang in the air these days as ministers try to show some kind of remorse for the failures on coronavirus.
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Ahead of the Tory party “conference” and a possibly grim winter, Boris Johnson seemed to be getting his excuses in first in a series of regional TV interviews today. Given that he’s treating Covid as a series of separate local incidents rather than a national crisis, that PR tactic was at least consistent. A cynic would point out that “divide and rule” isn’t quite the “levelling up” narrative he was elected on.
Anyway, it was in his interview with BBC London that the PM finally came up with his very first apology for the state of the NHS Test and Trace service. Three long weeks since the public first started complaining in large numbers about delays, Johnson said: “I apologise for the bad experiences that people have had with NHS Test and Trace..”
There was of course the inevitable “but”. “..but it is a fact that we are conducting more tests than any other European countries, 20 million people have been tested.” He may or may not have still be suffering from Covid, but the PM certainly has the Gordon Brown Disease of rattling out big numbers that have zero relevance to individual complaints.
In his interview with ITV Granada, Johnson finally also gave some clue as to what would free local areas from lockdown, though it was not totally helpful. He said the R number would have to fall below 1, though it’s not entirely clear how that would work, given that R so far seems to be measured for a whole region rather than individual council areas. There was another hint of contrition too: “I totally understand people feel things are inconsistent.” Hmmm.
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Johnson’s clear fear that the public will hammer him if Christmas is cancelled is also still preoccupying him. Despite having said the Rule of Six is in place for six months, he today even denied to ITV Anglia that families of five would be banned from having two grandparents round for Xmas lunch. “We are not saying that at all. We will do everything we can to make sure that Christmas for everybody is as normal as possible.” More confusion seems to beckon, all because the PM loves to be loved.
Perhaps aware of his backbenchers’ growing love for Rishi Sunak’s own line on Covid, the PM also talked about “people learning to live without fear, as the chancellor says”. As it happens, Sunak has had his own attempt at regret in recent days, telling the Daily Express/Blue Collar Conservative conference that he has “apologised to those people” who have “fallen through the cracks” of his policies.
“We haven’t been able to help everyone in exactly the way they would have liked,” he said. But there was a “but”, again. “Sometimes it’s just practically very difficult to do. We need to make sure we also protect the taxpayer...What I would say is, even if you haven’t been helped in exactly the way you want, there’ll almost certainly something that we’ve done that could benefit you.” That may not be quite the comfort the self-employed or those losing furlough were looking for.
Labour knows it needs to target Sunak as much as Johnson these days (hence those attack ads, and today Bridget Phillipson ridiculing his ‘ego’), not least because if the PM really mucks up the pandemic, the chancellor may be the guy that Keir Starmer faces at the next election.
As for the big question of what Labour’s economic policies will look like in 2024, we at least got a bit more clarity today after my interview with Starmer. The Labour leader is famously hard to pin down (as Goggleboxers made plain last week) and on his tax policies there has been more than a bit of fog of late.
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His characteristic refusal to give a yes or no answer to a question initially seemed to be in evidence. I asked him whether Lisa Nandy was right to suggest last week that his leadership pledge to increase income tax for the top 5% had now been dropped because of the party’s wider opposition to any tax rises during the pandemic.
His first answer made me think Nandy was right. “We’re in the middle of a pandemic,” he said.”We don’t know the full impact on the economy. And the next general election is 2024, so I don’t think it’s prudent at this stage to set out tax arrangements for 2024..” Not exactly a denial of Nandy’s words. So far, so worrying for Labour leftwingers.
I asked a second time, had that 5% pledge been overtaken by events? Again, he gave the impression it had. “I don’t think anybody could really say that the last six months hasn’t changed the nature of the challenge but if anything, it’s a bigger challenge now...so the nature and scale of the challenges we now face were not even contemplated in 2019.”
It felt like nailing jelly to a wall. Now, I’m a fair journalist and naturally never want to misrepresent anyone (I know, old fashioned habit) so I asked a third time. “So just to be clear, those [Labour members] who voted for you because you pledged the top 5% would be taxed, that was your priority, you’re saying actually look, events change and my response to it needs to change too?” I said.
His reply solidified the jelly. “No, they were important pledges, very important pledges in terms of the approach I would take and the priorities I would have as leader of the labour party, and they remain my priorities,” he said. “What I’m saying is, the work and the challenge now is so much more profound than we thought it was in 2019. Or even this year before the pandemic hit. It actually means we might have to be bolder than we might have imagined.”
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So, that income tax rise for the top 5% remains a priority and is “very important” “in terms of the approach I would take”. And his reference to being even “bolder” leaves open the door for possibly some kind of wealth tax that hits the super rich even harder.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--10 Things That Were The Perfect Antidote To Another Heavy Week | Good Vibes Only

10 Things That Were The Perfect Antidote To Another Heavy Week | Good Vibes Only
There were laughs aplenty this week, as 81-year-old Iris returned to This Morning with her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Piers Morgan’s Spitting Image puppet was unveiled – and he was not a fan – Gordon Ramsay’s son showed just how much he’s like his father and the Great British Bake Off was back to its innuendo-filled best.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Donald Trump Is Having A Really, Really Bad Month

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Friday’s breaking news alerts and headlines have generated shockwaves across the world, but a positive Covid-19 diagnosis is just yet another piece of bad news for Donald Trump in his bid to secure a second term in the White House.
Just 32 days to the US elections, and the president has been forced to cancel all his upcoming rallies and engagements. It’s unclear whether or not he will be able to attend the second presidential debate due to take place on October 15.
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Here are all the ways Trump has had a very, very bad month.
He could face prison over taxes
New bombshell tax revelations about Trump and his oldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, first reported in the New York Times, show how the president managed to avoid taxes for much of the past decade and a half.
According to the report, Trump paid only $750 in income tax in the year he was elected president. The newspaper also claimed he had not paid taxes in 10 of the 15 years they obtained records for, with his businesses taking on substantial loans and suffering massive losses.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing, but a former federal prosecutor has said there is “no question” some of these revelations could qualify as tax fraud and not tax avoidance, in which case they could ultimately send him to prison.
He was caught referring to American war dead as “losers”
Trump was roundly condemned by the families of fallen US service members for reportedly referring to Americans who died fighting in the First World War as “suckers” and “losers”, first reported in The Atlantic.
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Trump has been criticised in the past for making disparaging remarks about American war veterans and military families. ASSOCIATED PRESS
He is said to have uttered the belittling remarks during a 2018 visit to France, where he cancelled a visit to a WWI cemetery, allegedly saying to his staff: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.”
Trump has been criticised in the past for making disparaging remarks about veterans and military families, including famously once denigrating the late senator and war veteran, John McCain. “He’s not a war hero,” Trump said in 2015 of McCain. “I like people who weren’t captured.”
A poll released following the publication of his alleged comments showed support for Trump had fallen among active-duty officers and troops.
He refused to condemn the Proud Boys
During the presidential debate on Tuesday night, Trump chose not to condemn the violent far-right hate group the Proud Boys, instead telling them to “stand by”.
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Responding to a question from moderator Chris Wallace, who asked if he would condemn white supremacist and militia groups that have showed up at some protests, Trump said: “Sure, I’m willing to do that. But I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing.”
On the Proud Boys’ account on the messaging app Telegram, members of the group celebrated the apparent endorsement.
“Trump basically said to go fuck them up,” said one of the Proud Boys’ leaders in a chat on the right-wing social media app Parler.
“This makes me so happy.”
He claimed “virtually nobody” gets Covid-19
At a campaign rally in Ohio last week, Trump attempted to downplay the coronavirus pandemic by saying it affects “elderly people with heart problems and other problems”.
Trump attempted to downplay the coronavirus pandemic by saying it "affects virtually nobody" at a campaign rally in Ohio last week. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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“That’s what it really affects. That’s it,” he told supporters. “In some states, thousands of people, nobody young... they have a strong immune system, who knows,” he said. “But it affects virtually nobody. It’s an amazing thing.”
His comments were criticised for being callous and wildly inaccurate – according to official US figures, more than 400,000 people under the age of 18 have been infected with the coronavirus.
Cases of the virus have been on the rise in the US, with 55,000 new positive cases last Friday – marking the highest single-day increase since August 14.
The US death toll from Covid-19 is also by far the highest in the world – more than 208,000 people have died after contracting the disease, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University.
...and then tested positive for it
Just days after one of his closest advisers who had Covid-19 travelled with him aboard Air Force One, Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus.
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Trump is currently said to be “well at this time” and “remains healthy”, but the fact that the president is 74 and considered obese means that he faces an increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Joe Biden Tests Negative For Coronavirus Following Donald Trump's Diagnosis

They were spaced more than six feet apart, but both yelled without face masks in an indoor space – factors that increase the risk of spreading the virus.
Trump said on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive, hours after top Trump aide Hope Hicks was diagnosed with the virus.
Hicks had been part of the team travelling with the president for the debate and was seen stepping off Air Force One afterward without a mask. Members of Trump’s family flouted mask-wearing guidelines during the event.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Here’s How Trump Testing Positive For Covid Could Affect His Election Chances

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The news that Donald and Melania Trump have Covid-19 and must self-isolate has halved the time the sitting president has to campaign before the election –which is in just 32 days.
The couple have been forced to cancel all of their upcoming engagements in order to self-isolate. There is also some question over whether he will be prevented from attending the second presidential debate, set to take place on October 15 in Miami, Florida.
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But that might not be a bad thing for Trump.
While there is no precedent for how a US election could play out amid a pandemic where the president is infected, there is precedent for something else: how the polls have reacted to world leaders who caught and recovered from coronavirus.
We took a look at what changed.
Boris Johnson
On March 27, the British prime minister became the first major world leader confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus. He was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital on April 5 and discharged a week later, after spending three nights in intensive care.
Polls suggest the country “rallied” around the UK prime minister after he was taken to hospital with coronavirus. NurPhoto via Getty Images
A YouGov poll on the PM’s approval ratings suggested a clear surge of support from the public after news broke of his condition. When asked: “Do you think that Boris Johnson is doing well or badly as PM?”, 46% of those surveyed said they believed he was doing well before he was infected. That number jumped 20 points to 66% by April 13 – an all-time high in approval ratings, even though he had not done a single day’s work since the previous poll.
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Quick note. Johnson did experience a surge in favourability when he was ill but it’s worth remembering he was very very ill. I’d avoid snap judgements on this one - sorry if that’s boring. pic.twitter.com/MG8k4EZuEj — Keiran Pedley (@keiranpedley) October 2, 2020
A poll conducted by Ipsos MORI showed similar results, reinforcing the idea that the country “rallied” around the PM as his symptoms worsened. By mid-April, the majority (51%) of Britons had a favourable opinion of Johnson, up 17 points from early March.
The same study also suggested support for Johnson translated to an increase in support for his party: 39% of the public had a favourable view of the Conservative Party, up compared to 32% a month before.
But pollsters have been quick to note that the Conservatives had already been enjoying a strong lead well before Johnson fell sick. Opinium/Observer polls taken in April showed 55% of the public would vote for the Conservatives – almost exactly the same (54%) as in March.
No, Boris Johnson catching coronavirus did not prompt a surge of support for the government. The surge had already taken place by 23 March - 4 days before the PM announced he had COVID-19 https://t.co/DHPyOsnm6f pic.twitter.com/BVkastVkET — YouGov (@YouGov) October 2, 2020
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Similarly a YouGov survey taken just before Johnson was taken to hospital showed the Conservatives (52%) were already far ahead of Labour (28%). Two weeks later, that number stayed roughly the same (Conservatives 53%; Labour 32%).
Jair Bolsonaro
The Brazilian president first announced he had tested positive for Covid-19 on July 8, after months of publicly flouting public health guidelines and dismissing the virus as a “little flu”.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has enjoyed a spike in popularity since he made a full recovery after testing positive for coronavirus in July. Andressa Anholete via Getty Images
Brazil has suffered tragically since the start of the pandemic and is the second-worst Covid-hit country in the world, with almost 145,000 deaths to date.
But the polls seem to indicate that public support for Bolsonaro has only increased since July. A Datafolha poll taken in August found 37% of those surveyed viewed his government as great or good, compared to 32% in June – making it his highest approval rating since he first took office at the beginning of last year.
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Very few world leaders have tested positive for coronavirus, but the ones who have – Brazilian Pres. Jair Bolsonaro and British PM Boris Johnson, both right-wing populists like Trump – saw their approval ratings rise dramatically after testing positive: pic.twitter.com/wEuwj6pRn6 — Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) October 2, 2020
Recent polls show his popularity has not wavered in the months since he first contracted the illness. Political pundits say the rise in his political favourability could be due to Bolsonaro’s quick and full recovery from coronavirus, which appeared to bolster his dismissals of the virus and helped strengthen his image as a “superhuman messiah”.
Donald Trump
So will the surge of public support seen in the case of Bolsonaro and – to a lesser extent – Boris Johnson also apply in the case of Donald Trump? Only last week did Trump tell Americans not to worry about Covid-19 because “it affects virtually nobody”.
If he recovers, could Covid-19 win Donald Trump a second term in the White House?
If he recovers, could Covid-19 win Trump a second term in the White House? ASSOCIATED PRESS
The problem is there just is no comparison that can be made between Trump and Johnson or Bolsonaro, according to Joe Twyman, co-founder of Deltapoll.
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“We just don’t know,” he tells HuffPost UK. “And anyone who’s making any conjecture is simply speculating.”
The crucial difference here is timing – we are right in the heart of an election cycle in the US – Twyman explains.
“We all know from years of looking at the polls that people answer questions around voting intention very differently when there actually is an election coming up at the moment,” he said.
“There are very good and clear arguments for why it might have an impact in one way or the other – or why it might not have an impact at all, but the point is we just don’t know.
“Anyone who claims to know what’s happening is either ignorant of how public opinion works, or using that for political reasons – or probably both.”
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There is something else to consider, however: the impact of stopping Trump from putting his foot in his mouth.
The only national poll on American voting intentions to be conducted fully after the debate – by Change Research for CNBC – had Biden leading by 13 points, compared with nine points two weeks previously from the same pollster.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Boris Johnson Finally Apologises For NHS Test And Trace Failings

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Boris Johnson has apologised for the “bad experiences” people have had with NHS Test and Trace after weeks of failings in the service.
The prime minister said he took “full responsibility” for the underperformance, which Labour blames for the government “losing control” of Covid-19 amid a spike in infections which has prompted new restrictions.
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Johnson has in recent weeks repeatedly attempted to defend NHS Test and Trace and its boss, the Tory peer Baroness Dido Harding, from “unseemly” attacks.
But the service again saw a fall in its contact-tracing rate last week, which was for the 14th week running below (at 71.6%) the 80% figure the government’s scientific advisers have said is needed to make the entire policy viable.
HuffPost UK has also heard stories of people being told to travel hundreds of miles for tests, including a Somerset mum who was told to go to Northern Ireland.
The PM, who recently attempted to claim testing and tracing had “very little or nothing to do with the spread and transmission” of coronavirus, told BBC London: “Of course there are people who’ve had bad experiences and I apologise for the bad experiences that people have had with NHS Test and Trace but it is a fact that we are conducting more tests than any other European countries, 20 million people have been tested.
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“Yes, it is true that in London, it’s not been as fast as elsewhere but we are seeing a rise in cases now, alas.
“Because we came together as a country, we got the numbers down and I’m afraid some of the muscle memory has faded.”
He added: “I, of course, take full responsibility for everything the government has done.”
The PM meanwhile suggested he might ease the rule of six to allow families to be together at Christmas.
Asked by ITV Anglia whether he was telling families of five they could not have both grandparents over for Christmas lunch, Johnson said: “We are not saying that at all, we’ll do everything we can... to make sure that Christmas for everybody is as normal as possible.”
Meanwhile, Johnson told his father, Stanley Johnson, he should wear a face covering in confined spaces, after the 80 year-old was pictured shopping without a mask.
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Asked by BBC Points West what advice he would give Johnson senior, the PM said: “Well the same advice as I would give anybody in my family, anybody in this country – follow the guidance – hands, space, face, wear a mask if you’re in a confined space and get a test if you have symptoms; rule of six people do understand.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Frank Windsor, Z-Cars And Softly, Softly Actor, Dies Aged 92

Z-Cars and Softly, Softly actor Frank Windsor has died at the age of 92.
His agent announced that Frank died at his home in London on Wednesday.
Frank Windsor pictured in 1991 Radio Times via Getty Images
In a statement issued to the PA news agency, they said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our much-loved client Frank Windsor at the age of 92.
“Frank passed away peacefully at his home in London on Wednesday September 30 2020.”
They also confirmed that there would be no funeral or memorial service “as per Frank’s wishes and in keeping with Covid restrictions”, adding that he would be laid to rest with his late son David.
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“Our thoughts are with his family and friends,” they added.
Born Frank W Higgins on July 12 1928, his acting career spanned over 50 years, with notable roles in Z-Cars, Softly Softly, Casualty and Peak Practice.
Frank with his former Z-Cars co-stars during a 2000s reunion ITV/Shutterstock
He played DS Watt in Z-Cars from 1962 to 1965 and later appeared in spin-offs Softly, Softly and Softly, Softly: Taskforce from 1966 to 1976.
His final film role came in 2000 as Mr Walker in Between Two Women.
Frank is survived by his daughter Amanda and his wife Mary.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Donald Trump In 'Good Spirits' After Testing Positive For Coronavirus, White House Says

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Donald Trump is in “good spirits” after testing positive for coronavirus, the White House has said.
The president’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, told reporters on Friday that Trump has “mild symptoms” of Covid-19 after his positive test was confirmed in the early hours.
Trump announced his diagnosis in a tweet following a positive test from one of his closest aides.
Meadows said: “As all of you know, the president and the first lady tested positive for Covid-19. They remain in good spirits. The president does have mild symptoms.
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“And as, as we look to try to make sure that not only his health and safety and welfare is good, we continue to look at that for all of the American people.
“He continues to be not only in good spirits, but very energetic. We’ve talked to a number of times this morning. I got the five or six things that he had tasked me to do, like I do every single morning. And he he is certainly wanting to make sure that we stay engaged.”
Hope Hicks returned a positive test on Thursday, with Trump later tweeting: “@FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Trump, 74, is now experiencing “mild symptoms” of the virus which can notably cause fever, a cough and a loss of smell or taste.
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US Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell also said that he spoke to the president by phone on Friday and found Trump to be in “good spirits”.
“He’s in good spirits and we talked business,” McConnell said in a statement on Twitter, adding that the two discussed the Senate confirmation process for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
“Full steam ahead with the fair, thorough, timely process that the nominee, the Court, & the country deserve,” McConnell added.
UK prime minister Boris Johnson, who was admitted to intensive care following his own positive test, has expressed his best wishes to Trump and first lady Melania, who also tested positive.
Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis is the latest among world leaders, with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier also falling ill.
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While waiting for the results of his test following Hicks’ diagnosis, Trump said he had found it difficult to socially distance while meeting members of the armed forces.
He told Fox News: “It’s very hard when you’re with soldiers, when you’re with airmen, when you’re with the marines, and with the police officers, I’m with them so much.
“And when they come over to you it’s very hard to say: ‘Stay back, stay back’ you know, it’s a tough kind of a situation, it’s a terrible thing.”
He added: “They come over to you and they want to hug you and they want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them and you get close and things happen.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--These Are The People Donald Trump Has Been In Close Contact With This Week

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Amid the news that president Donald Trump has tested positive for coronavirus, questions are naturally being asked about who he has come into close contact with – and could potentially have infected.
The 74-year-old – whose age puts him in the most vulnerable category for the virus – revealed on Friday that he and his wife Melania had contracted Covid-19. Reports from the New York Times suggest the president has minor symptoms.
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Advice differs on how long you may be infectious with coronavirus but the NHS recommends that individuals inform people they have been in close contact with in the past 48 hours that they may have the illness.
Vice president Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence have announced they both tested negative, while Democratic challenger Joe Biden wished the Trumps a speedy recover but did not comment on his own health following Tuesday’s debate.
So, not including the scores of staff members, supporters and potentially other members of his own family, these are all the people Trump is known to have met publicly in recent days:
Thursday October 1
Trump flew to his Bedminster resort in New Jersey for a private fundraiser, where he is reported to have come into contact with 100 people. Sources report he was “lethargic” at the event. Hours later he confirmed he had tested positive for the virus.
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Trump is said to have minor symptoms. He was lethargic at the Bedminster fundraiser, per an attendee. As of last night, officials were discussing treatment options as well as options for addressing the nation. https://t.co/DCq8wCL3B4 — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 2, 2020
It's borderline criminal that Trump was aware he was exposed to the coronavirus by Hope Hicks, who tested positive on Wed., but he still traveled to his club for a fundraiser on Thurs. "where one attendee said POTUS came in contact with about 100 people" & he was having symptoms https://t.co/fRJJuyCQrY — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2020
Wednesday September 30
Trump traveled to Minnesota for a fundraiser at a private home in suburban Minneapolis and an outdoor rally in Duluth.
Tuesday September 29
Trump took part in the first presidential debate with Biden. While the pair spent the debate at opposite ends of the stage, they had closed the gap somewhat as they departed the stage with their wives Melania and Jill.
Sources say Trump was accompanied to the debate on board Air Force One by all of his adult children and campaign manager Bill Stepien, who was then later spotted getting into a van with Hope Hicks – who has also tested positive.
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Trump’s adult children and senior staff did not wear masks during the debate, violating host rules.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
It’s not known if debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News mingled with the Trumps before or after the event.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump was accompanied by all of his adult children + senior WH/campaign staff on AF1 en route to debate.
All were seen w/o masks.
Campaign manager Bill Stepien was seen on board w/o a mask, and then was spotted getting into a staff van w/Hope Hicks.https://t.co/Fx1Q5kkNQb — Annie Karni (@anniekarni) October 2, 2020
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Monday September 28
Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns met Trump at the White House to talk about the Endurance all-electric pickup truck. Neither wore masks but posed for photographs.
The event was also attended by two members of Congress and two other representatives from the Lordstown, Ohio, manufacturer.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump also held a Rose Garden event to announce an administration effort to distribute millions of coronavirus test kits to states. The event was attended by administration officials including Pence, members of Congress and state officials.
Saturday September 26
Trump was spotted adjusting the microphone for judge Amy Coney Barrett, who he announced as his nominee to the Supreme Court in the Rose Garden at the White House.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
He was also pictured meeting people – again without a mask – at a campaign rally at Harrisburg International Airport that same evening.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Trump addresses two unknown women on the South Lawn of the White House ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, September 25
Trump held a rally in Newport News, Virginia and a campaign event at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, where he met senator David Perdue, Georgia governor Brian Kemp and his wife Marty.
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Trump and vice president Mike Pence, who has tested negative, arrive at a campaign rally in Newport News ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump greets Senator David Perdue as he arrives at Dobbins Air Reserve Base for a campaign event at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta ASSOCIATED PRESS


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Revealed: The Venues Where Most People Got Infected With Coronavirus This Week

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The main bulk of coronavirus infections in England are occurring in educational venues, data published by Public Health England has suggested, as Matt Hancock defended the government’s 10pm curfew.
The most recent data shows 782 acute respiratory infection (ARRI) incidents – instances of at least two confirmed cases linked to a particular setting or situations where outbreaks are suspected – in the past week.
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Almost 300 of these were in educational settings, while 204 were identified as being in workplaces. A total of 143 were identified in care homes.
Number of acute respiratory infection (ARI) incidents by institution, England Public Health England
The majority of incidents in educational settings were identified in primary and secondary schools, though a graph shared by PHE shows the number of incidents in university settings has risen steadily as students returned to study.
Number of COVID-19 confirmed clusters or outbreaks by type of educational setting, England Public Health England
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Meanwhile, 33 ARI incidents – 4.3% – were found to be linked to food outlets or restaurants, up from 3% in the previous week’s surveillance report.
These figures don’t account for every infection – only places where “outbreaks” were declared, meaning two or more people were infected in the same place at the same time.
For example, as FullFact explains, if someone contracted coronavirus in a restaurant and then spread it in a school, it could have been counted as a school outbreak – the restaurant transmission wouldn’t be recorded.
The figures from PHE’s weekly report, released on Friday, shows that shopping and eating out were the two activities that people who had been contacted Test and Trace told the service they had been doing prior to their positive test result – when they may have been infectious.
Shopping accounted for 13.3% of all reports, while eating out accounted for 13% – followed by attending a childcare/educational setting or visiting friends or family.
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Events and activities reported by people testing positive, prior to symptom onset (enhanced contact tracing) Public Health England
Hancock came under sustained pressure from Tory MPs in the Commons on Thursday to justify the 10pm curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants.
Backbenchers argued the rule was unnecessarily damaging the ability of the industry to survive.
Greg Clark, a former cabinet minister, said it was “strange” to think “concentrating trade in a smaller number of hours and making everyone leave a pub or a restaurant at the same time rather than spacing them out over the course of the evening should suppress rather than spread the virus”.
Shipley MP Philip Davies accused Hancock of presiding over a “nanny state”, while fellow backbencher Des Swayne suggested allowing each individual landlord to decide on their own curfew.
Lib Dem MP Daisy Cooper said the government was “making thousands upon thousands of hospitality jobs unviable, undermining public health and killing our high streets”.
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But Hancock said the curfew was justified as people would otherwise stay inside pubs longer, and crowds of people leaving at the same time was not as high risk. “We all know that outside is safer,” he said.
It comes as a large-scale study has found evidence that the measures introduced in the north-east and north-west of England are having an effect.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Twitter Accused Of Double Standards In Row Over Trump Coronavirus Tweets

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Twitter has been hit with accusations of double standards after it tweeted that threatening harm against another person was against its rules following Donald Trump’s positive Covid-19 test.
The official Twitter Comms account posted a short statement on shortly after midnight on Saturday, which read: “Tweets that wish or hope for death, serious bodily harm or fatal disease against *anyone* are not allowed and will need to be removed. This does not automatically mean suspension.”
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The tweet was issued in response to tweets which appeared to celebrate the fact that Trump had been hospitalised with Covid-19 – but Twitter’s approach has since been fiercely criticised by users who have faced years of abuse and death threats via the platform.
The platform has long been accused to failing to deal effectively with hateful messages shared both publicly and privately, with many users – particularly those from minority groups – repeatedly targeted.
Author Malorie Blackman was among those to question Twitter’s message, writing: “Weeks of death threats and serious threats against my family when I was Children’s Laureate resulted in Twitter doing bugger all about it. *Side-eyes in Black woman*.”
Weeks of death threats and serious threats against my family when I was Children's Laureate resulted in Twitter doing bugger all about it. *side-eyes in Black woman* https://t.co/pKsvH1OVNu — Aunty Malorie Blackman (@malorieblackman) October 3, 2020
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Women’s rights activist and founder of UK-based charity Glitch, which works to tackle online abuse, Seyi Akiwowo tweeted: “Women, Black people, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people on Twitter are sent death threats everyday. Why didn’t you care then?
“People have wished covid on Black and Asian communities. Why have you only released this statement after a white straight man in America has Covid?”
Women, Black people, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people on Twitter are sent death threats everyday. Why didn't you care then? People have wished covid on Black and Asian communities. Why have you only released this statement after a white straight man in America has Covid? https://t.co/wjKfVvqBul — Seyi Akiwowo (@seyiakiwowo) October 3, 2020
Food writer and anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe described her legal fight to get hateful messages directed towards her in response to Twitter’s statement, writing: “I lugged six lever arch files to the High Court in 2017 that were almost entirely filled with printouts of tweets that wished or hoped for my death, serious bodily harm and fatal disease.
“It took 18 months, £800k of lawyers, and winning a libel case to get some of them removed.”
I lugged six lever arch files to the High Court in 2017 that were almost entirely filled with printouts of tweets that wished or hoped for my death, serious bodily harm and fatal disease. It took 18 months, £800k of lawyers, and winning a libel case to get some of them removed. https://t.co/gLj8wfmEDF — Jack Monroe (@BootstrapCook) October 3, 2020
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Other users also called out the frequent barrage of hateful comments directed toward minority groups from users on the site, with some sharing their personal experiences of Twitter failing to take action even after reporting messages as abusive.
Do you know how many people on here are constantly calling for genocide against Jews or Muslims or Black people or LGBTQ people — Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) October 3, 2020
Does this also go for Black and Brown women who have long been and continue to be harassed and threatened with assault and death on this platform or nah? I think no. Because I see those same accounts still up. Still causing harm. Your *anyone* is disingenuous. https://t.co/NTFzc93ASs — Ava DuVernay (@ava) October 3, 2020
Has Twitter seen Twitter? I barely remember any of the barrage of tweets suggesting my sexual assault, violent death or execution being removed. https://t.co/Xp5iDzX4ag — Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) October 3, 2020
This was your ruling 12 hours ago lol pic.twitter.com/67PI6kg6Mh — William Wilkinson (@willw) October 3, 2020
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The platform has taken decisive action against some Twitter users who were found to violate site guidelines in recent months, with Katie Hopkins, far-right blogger David Vance and musician Wiley all permanently suspended from the site.
While Twitter has been praised for shutting down these accounts, users have urged the site to do much more to protect users – particularly Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people, LGBTQ people, disabled people and women – from abusive messages.
A Twitter spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “At Twitter, our singular goal is to improve the health of the public conversation, including ensuring the safety of people who use our service.
“Abuse and harassment have no place on Twitter and we have policies in place – which apply to everyone, everywhere – that address abuse and harassment and hateful conduct.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Jeff Goldblum Recreates Sensual Jurassic Park Scene With Sam Neill

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That was fast! We’ve already hit 1,000 voting actions. As a reward, please enjoy this re-enactment of the “Chaos Theory” scene with my original costars @samneilltheprop and @lauradern! AND! If we get 1,000 more voting actions through @headcountorg (link in bio), I will post another classic Jurassic Park reenactment... #GoodToVote 🙏🏼🦖🇺🇸😎


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Claudia Winkleman Has One Very Good Reason Why She 'Refuses' To Call Herself A Celebrity

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Claudia Winkleman is one of the most recognisable people on TV thanks to her role hosting Strictly Come Dancing – but you won’t catch her calling herself a celebrity.
The presenter has said she “refuses” to consider herself as one, and reckons she has a very good reason for doing so – she loves her bed too much.
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In an interview with The Sun, Claudia revealed she prefers to be asleep than going out on the red carpet circuit.
Claudia Winkleman Empics Entertainment
After being reminded of her huge fame, Claudia said: “That is very sweet of you to say but also wrong. I mean, I am on the Tube four times a day.
“Maybe celebrity is a state of mind. I don’t go out, I don’t do red-carpet stuff, I don’t know famous people.
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“Maybe it’s a conscious effort to be in the public eye, and everybody who is in it, good luck to them, they do it well. It is not because I don’t respect it, I do, I just love my bed.
“I love my bed more than going out, or I think I have far exceeded what I am supposed to do, so I am just going to be grateful and sleep,” she added.
Claudia has been a regular fixture on Strictly since 2010, when she graduated from companion series It Takes Two to host the results show with Tess Daly.
Then in 2014, she took over from the entertainer full time, and is due to return to the ballroom for the upcoming 18th series later this month.
Claudia with Strictly co-host Tess Daly Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
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Claudia told You magazine: “I’m waiting for somebody to tap me on the shoulder and go, ‘Oh, sorry, we’ve got this all wrong, you are not allowed to go in again, we’ve got Rylan instead’, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
She continued: “Imposter syndrome is incredibly useful.
“Feeling – don’t throw up – grateful and slightly surprised I think is a good thing. It keeps you on your toes.”
The start of this year’s Strictly has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will run for four weeks shorter than usual this year.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--The Government Is Looking At Building A Bridge Between Scotland And Northern Ireland, Again

The government is set to once again look at the feasibility of building a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland, as as part of a national review of transport connections across the UK.
Downing Street said on Saturday the review, led by Network Rail chair Sir Peter Hendy, will explore the “cost, practicality and demand” for a fixed link, which some critics have already dismissed as impractical and a waste of money which would be better spent elsewhere.
Boris Johnson has enthusiastically mooted the bridge idea several times and the government confirmed earlier this year that it was being discussed by officials.
The PM has been ridiculed in the past for his support of the idea – and it’s not the first grand transport plan to face criticism.
While Johnson was London mayor, £50m of taxpayers’ money was wasted on the proposed London Garden Bridge which he supported. The Emirates Air Line cable car also cost taxpayers millions despite Johnson insisting the money could come from private companies, and has since been dubbed a “white elephant” due to under-use. Johnson has also been mocked for a failed proposal for a new airport in the Thames Estuary, dubbed ‘Boris island’.
The upcoming transport study will set out advice on a “wide range of possible options” to improve the quality and availability of links across the UK, Downing Street said.
The review comes after Johnson, in a speech in July on how to kick-start the economy following the coronavirus pandemic, pledged £100m on 29 road projects.
Downing St said the Hendy review will also look at the feasibility of various other options designed to boost links to Scotland and Wales, including improving major roads like the A1.
Making the review announcement on Saturday, Johnson said: “The United Kingdom is the greatest political partnership the world has ever seen and we need transport links between our nations that are as strong as our historic bonds.”
Hendy, who ran London’s transport network during the Olympics in 2012, said: “Improving links across the UK on the basis of the wider economic benefits that increased investment will deliver will be of benefit to everyone in the UK, and I’m thus very pleased to lead this work.”
He is expected to publish his recommendations in the summer of 2021.
Politicians from Scotland and Northern Ireland told transport secretary Grant Shapps in March that the billions of pounds a fixed link across the Irish Sea would cost could be better spent on vital infrastructure projects


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Severe Weather Warnings In Place As Heavy Rain Batters UK

The places worst hit so far include parts of Exmoor, with 84mm of rain recorded in 36 hours in Liscombe and 74.4mm recorded in Brendon Hill.
Meteorologist John Griffiths said: “There’s still a lot of wet weather to get through today and into tonight, so we haven’t really seen the worst of it yet.”
Griffiths said there has been 45-60mm of rain widely across southern England.
It comes after a low-pressure system named Storm Alex moved in from France and clipped the southern edge of Britain on Friday.
It brought heavy rain and strong winds, with 71mph recorded at Berry Head on the Devon coast.
Many places will see 25-50mm of rainfall this weekend, and there is the potential for over 120mm on some of the most exposed high ground of Snowdonia and Exmoor.
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Central Tayside and Fife plus the Grampian regions of Scotland are set to be hit by 40-70mm of rain with over 120mm possible over high ground on Saturday, Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said.
Yellow rain warnings are also in place for the east of England, London and the South East plus much of Wales, western England and eastern Scotland where heavy rain is set to push in from the North West.
The rain is set to last throughout Saturday and into Sunday in these areas.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Graham Norton Fans Relieved To See Chat Show Return To Studio – Albeit With Major Changes

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After hosting the whole last series of his chat show remotely, Graham Norton’s fans were relieved to see him back in the studio on Friday night.
The 28th series of The Graham Norton Show kicked off with a return to IRL chat – albeit with some major changes to the usual set up.
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The usual red sofa was replaced with individual chairs, with guests Rupert Everett, Lolly Adefope and Sara Pascoe sat a safe distance from one another.
Graham Norton on Friday night's show PA
There were also video calls from Riz Ahmed and Dolly Parton, who were unable to make it over to the UK due to travel restrictions.
Guests were spaced apart to obey social distancing rules PA
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There was also a reduced studio audience who were sat in household bubbles at a two-metre distance from one another while also wearing masks.
The new rules meant that the usual audience capacity was reduced from over 600 to 100.
But despite all the changes, Graham’s return to the studio was a welcome one for viewers...
Thank god Have I Got News for You and Graham Norton Show are back in the studio. Talking heads via webcam got boring quickly. — Martin 🇪🇺🇬🇧 (@TheLegendOfMart) October 3, 2020
Great to see @TheGNShow back on our screens! Despite the red sofa being replaced by safe distanced armchairs, it worked really well & still had a good vibe thanks of course to @grahnort being such a relaxed pro & great guests in studio & via video 👏🏼🤩 #GrahamNorton — Kiran Gupta (@kiran_gupta) October 2, 2020
Sooooo happy you’re back in the ‘proper’, studio way @TheGNShow @grahnort 🤩🤩🤩 — Roz Downer (@rozzid89) October 2, 2020
SO. DAMN. GOOD to see @grahnort back in the studio with an audience and the rest tonight! interesting change to the set that I really like 😮 even an LG OLED in there! — Tom (@thomasfoster_) October 2, 2020
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As much as it's nice having guests back in the studio, I think the new studio layout's gonna take a bit of getting used to.
It's great having @TheGNShow back though, as @grahnort always manages to have really good guests on.#TheGrahamNortonShow @BBCOne — Johnny (@jonathanland91) October 2, 2020
In an interview with Deadline, the show’s executive producer Graham Stuart admitted the last series with Graham hosting from home with guests appearing remotely was just not the same.
“The reason for the success of the show is the relationship between Graham and the guests, the relationship between the guests, and all of this in relation to the audience,” he said. “Graham is such a brilliant and natural performer, he is a showman.
“He achieves this intimacy with the guests and the audience, and if we can get back to just a part of that, we will be closer to what an audience show should be.”
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Among the guests joining Graham in the studio and remotely next week are Ewan McGregor, Ashley Banjo and Miley Cyrus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Countdown's Susie Dent 'Gutted' After New Book Word Perfect Is Printed With Series Of Typos

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Countdown’s dictionary corner expert Susie Dent said she is “gutted” after her book was published with a series of typos.
Susie’s book – ironically called Word Perfect – was released on Thursday, but it soon became apparent that an earlier, unedited version of the text had been printed.
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Susie tweeted: “Thank you to everyone for supporting my book. I’ve just discovered that the initial printing used a pre-edited text. I’m so sorry about this. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can with details on how we’re going to fix it.”
Susie Dent Channel 4
The lexicographer later said she could “testify to the effectiveness of ‘lalochezia’”, which describes the use of swearing to alleviate stress and frustration.
Thank you to everyone for supporting my book. I've just discovered that the initial printing used a pre-edited text. I'm so sorry about this. I'll be in touch as soon as I can with details on how we're going to fix it. — Susie Dent (@susie_dent) October 1, 2020
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Today I can testify to the effectiveness of 'lalochezia': the use of swearing to alleviate stress and frustration. — Susie Dent (@susie_dent) October 1, 2020
As she replied to one reader who’d pointed out the errors in the book, Susie said: “I’m gutted obviously - and the replacement copy will definitely be free of charge. I’m so sorry for the palaver.”
I'm gutted obviously - and the replacement copy will definitely be free of charge. I'm so sorry for the palaver. — Susie Dent (@susie_dent) October 1, 2020
Her publisher John Murray Press also apologised, tweeting: “We’re very sorry that, due to a printing error, early copies of Word Perfect are not word perfect. We’re taking urgent steps to recall these copies, reprint and resolve this swiftly.”
We’re very sorry that, due to a printing error, early copies of WORD PERFECT are not word perfect. We’re taking urgent steps to recall these copies, reprint and resolve this swiftly. — John Murray Press (@johnmurrays) October 1, 2020
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Susie, who has been a regular fixture on Countdown since 1992, later defended her publishers, tweeting: “In fairness to my publishers and printers, Covid has meant an extraordinary rush on pushing books through. The proof and typesetting errors were corrected but the wrong version printed; it wasn’t within my control but this year everything is out of whack.”
She added: “In the last couple of days I’ve had ample proof of the loveliness of most people, who have given nothing but support and smiles over my book-printing brouhaha. I’m so grateful and looking forward to respair (a recovery from despair).”
Thanks @The_CIEP. In fairness to my publishers and printers, Covid has meant an extraordinary rush on pushing books through. The proof and typesetting errors were corrected but the wrong version printed; it wasn't within my control but this year everything is out of whack. https://t.co/nmCrpVwtGd — Susie Dent (@susie_dent) October 2, 2020
In the last couple of days I’ve had ample proof of the loveliness of most people, who have given nothing but support and smiles over my book-printing brouhaha. I’m so grateful and looking forward to respair (a recovery from despair). — Susie Dent (@susie_dent) October 2, 2020
Speaking to The Times, Susie told of how she felt sick when she first noticed the errors.
“I just opened it up and saw there was something wrong in the acknowledgments. And then I had to close it because I felt a bit sick,” she said.
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“There are quite a few errors. I haven’t counted them and I don’t really want to.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Students Who Only Study White Authors 'Less Able To Tell Right From Wrong'

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Students who leave secondary school without having studied a single book by a non-white author may be less able to “decipher what is right and wrong” in later life, it has been warned.
The warning comes as new research found an overwhelming majority of English teachers are concerned about the lack of representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) writers in the current curriculum.
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A report by the education charity Teach First claims the English literature GCSE specifications by AQA – the largest exam board in the country – does not feature a single book by a Black author, and just two books by ethnic minority authors.
AQA has said it is reviewing its English GCSE specifications to make sure it was “as representative as possible” and claims the findings are wrong.
A Teacher Tapp poll conducted for the charity, which surveyed almost 5,000 secondary school teachers, found three quarters (75%) of English teachers have concerns about the lack of ethnic diversity in the curriculum.
Many said they had also taught students who expressed the same concerns over the curriculum, with over a quarter (37%) of headteachers saying students had raised the issue with them.
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The English literature GCSE syllabus for AQA - taken by more than half a million students each year - features just two texts by non-white authors: Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go and Meera Syal's Anita and Me HuffPost UK
The charity is calling for exam boards to ensure that at least a quarter of authors in their GCSE English literature specifications are from ethnic minority backgrounds, so that young people can learn to “understand the roots of oppression and how these remain entangled in our society and systems today”.
Frida Arthur, who teaches English at an academy in north London, says teaching students works by white authors only will give them a distorted view of what the world really is and has a detrimental impact on their long term growth.
“It gives them a very sheltered understanding of the world around them,” she told HuffPost UK. “It also makes them less able to draw their own conclusions and more susceptible and unable to decipher what is right and what is wrong.
“Education is meant to prepare pupils for life afterwards, so by not teaching them anything outside of a white world, then we are not properly preparing them for the world outside.”
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The lack of representation in the curriculum will particularly affect GCSE students taking their English literature exams in 2021, who have been allowed to drop subject areas in a move that was intended to help schools manage the disruption from the coronavirus pandemic.
As HuffPost UK has reported, this has led to fears that many schools will opt out of the poetry module, essentially leading to a “100% whitewashed” curriculum that “silences the voices of Black people”. Arthur agrees this.
“The teachers that I’ve spoken to have said they have chosen to drop poetry, which now means some kids are definitely not going to be studying a Black writer,” she said.
English teacher Frida Arthur: "For white teachers it can become very difficult to teach texts that they are not completely knowledgeable about." HuffPost UK
The report also claimed that just 10% of classroom teachers are from ethnic minority backgrounds. The underrepresentation of BAME teachers is directly related to the underrepresentation of BAME authors in the classroom, according to Arthur.
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“The curriculum is very much decided by the head of a department, so if the head of the department isn’t in touch with Black texts or Black writers then that tends not to feature in the curriculum. I don’t think it’s conscious but most non-BAME heads just wouldn’t think to include these texts.”
An absence of Black teachers in the classroom can also mean important conversations about race and racism are not being discussed in a meaningful way – or at all.
“As a teacher, you can only really teach what you know,” she added. “I can imagine that, for white teachers, it can become very difficult and uncomfortable to teach texts that they are not completely knowledgeable about. We’re also in this culture of being too scared to say the wrong thing, so some people might think it’s better to just not say anything at all.
“If we’re not giving students that knowledge about race or class, then it becomes a lot harder once they go into the world and see certain things happening and go: ‘This is wrong.’”
An AQA spokesperson said: “We completely agree that students should learn about a diverse range of writers. We’re actually already reviewing equality, diversity and inclusion in our English Literature GCSE and other qualifications to make sure they’re as representative as possible of modern Britain.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Rough Sleepers Face Choosing Between 'Horrific' Violence Or Catching Coronavirus

Rough sleepers face a greater risk of violence and the “impossible decision” of catching coronavirus or freezing out on the streets if the government does not provide emergency accommodation over winter, a homelessness charity has warned.
The number of people sleeping rough is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months, owing to a combination of factors caused or exacerbated by pandemic.
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In March, communities secretary Robert Jenrick announced £3.2 million in emergency funding to help rough sleepers to self-isolate, in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19 amongst homeless communities. In a matter of days, the government’s Everyone In scheme enabled local authorities to place 90% of rough sleepers in emergency accommodation such as hotels and empty apartment blocks.
Although it was hailed as a success, the scheme was just temporary. And despite the government’s efforts, rough sleeping in London between April and June this year still increased by 33% compared to the same period last year, while the number of new rough sleepers rose by 77%.
If the government does not provide emergency accommodation again, the consequences of a second wave could be deadly for the homeless population, says Matt Downie, director of policy at the homelessness charity Crisis.
He described Everyone In as a “unique event in the living memory of anyone who has worked in homelessness”.
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“It was amazing at the time but what we’ve subsequently learned is there hasn’t been a systematic next step,” he told HuffPost UK. “We’re now at the point where rough sleeping is back.”
“People are being murdered, people’s tents are being burnt down, people very commonly report having been urinated on in their sleep.”
Fears of a “tsunami” of homelessness across the country over the winter months have been compounded by the end of the eviction ban on September 20 and mass job cuts expected in the aftermath of the end of the furlough scheme this month.
Networks that people often rely on, such as spare bedrooms and sofas of friends or family, have also been closed off because of lockdown measures and social distancing restrictions.
In communal dorm-style night shelters – which have almost all been shut since the start of the pandemic – it is almost impossible to ensure a Covid-safe environment. Even with infection control measures, these places could easily become centres of virus outbreaks.
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Rough sleepers could also be more exposed to “unbelievably horrific” violence on the street as a result of the pandemic, Downie added.
“People who are sleeping rough often talk about there being safety in crowds and in numbers, that the risk of abuse and attacks is best mitigated if you can be around where the general public is, so there are people walking past or places where there are CCTV cameras.
“When the full lockdown happened, the people who were still out on the street did report their environment being a lot more of a scary place to be. There was no one around in the city centre, no police or shopkeepers or the general public.”
The number of people sleeping rough is expected to rise dramatically owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Ollie Millington via Getty Images
A report by Crisis has found that rough sleepers are almost 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence. Almost eight out of 10 had suffered some sort of violence, abuse or anti-social behaviour in the past year – often at the hands of a member of the public.
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“It’s a disturbing element of how homelessness is treated in this country because you see enormous generosity from the general public, but from a particular minority of people really quite unbelievably horrific attacks happen on a regular basis,” says Downie.
“People are being murdered, people’s tents are being burnt down, people very commonly report having been urinated on in their sleep.”
And while Everyone In did successfully house 15,000 people into emergency accommodation at the start of the pandemic, the scheme ultimately gave the false image that homelessness was an easily solvable issue, according to Jon Glackin, a co-founder of the grassroots group Streets Kitchen.
“It’s bad messaging,” he tells HuffPost UK. “People have the impression that all homeless people can get a place in a hotel, it’s insane.”
The charity has called on the government to provide a clear legal requirement and funding for local councils to get people into self-contained accommodation.
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“We’re facing an impossible situation where either thousands of people are going to be freezing on the streets, or they face the risk of catching coronavirus in night shelters. That’s a false choice because we’ve seen through the Everyone In initiative that you can provide safe, self-contained accommodation for people.”
“We’re desperately pushing the government to act in the way that it did back in March.”
Some campaigners have suggested using empty commercial buildings and office blocks in town and city centres as makeshift shelters this winter.
A recent study by the University College London found the ‘Everyone In’ scheme prevented as many as 266 deaths and saved tens of thousands of some of the most vulnerable people from catching coronavirus.
Professor Andrew Hayward, a senior author of the UCL study, said the government needed to ensure single-room accommodation stays available for vulnerable people.
He said: “We urgently need alternative emergency single-room accommodation so that communal night-shelters are not forced to reopen.”
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Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing, Kelly Tolhurst, said: “We took decisive action at the height of the pandemic to protect hundreds of lives by bringing nearly 15,000 of the most vulnerable into safe accommodation.
“We are giving over half a billion pounds to tackle homelessness this year to provide longer-term accommodation – including 3,300 homes this year alone - and tailored support so as few people as possible return to life on the streets.