thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Johnson’s PMQs 'Win' Showed Where Starmer Needs To Up His Game

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Labour pains
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden made a little bit of history today. Not with his vague hint of a smattering of cash for a theatre sector facing death row. Nor with his slightly less vague hint that football fans may be able to go to matches in the autumn, relayed in full Roger Nouveau (‘soccerball! It’s amazing!’) tones.
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No, Dowden’s real achievement was that he became the very first cabinet minister in more than three months of 91 separate No.10 press conferences to use the occasion to make a party political attack. Referring to teachers keen to reopen schools, the Tory minister said: “I do think it’s a bit of a shame that their unions and indeed, it appears, the leader of the Labour party is not also providing them with that kind of backing and support.”
Now, of course, Keir Starmer may feel that being attacked by Dowden is not so much like being savaged by a dead sheep as being heckled by a Flowerpot Man. But the reference to school reopenings was part of today’s Downing Street tactic of putting Starmer on the defensive. And as crude and obvious as it was, Boris Johnson deployed the attack line to good effect in PMQs, repeatedly ridiculing the “wibble, wobble” of his opponent.
Starmer had asked perfectly valid questions highlighting the PM’s ignorance of child poverty reports, council cash squeezes and the NHS surcharge for migrant staff. But the raw politics of Johnson’s repeated demand - ‘let him say schools are safe to go back to’ - did expose an ambivalence and lack of clarity in Labour’s stance to date.
Starmer seemed strangely leaden-footed in response. He could have swiftly pointed out that of course he thinks schools are safe because his own children have been attending (he’s cited them before). He could have pointed out that class sizes had got bigger under the Tories (Labour’s manifesto pledged a cap), while private schools were well used to groups of 15.
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Most of all, he could have said that it was Johnson’s government that had promised a great return for all primary pupils, only to come up against the hard reality of logistical problems (lack of space, lack of teachers) forced by its own medical advice on social distancing.
Some 30 minutes later, Starmer’s spokesman came up with the counterattack his boss had failed to land: “Ultimately it was Gavin Williamson who said on June 9 we are not able to welcome all pupils. The government has a majority of 80. And it should be doing everything it can to reopen schools as soon as possible.”
With Royal College of Paediatrics another group today warning against continued school closures (which “risks scarring the life chances of a generation of young people”), the failure to manage the issue does indeed ‘ultimately’ rest with the government. Yet Starmer and Labour have so far not set out their own rescue plan or creative ideas, beyond saying there should be a taskforce of all parties involved.
The extremely low risk to children from Covid may at some point be fully acknowledged in government policy, as abandoning social distancing (as Nicola Sturgeon has now suggested) is the only way to truly get schools fully functioning. Some secondary pupils returned this week, but with just two year groups seeing one day of classroom time a week, and only then in core subjects, the digital divide is a running sore that festers with each day.
The danger is that for all Starmer’s ‘constructive opposition’, Labour will look like it is just waiting for the government to fail (and some of its members and MPs like that idea). On Brexit, a similar suspicion arises. Starmer has refused to say if he would prefer an extension to no-deal, and his spokesman repeated the new mantra today on this point, saying: “The government has a majority of 80.” If the UK does end the year without a deal, or with a bare bones one, Labour will have to clearly say what its alternative would be.
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Still, if Labour’s big risk is timidity, the government’s is complacency. And Oliver Dowden underlined it today. When asked some powerful questions by the Hull Daily Mail about parents on the breadline, the minister robotically read out the statistics of government help given to the city. As well as 4,000 firms helped with grants and 6,000 self-employed supported, a whopping 31,900 people were benefitting from the Treasury’s job retention scheme.
But the sheer size of that number of people furloughed should chill the bones of every Tory MP, precisely because many of them may well be a redundancy-in-waiting, not a redundancy avoided. A new survey of 500 business leaders today found 51% of them would let furloughed staff go once the scheme stops.
One of the most important datasets of recent weeks was last week’s list of every single UK constituency with furloughed workers. Almost all of the 650 MPs in the UK have more than 10,000 constituents who have been furloughed. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that is larger than many MPs’ majorities, especially when their families are counted.
And yet, as well as their boss’s first PMQs victory over Starmer, Tory MPs will also be buoyed tonight by the latest YouGov poll showing that the economy is back at the top of the public’s concerns. Six in ten (61%) now say it is the most important issue facing the country, ahead of healthcare (60%) and Brexit (45%).
And guess what? Some 41% of Britons think a Conservative government led by Johnson would be better at managing the economy, compared to just 21% who would prefer Starmer’s Labour. This is despite Starmer being seen as more competent than the PM. It’s perfectly possible the Tories could weather the Covid jobs storm by saying ‘this is a global crisis, but it would be even worse if you trust Labour with the economy’.
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Starmer knows it will be a long haul to turn those figures round. Some of his new shadow team have got the party talking again about entrepreneurship, aspiration and wealth creation, but the lingering Corbynite orthodoxy among some still seems to be that profit is a dirty word.
Offering a borrowing-fuelled emergency state subsidy of jobs is one thing, a lasting respect for your party’s economic credibility post-Covid is another. Unless Labour can persuade small business owners (and their staff) that the party is ‘for people like me’ (as it did under Blair), it may get no further than base camp on the electoral Everest of 2024.
Quote Of The Day
“I think the people of this country are heartily sick of going on about Brexit ... we got it done.”
Boris Johnson to Lib Dem acting leader Ed Davey
Wednesday Cheat Sheet
The NHS test and trace app may not be ready by the winter and “isn’t a priority for us,” health minister Lord Bethell told a Commons select committee. Ministers hope for improved contact tracing stats tomorrow.
Football fans could be allowed to return to stadiums to cheer on their team by autumn, Oliver Dowden suggested.
Marcus Rashford warned the government that his school meals campaign was not “the end of it because there are more steps that need to be taken”. Ministers had “bought an extra six weeks” to “figure out what’s next” on child poverty.
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Painting a Union Jack on Boris Johnson’s RAF Voyager plane will cost the taxpayer at least £900,000, No.10 revealed.
Matt Hancock was spotted putting his arm around a fellow MP in the Commons, and later apologised for breaching social distancing rules. “I’m so sorry for a human mistake on my part. Like all of us, I instinctively wanted to reach out to a friend I’d just seen,” he said.
Introducing “no fault” divorce shows Boris Johnson’s government has “lost its moral compass”, Tory MP Christopher Chope has said as he compared new legislation to “how we used to deal with witches”.
What I’m Reading
Tory MPs Will Have To Relearn The Art Of Saying No - ConHome
Incompetence Is Baked Into Johnson’s Government - Rafael Behr
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Cecil Rhodes: Oxford College Governors Vote To Remove Statue

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The governing body of Oxford University’s Oriel College has voted to remove the controversial statue of colonialist Cecil Rhodes.
A statement by Oriel College on Wednesday said its governing body had also voted in favour of launching an independent inquiry into the monument.
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The college said it had “expressed their wish to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes and the King Edward Street Plaque” to the commission.
While the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ campaign to remove the monument was first launched in 2016, there have been renewed calls in recent weeks as the Black Lives Matter movement has gained support in the UK.
Rhodes was a Victorian imperialist regarded as one of the main proponents of white colonial domination.
He was the founder of the southern African colony Rhodesia, modern day Zimbabwe, which was named after him in 1895.
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Carole Souter, the current master of St Cross College and former chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will chair an independent commission into the issue.
In a statement, the governing body said: “The governing body of Oriel College has today voted to launch an independent commission of inquiry into the key issues surrounding the Rhodes statue.
“They also expressed their wish to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes and the King Edward Street Plaque. This is what they intend to convey to the independent commission of inquiry.
“Both of these decisions were reached after a thoughtful period of debate and reflection and with the full awareness of the impact these decisions are likely to have in Britain and around the world.
“The commission will deal with the issue of the Rhodes legacy and how to improve access and attendance of BAME undergraduate, graduate students and faculty, together with a review of how the college’s 21st-century commitment to diversity can sit more easily with its past.
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A statue of Cecil Rhodes, the controversial Victorian imperialist who supported apartheid-style measures in southern Africa, at Oriel College in Oxford. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The group Rhodes Must Fall welcomed the statement but said they demanded a “commitment” to remove the Rhodes statue.
The group said in a statement: “However, we have been down this route before, where Oriel College has committed to taking a certain action, but has not followed through: notably, in 2015, when the college committed to engaging in a six-month-long democratic listening exercise.
“Therefore, while we remain hopeful, our optimism is cautious. While the governing body of Oriel College have ‘expressed their wish’ to take down the statue, we continue to demand their commitment.”
The group added: “Until such time as the Rhodes statue ceases to adorn the facade of Oriel College on Oxford’s High Street, we will continue to galvanise the goodwill and energy seen across the university, particularly among an astonishingly wide variety of academics.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Boris Johnson's £1m Jet Makeover Is A Slap In The Face For The UK's Most Vulnerable

An RAF Voyager used by the Prime Minister and members of the royal family which is to be repainted in the colours of the Union flag. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Today, in the middle of a pandemic, Downing Street announced it was using just shy of a million pounds worth of taxpayers money.
It wasn’t to help the 100,000 unpaid carers who have been forced to use foodbanks since the pandemic began,
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It wasn’t to bulk buy doses of the drug dexamethasone, which could potentially save the lives of coronavirus patients.
Nor was it to help businesses and industries, which may no longer exist when lockdown is over.
No, instead this government pledged £900,000 of taxpayers’ money to repaint Boris Johnson’s RAF voyager in the Union Flag colours – Red, White, and Blue.
As Foreign Secretary, the PM had questioned why the aircraft had to be grey and had expressed his desire for a Brexit plane.
Perhaps most gratingly of all, the government insisted that the makeover was “value for money for UK taxpayers” — a line which is likely to be a kick in the teeth for those whose lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic, and who are struggling to make ends meet.
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This may also prove a difficult line to justify given the voyager was only revamped in 2016 — less than four years ago — for a whopping £10m.
By giving the official aircraft a makeover it is a move that benefits a tiny handful of the most privileged and influential people in the country (the voyager is also used by the Royal Family) and one that was made without consultation and without a shred of hesitation.
It seems beyond parody then that it was only yesterday morning that the same government rejected extending the school vouchers scheme over the course of the summer ― a move that would literally feed 1.3 million of Britain’s poorest children.
It was only after huge public pressure that Johnson was forced into a U-turn on its decision to provide free school meals over summer after a sustained campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford.
Fears over a Tory rebellion in the Commons, combined with an impassioned three days of sustained campaigning by the 22-year-old Manchester United striker, culminated in the PM finally agreeing to extend free school meal vouchers over the summer.
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When a government has to be persuaded into wanting to feed hungry children by a footballer, yet unthinkingly decorates their private jet, it seems that their priorities are hugely out of touch with ordinary people.
The same sentiment was amply illustrated today during PMQs when SNP leader Ian Blackford asked the Prime Minister whether he would be able to increase child Universal Credit by £20 to help struggling families.
“Boris Johnson continues to misread the public situation even when it is told to him. It shouldn’t take high-profile campaigns from footballers for the government change their mind; they must do better.”
Citing a Save The Children campaign he stated that six in ten families now have to borrow money, with five in ten are falling behind in rent.
The move could help the lives of 8 million children. So could the PM increase the threshold?
The Prime Minister’s response? “This is a government that has done everything we can.”
These words feel increasingly hollow now more than ever.
The Conservatives under Johnson are a government that is unable to properly gauge the public mood, as they themselves would be so unfamiliar with the pertinent issues at hand.
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More than one million people are ineligible for government support including the recently self-employed, freelancers, and those who started a new job before the crisis ― this is an entire cohort of people who have dutifully paid taxes and been left without assistance.
Further, there is a growing anxiety as to whether those on the furlough scheme ― a record 9 million people – will have jobs to return to once the scheme winds down.
None of that begins to cover the widespread grief and bereavement felt by those who have lost loved ones during the pandemic which has tragically seen 42, 000 deaths.
For that reason it seems bizarre, and slightly tone-deaf, to decide that now is the time to lavish just shy of a million pounds on a bright British jet ― firstly, where can he even go?
On the same day, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced he is taking a pay cut of 10% – £15, 300 – over fears that public service funding is facing a blackhole of almost £500 million.
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That is the mayor’s personal decision as he is aware of the shortage of money and cares enough to try and remedy things before they come to tipping point.
We are in the midst of a global pandemic with 2.8 million people unemployed - the use of taxpayer money for something so ludicrously unnecessary at a time when several are unable to claim valid compensation is shameful.
The Prime Minister and government continue to misread the public situation even when it is told to them. It shouldn’t have to take high-profile campaigns to make them change their mind; they must do better.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Marcus Rashford: The Footballer Using His Platform For Change

Marcus Rashford: The Footballer Using His Platform For Change
Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford has hit the headlines, campaigning until the government made a U-turn on their decision to not extend free school meals into the summer. The Premier League striker took up the campaign following his own experiences of being a recipient when he was young. The campaign continues the 22-year-old’s community efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, as he’s raised money for charities and given his support to help the homeless in Manchester.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Coronavirus Contact Tracing App May Not Be Ready Until Winter, Minister Admits

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The government’s coronavirus contact tracing app may not be ready until winter, a health minister has said.
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Lord Bethell said the app, which has been beset by delays, was no longer a “priority” as people prefer human contact tracing through call centres.
HuffPost UK first revealed delays in the launch of the app last month.
Since then the government has pushed ahead with recruiting tens of thousands of human contact tracers, but even that programme will not be fully operational until the end of June.
Tracing people infected with coronavirus and their close contacts and asking them to self-isolate is seen as the key in successfully ending the lockdown while maintaining control of the virus.
But Lord Bethell said the app, piloted on the Isle of Wight to great fanfare from the government, was no longer a key part of the government’s contact tracing scheme.
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He told the Commons science and technology committee: “We’re seeking to get something going before the winter, but it isn’t the priority for us at the moment.”
He added that the government was not feeling great time pressure over the app, and it did not want to “poison the pool” by rushing something out that isn’t “quite right”.
WATCH Health minister Lord Bethell on tracing app
** Apps can be intimidating for users, in a way call centres are not
** Apps around the world inc France, Singapore and Norway proved challenging
** App “isn’t the priority for us” and will be ready “for the winter”
👀 pic.twitter.com/REp3i4nQj6 — Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) June 17, 2020
Under the new NHS Test and Trace system, individuals will be one phone call away from being told to self-isolate for up to a fortnight if a new army of 25,000 tracers identify them as having had “close contact” with others who have tested positive for the virus.
The programme defines “close contact” as being within two metres of someone for more than 15 minutes without any protection such as a plastic screen or protective equipment.
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NHS contact tracers or local public health teams will ask anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 to share details of the people they have been in close contact with and places they have visited.
The “detective” team then emails or texts those close contacts, telling them they must stay at home for 14 days even if they have no symptoms, to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--‘G-A-Y means God accepts you’: Reverend Jide Macaulay On Faith And Sexuality

‘G-A-Y means God accepts you’: Reverend Jide Macaulay On Faith And Sexuality
Reverend Jide Macaulay talks about reconciling his sexuality with his faith and practice. Macaulay, who is a theologian, HIV+ Activist and member of the clergy says he initially found it challenging to find his place as a a gay, Black and African man of faith. So, he founded House Of Rainbow (HOR), which works with LGBTQ and BAME people of faith, as well as their allies, creating safe spaces around the world. HOR also helps with asylum seekers, sexual health, counselling and pastoral care.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Boris Johnson 'Waffling On' About Australian Biscuits And Vegemite Sparks Strong Reactions

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Boris Johnson who, just to remind you, is the designated leader of this fair country, has posted a video on Twitter in which he waves an actual packet of biscuits at the camera while grinning like a small child who has just found said packet of biscuits.
The slightly bizarre performance, posted on Wednesday, was part of the pitch for a beneficial trade deal between the UK and Australia and New Zealand, something he said would bring the countries “closer together than ever before”.
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Geographical pedantry aside, the PM made a dramatic point of vaunting a number of things that make up an absolutely tiny amount of the UK economy.
He said: “Think of the potential which we have. I want a world in which we send you Marmite, you send us Vegemite.
“We send you Penguins and you send us, with reduced tariffs, these wonderful Arnott’s Tim Tams.
“How long can the British people be deprived of the opportunity to have Arnott’s Tim Tams at a reasonable price?”
The clip, posted at a time when crunch Brexit talks with the UK’s largest trading partner, the EU, are getting absolutely nowhere, raised more than a few eyebrows on social media.
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I don't want to alarm anybody but the man charged with getting us out of the worst recession in centuries is currently using his office to flog the chocolate malty flavour of Arnott's Tim Tams pic.twitter.com/vyw9y3cabB — James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 17, 2020
I genuinely - GENUINELY - thought these stills were photoshopped spoofs designed to ridicule this gibbering, superficial twat.
Turns out they’re real. They’re actually fucking real.
Fucking Tim Tams. Jesus Christ. We are so fucking fucked. pic.twitter.com/RJs1cB3thB — 🏳🌈 Max 🏳🌈 (@SpillerOfTea) June 17, 2020
We are months from crashing out of the largest trading block in the world and our lying joke of a Prime Minister waffles on about boomerangs and Tim Tams. https://t.co/SxuFEpkZyY — Siobhan Benita (@SiobhanBenita) June 17, 2020
Seriously? Wine, boomerangs, Penguins, Marmite, Vegemite and Arnott’s Tim Tams?
Well, that should add about ... {checks notes} .... 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000027% to our GDP
Well worth breaking European trade for. 👌pic.twitter.com/ksIGEWFeMk — Dr Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) June 17, 2020
The PM later also released a special New Zealand edition in which he, inevitably, mentions “orcs and hobbits”.
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I’m proud to call the United Kingdom a friend of New Zealand, and am thrilled that we now have the opportunity to strengthen our alliance by negotiating a new free trade agreement. 🇬🇧🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/OVMilbAq4G — Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) June 17, 2020
There was at least an attempt at serious diplomacy behind the videos – the government hopes trade agreements with the two Commonwealth countries will aid the coronavirus recovery by opening up new markets for businesses and creating jobs.
Johnson’s comments came after International Trade Secretary Liz Truss published the UK’s negotiating objectives with Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday.
But enough of the boring details, here are some more amusing tweets.
Tim Tams | Houston we have an idiot. pic.twitter.com/vdKPV77nNx — Britgirl Hates Bozo and Brexit (@MarieAnnUK) June 17, 2020
This is not satire. This is our PM brandishing a bag of Tim Tams and talking about sending boomerangs to Australia. pic.twitter.com/Bj6wDDYcX0 — Katy (@KatyJane_101) June 17, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Tory MP Christopher Chope Suggests No-Fault Divorce Is Immoral

Tory MP Christopher Chope Christopher Chope
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Introducing “no fault” divorce shows Boris Johnson’s government has “lost its moral compass”, Tory MP Christopher Chope has said as he compared new legislation to “how we used to deal with witches”.
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A majority of MPs have already backed a bill that would remove the need for one party to allege adultery, unreasonable behaviour or desertion to get a divorce.
Couples will also be allowed to jointly apply for a divorce where the decision to separate is a mutual one.
Justice secretary Robert Buckland said the move will take the pain out of the legal process by removing blame.
But a small number of right-wing MPs still oppose the move, saying the bill “undermines marriage”.
Chope has spoken out in the Commons, comparing the Tory government to “cultural Marxists” because of the move.
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He has previously faced calls to be kicked out of the Conservative Party after halting a backbenchers’ bill to make upskirting a criminal offence and blocked a planned law protecting children from female genital mutilation.
The former minister told the Commons: “If any more evidence was needed that our government has lost its moral compass, I think this bill provides that evidence.”
He said the bill enables irretrievable breakdown of a marriage to be proved by “mere assertion” without the need for any evidence, adding: “Reliance on mere assertion was how we used to deal with witches and it’s still a favourite tool of dictators, such as Putin and Erdogan who govern by decree.
“I didn’t think we were going to venture down that route in this parliament under a Conservative government.”
He went on to speculate that many divorcees on their own during the Covid-19 lockdown may “desperately wish” they were still married.
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He added: “The government almost seems to be venturing down the same route as those who support cultural Marxism. Is this government inadvertently a collaborator with cultural Marxism in seeking to undermine nuclear families?”
Buckland has said of the bill at a previous session: “No one sets out thinking that their marriage is going to end, no one wants their marriage to break down, none of us are therefore indifferent when a couple’s lifelong commitment has sadly deteriorated.
“It is a very sad circumstance but the law, I believe, should reduce conflict when it arises.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Football Fans Could Return To Stadiums By Autumn, Says Culture Secretary

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Football fans could be allowed to return to stadiums to cheer on their team by autumn, the culture secretary has suggested.
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Oliver Dowden said there had been “productive discussions” on how to get fans back into football grounds in time for next season.
Matchday revenue from ticket sales is crucial to the survival of most of the 72 clubs outside the big money 20-team Premier League, which resumes on Wednesday evening following a three-month enforced break due to coronavirus.
The Championship, the league below the Premier League, will also resume at the weekend but the seasons in League One and League Two have been curtailed, leading to concerns about the financial viability of clubs lower down the football pyramid.
Dowden said getting the top two leagues up and running would mean hundreds of millions of pounds of broadcasting revenue flowing into the game, which could be redistributed down the football pyramid to help lower league clubs.
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And he suggested that the next two stages in the return to football action after the lockdown would first see international games staged, and then the potential return of fans to stadiums.
“Just today we have had very productive discussions about this, I would really hope that by the return of the new season we might be in a position whereby some fans can start to return to stadiums and I know that would be another important part of restoring the financial position of clubs,” he said.
PA
Dowden indicated that fans could return to stadiums before audiences would be allowed back into theatres.
“I understand the need for all of these venues to return with people in them and, indeed, eventually without social distancing,” he said.
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“But that can only be done if the public health allows it to happen.
“I think you see different scenarios – in relation to stadiums where people are outside and they are much bigger and there is more scope for social distancing, it may be that you could do that sooner.
“I know particularly with the performing arts and theatres, when you are doing that in a confined space there are greater risks there.”
He conceded it would be “challenging” and “exceptionally difficult” to get theatres in particular to reopen with social distancing by July 4, also noting they operate on “wafer-thin” profit margins that demand big audiences.
“We do need greater flexibility to overcome some of the very specific and practical obstacles to the return of live performance.
“So that’s why over the next week we will be convening experts in a targeted way, bringing together our leading performers in theatres, choirs and orchestras with medical experts and advisers.
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“And the idea is that they will work together in detail to develop that roadmap which is so badly needed to performing safely - with a particular focus on piloting innovative ideas that may permit live performances.”
Dowden meanwhile urged football fans to stay away from stadiums for now, amid concerns that supporters of clubs chasing honours congregate to celebrate victory.
He said: “To keep the home advantage, support from home.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Match Of The Day Recruits Viral Weather Forecaster For Special Rendition Of Famous Theme

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Remember way back at the start of lockdown when everyone became a bit obsessed with remixes of the BBC News theme after a weather presenter did a drum solo to it?
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Well now BBC North West’s Owain Wyn Evans has done it again – this time with the Match Of The Day theme.
The weather presenter teamed up with BBC News’ Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg for a special version of the famous footy tune to celebrate the game’s return.
In an unexpected but fabulous turn of events... I’ve been celebrating the return of football with @BBCSteveR and @BBCMOTD! ⚽ 💅🏻 https://t.co/DbeQDSGSG6 — Owain Wyn Evans (@OwainWynEvans) June 17, 2020
Owain was back behind his drum kit accompanied by Steve on keys for a video shared on Match Of The Day’s social accounts.
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“This is how you celebrate the return of the Premier League!” the caption read.
Owain called it an “unexpected but fabulous turn of events” on Twitter.
Owain became a viral sensation back in April when he posted a video of himself dashing to his drum kit after he finished presenting his forecast from home, so he could play along to the closing music.
He tweeted: “When they said try working from home I didn’t realise they’d expect me to do the music too.”
It wasn’t long before his employers got wind of the video and invited him on the BBC News channel for a special live rendition.
Owain said: “We are all trying to find ways of keeping our spirits up during this difficult time of lockdown, and it is great that this has proved such a hit.
“It started out as a fun idea and has really caught on.
“The tune itself is obviously a bit of a banger anyway, and I knew it would sound brilliant on the drums.”
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Fans have given his version of the Match Of The Day tune the thumbs up too...
Our drumming weatherman, brightening up any day 💜🥁🌤⚡ — Bev Dulson (@Bevster69) June 17, 2020
Love it - fabulous as ever dahling x — Tanya Arnold (@tanyaarnold) June 17, 2020
Absolutely brilliant! So excited to see MCFC in action tonight! — Lindsay Twomlow (@Linzinkenya) June 17, 2020
Love it. What a great start to return of Premier League matches and MOTD. — Sheila Sides (@sheilasides) June 17, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--What Boris Johnson Could Spend £900,000 On Instead Of Painting His Plane

Boris Johnson outside 10 Downing Street (Wiktor Szymanowicz/Barcroft Media via Getty Images) Barcroft Media via Getty Images
It’s no secret that the UK – like many other countries – is in financial hot water thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
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So it may have come as a bit of a shock on Wednesday when it was announced that the government would be using £900,000 of taxpayers’ money to paint Boris Johnson’s military grey RAF VIP plane.
It’s not just any old spruce up – the plane, which is shared by the PM, senior cabinet minsters and the royal family, will be decked out in red, white and blue to represent the Union Jack.
The RAF Voyager, which is being repainted in the colours of the Union flag PA
Johnson has previously questioned why the plane is grey, and said as foreign secretary that he would like to have a “Brexit plane” to help him travel the world and promote the government’s vision of global Britain.
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The PM’s official spokesperson said that “at every stage we have worked to ensure value for money for the UK taxpayer”, arguing that the RAF Voyager was being repainted so it can “better represent the UK around the world with national branding, similar to many other leaders’ planes”.
Here’s what the PM could have chosen to spend the money on instead.
22,500 courses of dexamethasone for coronavirus patients
The steroid drug dexamethasone has proven to be useful in reducing the mortality rate in patients with coronavirus NurPhoto via Getty Images
Meanwhile, a trial also discovered it cuts the risk of death by a fifth for coronavirus patients on oxygen.
The £900,000 of taxpayers’ money to be spent painting Boris Johnson’s plane could pay for 22,500 courses of dexamethasone for coronavirus patients, with researchers suggesting each course costs about £40.
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University tuition for 32 student nurses
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Student nurses currently pay £9,250 a year in tuition fees. The cost of the “Brexit” jet revamp could have paid for 32 undergraduates to complete a three-year nursing degree and join the NHS.
Wages for 360 furloughed workers
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As of the start of June, around 8.7m UK workers had been furloughed during the coronavirus pandemic.
With the government paying furloughed workers 80% of their salary, up to £2,500 a month, £900,000 could have been used to pay the wages of at least 360 furloughed staff – likely more if they weren’t all earning £37,500 a year (which is what £2,500 a month is 80% of).
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A week of free school meals for 60,000 children
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Under the current scheme, families who are eligible for free school meals receive £15 in food vouchers a week for each child.
Rather than spending £900,000 on painting a plane, the government could have funded a week of free school meals for 60,000 children.
On Tuesday, a campaign led by footballer Marcus Rashford prompted a U-turn by the government over free school meals during the summer holidays.
Ministers had previously said they would not fund the scheme during the six-week break from school.
But Downing Street has now announced a one-off £120m fund which will benefit some 1.3m children in England all summer.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Watch Live: Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden Gives Latest Coronavirus Update

Watch Live: Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden Gives Latest Coronavirus Update
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden leads the daily Downing Street briefing. It comes as Premier League matches return tonight for the first time since March lockdown.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Coronavirus: Why The World Is More Worried Than Ever About A Second Wave

Across Europe and much of the United States, the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions has provided a sense that the immediate health crisis has passed.
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France has won its “first victory” against the coronavirus, President Emmanuel Macron declared on Sunday, and Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that the country had “turned the tide.”
In New York, throngs of people congregated outside bars over the weekend, enjoying drinks, sunshine and the company of friends.
Even as people begin to celebrate a return to normalcy, however, recent days have produced troubling reminders that the pandemic is not yet over, and that even if daily cases fall to zero, the virus can return at a moment’s notice.
In China, an outbreak of coronavirus infections linked to a major Beijing food market has sparked fears of a second wave of Covid-19. More than 100 cases have been identified over the past week, and the city has implemented harsh restrictions, closing schools and locking down residential neighbourhoods in an attempt to contain the spread.
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The two airports in Beijing have canceled more than 1,000 flights following the outbreak, and the city urged its 21 million residents to avoid nonessential travel outside the city.
Last week, New Zealand fully lifted its lockdown restrictions, save for border controls, after health officials declared the country to be virus-free – one of the first countries in the world to eliminate Covid-19 and return to pre-pandemic conditions.
The celebrations have proven to be short-lived, however.
Workers disinfect the Yuegezhuang wholesale market in Beijing on June 16, 2020, following a coronavirus outbreak. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
On Tuesday, New Zealand announced that two women who flew from London to see a dying parent were released from quarantine early and subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus — a breach of the quarantine protocol that has forced health officials to track down hundreds of people the women may have come into contact with and test them for the virus.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern branded the incident an “unacceptable failure,” and the country’s military is now stepping in to oversee the quarantine process.
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In the United States, Texas, Arizona and Florida all reported their highest daily increases in new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. All three states were quick to lift stay-at-home orders meant to stop the spread of infections.
The figures come amid ongoing efforts by President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders to downplay the ongoing spread of the virus. At least 21 states have seen rates of new cases increase over the last two weeks as a majority of the country reopens.
Vice President Mike Pence painted a rosy – and misleading – portrait of the US government’s response to the coronavirus in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal, in which he praised all 50 states for beginning to reopen in a “safe and responsible manner.”
But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggested that isn’t the case during an interview with NPR on Tuesday.
“There certainly were states that did not strictly follow the guidelines that we put out about opening America again,” Fauci said. “There were rather well-delineated gateway criteria followed by Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3.”
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He added: “Clearly there were states that – left to their own decision about that – went ahead and opened to a varying degree ... certainly before they got to the benchmarks that they needed to get.”
People drink outdoors at bars and restaurants in the Hells Kitchen neighborhood of New York on June 7, 2020. BRYAN R. SMITH via Getty Images
Other leading health officials around the world have similarly warned that coronavirus infections could spike quickly as lockdown restrictions are lifted and people become less vigilant.
“More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters last week.
Indeed, as the number of coronavirus cases approaches 8 million, it’s clear that the pandemic is “far from over,” the WHO leader said.
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“Oh my goodness. Where is it going to end? We’re still at the beginning of really understanding,” Fauci told a conference last week. In a span of just four months, the virus “has devastated the whole world,” he said. “And it isn’t over yet.”
Officials are particularly worried that lifting lockdown restrictions too quickly, before a robust testing and contact tracing system is in place, could be a recipe for disaster.
Hans Kluge, the WHO’s director for Europe, told The Guardian this week that the UK remained in a “very active phase of the pandemic,” and that restrictions should not be eased further until the country’s contact tracing system improves.
“Contact tracing is key especially as the UK starts to relax the social and physical distancing measures,” Kluge said. “There has to be a robust track-and-trace system in place of operation.”
The recent outbreaks should act as a warning to world leaders and the general public that, without a vaccine, life may never truly go back to normal, and the way forward will require everyone to follow a new path between total lockdown and complete freedom.
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Fernando Simón, director of the Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies at Spain’s Ministry of Health, warned this week that coronavirus infections could spike rapidly if citizens let their guard down.
“If we relax more than we should, there could be a relatively rapid resurgence, which could be aggravated by the arrival of tourists,” Simón warned, according to HuffPost Spain.
“This could happen, we don’t know if it will happen or not. We cannot rule out that at any given moment there is excessive relaxation. It is a bit in everyone’s hands that this does not happen during the summer, but we cannot rule it out.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Kate Middleton On Kindness: 'We Mustn't Forget To Nurture Ourselves'

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The Duchess of Cambridge is set to address schoolchildren across the nation in an online assembly on Thursday, with a message focused on mental wellbeing and kindness.
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Kate will deliver her words of support to the Oak National Academy – an online classroom providing video lessons and free resources to parents and teachers.
In the pre-recorded message, the duchess will say: “Talking to someone, whether it’s a friend, family member or teacher, is something you can do to make yourself feel that little bit better.
“And you can also play your part in helping others to feel better too, whether offering a friendly ear or helping someone in need.
“Small acts of kindness can go such a long way. But, as we help others, we mustn’t forget to nurture ourselves, by taking the time to focus on the things that make us feel happy too.”
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Kensington Palace via Getty Images
The online classroom was created in response to the coronavirus lockdown and supports teachers educating their pupils remotely. Since its launch, it has delivered more than 12 million lessons to children and young people.
The Oak National Academy is part of the Reach Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by philanthropists Mark and Wendy Wilson to help children in need. The online resource describes itself as a community of school leaders, teachers and supporting team members.
Every Thursday morning it hosts assemblies for students across the UK, allowing them to experience the normal routine of a school environment.
Oak National Academy principal Matt Hood said: “We’re thrilled that the Duchess of Cambridge was able to lead this week’s assembly on acts of kindness. Being kind and considerate is a vital lesson for children at any time, but especially so in the current pandemic.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Uncle Ben’s ‘Evolving’ Its Brand Identity After Aunt Jemima Name Change

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Rice brand Uncle Ben’s is “evolving” its visual identity in an effort to address racial bias and injustices, parent company Mars, Incorporated said Wednesday.
“As a global brand, we know we have a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices,” a Mars spokesperson said in a statement to HuffPost.
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The statement continued: “As we listen to the voices of consumers, especially in the Black community, and to the voices of our Associates worldwide, we recognise that one way we can do this is by evolving the Uncle Ben’s brand, including its visual brand identity.”
The exact changes and timing are still being decided, but “all possibilities” are being evaluated, the spokesperson said.
Uncle Ben’s logo features an illustration of a Black man, whose clothing has changed over time from a bowtie to a white collar. The character first appeared in ads in 1946 and has long been criticised as racist.
Roberto Machado Noa via Getty Images Uncle Ben's is "evolving" its visual brand identity, parent company Mars, Incorporated said Wednesday.
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The name “Uncle Ben” appears to reflect how “white Southerners once used ‘uncle’ and ‘aunt’ as honourifics for older [Black people] because they refused to say ‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.,’” according to The New York Times.
The name and logo were inspired by two different Black men, according to the Mars spokesperson.
“The name comes from a Black Texan farmer, known as Uncle Ben, who was known for growing high-quality rice,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The gentleman on our boxes, who has come to personify the brand, was a beloved Chicago chef and waiter named Frank Brown.”
“Since then we have evolved and modernised the iconic logo,” the statement continued. “Now as we continue to listen [to] people from around the world, look inward and continue to educate ourselves on how the elements of the brand are perceived, we recognise it is time for us to evolve, which we will do.”
Aunt Jemima, a pancake syrup and mix brand, announced earlier Wednesday that it will retire its name and logo after acknowledging it’s based on “a racial stereotype.”
The brands’ promised changes come as the country reckons with systemic racism following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. Twitter users criticised Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s on Tuesday, calling out the brands for their demeaning, racist roots.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Boris Johnson In Minor Car Crash As Protester Targets PM's Convoy

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Boris Johnson’s car was left with a huge dent after being hit by a police car in Westminster on Wednesday.
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The prime minister’s convoy was targeted by a protester as it left the gates of parliament following PMQs.
Police detain a man after he ran in front of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's car as it left the Houses of Parliament, Westminster. (Photo by Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images) Victoria Jones - PA Images via Getty Images
A No.10 spokesperson said Johnson was in the car at the time but there were “no reports of anybody being injured”.
Johnson’s silver Jaguar was forced to stop, with an escorting vehicle running into the back of it in what appeared to be a minor collision.
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A video taken at the scene showed the PM’s car being hit by a police Range Rover travelling behind it.
The protester, who had been demonstrating about Turkey’s operation against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, was detained after running in front of the PM’s car.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--A Minute Of Kindness: The YouTuber Teaching You How To Do The Simple Things

A Minute Of Kindness: The YouTuber Teaching You How To Do The Simple Things
This dad creates how-to videos on YouTube, teaching everything from how to jumpstart a car to ironing a shirt. Lockdown was the perfect catalyst for Robert to launch his channel showing people basic skills he thinks everyone should know.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Taxpayers Charged Nearly £1m To Repaint Boris Johnson's Plane Red, White And Blue

The RAF Voyager aircraft on the tarmac in Lahore during a royal visit to Pakistan. PA
Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Taxpayers are forking out nearly £1m to give Boris Johnson’s military grey RAF VIP plane a red, white and blue makeover.
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Downing Street confirmed that the “pre-planned” Union flag-inspired repainting will cost “around £900,000”, including the design that promotes the UK without compromising the plane’s military role.
“At every stage we have worked to ensure value for money for the UK taxpayer,” the prime minister’s official spokesperson said.
Johnson has previously questioned why the plane is grey, and said as foreign secretary that he would like to have a “Brexit plane” to help him travel the world and promote the government’s vision of global Britain.
He also complained in 2018 that the jet, which is shared by the prime minister, senior cabinet members and the royal family, “never seems to be available”.
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The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the RAF Voyager was being repainted so it can “better represent the UK around the world with national branding, similar to many other leaders’ planes”.
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Despite the grey camouflage being repainted, the jet will retain its ability to carry out military air-to-air refuelling of other RAF aircraft when it is not being used by the government or the royal family, the spokesperson insisted.
He could not say who came up with the idea of a makeover for the plane but confirmed Johnson “approved the decision”.
The fee “incorporates the cost of creating a design that will promote the UK around the world without compromising the plane’s vital military role”, the spokesperson said.
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The plane is currently being painted in Cambridgeshire. No.10 stressed that all work is happening in the UK and would benefit suppliers in this country.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--UK Records 184 More Coronavirus-Related Deaths In 24 Hours, Bringing Total To 42,153

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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 42,153 – an increase of 184 over 24 hours.
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Since the end of April, the government’s daily announcement has included people in care homes and the community, rather than just in hospital, who have died.
But only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 are included, meaning anyone who died with a suspected case won’t be recorded.
The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Tuesday.
As of 5pm on June 16, the number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 42,153, an increase of 184 over 24 hours. HuffPost UK
It comes after the number of people who have died in hospitals across the UK, as well as care homes in Wales, after contracting the virus rose by 97 in 24 hours.
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That increase consisted of 77 patients in England, nine people in Scotland, one in Northern Ireland and 10 hospital patients and care home residents in Wales.
Meanwhile, as of 9am on Wednesday, 7,121,976 coronavirus tests have been carried out – an increase of 140,359 over 24 hours. A total of 299,251 have come back positive, up by 1,115 in 24 hours.
Information on the number of people tested was again unavailable, but is likely to be significantly lower than the test figure as some people are tested more than once.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--My Pride Anthems: Alma

My Pride Anthems: Alma

The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, and that includes how we’re all celebrating Pride in 2020.
With huge public gatherings out of the question, we’re asking a range of LGBTQ celebrities and allies for their personal Pride anthems, to help us all get into the Pride spirit from lockdown.
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Finnish songwriter and musician Alma is the latest star to share her top musical picks to help us celebrate Pride from our homes in our My Pride Anthems series.
Steve Jennings via Getty Images
Having already written tracks for Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and even Lindsay Lohan, Alma unveiled her much-awaited debut album last month, and is now sharing some of her biggest musical influences and inspirations with us.
She also discusses why Lady Gaga and Beth Ditto are among her most important musical role models, and shares her thoughts on Katy Perry’s breakthrough hit, I Kissed A Girl...
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Lady Gaga – Born This Way
“I think this is the most iconic Pride anthem. I was very young when this came out, but I think I kind of rediscovered it when I first started to go to clubs, when I was about 16. And now, I obviously know all the lyrics because I’ve been screaming that song so much.
“It just feels so good to sing this song, because everyone can relate to those lyrics, you don’t even have to be gay. I feel like everybody feels that in some way they’re different.
“And when I was younger, my English wasn’t that good, but with that song, I knew the message straight away. It was just so clear, ‘baby I was born this way’, I can be whatever I want. Nobody can judge me because of who I am.”
Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend
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“I don’t think Robyn’s songs necessarily have anything to do with being gay, but every time I go to my local gay clubs, Robyn will be playing. All the gay clubs I go to, it doesn’t matter where I am, they play Robyn, and all of her songs are huge for me.
“She always sings about love in a very free way, and her songs, you can cry on the dance floor to them, and I don’t know, I think gays, we’ve all been crying on the dance floor at one point.”
Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl
“There weren’t many Pride anthems when I was growing up, which was kind of a bummer, but obviously one song that was huge was I Kissed A Girl. At that time, I didn’t really understand the lyrics, I think I was just like ‘wow, they’re talking about kissing girls’, and that was cool.
“I think I want to make that song again, I want to make a cover or something. If I were to do that song again, nowadays, I would do away with the boyfriend, and change the story a bit.”
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Gossip – Standing In The Way Of Control
“All of Gossip’s stuff was huge for me and my friends. When I first saw Beth Ditto performing on YouTube, I was just like ‘holy shit, women can perform like that’. I grew up with pop stars looking perfect and dancing on the stage, and when I saw her, sweating her ass off and screaming and being very fucking free on the stage, I fell in love, and it was a huge thing for me.
“I was just like ‘thank god, I can actually be an artist and be like her, I can go and have fun on stage, I don’t have to dance and look a certain way, I can really focus on the moment’.”
Lady Gaga and Beyoncé – Telephone
“I have to pick another Lady Gaga song, because I’ve loved her forever. I love pop music, but Lady Gaga has always been making pop music that’s a little bit weird and something that I’ve never heard before. It’s like a mixture of so many things, and I fell in love with that.
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“And I just love how strong she is, there’ve been so many times when people have tried to take her down, but she’s still here, being herself and being powerful. She’s a huge role model for so many people out there. I just appreciate her in so many different ways.
“Me and my friends used to watch the Telephone music video over and over again. I’ve always loved that Lady Gaga from the start, there’ve always been a lot of gay people and a lot of different-looking people in her music videos. And I’ve always loved that.”
Alma’s debut album Have U Seen Her? is out now. Watch the music video for LA Money below:
We’ll be adding each celebrity’s song choices to our bumper My Pride Anthems playlist each day. Take a listen below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Every Prosecution Under New Coronavirus Act Dropped For Being Unlawful – Again

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Every prosecution brought under the new Coronavirus Act has had to be dropped – for the third month in a row.
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A CPS review of completed prosecutions under the hastily-introduced legislation in England and Wales last month found that all nine prosecutions under the Act had to be dropped.
None of the prosecutions was found to apply to potentially infectious people, which is what the Act covers. It gives officers the power to remove or detain people for screening and assessment if they are suspected to have Covid-19.
Out of 271 charges under the Health Protection Regulations, a separate piece of legislation introduced alongside the Act, a more modest 20 were found to have been unlawful. They included four homeless people who were wrongly prosecuted – for being outside.
The Regulations stipulate that, during the lockdown, “no person may leave the place they were living without reasonable excuse”. Unlike the Act, they give powers to break up gatherings and issue fines.
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A reasonable excuse included the need to obtain basic necessities, like food and medical supplies for your household or “a vulnerable person”. The law does not apply to homeless people and the charges against the four individuals were withdrawn in court.
Two further cases charged in breach of the Regulations were withdrawn from court because Welsh regulations had been used in England, and two were pulled because of a lack of evidence.
Police officers speak to a man as they patrol the beach in Brighton during the lockdown ASSOCIATED PRESS
Though no ethnicity data is yet available from the Ministry of Justice for those who were charged under the new laws, today it was revealed that police enforcing the coronavirus lockdown in England and Wales were more than six times more likely to issue fines to BAME people than white people.
Figures obtained by Liberty Investigates, part of the civil liberties group Liberty, and the Guardian, give a force-by-force breakdown ahead of their official release.
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Asked by HuffPost UK last month how he would reassure BAME communities that the rules were being enforced fairly, health secretary Matt Hancock said only that officers should be free to do their jobs without “fear or favour”.
Gregor McGill, CPS director of legal services, said: “Continued hard work by the police and Crown Prosecution Service has improved the application and enforcement of the rules under the coronavirus legislation.
“Errors have significantly reduced, with all but one of the incorrect charges immediately identified and withdrawn by prosecutors in court.
“The CPS will continue to review all finalised prosecutions where no fixed penalty notice was offered, as well as every case where someone disputes they have breached the Regulations, for as long as these laws remain in place.”
Last month Gill admitted all of the 44 charges made under the Act since March were also incorrect and had to be dropped.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Boris Johnson's DfID Decision Is A Disaster For The World's Poorest People

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Boris Johnson’s decision to abolish the Department for International Development (DfID), and put the Foreign Office in charge of all UK aid is a disaster for taxpayers and for the world’s poorest people. According to all the evidence, this will make UK aid less transparent and less effective.
In fact, this is the worst decision on aid since the Pergau Dam scandal. When overseas development aid was last under the FCO, the government agreed to kick back 20% of all the money Malaysia spent on British arms, and call it aid. The government then wasted £540m (current value) of aid on a hydropower dam, that generated electricity at twice the going price. Senior civil servants tried to stop this. The foreign secretary and prime minister at the time overruled them.
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Putting aid under the control of the Foreign Office is still a bad idea. And the prime minister’s statement did very little to justify it.
The decision was made before rather than after the foreign, defence and development review. It was made without reference to last week’s report from the House of Commons International Development Select Committee which said: “This Committee advocates strongly for the retention of the current standalone Department for international development, with a Cabinet level Minister.”
“We have two separate departments for a reason – because they are good at different things.”
The only argument put forward by the prime minister, is that “we tolerate an inherent risk of our left and right hands working independently.” I used to be the Senior Civil Servant with a focus on aid in 10 Downing Street. I know how frustrated the centre of government can get with having to co-ordinate different departments. But we have them for a reason – because they are good at different things. I also know that DFID officials today work harder than ever, to support government foreign policy in everything they do. So the problem the prime minister is trying to solve has never been smaller.
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“The timing of this decision is shocking. In the middle of a national crisis, the Prime Minister has chosen to spend time, focus and effort on fixing a problem which does not exist.”
The real reason for this change is that the government wants to take aid away from helping the poorest people like those in Zambia and Tanzania. Johnson said so himself: “We give as much aid to Zambia as we do to Ukraine, though the latter is vital for European security. We give ten times as much aid to Tanzania as we do to the six countries of the Western Balkans, who are acutely vulnerable to Russian meddling.”
What the Ukraine and Western Balkans want most from the UK as allies, is not aid, but military support and guarantees, diplomatic support, trade. And that is what the FCO should be allowed to focus on doing. Because that is what it is good at. Not aid.
DFID is consistently rated highly for the quality of its aid spending. Much higher than the FCO. In 2018, DFID ranked third for transparency out 45 global aid donors in the Aid Transparency Index. This Foreign Office was ranked 40th.
The timing of this decision is shocking. In the middle of a national crisis, the Prime Minister has chosen to spend time, focus and effort on fixing a problem which does not exist. And at a time when FCO and DFID officials should be focused on dealing with Covid globally, and other international issues, like Yemen, Syria, and Brexit, they will now also be distracted and waste money on a pointless merger. The prime minister recognised: “Amid the pandemic, the House will ask whether this is the right moment to reorganise Whitehall.” The clear answer is No.
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And it’s not too late for the government to think again.
Postpone this decision and focus on Covid. Allow for a proper consultation. Wait for the final report of the House of Commons International Development Select Committee on the Effectiveness of UK aid. Wait for the final report of the government’s own Integrated Defence, Foreign and Development Policy Review. And then make the right decision.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Scots Who Live Alone Able To Stay Overnight At Another House From Friday, Says Nicola Sturgeon

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People in Scotland who live on their own, or only with children under 18, will be able to form an “extended household group” with one other household from Friday, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
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It means they will be able to meet indoors without the need for physical distancing, as well as stay overnight.
If anyone from the extended group contracts the virus, then the whole group will be required to self-isolate.
Scotland’s first minister made the announcement to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, as she said the country was moving to the second phase of her four-step plan to ease out of lockdown.
Sturgeon also announced face coverings will be mandatory on public transport from Monday.
And she urged Scots to stay within a roughly five-mile radius of their home for recreation, but not for meeting family.
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From Friday, people will be able to meet those in two other households while outside, with no more than eight people gathered at a time.
People will also be able to go inside to use the toilet when meeting in someone else’s garden, the first minister added.
She also confirmed that those who are in the shielding category will be able to go outside for exercise from Friday, as well as be able to meet people from one other household, as was the case for the general public in phase one, so long as social distancing measures are adhered to.
The changes bring the lockdown rules more into line with those in England.
Sturgeon said “unfortunately” she was “not able to give a date” for the reopening of outdoor hospitality including beer gardens.
Speaking to the parliament, Sturgeon warned the virus “has not gone away” and that the reason the virus had been suppressed to its current levels was “because of lockdown”.
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“So as we gradually remove the restrictions that have kept it under control, there is a very real risk that transmission could rise again,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--NHS Test And Trace Fails To Contact A Quarter Of People Who Tested Positive For Coronavirus

The scheme, rolled out last month, is seen as an essential tool in suppressing coronavirus and returning the UK to something approaching normal life.
“Is it completely perfect? No, of course it isn’t. Is there stuff that we all need to do better? Yes there is,” Harding said.
“But I think it’s fit for purpose as we stand today and will get better through the summer.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--If My Grades Were Predicted I Would Never Have Studied At Oxford And Yale

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The idea of students receiving predicted grades in light of the exam cancellations has been thought by many to be problematic, as it is feared that BAME students are more likely to have their grades under-predicted.
My personal career trajectory is reflective of this debate. As a British Muslim woman of Kashmiri heritage, born and raised in one of the most disadvantaged constituencies in the UK, state-educated, and from a working class background, I was told by my sixth form careers advisor I would not be accepted by any university.
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Instead, I went on to secure a place at Magdalen College, Oxford, and continued to study at postgraduate level, completing an MA and a PhD. Along the way, I received a scholarship to Stanford during my undergraduate degree, and completed the final year of my PhD at Yale.
All of this was possible primarily because I refused to believe what teachers predicted for me. My self-belief and awareness of my own potential regardless of whether others saw this or believed in it, was greater than the odds.
Young multi-ethnic female university students writing on papers at desks during exams in community college classroom Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images
For many BAME students and young people, it is this potential and determination to succeed that cannot be captured by a grade prediction. However, a grade prediction can and does hold the power to further structurally limit equality of and access to opportunities, perpetuating a viscous and unbreakable cycle. This cycle is heightened perhaps more than ever before as a result of the exam cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, and thus more BAME students are at greater risk than ever before to be plunged into futures that will be shaped by grade under-predictions. We must get this right, as it is not only about predicting grades, but rather, predicting futures.
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As a result of this, the Equality Act Review, which I founded in 2018, conducted a study exploring concerns around grade predictions in partnership with Afzal Khan MP. The survey was live between April and May 2020 during which time we received over 800 responses. Today we published our findings as a report titled “Predicting Futures: Analysing Students Concerns Amidst Coronavirus Exam Cancellations.” Our study revealed 85% of all respondents were from BAME backgrounds, 80% were concerned about their grades being predicted, and while concerns for bias around BAME identity were at 23%, other forms of bias such as bad behaviour, favouritism, social class, learning style, islamophobia, and mitigating circumstances were highlighted. The current grade predictions system does not account for any of these forms of bias.
In our report we detail both statistical analysis and qualitative extracts from survey respondents. One parent submitted: “My child has lost three members of his family during mock exams. His predicted grades went down. He has only just got started to improve with the help of therapy. Unfortunately, the exam boards don’t see grieving as an excuse.”
Another student, who expressed concerns about islamophobia, wrote: “Teachers know my Muslim name whereas the exams are marked anonymously so I’m being marked for my ability not my religion.”
There was also severe concern for learning style with over half of all concerns (50.9%) relating to the way in which students processed information and prepared for their examinations.
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One parent wrote: “My child was very laid back when he did his mocks in January but when he got the results (which were disappointing) he studied hard from January all the way to the start of the lockdown. I tested him with a past paper and all I can say is he did astonishing. He went from grade 2s to grade 8s. This is why predicting a child using previous work is totally wrong.”
Of respondents who stated mitigating circumstances to be a form of bias, over 50% stated health concerns, and particularly mental health to be a major concern. One student told us: “I’m transgender. I’ve been out to the school for years but some teachers still aren’t very accepting. I’m also worried that I won’t get my fair grade because I’ve suffered mental health issues in the past. The mock exams are helping our teachers with grades but the past two mocks have been after I attempted to take my life. Therefore I didn’t do my best.”
One participant shared with us an email from their school, which said the following: “We have submitted with integrity based on an honest view of what students might have achieved…but the grades are not the grades that we submit and they will not be fair or right in some cases.”
With schools themselves admitting grades will not be fair, a grade prediction then, can and does hold the power to further structurally limit equality of and access to opportunities, perpetuating a viscous and unbreakable cycle. This cycle is heightened perhaps more than ever before as a result the coronavirus pandemic. More BAME students are at greater risk than ever before to be plunged into futures that will be shaped by grade under-predictions. We must get this right, as it is not only about predicting grades, but rather, predicting futures. We must protect the futures of all students and young people, allowing each and every one of them the best start despite the current global pandemic. We owe that to our youth.
In order to protect the futures of our young people, our report makes key recommendations. These include unconscious bias training for teachers, and advise to schools and exam boards on how to account for mitigating circumstances. We suggest sending out a form to all students providing them with the opportunity to declare any such circumstances that negatively impacted them, and to invite all GCSE and A-level students to sit an online test that works out their learning style, and for these scores to be applied to the predicted grades. The report also suggests that a BAME index should be devised and applied to all predicted grades for students from these backgrounds. These measures will go a long way in minimising the risk to the widening attainment gaps that are likely in these unprecedented times.
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Dr Suriyah Bi currently teaches at SOAS University of London and is the founder and CEO of the Equality Act Review.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Dame Vera Lynn Remembered In Tributes Led By Captain Tom Moore And Boris Johnson After Her Death At

Dame Vera Lynn Remembered In Tributes Led By Captain Tom Moore And Boris Johnson After Her Death At 103

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Figures from across the world of entertainment and politics have paid their respects to the singer, who was widely known as the Forces’ Sweetheart, having entertained troops during the Second World War.
Veteran Captain Tom Moore, who raised over £37 million for the NHS with his fundraising efforts earlier this year, helped lead the tributes.
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Dame Vera Lynn pictured in 2007 PA
In a tweet, he said Dame Vera had made a “huge impact on me in Burma and remained important to me throughout my life”.
A message from Tom. ‘A real shame, I really thought Vera Lynn would live longer she’s been speaking so well on TV recently. She had a huge impact on me in Burma and remained important to me throughout my life. My thoughts are with Dame Vera Lynn's family at this sad time’ — Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) June 18, 2020
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Oh no.... what terribly sad news.
Dame Vera Lynn has died, aged 103. A magnificent woman who rallied our country when we most needed it.
The Forces sweetheart.
The Nation's sweetheart.
RIP. pic.twitter.com/cqSCQoLUOU — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 18, 2020
Dame Vera Lynn ❤ pic.twitter.com/Pr4dFX4OA8 — Katherine Jenkins (@KathJenkins) June 18, 2020
Her voice and the hope she spread will never be forgotten but her humour,well, she was adorable.We once sat together at an event and she made me a deal, I’d go up and get the sausage rolls while she watched my handbag ‘as you can never be too careful Myleene’. RIP Dame Vera Lynn — Myleene Klass (@KlassMyleene) June 18, 2020
Sending all my love to the family of Dame Vera Lynn who has sadly passed away - it was such an honour to duet with her - a true legend! #wellmeetagain — Aled Jones (@realaled) June 18, 2020
Rest in peace Dame Vera Lynn. Truly a national treasure, and this is such sad news to hear, especially at this time when her iconic song and spirit touched the nation. It was a real pleasure to sing with her - an honour I will treasure forever. pic.twitter.com/FGxSedkSH5 — Alfie Boe OBE (@AlfieBoe) June 18, 2020
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The bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover and the nightingales in Berkeley Square are singing you to your final rest, Dame Vera – quite a life, sleep well... — Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) June 18, 2020
'She had a natural dignity but she was never too grand. She was a very remarkable human being.'
Dame Vera Lynn, known as the Forces' Sweetheart, has passed away aged 103 and Dame Esther Rantzen shares her memories of the singer.
Read more 👉 https://t.co/t9ISFh586y #ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/GxwNJzpzK9 — This Morning (@thismorning) June 18, 2020
So very upset to hear the sad news of #DameVeraLynn ...The forces’s sweetheart, whose voice raised the moral of our nation’s troops during World War II and beyond. There will definitely be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover today, remembering this great lady. RIP Dame Vera pic.twitter.com/muLRgCG2g6 — Elaine Paige (@elaine_paige) June 18, 2020
Dame Vera Lynn, the Forces’ Sweetheart, has died at the age of 103
A tireless campaigner who helped boost the nation’s morale during the Second World War she was loved by millions
The sad news was confirmed by her family (via @PA)#RIPDameVera #ForcesSweetheart #WellMeetAgain pic.twitter.com/A2I9KJ0uwF — lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) June 18, 2020
I remember my grandparents talking about how much they admired Dame Vera Lynn and a few weeks ago we were talking to people on BBC breakfast who are still inspired by her songs today.
What an impact she had on so many generations... and what a life.#DameVeraLynn pic.twitter.com/WzrCyAISra — Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) June 18, 2020
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The incomparable Dame Vera Lynn has left us. Her talent was so very rare and special, her service to this country an inspiration to us all and we shall never see her like again. Thank you, God bless you and rest in peace #dameveralynn — Michael Ball OBE (@mrmichaelball) June 18, 2020
What a life! What a legacy. RIP Dame Vera — Rhydian Roberts (@RhydianMusic) June 18, 2020
Entertainer Dame Vera Lynn has died at the age of 103, her morale boosting songs were legendary during WW2, a beautiful person who will be sadly missed by all her knew her, sending my deepest condolences to Dame Vera Lynn’s family and friends pic.twitter.com/2oqipyMbHK — 🌈 Angela Rayner 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) June 18, 2020
I was so sad to hear that Dame Vera Lynn had passed away. She was an inspiration, spreading so much joy with her wonderful music. #RIPVeraLynn #wellmeetagain #ForcesSweetheart — Jane McDonald (@TheJaneMcDonald) June 18, 2020
Prime minister Boris Johnson was also among those who shared a tribute on Twitter, saying Dame Vera’s “voice will live on to lift the hearts of generations to come”.
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Dame Vera Lynn’s charm and magical voice entranced and uplifted our country in some of our darkest hours. Her voice will live on to lift the hearts of generations to come. — Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) June 18, 2020
The Royal British Legion called her an “unforgettable British icon, symbol of hope to the Armed Forces Community past and present”.
We are incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Dame Vera Lynn, an unforgettable British icon, symbol of hope to the Armed Forces Community past and present, and much loved longstanding Legion supporter. Our thoughts are with her loved ones. pic.twitter.com/lFrfQPwKbr — Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) June 18, 2020
In a BBC statement, director general Tony Hall said: “What sad news. Not only was she dear to many, she was a symbol of hope during the war and is a part of our national story. She appeared on the BBC many times and had her own variety show in the 1960s and early 70s.
“She demonstrated how music and entertainment can bring joy in the most challenging times. Something that will resonate with many people today. The BBC will be showing a special tribute programme tonight.”
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Dame Vera’s family said in a statement they were “deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers at the age of 103” on Thursday.
They added: “Dame Vera Lynn, who lived in Ditchling, East Sussex, passed away earlier today, 18 June 2020, surrounded by her close family.
“Further information regarding a memorial service will be announced at a later date.”
Dame Vera Lynn and comedian Harry Secombe (right) signing autographs at the tea tables during the Not Forgotten Association annual Christmas party in 1956 PA
Dame Vera was known for songs including The White Cliffs Of Dover, There’ll Always Be An England, I’ll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings, which she sang to help raise British spirits during the Blitz.
She performed for troops on the front-line during the war, often at great personal risk, in countries including Egypt, India and Burma.
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Dame Vera also encouraged the British public to “rediscover that same spirit that saw us through the war” amid the coronavirus pandemic, in a special message before she turned 103 in March.
The Queen recently referenced the title of one of Dame Vera’s most beloved wartime songs when she told the country, separated from families and friends during the coronavirus lockdown: “We will meet again.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--This Disappearing Bathroom On George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces Will Melt Your Mind

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Many of us have decided to finally get round to tackling those DIY jobs we’ve been putting off forever whilst in lockdown. But if you’ve been beaming with pride at your (wonky) shelf, then prepare to have your ego dented a little bit.
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And your mind blown.
The collective jaws of viewers watching George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces hit the floor during Wednesday night’s episode, when one particularly ingenious couple rewrote the DIY rulebook with an incredible space-saving bathroom.
Guy and Tracey tasked themselves with transforming an old bakehouse, which featured lots of tricks, but the pièce de résistance was a bathroom that magically appeared at the pull of a handle in the kitchen.
After watching the video ten times, we’re still trying to figure it all out…
Seeeeee? Nope, us neither. Let’s just call it wizardry (well, there is also a dragon on the couple’s outside wall that breathes fire when you ring the doorbell).
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Still trying to work out how the Bathroom works on #amazingspaces mind blown! pic.twitter.com/IvYeADvDpr — Natalie Ford (@NatalieFord3) June 17, 2020
The bakehouse transformation on @GCAmazingSpaces was absolutely ingenious - that kitchen / bathroom combo was insane!! Oh, and not to mention the fire breathing dragon 🐉 🔥 #AmazingSpaces pic.twitter.com/pjlAukXOj2 — Simon Gabbitas (@SimonGabbitas) June 17, 2020
#amazingspaces WOW! That tiny cottage was THE best amazing space. What an incredible engineering mind that guy has 👏👏👏 — 🏉Annette🐕 (@anitawils151) June 17, 2020
Host and architect George was equally impressed, telling the couple: “I’ve been lucky enough to see some staggeringly brilliant things on Amazing Spaces.
“This would be in my top five. It would even be in my top three.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Deaths In Police Custody: Why Has No Police Officer Been Convicted?

Deaths In Police Custody: Why Has No Police Officer Been Convicted?
The treatment of people in police custody has come under intense scrutiny since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis – and not just in the US. More than 1740 people have died in custody or following police contact in England & Wales since 1990 – with recent figures showing Black people twice as likely to die than white people. Questions have also been raised about how accountable the police are for deaths of people under their watch. There has been no successful murder or manslaughter prosecution against a police officer. Here, we speak to civil liberties lawyer Leslie Thomas and political scientist Dr Floyd Millen.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Pub Chain Greene King And Lloyd's Of London To Pay Reparations Over Links To Slave Trade

A view of Abbot House, the headquarters of pub and brewing company Greene King, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. PA
Two of Britain’s largest companies have apologised for their historic links to the slave trade – and have vowed to pay money to charities benefiting Black and minority ethnic communities.
Insurance giant Lloyd’s of London and pub chain Greene King said they will devote large sums to projects after they were named in a database of companies connected to slavery compiled by University College London.
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Greene King was founded in 1799 by Benjamin Greene, who became one of 47,000 people who benefited from compensation paid to slave owners when slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833.
Greene surrendered rights to three plantations in the West Indies in return for what amounts to £500,000 in today’s money.
Green King’s past connections to slavery were not previously mentioned on the company’s website.
However, following an update on Thursday, the history section of the website now reads: “Benjamin Greene handed over the Greene’s Brewery to his son Edward in 1836.
“After founding the brewery, Benjamin went on to own cane sugar plantations in the West Indies where he was a slave owner.”
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It adds: “Even in the 1800s, his views on slavery were extremely unpopular and in the brewery’s home of Bury St Edmunds he wrote columns in his own newspaper that were critical of those campaigning for the abolition of slavery.”
The company’s chief executive Nick Mackenzie told the Telegraph, who first reported the story: “It is inexcusable that one of our founders profited from slavery and argued against its abolition in the 1800s.
“We don’t have all the answers, so that is why we are taking time to listen and learn from all the voices, including our team members and charity partners, as we strengthen our diversity and inclusion work.”
Mackenzie said Greene King would make a “substantial investment” to benefit Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and work to support its own race diversity.
With regard to Lloyd’s, the database shows that Simon Fraser, a founder subscriber member, was given £400,000 in today’s money to give up an estate in Dominica.
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A Lloyd’s spokesperson told the Telegraph: “We are sorry for the role played by the Lloyd’s market in the 18th and 19th century slave trade.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Susan Boyle Makes Her TikTok Debut, And It's A Thing Of Complete Joy

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Susan Boyle has hopped aboard the TikTok train, and her all-dancing debut is a thing of absolute joy.
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Now, she’s making people smile on TikTok, taking part in the Laxed (Siren Beat) challenge with two (socially-distanced, don’t worry) pals.
And the results – as seen on TikTok user GezRae’s account – are all kinds of fabulous...
Of course, anyone who’s followed Susan’s career will know she’s not averse to busting a few moves, including during her show-stopping BGT audition, that got the whole world talking.
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Back in February, Susan even commented that she’d be up for appearing on Strictly Come Dancing if she were to be approached, telling the Scottish Sun: “Someone suggested I would be good on Strictly Come Dancing. Yeah, I would like that. I’ve got some moves. I’ve been taking dance lessons.”
Susan Boyle Andrew Milligan - PA Images via Getty Images
Last year, the I Dreamed A Dream singer marked the 10th anniversary of her BGT debut with the release of a greatest hits album, Ten, which included a new duet with Michael Ball.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Parents Of Emily Jones Plead With Far-Right To Stop Using Her Photo At Protests

The parents of a seven-year-old girl who was fatally stabbed in a Greater Manchester park have urged far-right protesters to stop using her photo at protests.
Schoolgirl Emily Jones was attacked by a woman while she was in Queen’s Park, Bolton, with her parents on the afternoon of Sunday March 22.
Her picture, released by the family in a tribute to her, is now being used by those opposing Black Lives Matter protests.
Hope Not Hate warned in an article published to their site on June 3 that pictures of white victims including Emily, Lee Rigby and Charlene Downes had been released by Britain First, overlaid with the text “White Lives Matter.”
In a statement released by Greater Manchester Police on Wednesday, her parents Sarah and Mark said: “We are aware that many people are using the picture we released of our daughter Emily, when we publicly paid tribute to her following the worst day of our lives, as part of recent protests and campaigns.
“Today we kindly ask the public to stop using the picture of our Emily from one of her days at school.
“We hold this picture dear to our hearts and to see it being used in this way is incredibly upsetting – Emily loved everything and everyone, regardless of their race, gender or beliefs.
“As we’ve said before, she was beautiful inside and out and had a heart as big as her smile.
“We can’t thank people enough for the support we have received as we continue to live through the nightmare that is life without Emily, but we’re still grieving over the loss of our beautiful daughter and seeing her picture being used as part of recent protests is causing us huge distress.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Dominic Raab Thinks Taking A Knee Is 'From Game Of Thrones'

“I only take the knee for two people: the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me.
“I’ve got to say on this taking the knee thing, maybe it’s got a broader history, it seems to be taken from Game of Thrones.
“It feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination rather than a symbol of liberation and emancipation.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Dame Vera Lynn Dies, Aged 103

Dame Vera Lynn Dies, Aged 103

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Dame Vera Lynn has died at 103, her family have said.
The singer was widely known as the Forces’ Sweetheart having entertained troops with morale-boosting visits to the front line during the Second World War.
Dame Vera’s family said they were “deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers” in a statement on Thursday.
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Dame Vera Lynn Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock
They added: “Dame Vera Lynn, who lived in Ditchling, East Sussex, passed away earlier today, 18 June 2020, surrounded by her close family.”
The family also said further information regarding a memorial service “will be announced at a later date”.
Dame Vera was born in East Ham, east London, on 20 March 1917.
She performed for troops during the war, often at great personal risk, in countries including Egypt, India and Burma.
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Dame Vera pictured in 1956 PA
Her most famous song was We’ll Meet Again, but she also had hits with The White Cliffs Of Dover, There’ll Always Be An England, I’ll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings, which she sang to help raise British spirits during the Blitz.
Dame Vera later had her own TV show and toured the world performing.
In May this year, she became the oldest artist to score a top 40 album in the UK, when her greatest hits album 100 re-entered the chart at number 30, boosted by commemorations for the 75th anniversary of VE day.
She remained an outspoken supporter of military veterans throughout her life.
Dame Vera was an outspoken supporter of military veterans throughout her life PA
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In May, she urged the nation to “remember the brave boys and what they sacrificed for us”.
She added: “They left their families and homes to fight for our freedom and many lost their lives trying to protect us and our liberties.”
Dame Vera pictured with the Queen in 1992 PA
She also encouraged the British public to “rediscover that same spirit that saw us through the war” amid the coronavirus pandemic, in a special message before she turned 103 in March.
The Queen also referenced the title of Dame Vera’s most beloved wartime song when she told the country, separated from families and friends during the coronavirus lockdown: “We will meet again.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--Kristen Stewart To Play Princess Diana In New Biopic

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Kristen Stewart will play Princess Diana in Spencer, an upcoming biopic set to begin production early next year.
Spencer will be set over a three-day period in the early 1990s when the Princess of Wales realised her marriage to Prince Charles wasn’t working, Deadline has reported.
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The royal couple separated in 1992, eventually getting divorced in 1996. Diana died one year later in a car crash in Paris.
Although Kristen is American, filmmaker Pablo Larraín – who directed Natalie Portman in Jackie – thinks the former Twilight star has the qualities necessary to play one of the most famous women of the last 50 years.
Kristen Stewart Axelle/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images
“To do this well, you need something very important in film, which is mystery,” he told Deadline. “Kristen can be many things, and she can be very mysterious and very fragile and ultimately very strong as well, which is what we need.
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“The combination of those elements made me think of her. The way she responded to the script and how she is approaching the character, it’s very beautiful to see. I think she’s going to do something stunning and intriguing at the same time. She is this force of nature.”
There’s no word at present on who will play Prince Charles or Queen Elizabeth.
Princess Diana John Stillwell - PA Images via Getty Images
Diana was previously played by Naomi Watts in the 2013 biopic Diana.
She’ll also be featured in the upcoming fourth series of The Crown, where she’ll be portrayed by newcomer Emma Corrin.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-18--It's Time To Acknowledge The LGBTQ Community Is Not A Safe Space For Black People

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As I watch Pose – a dazzling and gritty drama that details the lives of queer Black and Latinx people of the 1980s – and see scenes of discrimination from white gay men towards Black queer and Trans women, I can’t help but notice the parallels between fiction and fact.
A particularly poignant scene shows Blanca – a Black Trans woman – met by a sea of hostile faces when attempting to drink at one of Manhattan’s proudest, busiest gay bars. With unwavering determination, Blanca returns to the unwelcoming bar time after time, despite being met consistently with verbal abuse and being violently exiled.
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Although a fictional depiction, discrimination is still a reality for Black LGBTQ people. Often the LGBTQ community is praised as a bastion of progressiveness, however, Black LGBTQ people are marginalised and are often victims of racism within the community.
Research by Stonewall and YouGov highlighted that 51% of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) people said they experienced racism from the LGBTQ community. This figure rises to 61% when looking specifically at Black LGBTQ people. On one end of the spectrum, racial discrimination is often justified as “preference” in dating.
On the other end, Black and Brown LGBTQ people are often fetishised by white LGBTQ people. Drag culture has been brought into the mainstream of LGBTQ culture and wider society but there is minimal acknowledgement of the Black, queer people who pioneered and popularised it.
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Photo taken in Montreal, Canada Marc Bruxelle / EyeEm via Getty Images
When speaking to other Black LGBTQ people and LGBTQ people of colour (POC), I find a common denominator among us – we have all experienced some form of marginalisation and/or discrimination within LGBTQ spaces. Navigating life at the intersection of two protected characteristics, Black LGBTQ people and LGBTQ POC struggle to find safe spaces to exist freely.
Black communities and other communities of colour can be homophobic and transphobic leading many LGBTQ POC to distance themselves for their own wellbeing. This is why it is so painful for Black LGBTQ people and LGBTQ POC to then face discrimination within a community that prides itself on openness. This community has served as a safe space for many who were pushed away by their families, but for the LGBTQ community to be truly inclusive, we need to address the racist elephant in the room.
As a Black Lesbian, I have felt alienated within the LGBTQ community; I have faced racism on numerous occasions in spaces where I go to celebrate my queer identity. In the last year, I chose to withdraw from mainstream LGBTQ nightlife after being called “sassy” or “fierce” one too many times by white, gay men.
I’ve shared annoyance with a close friend of mine (who is also a Black lesbian) that white LGBTQ club-goers think it’s appropriate to run their hands through our afros and braids. Leaving a LGBTQ club in Leeds a few months ago, my friend had a white, gay man spit in her hair and upon confronting him, he simply laughed in her face. How can a community heralded as inclusive have racist instances like this happen?
“As the world makes a commitment to be actively anti-racist, LGBTQ people need to ensure this community is a safe space for all who need it.”
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Mainstream LGBTQ nightlife and even events like Pride in London used to be so liberating for me as a teenager first coming out. As I became more secure in my intersecting identity, I began to notice that these spaces were predominantly white and catered to white clientele. Until I began to connect with more Queer, Trans, and Intersex People of Colour (QTIPOC) and engaging in spaces where these two identities were recognised and celebrated, I had not realised what was missing. At events like UK Black Pride and QTIPOC specific club nights, I felt so much more represented and understood. These spaces are so crucial and need to be uplifted, especially as we reignite the conversations around Black Lives Matter.
Coming out in the social media age meant I was able to tune into lesbian representation; I was watching Orange is the New Black and following GirlsLikeGirls Twitter and Tumblr pages from the age of 15. It was affirming to see women loving women (wlw) on TV shows, YouTube, and social media – however, I rarely saw any Black wlw. Although we are beginning to see more representation, Black Lesbian and wlw visibility still remains incredibly tokenistic in mainstream LGBTQ media, and very colourist towards darker skinned women.
As we enter and celebrate Pride month at the apex of a renewed focus on anti-Black racism, it is imperative for LGBTQ people to look inward and address this problem in the community itself. When we think of Stonewall, we need to pay homage to queer and Trans women of colour like Stormé DeLarverie, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera – without whom, we may not have had the rights we hold today. As the world makes a commitment to be actively anti-racist, LGBTQ people need to ensure this community is a safe space for all who need it.
It is the responsibility of white LGBTQ people to read up on the influence of Black people and POC in queer history, challenge racism in all its forms, ask questions like ‘Why did Grindr have a race filter in the first place?’, and truly stand up for your Black and Brown LGBTQ siblings.