thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--'It Gave Me Control Over My Body Again': 4 People On The Medical Innovations That Helped Them Get Th

'It Gave Me Control Over My Body Again': 4 People On The Medical Innovations That Helped Them Get Their Lives Back

Jennifer Barton, Commercial Editor, HuffPost UK

We are constantly surrounded by technological innovations, so much so that we hardly pay attention to how significantly these new releases tend to simplify and streamline our lives. Technological tools get faster, smaller and more powerful - in fact, a single piece of medical wire measuring a fraction of a millimetre can change someone’s life.
We chatted to four incredible people about their journeys and the advanced medical innovations that transformed their lives, giving them the chance to do what they never expected they’d be able to: competing as a world-class athlete after losing a limb, hearing the laughter of a loved one after going deaf, controlling the previously impossible-to-stop tremors resulting from Parkinson’s disease.
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“You learn a lot about yourself and what you’re capable of mentally and physically” – ‘Monster’ Mike Schultz on his recovery following an accident
Minnesota-based Mike Schultz was living the dream as a professional snocross racer at the top of his game when an accident in 2008 saw him thrown from his machine, his left leg hyperextended 180 degrees in the wrong direction. The accident severed one of the main arteries, and over the course of the next three days, Schultz learned doctors would have to amputate.
“Hearing that from the doctors was a hard one to accept. My family and I knew that after all the discussion, that was the right choice. OK, we’re going to accept it and we’re going to move on. I thought my competition and racing days were over,” says Schultz.
His love of sport and mental focus helped him recover swiftly and in a positive mindframe: six weeks after the operation, he knew he’d compete again - he just needed the right prosthetic to do it.
With Schultz’s interest in mechanics and tinkering - and his background in extreme sports - he knew that he required a leg with suspension components that functioned as a shock absorber on a snowmobile or dirt bike, so his leg could absorb the impacts when riding.
The Moto Knee was born - as was Schultz’s company, BioDapt, which designs and manufactures lower limb prosthetics for athletes, and has been in business for a decade. He also created the Versa Foot, which works in conjunction with the knee system. Since 2012, he’s been using machining tools from Scandinavian mechanical engineering firm, Sandvik, which he describes as “incredible.”
“I believe in having the right tools for the job. I look at my prosthetic equipment as tools that allow me to do what I want to accomplish,” he says.
Whenever Schultz sees a new challenge or needs a new prosthetic for a sport, he hits the drawing board, eventually creating a product he shares with customers around the world - and his top competitors. He’s already launched next-gen iterations of the Moto Knee and Versa Foot, and a downhill ski foot is coming soon.
Schultz’s sports career has gone from strength to strength: he started skiing with the Moto Knee, a sport he enjoys in his downtime with his wife, and has picked up global recognition and a slew of medals in the ensuing years, including a gold and silver in snowboarding at the Paralympics in Pyeongchang in 2018, as well as 10 X Game gold medals for snowmobile, snobike and motocross.
“Getting to compete for Team USA at the Paralympic Games in 2018, winning gold and silver for my country, was the most surprising moment, hands down,” he says.
“It was also an incredible moment not just because I won, but because 15 athletes competing in snowboarding were using equipment that I developed.”
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“I would not be able to do anything the way I do without it” –Jacob Johanen on the cochlear implant that’s given him a third act
36-year-old, Jacob Johanen, a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, describes his life as happening in three parts, or acts.
Act one: in 2004, aged 19-20, he was a happy-go-lucky, super sociable young man with a part-time job and a girlfriend, who suddenly discovered he had a rare disease, Cogan syndrome, which causes vision problems, vertigo and hearing loss. In the space of a couple of weeks, Johanen’s hearing disappeared almost completely.
“It turned my life upside down,” he says. “It was a daily struggle. It was very difficult for me.”
With the help of medication, a hearing aid and strategies like lip reading, he was able to gain some hearing back. He still suffered quite a lot: constant tinnitus in his ear, exhaustion from trying to communicate and engineer social situations where he would be able to hear best and recurring eye inflammations during that period, which he describes as “torture.” He worked to reestablish his studies, social life and work, and coped quite well for the next eight years, a period he terms his “second life.”
Then, in 2012, the little hearing he had left went completely. Doctors re-introduced the possibility of a cochlear implant (when it was initially mentioned when he was first diagnosed, he rejected the idea).
“I was older. I had a different confidence, a different self image. At this point in life, I had much more to lose. I had built up a life, even with all these bad circumstances, that I wanted to continue living. I didn’t want to pause all of this,” Johanen says.
He also didn’t have a choice: if he was going to hear again, he would need the cochlear implant, which includes a microphone and speech processor that sits outside of the body, and uses EXERA® fine medical wire from Sandvik to stimulate the auditory nerves to deliver sound, while bypassing the damaged portions of the ear.
After hearing only tinnitus in his ear for eight years, Johanen finally heard sounds again. Part three of his life has a new soundtrack: his wife’s voice, his friends laughing around him, his social work clients calling him on the phone, asking for help or advice.
“When I put them on, I hear so well. I get constantly reminded of how much it gives me because at the end of the day, I take my aids off. In the morning, I wake up, I hear nothing. The cochlear implant affects me in all aspects of life, and it’s all positive,” he says.
“I feel safe” – Amanda Rosengren on the glucose monitoring device that’s allowing her to be a more independent teen
Born and raised in Stockholm, Amanda Rosengren is a 13-year-old girl who loves gymnastics, acting and art - activities she pursues with fervour alongside attending school each day.
Amanda is also managing Type 1 diabetes, which she was diagnosed with at the age of four. Her parents spent years taking finger prick blood samples to manually check her blood sugar levels - as many as 20 times a day.
“Me and my husband, we had to get up during the night and check her blood sugar with finger sticks. We had to set the clock in the middle of the night, so it was a 24/7 job to check because you didn’t know. You couldn’t really see and you didn’t know what blood sugar she had. It was like a surprise every time,” Amanda’s mother, Helen Blomqvist, tells HuffPost.
In 2014, the hospital where Amanda was a patient suggested she try a CGM device, which monitors her blood glucose in real time and has three parts: a monitor, a transmitter and a sensor that’s slimmer than a needle, which detects glucose levels in the blood, measuring a chemical reaction with glucose oxidase every few minutes. The glucose is converted to hydrogen peroxide, which creates an electrical signal as it reacts to the sensor, which is transmitted through a tiny wire, created by medical engineering group, Sandvik.
Amanda changes the device weekly, which she uses alongside her insulin pump. She simply needs to peek at the Apple Watch on her wrist - which is connected to her phone - to check her blood sugar levels while she’s at school. The watch vibrates if her blood sugar is too high or too low.
“I don’t think about it so much,” says Amanda, who is now able to be independent in school for the first time. Thanks to the device, she no longer needs to have someone monitoring her.
“It’s like day and night. Before, you worried a lot because you didn’t know what blood sugar level Amanda had. Now you can see it, it’s visualised. This is a life-changer for sure,” says Helen.
With Amanda’s blood sugar values transmitted every five minutes and pre-set alarms on the device, the family is finally able to sleep through the night.
“It has made me aware of how grateful I am for everything that I have in my life” – Andrew Johnson on his life-changing deep brain stimulation surgery
Andrew Johnson was working for a large New Zealand bank as Senior Legal Counsel, celebrating his son’s second birthday and looking forward to the arrival of his second child, when he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, aged 35. Parkinson’s disease is an incurable progressive degenerative neurological disorder affecting movement, motor function and cognitive skills.
“Physically, I was having trouble finding treatment that would allow me to live a relatively normal life. I was having difficulty finding periods of relative stability: I was either rigid and stuck, unable to move quickly or flailing wildly around with dyskinesia, the unwanted limb movement associated with particular medications,” explains Johnson.
A couple of years after his diagnosis, Johnson learned about DBS, deep brain stimulation surgery, which research has shown can prolong the efficacy and longevity of treatment in early-onset Parkinson’s. The surgery implants electrodes into the brain on a lead. A 0.1mm thin wire - part of Sandvik’s EXERA® fine medical wire range - attaches to the lead that runs through the body and connects to a battery-operated stimulator. Day to day, Johnson hardly has to think about the device, although you can program a range of settings to change the levels of stimulation.
Johnson doesn’t hesitate in calling the surgery “life changing.” These days, he enjoys exercising, socialising, reading, playing music and focusing on the now - instead of fretting about the future or rueing the past..
“It gave me control over my body again. It has made me aware of how grateful I am for everything that I have in my life. Close friends, an amazing wife, great kids, a warm place to live, good food and better wine (though much reduced in volume of consumption), the New Zealand health system and access to world class medical treatment… Then I forget I have Parkinson’s and make the best of the hand of cards I was dealt,” says Johnson.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Borat’s Interview With Jimmy Kimmel Quickly Went Off The Rails

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Borat Sagdiyev brought chaos to the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday.
British actor Sacha Baron Cohen’s fictional alter ego began his interview with Jimmy Kimmel by spraying the studio with what appeared to be disinfectant in a bid to beat the coronavirus.
Things only went further off-the-rails from there.
Borat on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Huffington Post
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Borat spouted wild conspiracy theories and tried to literally squash a Covid-19 particle as he promoted the sequel to his 2006 mockumentary, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, directed by Jason Woliner, is released on Friday.
The faux Kazak journalist then quizzed and inspected Jimmy for the virus, zinged late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Conan O’Brien with a “liquid release” test gag and then forced Jimmy into swapping trousers.
Check out the full interview below...
Sacha Baron Cohen originated the character of Borat on his series Da Ali G Show.
The first Borat film, directed by Larry Charles, grossed $262 million worldwide and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Seinfeld's Jason Alexander Mocks Trump For Dancing Worse Than Elaine Benes

Actor Jason Alexander thought he would never see anyone dance as badly as Seinfeld character Elaine Benes — until he spotted a video of President Donald Trump busting some moves at a rally in Florida.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who played Elaine in the popular sitcom, worked “hard to be that awful,” Alexander tweeted on Sunday:
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The President is apparently a fan of @OfficialJLD ‘s famous I can’t dance for shit moves. Julia was working hard to be that awful. I feel like these are his best moves. https://t.co/fNGCnzdahX — jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) October 18, 2020
Alexander’s character, George Costanza, once described Elaine’s gyrations as a “full-body dry heave set to music.”
Louis-Dreyfus then got in on the action, retweeting a Lincoln Project post with side-by-side Donald/Elaine comparisons:
First he stole all of Veep. Now he’s stealing from Seinfeld. Melania deserves an Emmy for acting like she’s attracted to THIS. https://t.co/tAeQEK7LPh — Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) October 19, 2020
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Dance of the bone spurs, captain.
And Elaine Benes was who I thought of immediately. 🤣 — Biagio (@turbodog08) October 18, 2020
At least Elaine uses her lower body when she dances 😂 pic.twitter.com/2nT8l8byjo — Michael Perlman (@mjperljam) October 18, 2020
Trump supporters on TikTok are starting to do the Trump dance he’s been doing at rallies FYI pic.twitter.com/1UjKlzGuFx — Will Steakin (@wsteaks) October 18, 2020
And from a similarly dance-challenged character in another sitcom:
Remember when Chandler couldn’t move his feet when he danced? pic.twitter.com/v5VJTWZw3f — Donna Clark (@PollyEsterTBD) October 18, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Asteroid On Track To Buzz Earth The Day Before US Presidential Election

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Asteroid 2018VP1, a refrigerator-sized space-rock, is hurtling towards us at more than 25,000 mi/hr. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It may buzz-cut Earth on Nov. 2, the day before the Presidential Election. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But it’s not big enough to cause harm. So if the World ends in 2020, it won’t be the fault of the Universe.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Father Who Survived First Wave Of Coronavirus Dies Of Long Covid

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A 47-year-old man who survived the first wave of coronavirus has died of long Covid.
Roehl Ribaya was the last patient to leave Blackpool Victoria Hospital intensive care unit after being treated for Covid-19 in July.
The father-of-one had spent 60 days in intensive care but never fully recovered from the long-term effects of the virus. He was applauded as he left the ward and said the staff had “given me my life back” and that he “cannot thank them enough”.
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Rhoel Ribaya died on October 15 Go Fund Me
Close friend Mark Delabajan told the BBC Ribaya’s cause of death was cardiac arrest with the secondary cause given as post-Covid pulmonary fibrosis.
He said: “It was long Covid. His breathing was never the same and he couldn’t get up the stairs.
“He was rushed back into hospital a number of times.”
Kevin McGee, chief executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We were extremely saddened to hear about the death of Roehl and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.’’
One in 10 people are believed to suffer from long-term symptoms of Covid-19, which exceed the suggested two-week recovery time from the virus.
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It has been dubbed “long Covid” as people struggle with extreme fatigue, breathlessness and problems with concentration and memory for months.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--I'm A Celebrity Filming Doubts Dismissed After Announcement Of Welsh Lockdown

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I’m A Celebrity will be able to proceed with filming despite the Welsh lockdown, it has been confirmed.
The ITV reality show is relocating from the Australian outback to Gwrych Castle in Conwy this year due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
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But after Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford announced that Wales will be placed under a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown, there had been questions as to what this would mean for filming of I’m A Celebrity.
I'm A Celebrity presenters Ant and Dec James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock
The lockdown will begin at 6pm on Friday October 23 and last until November 9, with I’m A Celebrity expected to begin the following week.
However, in a statement on its Facebook page, Gwrych Castle has insisted the series is OK to proceed.
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It said: “Following the announcement today from the First Minister, the overriding message is that filming CAN continue in Wales providing related activity cannot be undertaken from home, and there is full compliance with Welsh Law.
“Welsh Government guidance on Covid-19 should also be followed. This includes a legal obligation and guidance on taking all reasonable measures to maintain physical distancing in the workplace, compliance with relevant industry guidelines for physical production.
“We cannot wait to see I’m A Celebrity on our screens!”
An ITV spokesperson added: “I’m A Celebrity continues to adhere to all relevant guidelines as well as our own strict Covid protocols.”
The new rules that will come into effect for the whole of Wales from 6pm on Friday mean that people will only be allowed to leave their homes for exercise and to to pick up supplies. People have been told to work from home unless they are ‘critical workers’.
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Pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops will also be forced to close their doors for the two-week period.
Work is currently underway to transform the sprawling castle into the setting for the reality show, which is nestled on a tree-lined hillside overlooking the Irish Sea and is spread across 250 acres of gardens and grounds.
One of the show’s top bosses recently revealed how the series is being adapted to comply with coronavirus guidelines.
Speaking at a Royal Television Society event, ITV Studios entertainment director Richard Cowles said: “Everyone’s got proximity monitors on them so basically they can’t come within two metres of each other without it buzzing and flashing and reminding them to step away.
“In terms of the technology, we’ve for example, with the castle itself, we’ve mapped that completely remotely so we can get all of our camera positions and everything done off-site without having to go there.
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“We have basically created a whole virtual walk through of that castle, so all of the set can be built remotely back here and then transported up there.
He continued: “All the camera positions, the lens length - all of that sort of stuff can be done.
“We’re even going to have our edits in London to try to reduce the number of people travelling to Wales and to reduce the number of people that could potentially spread Covid.”
I’m A Celebrity presenters Ant and Dec recently revealed they had visited the castle to film a trailer for the series, posting a picture of them dressed in explorers outfits next to a sign directing them to Gwrych.
Among those rumoured to be taking part in this year’s I’m A Celebrity include former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard, ex-footballer John Barnes, TV presenter Vernon Kay and Coronation Street star Beverly Callard.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Kylie Minogue Reveals The One Thing Standing In The Way Of A Madonna Duet

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Kylie Minogue has revealed the one thing that needs to happen for her to duet with Madonna.
A collaboration between the two pop queens is at the top of many pop fan’s wish list, and while Kylie is up for it, it all boils down to one important factor.
Speaking about the prospect of teaming up with Madge, Kylie told Metro: “I am as curious as the fans are. It would be amazing.
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“The hard part is to get the right song and the right moment. Maybe any moment is the right moment… but the right song? One that’s in people’s imagination, mine included, because don’t forget I was a 14-year-old Madonna maniac. I was that kid.”
Kylie and Madonna PA/AP
And if the duet with Madonna never comes off, there are other pop titans that Kylie would love to get in the studio with.
“Miley [Cyrus] is absolutely smashing it right now,” Kylie said. “I am such a big fan of Gaga. Her talent is phenomenal. She has done some cute things recently by urging people to vote in America. There are so many facets to her. The list would go on and on.”
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Kylie is currently gearing up for the release of her fifteenth studio album, Disco, on 7 November.
She’ll also be treating fans to a streamed ticketed performance the following day.
‘Kylie: Infinite Disco’ promises to take fans “on a journey inside her imagination to another dimension... through a parallel universe from solitary isolation to an alternative euphoric dance-floor community of togetherness.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--The Truth About Whether Toothbrushing Can Protect Against Covid

bernardbodo via Getty Images
A dental expert has suggested brushing your teeth more often could be used as a preventative measure against Covid-19, in a similar vein to hand-washing.
Professor Martin Addy, a dentistry professor at the University of Bristol, said toothpaste contains the same detergents as those found in soap and hand wash gels, which could help prevent the virus behind Covid-19 from making itself too comfortable in your mouth.
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“The antimicrobial action of toothpaste in the mouth persists for three to five hours and, thereby, would reduce the viral load in saliva or infection by viruses entering the mouth,” he reportedly told The Telegraph.
Prof Addy suggested people should brush their teeth before going out. “For the vast majority, the timing of tooth brushing should be focused when they are about to go out of their homes for exercise or shopping,” he said. “Ideally, tooth brushing frequency should be increased.”
Prof Addy has been keen to spread the word on toothbrushing against coronavirus for some time now. In April, he wrote a letter, published in the British Dental Journal, asking why the profession has not been promoting oral hygiene, through toothbrushing, in the preventive approach to Covid-19.
“The majority, if not all toothpastes, contain detergents, which confer significant antimicrobial properties to the product, indeed the same detergents are present in many hand washing formulations, recommended against coronavirus,” he wrote in his letter.
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“Although, we may assume such oral hygiene practices are already the norm, this is certainly not the case, particularly for those individuals who coincidentally are most at risk of contracting Covid-19.”
While brushing your teeth often is obviously not a bad thing – and is great for overall health – Professor Paul Hunter, of the Norwich School of Medicine at the University of East Anglia, believes the claim it could be used as a protective measure against Covid-19 is “pushing it a bit far”.
“Whilst I cannot say for certain there would be no effect whatsoever, I do not think it likely that teeth brushing would make that much difference,” he tells HuffPost UK.
Mintr via Getty Images
Prof Hunter points out that droplets can (and do) infect through the nose, and can be inhaled directly to the back of the throat, deeper into the respiratory tract – “so any residual disinfection around the teeth is very unlikely to have much, if any, benefit,” he says.
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“The other issue,” he adds, “is that viruses are intracellular pathogens and once taken into a cell are protected from any surface disinfection, so any disinfectant would have to kill a virus very quickly before the virus is taken into a cell.”
Proving that regular brushing of teeth does or does not protect against Covid-19 “would be very difficult”, he adds.
Results from cell culture experiments show some commercially available mouthwashes can “deactivate” the virus. Researchers said such mouthwashes should not be used to treat Covid, but it could be used as a preventative measure before dental treatments, for example.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Reese Witherspoon Teases Legally Blonde Reunion: 'We Laughed, We Cried'

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Ohmigod you guys!! It’s a Legally Blonde Reunion. 🎀 We laughed, we cried and we may or may not have done the bend & snap for old times sake! 💅🏽 For the first time in 20 years, join me and the #LegallyBlonde cast tomorrow at 3:15PM PST on the @hellosunshine YouTube channel! PS: Don’t you want to see if Elle & Warner finally make up?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Andy Burnham Accuses Government Of Fighting Coronavirus 'On The Cheap'

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Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said he would not “break the law” if Boris Johnson put the region into tier 3 coronavirus measures, but accused the government of trying to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic “on the cheap”.
Johnson is preparing to impose stringent new coronavirus controls on 2.8 million people in the region after talks with local leaders failed to reach agreement on Monday.
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Burnham and other local leaders have been lobbying for a better financial support package before agreeing to the lockdown.
But communities Secretary Robert Jenrick warned local leaders on Monday night that they have until midday on Tuesday to reach a deal or face unilateral government action.
Appearing on Sky News on Tuesday morning, Burnham was asked what he would do if further restrictions were imposed.
The Labour mayor said: “Of course we wouldn’t break the law. We’ve never said that we would.
“We would obviously have to accept that decision, in the end it’s the government’s prerogative.
“But I would say to them at this point are they sure that that is a wise thing to do?”
Burnham said he simply wanted to ensure the lowest-paid people in the region were supported if tier 3 restrictions were brought in.
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“If we go into a lockdown where we don’t support people who are in the lowest-paid professions we will have a mental health crisis on top of a pandemic,” he said. “We’re trying to respond to a pandemic on the cheap, that’s how it feels.
The leader of Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese said he still hoped it would be possible to find an agreed way forward in the hours remaining.
However speaking to BBC Newsnight he also acknowledged they would have no choice but to comply if ministers decided to impose the most stringent Tier 3 restrictions.
Jenrick said that after 10 days of negotiations failed to reach an agreement, the deteriorating situation in the region meant the government had no choice but to act.
“There are now more Covid-19 patients in Greater Manchester hospitals than in the whole of the south west and south east combined,” he said in a statement late on Monday evening.
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“But, unfortunately, despite recognising the gravity of the situation, local leaders have been so far unwilling to take the action that is required to get this situation under control.
“I have written to local leaders this evening to make clear that if we cannot reach agreement by midday tomorrow then I must advise the Prime Minister that despite our best endeavours we’ve been unable to reach agreement.”
Asked what would happen if there was no agreement, Jenrick said: “That is a matter for the prime minister.”
The imposition of tier 3 controls would mean a ban on households mixing – including in private gardens or outdoor hospitality settings – while pubs and bars will be forced to close unless they serve meals.
So far only Liverpool City Region and Lancashire have come under the tightest restrictions in England – in each case with the agreement of local leaders.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--'Depraved' Man Who Had Sex With Chickens Is Jailed

A “depraved” man who had sex with his pet chickens while his wife filmed him has been jailed for three years.
Rehan Baig, 37, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court after pleading guilty to offences including having intercourse with chickens, possessing images of himself and his wife engaging in sex acts with a dog and making indecent images of children.
His wife, Haleema Baig, 38, was handed a six-month suspended sentence after admitting that she filmed her husband.
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The chickens began as family pets (file picture) WDnet via Getty Images
The court heard that the offending was discovered when National Crime Agency officers executed a search warrant at the family home on Shepherd Street, in Bradford, in July 2019, after intelligence that Baig was in possession of indecent images of children.
Computer equipment was seized from the house and 49 indecent images of children were found – including 11 in the most serious category, some of which featured children as young as six.
Officers also found a “significant” quantity of extreme pornographic images, including a number of “first-generation, homemade movies” featuring Baig, and occasionally his wife, engaging in sexual activity with animals and saved under the file name “Family Vids”.
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Some of the images featured the couple engaging in sex acts with a dog, while others “of some duration in length” were of Baig performing intercourse with chickens and also, on occasion, with his wife, who filmed some of the footage on a mobile phone.
Sentencing the couple on Monday afternoon, Judge Richard Mansell QC said the acts “would make any right-thinking member of society sick to their stomach” and were carried out for Baig’s “own depraved sexual gratification”.
The judge described Baig’s offending as “depraved, perverted and despicable” and said the creation of the videos was “simply beyond comprehension”.
The court heard that the images showed two of the chickens dead on the cellar floor and another video showed Baig placing one of the deceased animals in a bin bag. He was also filmed having intercourse with a chicken that had already died.
Judge Mansell said: “The pain and suffering you inflicted on these animals must have been horrific.”
Mrs Baig admitted three counts of aiding and abetting sexual intercourse with an animal, but said it was against a background of coercive and controlling behaviour by her husband.
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Abigail Langford, prosecuting, said they found her to be a willing participant in the images found at their home, but told the court that a hidden camera had been found in the couple’s bedroom, of which she was unaware.
Langford said the chickens started as family pets and they all died as a consequence of Baig’s actions.
There were no chickens or a dog present at the house when it was searched by police.
Baig admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of possession of extreme pornography, three counts of sexual intercourse with an animal and two counts of possession of controlled drugs.
He was banned from keeping animals and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Labour MP Brands Dan Wootton 'Dangerous Conspiracy Theorist' In Covid Herd Immunity Row

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A Labour MP slammed Talk Radio host Dan Wootton as a “dangerous conspiracy theorist” during a row over the Welsh ‘firebreaker’ lockdown.
Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda, appeared on Wootton’s show on Monday evening, during which Wootton claimed that “science had forever used herd immunity to deal with coronaviruses”, confirming that he subscribed to the so-called herd immunity approach alongside “protecting the vulnerable”.
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Wootton, who has hosted a regular show on Talk Radio since 2018 alongside his work as a columnist and executive editor of The Sun, has long-criticised lockdowns with a recent tweet referencing “our [the UK’s] march towards an authoritarian Covid state”.
Dan Wootton and Labour MP Chris Bryant have a disagreement over the effectiveness of coronavirus lockdowns.
What are your views?@danwootton | @RhonddaBryant
Watch the show in full ► https://t.co/uIRYxKthau pic.twitter.com/fdu7PAkcXw — talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) October 19, 2020
When questioned by Bryant on how exactly the UK could protect the vulnerable amid a ‘herd immunity’ approach, Wootton declined to give specifics, opting instead to say there is “a whole load of ways to do it”.
Wootton did cite the Great Barrington Declaration, a controversial proposal was published by a right-leaning American thinktank, the American Institute for Economic Research, which garnered thousands of signatures from health professionals – as well homeopaths, therapists, or obviously fake personas such as Dr Johnny Bananas and Dr Person Fakename, Sky News revealed.
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Bryant responded by saying: “You’re a nutcase, you’re a complete and utter nutcase, and you’re dangerous as well.”
Wootton then demanded producers “get rid of this man”, at which point Bryant’s microphone was cut off.
The most recent World Health Organisation (WHO) advice on herd immunity, published on October 15, clearly states that the term refers to “a concept used for vaccination” – not, as is commonly misunderstood, allowing a virus to move freely through a population.
The WHO has clarified: “Herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus, not by exposing them to it,” adding “attempts to reach ‘herd immunity’ through exposing people to a virus are scientifically problematic and unethical.
“Letting Covid-19 spread through populations, of any age or health status will lead to unnecessary infections, suffering and death.
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Bryant doubled down on his comments in the wake of the interview, tweeting: “I had no idea this man was such a dangerous conspiracy theorist.”
In response to accusations from Wootton that Bryant was in fact the “dangerous one” and “not listening to the science”, the Labour MP said: “You believe we should surrender to the virus which means additional unnecessary deaths plus the overwhelming of our NHS.
“I talk to my local physicians all the time. You’re just a loudmouth Trump-lite.”
You believe we should surrender to the virus which means additional unnecessary deaths plus the overwhelming of our NHS. I talk to my local physicians all the time. You’re just a loudmouth Trump-lite. — Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) October 19, 2020
Labour MP Chris Bryant labelled Dan Wootton a "dangerous conspiracy theorist" during a row over lockdown measures. Talk Radio
Earlier in the interview Wootton said scientific evidence suggested there was “no link” between lockdowns and decreased mortality and urged Bryant to outline his reasoning for the lockdown.
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Wootton did not cite his source for this claim, but it mirrors a findings of a research paper published by medical journal The Lancet, in which scientists said “rapid border closures, full lockdowns and and wide-spread testing were not associated with Covid-19 mortality per million people.”
But in the next sentence, the researchers state “full lockdowns and reduced country vulnerability to biological threats... were significantly associated with increased patient recovery rates.” Further down in the study, it is also stated that governmental policy of full lockdowns, when compared with partial lockdowns or curfews, “was strongly associated with recovery rates.”
The researchers involved have also highlighted the limited nature of the study, as the data capture ended on May 1 and only involved 50 countries – meaning the full impact of lockdown measures may not yet have been visible as restrictions had not been in effect for long enough.
Bryant responded to Wootton’s questioning by saying: “Well you don’t seem very bright then. It’s fairly simple. Our local hospitals are absolutely rammed full.”
Wootton asked for proof of statistics on hospital occupancy, claiming the government “was putting out false stats on this”, to which Bryant responded by saying his local intensive care unit (ICU) was around 75% full – around double what it was in 2019.
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It’s not the first time Talk Radio has attracted controversy for its hosts’ presentation of the pandemic.
Presenter Jamie East left the station in late September, several weeks after colleague and comedian Mark Dolan cut up a face mask on air – a moment which then went viral as a video clip online.
It's clear that TalkRADIO has a clearly defined idea of where it's heading, sadly not many of those ideals were a great fit. So, off the back of the recent @thesmart7pod's success I'm able to wish them all the best for the future. Wear a mask, save lives.https://t.co/bO0cKop70j — Jamie East (@jamieeast) September 28, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--The New Yorker Suspends Jeffrey Toobin For Exposing Himself During Zoom Call

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The New Yorker has suspended staff writer Jeffrey Toobin after he reportedly exposed himself during a Zoom meeting last week.
According to a story first posted by Vice, Toobin’s transgression occurred during a virtual conference between New Yorker staff and local radio station WNYC.
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In a statement to Vice, Toobin called the incident “an embarrassingly stupid mistake.”
He added, “I apologise to my wife, family, friends and co-workers.”
The reporter, who is also CNN’s chief legal analyst, said the entire incident was accidental. “I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video,” he told Vice.
HuffPost reached out to Toobin for comment, but he did not immediately respond.
A spokesperson for The New Yorker confirmed that Toobin has been suspended “while we investigate the matter.”
In addition, Toobin is stepping away from his CNN gig, according to a statement given to the Associated Press.
“Jeff Toobin has asked for some time off while he deals with a personal issue, which we have granted,” a CNN spokesperson said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Jeff Bridges Announces He Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer

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Jeff Bridges has announced he has been diagnosed with lymphoma.
The 70-year-old actor said he was starting treatment and promised to keep fans updated.
He said the prognosis is “good”.
Jeff Bridges SIPA USA/PA Images
Announcing the diagnosis on social media, the Oscar-winner referenced one of his most famous characters and said: “As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light. I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma.
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“Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good. I’m starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery.
“I’m profoundly grateful for the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.”
The actor ended the message by urging fans to vote in the presidential election, adding: “Because we are all in this together. Love, Jeff.”
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Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system.
Fans and celebrities wished Bridges well following the diagnosis.
Sending you and your family love and healing. — Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) October 20, 2020
You’re a fighter. You can beat this. — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 20, 2020
The actor is a Hollywood great who was born into a prominent showbusiness family in Los Angeles in 1949. His father was the actor Lloyd Bridges while his mother was actress Dorothy Bridges.
A career highlight came in 2010, with both Academy Award and Golden Globe wins for Best Actor for his performance as Otis ‘Bad’ Blake in Crazy Heart.
He is perhaps best known as middle-aged Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski in 1998 cult classic The Big Lebowski.
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He has earned seven Oscar nominations over his career, most recently a Best Supporting Actor nod for the 2017 heist film Hell Or High Water.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Kim Kardashian Gets Grilled By David Letterman For Standing By Trump

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Try as he might, David Letterman couldn’t get Kim Kardashian to say a single negative thing about President Donald Trump.
The reality TV star has fielded plenty of praise and criticism for working with Trump in recent years, as one of the most effective advocates for criminal justice reform during his administration, but has largely preferred to keep her own political beliefs private.
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While her husband Kanye West has launched his own presidential campaign, Kardashian took a more bipartisan approach during a sit down for the new season of Letterman’s series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, which arrives on Netflix on Wednesday.
Despite the former talk show host’s best efforts to suss out to what extent she supports Trump, an even-keeled Kardashian remained tight-lipped.
“Hopefully, for the next multiple administrations, I’ll be working with the White House, helping them with clemencies,” she told Letterman about her designs on the future, according to The Daily Beast.
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“But do you feel that what is being done on behalf of sentencing reform now via this current administration in any way allows the balance of democracy back in a corridor of viability?” he asked.
Kardashian then took a beat before admitting, “Well, I have no idea what you just said.”
Letterman proceeded to phrase his question more clearly, explaining that while he’s “grateful” for what she’s accomplished, her work ultimately “doesn’t make me feel any better about the current administration.”
In response, Kardashian simply offered, “I understand that.”
When pressed about who she intends to vote for in the upcoming election, Kardashian stayed silent, pivoting instead to the warnings she received before her first of a handful of visits to the White House.
“Trust me, everyone called me and said, ‘Don’t you dare step foot in that White House or your reputation is done,’” she recalled, noting that for her there was no choice when a person’s freedom is at stake.
“It’s a life over my reputation,” Kardashian stated.
Kim Kardashian sits down with David Letterman on the first episode of the new season of Netflix's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. netflix
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Still, Letterman would’t let her off the hook, encouraging Kardashian to take a macro-level look at how her involvement benefits Trump in the long run.
“Your good work is overwhelming,” Letterman added. “It’s a positive force that diminishes what I consider to be unacceptable behaviour by the president.”
But Kardashian refused to give up any ground, reiterating that she remains “extremely focused” on her mission and is still “truly grateful” for the Trump administration’s criminal justice reform efforts.
“I’ll give props where props are due,” she said.
In 2018, Kardashian successfully appealed to the president to secure the commutation of 63-year-old Alice Marie Johnson, who served 21 years for a nonviolent drug offence. A year later, she spoke at the White House, praising the passing of the a bipartisan prison reform bill, which reduces prison sentences for some federal inmates, while announcing a partnership with Lyft that will help people find jobs after being released from prison.
In March, she also accompanied Johnson and two other newly freed women, Tynice Nichole Hall and Crystal Munoz, whose prison sentences were also recently commuted, to the White House to draw attention to criminal justice reform.
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White House here we come!!! pic.twitter.com/exif6oZ6sl — Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 4, 2020
The SKIMS founder has since started studying to become a lawyer to bolster her advocacy efforts, taking part in a four-year apprenticeship program with hopes of practicing as early as 2022.
While the entire Kardashian-Jenner clan hasn’t explicitly endorsed a candidate for the upcoming presidential election, Kourtney Kardashian has seemingly backed brother-in-law’s Kanye West’s bid for the White House.
Last week, Kourtney sparked a wave of online backlash after she shared a photo of herself sporting a “Vote Kanye” hat with a link for her millions of followers to do the same.
West announced he was running for president on July 4. Despite missing the deadlines to get his name on the ballot in multiples states, he’s since called on his fans to write in his name instead.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Why England Might Get A Circuit Breaker Anyway, Despite What Boris Says

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Boris Johnson branded the idea of national lockdown “extreme” when he updated the public on coronavirus from the now-famous Downing Street lectern.
That included any suggestion of a two-week “circuit breaker” shutdown over half term, despite infection numbers in England “flashing at us like dashboard warnings in a passenger jet”.
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But since he slid out of view, Johnson has become increasingly isolated over his decision on a short, sharp clampdown, as MPs, scientists and a majority of the public demand he change course.
On Monday, first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford announced there would be a “fire breaker” lockdown from October 23 to November 9, piling yet more pressure on Johnson to act. It followed similar moves by the governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Could No.10 be on course for yet another policy U-turn? Here’s the latest.
The Science
The government's chief medical officer Chris Whitty, left, and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance arrive in Downing Street, London, Monday Sept. 21, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The most powerful argument for a circuit breaker lockdown is: the scientists advising government have been calling for it since September 21.
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SAGE (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies), known to you and me as “the science” that No.10 has repeatedly insisted ministers are “guided by”, published its most recent minutes last week.
The document made plain that, as well as an immediate two-week shutdown, SAGE members backed a string of measures, including banning all contact between different households and closing all bars, restaurants and gyms.
Johnson’s reaction was to ignore all demands apart from one, which was to change the official guidance from “go to work, if you can” to “where you can effectively, work from home”.
While the SAGE advice dates back almost a month, Jeremy Farrar, who sits on the committee, said on Sunday it was “never too late” to order the “reset” measure, saying: “It’s better to do it now than in a month’s time.”
Speaking to Sky on Sunday, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove rejected the idea, however, telling presenter Sophy Ridge: “At the moment and it would seem to me to be wrong to impose restrictions on the economic and personal life of individuals in parts of the country where the disease is not spreading so intensively.”
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Ministers have instead stuck to the new tier 1, 2 and 3 “alert level” system of local lockdowns.
But there are problems with Johnson’s “third way” approach also.
Red wall revolt over new three-tier system
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham speaking to the media outside the Central Library in Manchester, he has threatened legal action if Tier 3 restrictions are imposed without agreement. PA
With infections and hospitalisations rising at a higher rate in parts of the north, the government has tried to broker a compromise with its new alert level system.
It categorises Covid impact in parts of England as medium, high, or very high (tiers 1, 2 and 3) with the latter triggering the most stringent measures, such as blanket hospitality venue shutdowns.
While Liverpool is under tier 3, Greater Manchester local leaders, including mayor Andy Burnham, have rejected tighter restrictions, saying the pressure on hospitals does not merit it and that furlough support should be at 80% of workers’ wages, not the two-thirds proposed.
Burnham accused Johnson of treating the city region like a “sacrificial lamb” over the financial package but Downing Street hit back on Monday, saying the city’s ICU beds would be full by November 12 without new measures.
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Opposition to the severest measures has not come solely from Labour politicians, however, with Tory grandees, such as Graham Brady – who represents Altrincham and Sale West – calling for an exit strategy from Johnson.
The PM also faces pressure from within his own cabinet to stick to the alert level system, with figures such as chancellor Rishi Sunak reported to be deeply concerned about the hit to the country’s economy over the long-term if closures continue.
And while the Welsh Assembly has backed a “circuit breaker” lockdown, Nicola Sturgeon is set to introduce a similar tier system in Scotland, with details to be announced later this week.
Keir Starmer applying the pressure
Labour party leader Keir Starmer in the House of Commons. ASSOCIATED PRESS
On the surface of it, this move corners the PM, especially given the opposition has so far backed the government’s Covid measures, but some commentators have suggested the opposite is true.
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Following a series of embarrassing U-turns on free school meals, face coverings, test and trace, and much else, it has been claimed Johnson will not want to seen to be following his opponent yet again.
But Starmer’s decision to side with “the science”, coupled with pushback from “red wall” constituencies that broke with Labour for the Tories in December, undeniably heaps pressure on the PM to act.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves doubled down on Labour’s positioning on Sunday, saying her party would back a lockdown during other half-term breaks, too.
Johnson will also be troubled by polls saying a large majority of the public backs a circuit breaker. A survey conducted by YouGov found that almost seven in 10 (68%) would support stricter measures.
But there is a fight ongoing for Johnson’s ear at the cabinet table, as well as in the court of public opinion.
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Cabinet clashes
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak ASSOCIATED PRESS
Since the early stages of the crisis, there has been tension in Johnson’s top team between two groups known as the hawks and the doves.
The doves, such as health secretary Matt Hancock and Gove, are said to prioritise the NHS and back tougher social distancing measures.
Hawks, meanwhile, who are led largely by chancellor Rishi Sunak, fear for the economy and say the burden of closures risks exacerbating the inevitable unemployment crisis that will follow the pandemic.
Johnson’s decision to reject SAGE’s advice on a circuit-breaker is viewed as a huge victory for the hawks, who underline to the PM that further lockdowns will have a deeper, “scarring” effect on the economy.
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But could the government U-turn again?
The PM on Monday was locked in a battle to save his “balanced” approach, amid reports he will offer a deal to Greater Manchester worth “tens of millions” to enforce new measures.
And though figures for infections and hospital admissions, published daily by the Department for Health and Social Care, are not yet comparable with March, ministers may simply be buying time and delaying the inevitable.
Chief scientific officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance have both made clear that, in their view, the three-tier system is doomed to fail.
Whitty said while local lockdowns may help to slow the virus, he was “not confident” that the highest alert level alone “would be enough to get on top” of the virus. His statement was later backed by Vallance.
Labour shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds has also suggested that delaying lockdown could do more harm to the economy by prolonging restrictions in the medium term.
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The PM is expected to hear again from scientists and his Cabinet colleagues in the coming days.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

Can you imagine taking your kids somewhere fun and no one complains and everyone has a good time and then you come home and they say “thank you” and you don’t even threaten to cancel all fun until the end of time?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Covid-19 Has 7 Key Strains. Here's What You Need To Know

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“The virus has genetically moved a bit, but it has not changed in terms of its propensity and its ability to cause disease and to cause death.”
Those were the sombre words of the government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance when he addressed the nation back in September to discuss the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases – and what needed to be done about it.
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His words brought some comfort as we discovered the virus hadn’t genetically morphed into something far worse, but also dismay, as we realised it hadn’t become less deadly over time either.
We currently know there are eight key strains – or “clades” – of the virus which are in circulation around the globe. These are: GR, G, GH, GV, O, S, L, and V.
Covid-19 strains, briefly explained.
Earlier this summer, University of Bologna researchers looked at the genetic makeup of the virus to assess how it had spread – and mutated – during its journey across the continents.
They suggested the original version of the virus is the L strain, which appeared in Wuhan back in December. Its first mutation – the S strain – appeared at the beginning of 2020, according to the study, and since mid-January, there have been two predominant strains: V and G.
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Worldwide, strain G appears to be the most widespread, with researchers identifying that it mutated into strains GR and GH at the end of February.
The O strain refers to ‘other’ strains of the virus which researchers are also keeping their eye on.
Since August, a newer strain has been identified, known as GV.
Rost-9D via Getty Images
Why do we need to monitor mutations?
Scientists need to monitor how the virus is mutating to check for a few things.
Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor and clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, tells HuffPost UK that, firstly, we need to monitor how any mutations of the virus might impact on the effectiveness of antiviral drugs, such as remdesivir, which are being trialled as treatments.
We also need to keep an eye out for any mutations that might impact on the clinical severity of the illness, or its transmissibility, says Dr Tang, as well as how mutations could impact the effectiveness of vaccines.
At present, we know the virus is mutating relatively slowly, which is a positive. In comparison, flu mutates much faster.
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Federico Giorgi, co-author of the study on virus strains, suggested the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is “already optimised to affect human beings”, which might explain why it’s not really evolving much.
Think of it this way: the virus is already really good at infecting us so it doesn’t have to work that hard (and therefore mutate loads) to get better at that. “This means that the treatments we are developing, including a vaccine, might be effective against all the virus strains,” he said.
The fact the virus is more stable suggests a Covid-19 vaccine “is likely to remain stable and effective for longer than an influenza vaccine,” Dr Tang says. And vaccine escape mutants (virus mutations which then stop vaccines from working) are much less likely to appear within a short timeframe.
That said, Dr Tang does point out that there are some other challenges with the vaccine to consider. “We don’t know how long the vaccine-induced immunity (even if the vaccine works as expected) will actually last – and this will differ between individuals, just like the flu vaccine does,” he explains.
“We won’t know this to any degree of certainty – including the variability of this – until the vaccines have been licensed and distributed across the wider population for some time, perhaps at least one to two years.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Here’s What The 2020 Christmas Ads Will Look Like

HuffPost UK John Lewis' Christmas ad in 2019
Excitable Edgar breathed his fiery breath over a crowded John Lewis dinner party, while Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot sang his heart out to Robbie Williams... the Christmas ads that delighted us in 2019 wouldn’t fare so well in 2020 – a year in which we’ve all had to learn a whole new code of social conduct.
The pandemic has posed a significant problem for the supermarket and high street giants who famously plan their big budget festive campaigns around a year in advance.
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So what can we expect from this season’s offerings? Look out for escapism and community, ad industry insiders have told HuffPost UK – as brands scramble to change their plans last minute to ensure they’re sensitive to the “cultural moment”. And presumably edit out any stolen mistletoe kisses.
The king of Christmas advertising, John Lewis, is being characteristically evasive about its 2020 plans, telling HuffPost UK we’ll have to wait for the campaign to hit TV screens. But we’ve managed to track down two industry insiders to give us the gossip elsewhere: Raquel Chicourel, chief strategy officer at Grey London, the advertising agency behind the M&S Food ad, and Simon Elborne, executive producer at Outsider, the production company who has made campaigns for Sainsbury’s, H&M and Harvey Nichols in the past.
Grey London has been working with M&S Food and Very, among others, for Christmas 2020, confirms Chicourel, and while Elborne is tight-lipped about his clients – “it would spoil the surprise and the fun” – he’s been fortunate to see most of the scripts in the industry this year, “bar a few of the bigger ones.”
After a tough 2020, you’ll be relieved to hear most retailers are avoiding tear-jerking Man on the Moon-type ads, like John Lewis in 2015. “There’s a real drive to make people feel good,” says Elborne of the scripts he’s seen. “Brands are trying to be positive, to capture people’s imaginations and create hope.”
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The dominant theme this year is escapism and the “spirit of Christmas”, he adds – and there’ll be little or no mention of the big C. “Nothing I’ve seen is in any way connected to the real experience we’re having of this pandemic.”
“You can’t show families mingling or strangers hugging each other. You just can’t.”
Themes of family and “the gift of giving” are there as always, he says, but expressed in different ways. We’re also likely to see a “dialled up” focus on community spirit, reflecting the closeness we’ve all gained through this shared experience, without overly referencing Covid-19.
Some brands may take a more nostalgic approach, predicts Chicourel. “That happened in 2009 on the back of the global financial crisis,” she said. “We saw a lot of brands doing that and finding success with it. That might be something where history repeats itself.”
And, due to restrictions across the UK, brands are likely to be cautious when it comes to showing Christmas parties and group gatherings – in case restrictions and social distancing are tightened further by the time we see the ad on TV.
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Whatever goes on air needs to reflect the rules of the moment, says Chicourel. “If the country is in a lockdown or if there are a number of local lockdowns, you can’t show families mingling or strangers hugging each other. You just can’t.”
HuffPost UK Tesco's Christmas advert in 2019
The usual schedule for Christmas ads – from planning to production – was disrupted by the pandemic, potentially throwing a spanner in the works for companies who like to get ahead.
“There are rumours that John Lewis starts the process the year before and, by January 1, has the campaign wrapped,” says Chicourel. “I’m not sure that’s true, but the majority of our clients start planning around January.”
Concepts usually take six weeks to plan, and this means considering merch – Kevin the Carrot became a bestseller for Aldi – and social media posts, too.
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By late January, Chicourel was already holding meetings with clients to raise the Covid alarm. Two months later, they were seriously putting the breaks on, as the pandemic sunk the advertising industry – and the world – into uncertainty.
“Back in March, we didn’t know how bad this virus was, or how able we were going to be in terms of even having access to food,” she says. “It was actually really scary, if you look back on it.” The uncertainty meant Chicourel and her clients took a lot longer to settle on a concept than they would in a normal year.
“There was a lot of reflecting,” she says. “There was a question to ask about whether people will actually want to see a big Christmas production asking people to spend their money on retailers, at a time when there’s a rise in unemployment and a humanitarian and economic crisis.”
This has been a trend across the industry, says Elborne. “A lot of brands have chosen certain ideas and then changed their minds.”
“There was a question to ask about whether people will actually want to see a big Christmas production.”
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Christmas ads are often filmed in spring or early summer, but the delay on scripts – coupled with the nationwide lockdown – has caused a schedule shift.
Many brands delayed filming until autumn this year, says Elborne, some even within the past fortnight. It means certain visual elements may not be possible now. “A lot of ideas across all film require CGI and visual effects, but those layers of film can take a long, long time to make and to get right,” he says.
And even the filming itself has been different. As we’ve seen on TV shows like Eastenders and Strictly Come Dancing, production companies have to ensure the safety of performers and crew. For ads, this means following guidelines from the Advertising Producers Association. “There’s a lot of methods we’ve used, from isolation prior to a shoot, to creating bubbles and making sure everyone on set is healthy, prior to coming on set,” says Elborne.
Some brands will face challenges if they filmed earlier in the year, says Chicourel, who believes on-screen rule-breaking is a problem. “If you’ve unfortunately shot that prior to Covid or the rules coming into place, that footage is best possibly saved until next year or whenever we have a vaccine,” she says.
HuffPost UK Aldi's Christmas advert in 2019
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It’s been a turbulent time for retail, says Elborne, with clear “winners” and “losers” in the pandemic – and this may be obvious from the scale of their Christmas extravaganzas.
“If you look at some of the supermarkets, they have done incredibly well from the pandemic,” explains Elborne. “Tesco, Ocado, those kinds of brands, they’ve really benefited and grown their businesses as a result of the last eight months, so they have invariably been able to invest more in their advertising.”
That’s not to say the department stores won’t dig deep. “There’s also a school of thought that during times of economic downturn, brands need to spend more money and be more present,” he adds.
When they do finally launch after Halloween, this year’s Christmas ads may gain more attention that ever, suggests Chicourel, because we’re all desperate for some new entertainment – especially with the dearth of new TV and film.
“With the content fall we’re expected to have around that period of time, we’re going to run out of things to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime,” she says. “I think what’s going to be left is these amazing Christmas ads to get the nation talking.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--10 Ways To Make Working From Home More Bearable Right Now

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Seen the Pingu clip doing the rounds lately? We relate to that little penguin, we really do, caught between a boiling kettle and phone that’s never off the hook.
When working from home, it can be hard to stay comfy and warm, let alone focus on the job at hand. Temperatures are dropping, the skies are looming and grey, and we’re still wrapping our heads around the constant chopping and changing of coronavirus rules.
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In winter, we have a tendency to slide into isolation and hibernate, but that doesn’t work with a nine to five. So here are some top tips from environmental psychologist and wellbeing consultant, Lee Chambers, on how to feel more positive and productive.
1. Let the light in
Make the most of what little light we actually have during the daytime in winter. Rearrange your home workspace and position your desk beside a window to maximise on as much natural daylight and vitamin D as physically possible.
“The light is more powerful in winter because it’s limited,” Chambers tells HuffPost UK. “I often suggest people switch up their home office next to a bigger window with more light. When the day is shorter, it’s more important. It really boosts motivation and gets us feeling like we’re not deep, dark winter.”
2. Stock up on houseplants
Plants can help breathe more life into a room so add some greenery to your workspace. According to a study published earlier this year by a team of scientists at the University of Hyogo, Japan, a plant on your desk can reduce stress and anxiety levels, helping your mental health in the longterm.
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“The beauty is that as you care for them, you get that gardening fix that gets people feeling grounded and attached to nature,” says Chambers, “even when the trees are bare outside. With plants still growing around you, even in harshness of winter, it’s a reminder of growth, and that spring isn’t far away.”
3. Schedule some ‘me’ time
Don’t just mark in meetings where you’re talking to people about work stuff. Try to book in social time outside of work and some quality self-care time ,too.
“In winter you need to be more disciplined with your schedule,” says Chambers. “If not, you become more stressed, can easily go back into a shell and become a hermit. Book in cosiness time like a meeting with yourself. Get the essential oils out, warming bath, have it to look forward to after a long day’s work.”
Hera Stock via Getty Images
4. Get things in the diary
It’s easy to slip back into living in an infinite present mindset, but it’s important to have things to look forward to. It’ll keep the motivation going and set things in stone, even if we don’t know what the rules might look like in the next few months. It’s likely to be an unusual Christmas ahead – but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ruined.
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“Make your own Christmas market in back garden, do a mini bonfire night, have a fun virtual Christmas work party,” Chambers suggests. ”Start to get things in the diary you’re looking forward to – excitement and anticipation bolsters you.”
5. Eat well, do well
Diet has a more direct impact on work output and productivity levels than most of us realise. The WHO reports that “while no foods or dietary supplements can prevent or cure Covid-19 infection, healthy diets are important for supporting immune systems.” Good nutrition also reduces the likelihood of developing other health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
It also helps raise productivity, efficiency, energy and boost morale. “You’ll be better able to focus and accomplish tasks when you’ve eaten properly,” says Chambers. “Try meal prepping and cooking more at home, and eat more wholesomely, densely, than summer. Switch a cup of tea out for a hot chocolate.”
Food-wise, why not try some of these heartiers recipes for soups, instant one-pot stews, or easy make-ahead breakfasts that will keep you warmer for longer.
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6. Move about, even a bit
As tempting as it is to stay in bed for an extra hour or retire to the sofa after a long day’s work, it’s important still to incorporate regular exercise indoors or outdoors, even if it’s cold, dark, and wet. Developing healthy routines feels so much easier throughout summer when the mornings are light and the days are long, but fitness and movement are key for happy endorphins.
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“Do simple exercises in the house, run on the spot, practise yoga,” he explains. “It’s an easy way to warm yourself up, boosts blood flow to brain and will make work feels a bit easier.”
Remember to take regular short breaks from sitting. The WHO suggests “doing three to four minutes of light intensity movement, such as walking or stretching, will help ease your muscles and improve blood circulation and muscle activity.”
7. Catch more Zs
Sleep deprivation and insomnia have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Most of us accept we pay the next day if we only get a short night’s sleep and will expect to function feeling a bit dull or fuzzy around the edges.
It’s been scientifically proven by Bupa research that getting enough rest can improve your attention and concentration, allowing you to stay sharper and more focused, even in these weird times. It also strengthens your immune system, giving your body the time it needs to repair – one of the reasons that you sleep more when you’re unwell.
“The darker nights make us more fatigued and getting more sleep helps boost emotional hormonal regulation,” Chambers adds. “So, make sure you get enough sleep once the winter months roll around.”
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8. Start journalling
Our thoughts might be all over the place right now, but a journal can help keep your brain in better shape. Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also keeps thoughts organised, set and achieve goals, and by getting things out on paper it can also be a big stress-reliever. Here’s a guide to the “bullet journal’ approach, for starters.
“Journalling gives people a chance to reflect and get out and do things,” says Chambers. “Yes, there are limits to what we currently can and can’t do right now, but winter doesn’t change and we can still socialise outdoors.” Just make sure you’re aware of the rules in your area.
9. Limit social media
Be mindful of social media and news consumption. While it’s important to stay up to date with health advice and be connected, it’s just as vital to switch off when you need. “Winter can fuel negativity, which put us in a downwards spiral,” Chambers explains. “It’s often fuelled by a lot of the stuff we get fed online and what media we consume.”
Try setting timer limits on phones, build a routine where you allow yourself time to look at social media and news in the mornings or evenings for a set period of time – and put digital devices away an hour before bed.
10. Appreciate the little things
It’s hard to find joy in unsettling times, but there are ways to practise gratitude, and the more we can appreciate, the better our outlook on life.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Instagram Was Affecting My Mental Health, So I Quit. Here's What I Didn't See Coming

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Whenever I’ve used Instagram with any frequency, I have found it to be the most expedient way for me to feel simultaneously inadequate, overwhelmed and depressed.
Instagram mothers were cooking gourmet plant-based meals for their kids, while I was popping open boxed macaroni and cheese. Instagram entrepreneurs were making millions in business at the age of 25, while I was trying to figure out the next chapter in my career at 40. On Instagram, my contemporaries embodied #BlackGirlMagic, while I was feeling completely unremarkable.
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“Instagram is sooo fake,” I would hear friends say while scrolling their feeds incessantly. But the thing was, even if the performative joy on Instagram was all a farce, at least those people had the energy to produce artificial happiness. I, on the other hand, rarely do.
I’ve suffered from chronic, low-grade depression for as long as I can remember. It’s a reality akin to experiencing the world in light shades of gray. To even pretend to feel good about myself, I have to exercise, see a therapist, try to eat right, read self-help books, meditate, burn sage, clear my chakras and sometimes take medication that has never quite worked for me.
Unfortunately, half of these things don’t consistently happen, so I find it best to focus on what’s easier to control: knowing my triggers and dodging them like a bullet. And these days the main trigger is Instagram, the seemingly constant companion of everyone I know.
Depression aside, I have a pretty good life. I have an amazing husband, great friends and two beautiful children, and I live in a beachfront community that I love. However, depression makes it a challenge to see the good in life, and holding mine up next to the seemingly perfect lives shown online made it almost impossible. Balancing a distorted view of my existence against a land where everyone appears to be happy and #unbothered was starting to make my depression even harder to manage than usual.
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“I decided to walk away from the app in June earlier this year, not realising what else I’d be giving up in the process.”
So I decided to walk away from the app in June earlier this year, not realising what else I’d be giving up in the process.
During the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve found some much-needed human connection by logging onto a weekly Zoom happy hour with my girlfriends. But even during our screen-to-screen gabfest, Instagram references rule the conversation. It typically starts with, “Did you see such and such’s post about XYZ?” or a gossipy “He unfollowed her weeks ago” or the investigative “They have to be staying at the same hotel — look at the floor pattern in their photos!”
I listen to them with the anxiety of a student who didn’t do the reading the night before, hunting for context clues and asking questions everybody else already knows the answers to, thanks to their constantly flowing social media feeds. I long for the days when we can engage in a discussion that doesn’t require Instagram as a prerequisite, but in my social circles, when the real world shut down, Instagram stepped in to take its place and became inescapable.
I thought there might be a way to rejuvenate my relationship with the social media platform. Maybe I was sending the wrong messages to the almighty algorithm. So one day I stopped following any obnoxious oversharers and followed only people I knew personally, along with wellness brands, motivational speakers, comedians and self-ordained Instagram preachers. After a few days of attempting to send all the right signals with likes, follows and comments, my online engagement left me feeling maxed out, bogged down and no less than crappy. It was then that I simply decided to honour my intuition and give Instagram an indefinite break.
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I started ignoring it for weeks, then months, at a time. I found peace in the things that I loved: my husband and kids, my writing, experiencing nature and enjoying the clarity of having a still mind that wasn’t constantly interrupted by what the rest of the world was up to.
“I need my friends and family to understand that me not liking a post or being in their comments with hearts and crying/laughing emojis or joining their Instagram Live isn’t an affront to them.”
While the introvert in me was delighted in my self-imposed hiatus, the longer I stayed away, the more I started to realise the unintended consequences of being an offline recluse. My feelings of social media anxiety were replaced with real-life isolation, and at times I didn’t know which one I should choose.
How could I expect a friend to personally text me pictures they’d already shared with the world? Or how could I blame them for not inviting me to a socially distanced picnic if I’m the one who didn’t see the direct message?
I slowly lost touch with people I thought were friends. Even when I met someone new who casually asked me for my IG handle, I froze up before awkwardly offering my phone number instead. With the ubiquity of social media in our culture, my lack of a constantly accumulating digital permanent record was making me look like the ridiculous old auntie, afraid of the internet.
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I haven’t told a lot of people that I struggle with depression. But my extended sabbatical from social media has forced me to “come out” in a way. The idea of confessing that I suffer from a mental illness is more than enough to incite a depressive episode. It feels embarrassing to me, a disconnect from my self-image as a strong Black woman. And yet, fortunately or unfortunately, I’ve struggled with depression long enough to know that it isn’t about being strong. It’s about doing everything you need to do to take care of yourself — surviving, even trying to thrive, when your brain is fighting against you.
I need my friends and family to understand that me not liking a post or being in their comments with hearts and crying/laughing emojis or joining their Instagram Live isn’t an affront to them. It’s something I need to do for myself, at least for right now. Keeping my head in safe spaces has to be my true north. There are times when I can’t emotionally afford to go anywhere else.
“Social media just doesn’t make me feel good” were the words I used recently to explain to a close friend why I hadn’t commented on her posts.
To my relief, she just replied, “Yeah, it’s so toxic.”
Then, just like I’d been longing for, we had a conversation like two friends in real life who lived in a world where Instagram didn’t exist.
Ralinda Harvey Smith is a freelance writer and author. This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--MPs To Vote On Marcus Rashford Free School Meals Plan On Wednesday

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Marcus Rashford’s plan to extend free school meals over holiday periods will be put to a Commons vote on Wednesday in a bid to force Tory MPs to pile pressure on Boris Johnson to agree the move.
Labour triggered the parliamentary event by tabling an Opposition Day motion after No.10 again refused to commit to the England footballer’s proposals to tackle child hunger in England.
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A vote will now take place on Wednesday evening, with Conservative backbenchers faced with a choice of backing Rashford’s plan or either abstaining or voting against it.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner will lead for Labour in the chamber and the motion will read: ”This House calls on the Government to continue directly funding provision of free school meals over the school holidays until Easter 2021 to prevent over a million children going hungry during this crisis”.
Labour hopes that the parliamentary threat will force the PM into changing his mind, just as its Opposition Day motion last summer resulted in a government U-turn.
England's Marcus Rashford applauds the fans after the final whistle EMPICS Sport
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The move came after the party’s 72-hour deadline passed for a response from the government to announce a U-turn.
Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: “It is essential the Government provides this support urgently.
“We gave the Prime Minister the chance to change course, but he refused to do so. Now his MPs must decide if they want to vote for their constituents to get this vital support or if they will leave families struggling to put food on the table.”
Labour wants the government to extend free school meals, starting with the October half term which begins next week in most places in England.
The Labour government in Wales has already provided £11m in additional support to fund free meals over holidays upto and including next Easter.
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On Saturday, Rashford challenged Boris Johnson to honour his election pledge to “level up” the UK by introducing a comprehensive package to end child poverty and hunger.
He called for major changes to the welfare system, including an end to the Tories’ two-child cap on Universal Credit and an increase in the value of healthy eating vouchers for pregnant mothers.
Rashford has amassed nearly 300,000 signatures in just over five days for his online parliamentary petition demanding urgent action to stop children going hungry.
No.10 Downing Street sparked anger last week when it flatly rejected his proposals, claiming that “it’s not for schools to regularly provide food to pupils during the school holidays”. It repeated its stance on Friday and on Monday.
Merry Christmas kids...
It’s also not for food banks to feed millions of British children but here we are. 250% increase in food poverty and rising...
This is not going away anytime soon and neither am I... https://t.co/dCwT07WShz — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 15, 2020
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Some senior Tories such as education select committee chairman Rob Halfon have called on the PM to think again.
Former premier Gordon Brown last week also urged Johnson to personally intervene to fund the £20m a week cost of the holiday extension plan.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--These 10 Baby Names Are Also The Most Expensive Street Names

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If you live on a street that contains one of this year’s most desirable baby names, you could see the value of your property rocket. Hear us out.
That’s according to Barratt Homes, who put together an online ‘street finder tool’, which allows you to search the HM Land Registry database for your name.
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In comparison to the average UK house price of £231,185, the study showed streets with popular names such as ‘Charlotte’ (the Princess Royal) and ‘Harper’ (Beckham) are of substantially higher value.
I gave it a shot and put my name into the tool, only to discover houses on ‘Victoria Street’ cost, on average, £50,830 – but there was one on the list in Hertfordshire for a cool £2,425,000.
We have a wealth of baby name inspiration on HuffPost UK Parents. Here are 10 of the most valuable street names to consider for your little one.
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Alec
A home on Alec Street could set you back as much as £5,807,701. No surprise when you consider that Alec is strong, meaning ‘defending men’.
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Jenna
A property on Jenna Street could cost you a mean £2,916,000. Jenna means ‘fair phantom’ and comes from the English.
Kathryn
Kathryn comes from the Greek, and means ‘pure’. It’s a variant of Katherine – and houses on a street bearing this name can cost as much as £1,965,000.
Guy
A French name meaning ‘guide’ or ‘leader’, Guy has a definite hint of aristocracy about it. Houses on a road named after Guy come in at £1,831,694.
Roger
Roger comes from the old French, meaning ‘fame’, ‘renowned’ and ‘spear’. Houses on roads of this name can set you back as much as £1,476,596.
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Tempura via Getty Images
Darcie
Buy a house on Darcie Street and you might have to fork out £1,440,000 for the name, which means ‘dark-haired’, ‘dark’ or ‘descendant of the dark’ in Irish.
Mathew
Mathew (yes, one ‘t’) means ‘gift of Yahweh’ and refers to the Hebrew God. A pad on a road named after Mathew could be snapped up for £1,207,892.
Basil
The name Basil (royal, kingly) comes from the male Greek name Vassilios and means ‘brave’ or ‘fearless’ – houses can cost £1,110,767.
Joel
The name Joel appears in the Hebrew bible and means “Yahu is god” or the modern translation “Yahweh Is God”. Houses come in at £877,332.
Vivienne
The name Vivienne means ‘alive’ and is of French origin. Houses on Vivienne Street sell for a substantial £837,500.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--I'm Young, I Have MS, And I'm Worried How I Fit Into A Post-Covid World

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As we flit up and down levels in this dystopian elevator dance, I find myself gripped with hiraeth, a Welsh word to describe a nostalgia for a home you can never return to.
I long for the days that I could hug friends; go on a date where the prospect didn’t fill me with existential dread; a time where kissing people didn’t constitute an irreversible and life-threatening lapse in judgement. I yearn for long-haul flights to far-flung destinations and wine-spurred conversations before hitting the dancefloor, arms flailing wildly to one hit wonders. I may miss these things, but the reality is I was already in the throes of a health crisis of my own before Covid hit, so I haven’t had ‘normal’ for quite a while.
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A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) just over a year ago at the age of 32 felt like my life was over. Thoughts of wheelchairs invaded my mind, a lazy symbol of disability – many of us living with MS don’t look visibly disabled so the unseen impact of the disease is frequently undermined. MS means my immune system is in a constant state of self-flagellation, mindlessly hacking into the protective layer of my nerves. This causes irreparable damage, affecting mobility, senses, and cognition. As my medication is an immunosuppressant, I am incredibly vulnerable to illnesses like Covid. It also carries fun side effects like liver failure and fatal brain disease; a life stake many of us take over the debilitating alternative.
At the end of last year, I had a relapse. Replete with peripheral numbness, leg spasms, and He-Man quantities of steroids, it took months to recover. Then Covid hit. As Ireland shut down, I fled Dublin to quarantine with my parents and grandparents in the countryside. For four months, our days were planned around mealtimes, the six o’clock news, Netflix, and walks through the surrounding woodland. Grieving for your health is a strange self-absorption and living with MS during lockdown meant grappling with crippling anxiety, cancelled neurology appointments, and worries over medication access. Yet, I was lucky in comparison to many others.
“Perhaps we have reached the Hunger Games part of 2020, where our neighbours weep “it’s for the good of the economy”, while bolting us inside our houses.”
Despite the commonality of Covid to bind us all, we each experienced the emergence from lockdown differently. As I begin to unravel from my cocoon, I wonder where I fit into this new world? I believe people have grown weary at having to curtail their lives for the sake of the ‘weaker’ members of society. We all have virus fatigue driven by loneliness, financial burdens, and a need to reconnect with people we love. Gone are the rallying cries of solidarity underpinned by a new-found hope for a world devoid of material possessions.
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Instead we are left in a Covid-wake, drowning in despondence for an unknown future. Everyone is taking little risks. People’s bubbles are merging into other bubbles and many are losing sight of why we locked down in the first place. To save lives. As we cannot rely on common sense, governments create regulations to keep us safe. The problem is that everyone has different ideas about risk and how to move forward.
As countries open up, there are many who argue we should adopt a policy of shielding the vulnerable, while the rest of the population go about their lives as normally as possible. Advocates for herd immunity amongst the younger, healthier members of the population look to Sweden, despite scant evidence to show it works. Sweden also has a wildly different demographic. It has the highest proportion of single occupancy households in the EU. In Ireland, the average household size is increasing. The World Health Organisation says herd immunity is only achieved by using a vaccine to protect from a virus, not by exposing us to the virus. There is not enough known about lasting immunity to Covid so this ‘policy’ is both scientifically and ethically wrong. Perhaps we have reached the Hunger Games part of 2020, where our neighbours weep “it’s for the good of the economy”, while bolting us inside our houses. The reality is most ‘at-risk’ people are already limiting their movements. Although enabling the virus to spread puts everyone at risk, it is mainly at the expense of the vulnerable and elderly, and I am not an experiment. Economies recover, dead people don’t.
“As we face the possibility of having to live with the virus for the foreseeable, we need to look for ways to function, while protecting the medically vulnerable instead of excluding us entirely.”
As we face the possibility of having to live with the virus for the foreseeable, we need to look for ways to function, while protecting the medically vulnerable instead of excluding us entirely. Since the economic ramifications of intermittent lockdowns are disastrous, economist David McWilliams argues that the Irish government should by-pass the banks and borrow directly from the European Central Bank to invest in businesses. During a crisis, people tend to save their money so any future spending would even out the deficit. The new budget includes an €8.5billion Covid support package, which is a great start. A more nuanced approach to lockdowns based on virus numbers in each county could also temper the financial blow.
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Luckily, I can write from home, but what of the medically vulnerable who can’t work remotely? A long-term scheme to help cover their wages should also be included in the pandemic response budget, as well as ensuring employees have the legal right to work from home. Better working conditions in factories and improved housing for those in overcrowded, squalid living spaces are also crucial to stop the spread of the virus. At the very least, people need to adhere to social distancing, mask wearing, and hand hygiene, measures many seem to have forgotten. This is evident in people’s decisions to attend mask-free parties, celebrate after sporting events and visit multiple households.
Our individual choices have resulted in this second wave but the choices we make now can also curb the spread. The government’s failure to invest in our healthcare system means we have dangerously low ICU capacity. People are being asked to comply so other critical health services can function, and hospitals don’t have to choose between Covid or cancer.
A return to ‘normality’ leaves little room for those of us who are more at risk in a Covid world – because perhaps the world Covid has invaded was never a world that really included us in the first place. As Bono said, we are all in the same storm but none of us are in the same boat. 2020 has stolen much of our joy and has made many people so desperate for a life once lived, they would rather forge on with horse blinkers until this nightmare ends. And who could blame them? Covid is robbing all of us of time. For now, it means finding pleasure in what I can do. Walks with friends, sea swimming, playing music, or creating dribbly watercolours for no one in particular. My future framework has been completely dismantled.
Nothing about this is normal. Perhaps it never will be again.
Dearbla Crosse is a freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter at @Dearbhlac


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-20--Is Boris Johnson Revealing Himself As The Bully He Always Claimed He Wasn’t?

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Three long years ago, when Boris Johnson was foreign secretary, he famously suggested that the then French president wanted to “administer punishment beatings to anyone who wants to escape, rather in the manner of some World War Two movie”.
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In October 2020, it looks like Andy Burnham and other Greater Manchester local leaders are on the receiving end of Downing Street retribution, for daring to demand more funding for firms and workers going into “very high” lockdown.
Johnson loves comparing himself to Churchill. But tonight many Tory MPs in the region could be forgiven for asking themselves, in the manner of that peerless Mitchell and Webb Nazi sketch, “Are we the baddies?” Manchester Young Conservatives even tweeted: “Boris has lied about helping us in the North. It’s time for him to go.”
In his press conference confirming the Tier 3 move, the PM refused repeatedly to say whether the £60m offered to Burnham and others earlier in the day had been withdrawn. Instead, he kept saying that £22m extra for test and trace and enforcement would go to the area.
On the key issue of support for business, the PM deliberately left hanging in the air the idea that the region had indeed lost out on £38m because the Labour metro mayor had not played ball. With other regions in Yorkshire and the North East also haggling, it felt very much like a tactic “pour encourager les autres”.
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No wonder a furious Burnham had himself referred to Johnson “grinding communities down through punishing financial negotiations”. “Is this a game of poker?” the Mayor asked. “Are they playing poker with places and people’s lives through a pandemic? Is that what this is about?
Johnson’s allies believe that high-stakes poker is precisely what Burnham (who set his minimum offer at £65m) was himself playing and was simply forced to fold because he’d overplayed his hand. If indeed this whole deal fell apart because of a mere £5m difference between what Johnson offered and Burnham would accept, neutrals may think both sides are to blame for the failure.
Yet it’s Burnham who seems to have read the politics more shrewdly, as he emerges as the man who stood up for low-paid workers who face Christmas will shrunken incomes (not everyone is eligible for Universal Credit top-ups) while the PM looked like a petulant bully. Matt Hancock swiftly reassured MPs later that the £60m offer was still “on the table”, but unless that cash is actually delivered the political damage looks severe.
Burnham’s question – “Are they piling pressure on people to accept the lowest figure they can get away with? Is that how they are running this country?” – received more evidence when it emerged that No.10 had also played similar hardball with London Mayor Sadiq Khan over funding for his transport network.
The FT revealed tonight that ministers have threatened to take direct control of Transport for London unless Khan accepts a package of measures including higher council tax, a much larger congestion charge zone and higher tube and bus fares in return for rescue funding.
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Which suggests that this is all beginning to sound like a pattern of behaviour, not a political slip-up. TSSA union leader Manuel Cortes said: “It’s clear that Johnson and his Tory ministers hate Liverpool, Manchester and London because most of its people don’t vote for them so they dish out collective punishments for them.”
The political damage may well extend to Rishi Sunak and not just Johnson. With one eye on the man whom many tip to replace the PM, Labour tonight sharpened its attack lines against him too, referring to his Instagram obsession with his signature and his refusal to bend. Does the chancellor’s reluctance to give more funding point to the real hidden agenda here: that Tier 3 lockdowns could last a lot longer than 28 days?
On Wednesday, Sunak will be in the firing line from both Opposition Day motions, as MPs are asked to back not just 80% wage support but also Marcus Rashford’s holiday extension for free school meals. Children’s minister Nadhim Zahawi told TimesRadio today that tackling child hunger “isn’t as simple as writing a massive cheque”. Campaigners argue it is in fact that simple. And protecting workers hit by closure of their workplaces through no fault of their own seems that simple too.
Of course, the politics of all this pale in comparison to the raw statistics outlined today. The number of UK deaths rose by 241, the highest daily reported rise since the first wave of the pandemic. Remember the ridicule Patrick Vallance suffered when his chart suggested an unchecked virus would lead to 200 deaths a day by mid-November? We’re in mid-October and we are at 241 a day.
Similarly scary were Jonathan Van Tam’s charts showing rising numbers of hospitalisations of the over-60s, and NHS medical director Stephen Powis saying Liverpool hospitals will on Wednesday have as many Covid patients as they did at the height of the pandemic in April. Manchester hospitals will face the same record numbers in two weeks’ time, Powis added.
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So the need for restrictions is compelling. The problem is that in failing to come up with more money, the Tories risk looking like heartless Thatcherites who loathe the north, rather than a “levelling up” party which has a third of greater Manchester’s MPs and swathes of former Labour heartlands in the north east. Worst of all, fighting the pandemic relies on public consent to all the rules, sacrifice and self-isolation required.
Add on top of that the perception of bullying behaviour you get a toxic mix. Long-time students of Johnson’s conduct will recall him being involved in a plot to dish out a literal – not metaphorical – punishment beating to a journalist who had upset his Eton friend, the fraudster Darius Guppy.