thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Strictly Come Dancing Week 1 Song And Dance Choices Revealed – And They're As Eclectic As Ever

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This year’s Strictly Come Dancing has felt like a long time coming thanks to a month delay (because, corona), but the first live show is finally upon us.
And in anticipation of the competition kicking off properly this weekend, Strictly bosses have let us in on what the contestants and their partners will be dancing to.
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As ever, it’s an eclectic mix, with the routines including a Cha Cha to one of Dua Lipa’s biggest hits, a Paso Doble to a Beyoncé classic and a Foxtrot to, errrmm, Monty Python.
BBC
Here’s the full list of this week’s dances...
Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse: Cha Cha Cha to Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba
Cha Cha Cha to Pata Pata by Miriam Makeba Caroline Quentin and Johannes Radebe: American Smooth to 9-5 (Morning Train) by Sheena Easton
American Smooth to 9-5 (Morning Train) by Sheena Easton Clara Amfo and Aljaž Skorjanec: Cha Cha Cha to Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa
Cha Cha Cha to Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa HRVY and Janette Manrara: Jive to Faith by Stevie Wonder feat. Ariana Grande
Jive to Faith by Stevie Wonder feat. Ariana Grande Jacqui Smith and Anton Du Beke: Foxtrot to Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life by Monty Python
Foxtrot to Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life by Monty Python Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer: Cha Cha Cha to Think About Things by Daði Freyr
Cha Cha Cha to Think About Things by Daði Freyr Jason Bell and Luba Mushtuk: American Smooth to My Girl by The Temptations
American Smooth to My Girl by The Temptations JJ Chalmers and Amy Dowden: Waltz to What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Waltz to What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong Maisie Smith and Gorka Marquez: Samba to Samba (Conga) by Gloria Estefan
Samba to Samba (Conga) by Gloria Estefan Max George and Dianne Buswell: Tango to Best Fake Smile by James Bay
Tango to Best Fake Smile by James Bay Nicola Adams and Katya Jones: Quickstep to Get Happy by Ella Fitzgerald
Quickstep to Get Happy by Ella Fitzgerald Ranvir Singh and Giovanni Pernice: Paso Doble to End of Time by Beyoncé
#Strictly Week One is full to the brim with absolute bops! 👏🎶
See the full list of our couples' very first routines 👉 https://t.co/0vhFF2fQWF pic.twitter.com/MzSuaXbGV0 — BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) October 21, 2020
Saturday’s launch episode of Strictly introduced us to the 12-strong line-up, and saw the celebrities meet their partners for the first time before taking to the floor for a special group dance.
There was also a number of notable changes to fit in with coronavirus guidelines, including a socially distanced audience, individual judges’ desks and pre-recorded routines from the professional dancers.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Nottingham Trent Students Fined £10,000 Each For Breaking Covid Rules With House Party

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Police dished out more than £40,000 in fines to Nottingham Trent University students after breaking up a house party on Tuesday night.
Four students were each given £10,000 bills for breaching Covid-19 rules after ignoring orders from police to stop the party.
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Nottinghamshire Police say the third year students told officers they were “spoiling their fun” on the eve of the area potentially going into a tier 3 lockdown.
More than 30 people were also found hiding in the kitchen, upstairs bedrooms and basement of the property.
Nottingham has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country with 672.0 per 100,000 people as of October 16, though the figure is down on the previous week’s.
Nottingham Trent University has confirmed the students have all been suspended pending an investigation, which is now underway.
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Council community protection officers patrolling the area had spotted the party from the street but were told everyone had left the house on Kimbolton Lane in Lenton.
In a statement, Nottinghamshire Police said: “On closer inspection, more than 30 people were found hiding in the kitchen, upstairs bedrooms and basement.
“When challenged, the students allegedly claimed that they should be having the ‘time of their lives’ and that officers were essentially ‘spoiling their fun’.”
In separate incident, another Nottingham Trent University student was given a £200 fine for ignoring warnings from officers at party in Blenheim Court student halls in St Ann’s.
A spokesperson for the university said: “We have repeatedly made clear to all students that they – like everyone – have a crucial role to play in limiting the spread of this virus. We know that the vast majority of our students respect the guidelines and advice. We will not tolerate any breaches, and where we have evidence of any breaches, we will always take immediate action under our disciplinary processes.”
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Councillor David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said it was “absolutely right” that police took “swift and decisive action” given the high number of cases in Nottinghamshire.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Unveil New Website For Their Archewell Organisation

“Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action,’” Meghan and Harry said in a statement obtained by HuffPost.
“We connected to this concept for the charitable organisation we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name,” they added. “To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”
When Meghan made a virtual appearance at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit last month, she spoke about the work Archewell had been doing “quietly” since January.
“Part of our focus with the Archewell Foundation is to just ensure that we are helping foster healthy positive communities ― online and off ― for our collective wellbeing,” the duchess said, calling the organisation’s work “Archewell in action.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--End Sars Protests: Here's Why People In Nigeria Are Demonstrating

At least 11 people were shot dead and hundreds injured during widespread protests against police brutality in Nigeria on Tuesday night.
Thousands of predominantly young demonstrators marched through the streets for the eighty day running, bringing major cities to a standstill.
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The perpetrators of violence were overwhelmingly the police themselves, and the matter has garnered international attention with public figures such as Beyonce, John Boyega, Rihanna and Hilary Clinton all calling for Nigeria’s government to immediately tackle this issue.
Meanwhile, the UK government is being lobbied for intervention by London-based Nigerians and allies.
So what’s it all about, and why is it happening now?
Amnesty International has received credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos. #EndSARS #Lekki #Nigeria — Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) October 20, 2020
What is the SARS?
The Sars – Special Anti-Robbery Squad – was a branch of the Nigerian Police Force created in 1992 to deal with crimes associated with robbery and firearm incidents.
However, the faction became known for its links to murders, torture and other illegal activities.
Amnesty International has reported cases of unlawful killings and police brutality allegedly perpetrated by the group over a number of years. In June 2020, it released a report suggesting SARS officers continued to commit human rights violations, including at least 82 cases of torture, ill-treatment and extrajudicial execution between January 2017 and May 2020. The report “reveals a pattern of abuse of power by SARS officers and the consistent failure by the Nigerian authorities to bring perpetrators to justice. It highlights the deficiencies in Nigerian police accountability that contribute to, and exacerbate, these violations,” Amnesty said.
A man gestures as Nigerians take part in a protest against alleged violence, extortion and harassment from Nigeria's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), in Lagos, Nigeria October 11, 2020. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja Temilade Adelaja / Reuters
What is the #endSARS movement? Young demonstrators are leading the nationwide protests demanding an end to police brutality, including extrajudicial killings, and extortion.
Two weeks ago, protests erupted across Nigeria – Africa’s most populous nation, home to more than 196m people.
As well as Lagos and Abuja, the demonstrations have hit other cities including Port Harcourt, Calabar, Asaba, and Uyo.
It was sparked in part by a shocking video, widely shared online, showing a man being beaten by SARS.
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In response, the Nigerian government announced it would disband the police unit. The man who filmed the incident was arrested, fuelling further social unrest.
But the promise to close SARS has not been fulfilled, and the protesters continue to call for an end to all police brutality, an end to corruption, and respect for human rights.
Their demands include the release of all arrested protesters, justice and compensation for victims of police brutality and their families, and the prosecution of those suspected to be responsible.
There have been publicised cases of Nigerian Police Force officers – including SARS operatives – being charged over incidents ranging from assault to murder, but this has done little to stop the problem. Human Rights Watch in 2010 said convictions of police officers for serious crimes were “very rare”.
The issue of brutality perpetrated by the SARS squad has been longstanding but the video, originally shared in 2019, gained traction after Black Lives Matter protests were staged across various countries, including Nigeria, throughout the summer.
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Nigerians take part in a protest against alleged violence, extortion and harrassment from Nigeria's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), in Lagos, Nigeria October 11, 2020. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja Temilade Adelaja / Reuters
What is the mood?
Nigerians, both within the west African country and across the diaspora, are saying “enough is enough” – and that is what the #endSARS movement is all about.
“These protesters have been met with violence and excessive use of force. Nigerians are sceptical of authorities’ pledge to end police atrocities because the past claims of reforming SARS have turned out to be empty words,” Osai Ojigho, director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said in a statement.
“That police are still using excessive force on peaceful protesters, leading to injuries and deaths in Lagos, Ughelli, Abuja and Ogbomosho, throws through the window claims of any commitment to ending violations of human rights by Nigeria police.”
Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s labour minister, claimed the man shown being beaten in the video that has sparked the demonstrations did not die, as was initially reported, and has been discharged from hospital.
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He said the continuing protests have disrupted daily life.
“People cannot go to work, people cannot earn their daily bread,” he said.
There has also been mobilisation in London.
Grassroots organisation @EndSarsUK_ staged a protest outside Downing Street last weekend, lobbying the UK government to intervene by cancelling the visas of Nigerian politicians and holding the country’s government accountable for concerns around police brutality.
“I believe that 2020 is the year of clarity – when you say someone has 2020 vision that means that they can see clearly. There have been things that have been preluding to lead up to this event. It has been bubbling underneath this surface,” Modupe Reis, PR manager of @EndSarsUK_, told HuffPost UK.
“We are in the diamond jubilee since Nigeria gained independence – 60 years on. That is of importance and significance. Now is the time for real change.”
Temilade Adelaja / Reuters
How has the Nigerian government responded?
Aside from the aforementioned pledge to disband SARS, the government’s response has been lacklustre.
President Muhammadu Buhari has been notably silent on the protests and violence sweeping the country.
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The Lagos state governor confirmed numerous casualties for the Lekki shooting on Tuesday but did not say who was responsible.
“This is the toughest night of our lives as forces beyond our direct control have moved to make dark notes in our history, but we will face it and come out stronger,” Babajide Sanwo-Olu tweeted.
“I’ve just concluded visits to hospitals with victims of this unfortunate shooting incident at Lekki.”
He had earlier warned on Twitter that the protests against police brutality had “degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society”.
Dear Lagosians,
I have watched with shock how what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest has degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society. Lives and limbs have been lost as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella
... — Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) October 20, 2020
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What’s the global reaction been?
A number of politicians and public figures have rallied behind the cause.
Former United States presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called on the Nigerian PM to “stop killing #ENDSARS protesters”.
A statement from Beyonce on the Twitter feed of her charitable foundation BeyGood said: “I am heartbroken to see the senseless brutality taking place in Nigeria. There has be to be an end to SARS.
This comes after Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage, who worked with Beyonce on her visual album Black Is King, had called on the star and her team to use their voices and platforms to raise awareness about the situation in the country.
Writing in a post on social media, Rihanna said her “heart is broken for Nigeria”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--The Crown's Imelda Staunton Feeling 'Pressure From Every Angle' As She Prepares To Take Over Queen R

The Crown's Imelda Staunton Feeling 'Pressure From Every Angle' As She Prepares To Take Over Queen Role

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Imelda Staunton has admitted there’s “pressure from every angle” as she prepares to take over as the Queen in The Crown.
It was announced earlier this year that the actor will succeed Olivia Colman as the monarch in the fifth and sixth series of the hit Netflix drama.
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Appearing on Wednesday’s edition of This Morning, Imelda spoke of the desire to live up to expectations as Elizabeth II.
Imelda Staunton on This Morning ITV/Shutterstock
“There’s pressure from every angle,” she told hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes. “I’m following two extraordinary actresses, but I’m also following one extraordinary human being, which is the Queen. Because she’s so much in a lot of our lives and we know how she looks and how she sounds.
“Of course I have to be like her as much as I can, but also I have to tell a story and a story of the day, whatever that is. Peter Morgan’s [The Crown writer] job is to do her backstage life, if you like – that’s where his writing comes in, and it’s so extraordinary.
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“Because we’ve all got so much footage of the Queen doing her speeches and things like that, and I think the strength of The Crown has been going inside their private lives and making it as real as you can.”
Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II in season three of The Crown Sophie Mutevelian
Imelda confirmed that she is due to start filming in July, but has already begun preparing and will be watching the upcoming fourth seres closely when it debuts on Netflix next month.
She said: “I’m working on it now and listening to her, watching her, and my television will be on November 15 when Olivia starts, and I’ll be very excited and I’ll be terrified, but I’m so looking forward to watching it.
“Then I just have to take the baton and move on.”
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Alongside Imelda as the Queen, Jonathan Pryce will succeed Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip in season five of The Crown.
Lesley Manville will be playing Princess Margaret, while it’s yet to be confirmed who will be appearing as Prince Charles, although reports have suggested Dominic West is in the frame for the role .
While fans are yet to see newcomer Emma Corrin in action as Princess Diana in series four, it has already been confirmed Elizabeth Debicki will succeed her in the role for the fifth series.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Meghan and Harry Warn Of 'Global Crisis Of Hate' In Social Media

Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said there is an “overwhelming desire” for truth as they described the “global crisis” of misinformation that spreads online.
The couple talked about how the internet affected critical issues such as racial justice, gender equity, climate change and mental health, as they discussed how to create a safer digital world as part of Time100 Talks.
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Meghan said: “It was only in the past couple of years we both started to connect the dots… all the work I was doing on women’s empowerment or young girls and their sense of self worth, and seeing what the online spaces were doing to that community.”
On the effects it had on campaigns he was passionate about, such as the environment, Harry said: “What I see is the digital space hampering the progress that needs to be made.
“This misinformation that seems to snowball from one place that is the online space and then ending up in our physical world, a lot of the time we don’t know where it comes from, we don’t know how to trace it back.”
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He said the media’s role is “absolutely vital” in everything that is going on in the world, adding: “It always has been and always will be.
“I think there’s a huge amount of trust that we all put into media and digital platforms that sometimes is undermined.”
The duke continued: “There’s an overwhelming desire for everybody out there for truth, because there is so much information being thrown around from one side to the other.
“What is happening in the online world is affecting the world. It is not restricted to certain platforms or certain social media conversations or groups.
“This is a global crisis – a global crisis of hate, a global crisis of misinformation, and a global health crisis.”
The duchess said: “It can feel really overwhelming to try to understand all the nuance of what happens online. It is all-encompassing and it affects us at a multi-faceted level.”
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The couple described how they have spoken to professors and experts in the field, some of whom they consider friends, to share ideas on how to make the online space “healthier and better for all of us”.
One of those people is Reddit co-founder and founder of 776 Alexis Ohanian – husband to tennis star Serena Williams – who was interviewed by Meghan during the discussion.
Toby Melville / Reuters
In June, Mr Ohanian announced his resignation from the board of the social media site, and urged the company to replace him with a black candidate.
He told Meghan he “made the right choice” for his mixed-race daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian, but that he still received hate mail over it.
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“I hope that this is really a first step for me to try and just be more deliberate in the work that I’m doing, and frankly more effective in the work that I’m doing, to create a better future for my daughter and lots of other people who look like her,” he said.
“Companies are going to be more successful the more diversity they have, because that means a broader range of ideas.”
The duchess agreed with this sentiment and described how they shared a similar experience with raising mixed race children.
“I’m sorry to hear you’re still receiving hate mail, I know we have shared experiences in being in an interracial marriage and raising small children who are mixed race and how that plays into that,” she said.
On the effect of social media, Meghan described how it can be damaging to people, saying: “The good outweighs the bad, but my goodness the bad can be so loud.”
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While speaking to the co-founder of the Centre For Humane Technology Tristan Harris, who starred in Netflix’s The Social Dilemma, and Safiya Noble, UCLA Centre for Critical Internet Inquiry co-director, Harry said it can be “really confusing” to understand how the tech world works.
“I think so much of this is down to awareness,” he said, as he pointed to how the Netflix documentary – which highlights how social media users’ data is tracked – has “set records”.
Meghan added: “Admittedly we say ‘we don’t speak tech, this isn’t our world’ but my goodness we know the experience of being a human being.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Angela Rayner Apologises For Calling Tory MP 'Scum' In Commons

Angela Rayner
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has apologised for calling a Tory MP “scum” during a Commons debate on Covid-19 restrictions for Greater Manchester.
Chris Clarkson, who represents Heywood and Middleton, had said Labour was guilty of “opportunism” and “hindsight behaviour” after high-profile rows between mayor Andy Burnham and Downing Street.
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He also criticised Labour shadow education secretary Kate Green, who recently was forced to apologise for saying Labour activists should not “let a good crisis go to waste”.
Rayner could be heard heckling Clarkson from her position on the Labour benches.
“Excuse me, did [Rayner] just call me scum?” Clarkson said.
Eleanor Laing, the deputy Speaker of the Commons, also intervened.
“From the frontbench, we will not have remarks like that, not under any circumstances, no matter how heartfelt it might be. Not at all,” she told Rayner.
Later on Wednesday evening, Rayner said: “I apologise for the language that I used in a heated debate in parliament earlier.”
It is understood that Rayner was upset at being accused of opportunism after opening the debate with comments about her aunt, who died of Covid-19 last week.
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All kicking off in the Chamber as Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner gets a telling off for calling Tory MP Chris Clarkson "scum" in the debate on support for local areas. pic.twitter.com/woNFNofsnS — Jonathan Reilly (@thejonnyreilly) October 21, 2020
Rayner then called a point of order and claimed that Clarkson had been “saying things about the frontbench which are inaccurate in their speech and would ask [him] to withdraw it.”
Tory MPs lined up to call on Rayner to clarify her words and apologise.
Andrew Bowie, Conservative MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, tweeted: “Absolutely disgraceful. @AngelaRayner is the deputy leader of the Labour Party. She should be ashamed and @Keir_Starmer should make her apologise.
“We’ve become numb to abusive language in politics on social media – let’s not take it into the chamber of the House of Commons.”
The incident was raised again at the end of the debate.
Conservative Katherine Fletcher, who represents South Ribble, accused Rayner of having “shamed Manchester”.
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Raising a point of order, she said: “Is it in order for a senior member of the Labour front bench opposite, (Rayner), to call repeatedly out ‘scum’ when my colleague was talking and then to fail to retract it or apologise?
“Today she has shamed Manchester, shamed this House and she should apologise.”
It came as part of a debate on a Labour motion calling for the government to publish “clear and fair national criteria” for financial support for businesses facing local lockdowns.
It comes after Burnham and other city leaders refused to accept a £60m deal, saying the city needed £65m for businesses and workers hit by closures to make it through a winter of restrictions.
Only £22m has so far been agreed with Boris Johnson overruling leaders to impose restrictions from Friday regardless, but the government has said the £60m remains “on the table”.
South Yorkshire is the latest area to be pushed into tier 3 restrictions.
While two north west Tory MPs, Chris Green and William Wragg rebelled over the motion, MPs voted against it by 261 to 340, with a majority 79.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Two Killed In Southall Gas Explosion

Two Killed In Southall Gas Explosion

Emergency services at the scene of a suspected gas explosion on King Street in Southall, west London PA
Firefighters say two people have been killed in a suspected gas explosion in west London.
There are no details of the fatalities yet, though a child and four adults were rescued following the blast in King Street, Southall, on Wednesday morning.
Emergency workers are involved in a “complex” search for anyone who may still be inside the collapsed building.
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London Fire Brigade (LFB) station commander Paul Morgan said: “We can confirm that sadly two people have died at the scene.
Rescue crews are at the scene in west London where two people have died PA
“It has been a painstaking and protracted incident with firefighters working systematically to stabilise the building and search for people involved.
“Operations have been concluded for the evening and will restart in the morning.”
The explosion caused substantial damage to the shop and structural damage throughout.
A further 14 adults and two children self-evacuated from surrounding properties shortly after the blast.
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Crews were called just before 6.40am, with six fire engines and around 40 firefighters sent to the scene.
Update on #Ealing explosion & building collapse. It is a painstaking and protracted incident with firefighters working systematically to stabilise the building. Sadly we believe that there are fatalities within the property. Full statement https://t.co/MGbJhqHL1H pic.twitter.com/NrzqZ97dk7 — London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) October 21, 2020
Another LFB spokesperson said the windows of the shop were “completely blown out” in the incident, adding: “It’s caused extensive damage to the shop and structural damage to the flats above.”
The Metropolitan Police said the incident is not being treated as suspicious and is believed to be a gas explosion.
The force said: “A large explosion was found to have taken place inside a shop. One man was found injured.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Tory MPs Vote Down Labour Motion To Implement Marcus Rashford Free School Meals Plan

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Tory MPs have voted down a move by Labour to implement footballer Marcus Rashford’s plan to extend free school meals for poorer children over holiday periods.
The defeat came after Boris Johnson and Downing Street signalled they would not U-turn on the issue.
Keir Starmer’s motion called for free school meals to be funded outside term time to ensure vouchers and support were available for pupils right through until the Easter holidays next year.
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But it was defeated by 322 votes to 261. The majority of 61 was less than the government’s 80-strong majority. Some 38 Tories did not register a vote.
Commons education committee chair Rob Halfon and backbencher Anne-Marie Morris were among just five rebels who voted for the Labour plan. Others were Jason McCartney, Caroline Ansell and Holly Mumby-Croft.
Both the Welsh government and the Scottish government have already put in place funding for the holiday extension.
Marcus Rashford PA
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Rashford reacted to the vote by vowing not to give up his campaign. He tweeted: “These children are the future of this country. They are not just another statistic. And for as long as they don’t have a voice, they will have mine.”
Time we worked together. pic.twitter.com/xFPsgBiPQC — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 21, 2020
Shadow education secretary Kate Green said after the vote: “Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have badly let down more than one million children and their families.
“No child should go hungry over the holidays, but the Government is blocking the action needed to prevent this.
“We pay tribute to Marcus Rashford and others for shining a spotlight on this incredibly important issue. This campaign is not over and the government must reconsider.”
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During prime minister’s question time, Johnson repeatedly refused requests from MPs to agree to the extension for school holidays.
And his spokesperson made clear afterwards that there would be no shift.
Asked if there was any change in policy, the spokesperson replied: “No.”
The spokesperson added: “While schools continue to play an integral part in the community, it’s not for them to regularly provide food during school holidays.
“The PM thinks that free school meals programme is very valuable and that is why it was extended by the Conservative government and we’ve got a whole range of additional support to make sure that children and their families don’t go hungry during the pandemic.”
Pressed on why the government had decided to U-turn last summer and provide holiday cover, the spokesperson replied: “We are in a different position now. Schools are back open to all.”
They added: “There are other programmes that the government funds to help disadvantaged children outside of school term. We have a holiday activities and food programme worth £9m which supported 50,000 children across 17 local authority areas.”
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On Saturday, Rashford challenged Johnson to honour his election pledge to “level up” the UK by introducing a comprehensive package to end child poverty and hunger.
He called for major changes to the welfare system, including an end to the Tories’ two-child cap on Universal Credit and an increase in the value of healthy eating vouchers for pregnant mothers.
Rashford has amassed more than 300,000 signatures in just over six days for his online parliamentary petition demanding urgent action to stop children going hungry.
Challenged three times in PMQs over the issue, the prime minister refused to agree to extending free meal support - as he did through a voucher scheme last summer - over the coming holiday periods.
“We support kids on low incomes in school and we will continue to do so,” he told MPs on Wednesday.
“What I want to do is to make sure we continue to support families through the crisis,” he told Labour’s Rupa Huq.
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When asked directly by Labour MP George Howard whether he would support the plan to extend meals to next Easter, Johnson replied: “What we want to do is continue to support people on low incomes throughout the crisis and that’s what we are going to do.”
As the row heated up, Rashford hit back at a Tory MP who described free school meals for poorer children as “freebies” that increase “dependency” on the state.
Mansfield MP Ben Bradley tried to defend the government with a tweet in which he said: “We’re doing a lot to help the most vulnerable children, but ever-extending freebies are a sticking plaster not a solution.”
This is why we expanded FSM, introduced breakfast clubs, increased school budgets and made the welfare system more generous incl increasing UC during COVID. We're doing A LOT to help the most vulnerable children, but ever- extending freebies are a sticking plaster not a solution. https://t.co/Bs4MEJDtJF — Ben Bradley MP (@BBradley_Mans) October 21, 2020
Ben, the economy already pays a high price for child hunger. If children were fed properly you would increase educational attainment and boost life chances. @KelloggsUKI calculated we would spend at least £5.2M a year on lost teaching hours as teachers are caring for hungry kids https://t.co/mZTI3YFYz7 — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) October 21, 2020
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In a Twitter exchange with Rashford, the Mansfield MP also said: “Not as simple as you to make out Marcus. Extending FSM to school holidays passes responsibility for feeding kids away from parents, to the state. It increases dependency.”
Rashford hit back, saying: “Ben, the economy already pays a high price for child hunger”. And he suggested “a more humane response”.
“Since March, 32% of families have suffered a drop in income. Nearly 1 million have fallen off the payroll. This is not dependency, this a cry for help. There are no jobs!! 250% increase in food poverty and rising. Nobody said this was simple,” Rashford said.
The England star added: “The #endchildfoodpoverty debate is still to come. The answer has to be long-term stability, not sticking plasters or ‘freebies’ as @BBradley_Mans called it. It’s about time we worked together.”
Rashford has himself made clear that he wants a long term solution to child hunger, on top of the holiday extension.
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On Saturday, Rashford challenged Johnson to honour his election pledge to “level up” the UK by introducing a comprehensive package to end child poverty and hunger.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-21--Feminism & Masculinity Viewed Through The Black Experience

Feminism & Masculinity Viewed Through The Black Experience
Hosted by Yinka Bokinni, feminism and masculinity are explored in this episode of ‘Black Voices HuffPost UK’, with Dope Black Mums Endy Mckay, and filmmaker, theatre maker and writer Topher Campbell.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Gavin & Stacey's Rob Brydon Explains Why A Film Is Actually A Bad Idea: 'It Would Be A Mistake'

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It’s been almost a year since Nessa got down on bended knee and asked Smithy to marry her, and with Gavin & Stacey fans demanding to know what happens next, a film has been mooted as a possible follow up.
However, Rob Brydon – who plays Uncle Bryn in the BBC sitcom – has explained why a big screen adaptation is actually a bad idea.
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Speaking to Digital Spy, he said he didn’t think creators and writers Ruth Jones and James Corden “should do that”, saying: “I think that would be a mistake.”
Rob Brydon plays Uncle Bryn in Gavin & Stacey BBC
Rob continued: “It’s not a film. It’s not a cinema thing. It is what it is, and I don’t hold film over television.
“There’s sometimes an assumption that if it were to become a film it would somehow be elevating itself, and I think that’s a misnomer. I think that’s a mistake.
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“I think that maybe, if James and Ruth decided to make another special, that would be wonderful, but I don’t at all buy into this idea that a film of a TV show is somehow elevating it and taking it to another level.
“I just don’t see that myself.”
Gavin & Stacey returned for a one-off Christmas special last year BBC/GS TV Productions Ltd/Tom Jackson
Rob’s opinion is at odds with that of co-star Larry Lamb, who plays Mick Shipman.
He previously said that a film is “the next logical thing to do” after the huge success of last year’s Christmas special, which attracted over 18 million viewers.
“I think the audience in Britain is so ready for it that they would go to the ends of the Earth to go and see a movie of it,” he told The Mirror. “I mean, imagine those characters? It’s so much larger than life now, it’s a national treasure.”
However, Ruth and James have both repeatedly insisted there are no current plans to pen any follow ups to the 2019 festive one-off, which was the first to air since the series finished 10 years prior.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--The Tier System Is Doomed To Fail – But There Is A Way Out

A new three-tier system of alert levels for England has been implemented following rising coronavirus cases and hospital admissions. Steve Parsons - PA Images via Getty Images
This was the week when things fell apart. Rumblings of discontent about the government’s handling of the pandemic turned into open revolt as the Northern mayors – particularly Andy Burnham of Manchester – stood up and refused to accept proposals to place them at the highest level of the new three-tier system of Covid restrictions.
Why? At first glance it seems eminently sensible that different areas of the country with different levels of infection should be subject to different measures.
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Why close the pubs in Lowestoft (where the case rate per 100,000 is under 50) because of the problems in Liverpool (where the rate is pushing 600)?
Indeed, the general idea of local tiers is not in itself a bad one. However, we are not dealing with generalities.
“Somehow the tier system has managed to be even more unclear and generated a greater sense of inequity (and hence resistance) than before.”
Rather, we are faced with an acute crisis and we must consider whether the specific tier system devised by the UK government makes sense and whether it makes sense to impose it at this specific time. The answer to both questions is a resounding no.
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Let’s start by looking at the details of the present system. It has three core problems.
First, a central justification for replacing the present hodge-podge of restrictions across the country with three tiers was to create clarity and a sense of equity.
In principle, a tier system would overcome that by creating a simple and transparent system where it was clear that the same rules applied to everyone.
But that is dependent upon there being clear, health-based criteria for moving from one tier to the next, along with consistent restrictions within each tier.
But in the event, the basis for deciding which tier you were in was far from clear and seemed dependent on political horse trading. Equally, the restrictions in a given tier were far from consistent, varied from area to area, and again seemed more a matter of politics than public health. Somehow the tier system managed to be even more unclear and generated a greater sense of inequity (and hence resistance) than before.
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“Even if an effective local system might have been sufficient at some point, that point is now well past.”
Second, the notion of tiers is framed in an entirely negative way. It is all about the restrictions imposed on people – what they can’t do. This is encapsulated in the language of lockdown – a term we associated with prisons, with misbehaviour and with punishment.
But infections are a function of exposure to the virus, and exposure is greater among those who are poorer and more vulnerable: they are more likely to have to go to work, more likely to use public transport, more likely to live in crowded housing.
That is why the poorest areas of the country are four times more likely to be in “lockdown”. The reality is that infection reflects deprivation and the response should be greater support: support in terms of information, of testing facilities and, of course, financial compensation to workers and local businesses who are affected by the measurers necessary to combat the virus.
That was the core of Andy Burnham’s concerns. On October 20, he tweeted: “I have fought for the ability to support low-paid people and businesses who will be most harmed by Tier 3 closures”.
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Had the government framed the tier system in terms of support and provided adequate funding, the disputes with the localities would not have happened.
Third, the measures in the tiers – even at the highest level of alert – were simply inadequate. On September 21, the government scientific advisory group SAGE met to consider the measures necessary to halt the start of a rise in infections.
What they proposed went far further than anything the government is introducing: ensuring all but essential workers stay at home, closing all bars and restaurants, stopping contact between households in the home, moving all university teaching online where possible. On that day, new infections were at about 4,500 per day. Now they are about 20,000, some five times higher. If anything, even more would need to be done to bring things back under control. The government is doing far less.
One might fairly retort that this is all very well, but would people actually accept such severe measures when many are already objecting to milder measures?
But the objections are less to the imposition of restrictions than cynicism about measures, which people don’t believe will work and hence are not worth the sacrifice. This is backed up by recent research showing that perceived effectiveness is critical to adherence.
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What we have at the moment is the worst of all worlds: a fudge which has resulted in measures that do enough harm to damage livelihoods but are not effective enough to control the virus and save lives. People showed clearly in spring that they will make major sacrifices if they can see the point. What they won’t do is to make sacrifices just for the sake of it.
So, the local tier system we have ruins a good idea through botched and half-hearted implementation. It would not be fit for purpose at any time. But it is especially inadequate right now.
“You don’t wait until your house is burning down before you call the Fire Brigade.”
The SAGE recommendations of September 21 weren’t just about what measures should be applied, but where they should be applied. They called for a national circuit breaker not just local action. And they called for it as the only way of bringing infections down to manageable levels across the country. The rationale for this position has only become clearer over time.
It may be true that areas like Liverpool have far higher infection rates than places like Lowestoft. But infections are rising in every region of England, as are hospitalisations and deaths.
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It may be true that some areas have broken out into a blaze while others are just smouldering. But you don’t wait until your house is burning down before you call the Fire Brigade. Indeed, it makes far more sense to act early before the damage is too great. The longer you leave things, the more effort is needed to get things back under control, and the more is lost along the way.
Even if an effective local system might have been sufficient at some point, that point is now well past. Each day now, indecision and fudge is costing lives.
Remember the fateful week of 16-23 March when the government delayed going into a lockdown – a delay which probably inflated the deaths by many thousands. We must not repeat that mistake.
Moreover, when the circuit breaker has done its job, when infections are brought down and restrictions are lifted, we must not repeat the mistakes of June when we failed to put in place measures that would suppress the virus and stop yet another set of restrictions being needed.
Above all, we must demonstrate that the sacrifices we are asking for will not be wasted.
Stephen Reicher is Wardlaw Professor of Psychology at the University of St. Andrews and member of Independent SAGE.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Rishi Sunak Announces Major Changes To Covid Job Support Scheme

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The Covid-19 job support scheme has been given an overhaul by chancellor Rishi Sunak, with employer contributions reduced and the minimum hours requirement also cut.
Speaking in the Commons, Sunak said employer contributions for hours not worked due to coronavirus restrictions will fall to 5%. Workers will only have to work 20% of hours, he said.
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The uplift in support from the Treasury means workers can get 73% of their wages for a minimum of 20 hours.
But the measures were described by Labour as a “sticking plaster” for the economy amid fears mass joblessness beckons.
The new JSS support means a typical employee in the hospitality industry paid an average of £1,100 per month will still take home £807, the government said.
Outlining details to MPs, Sunak said: “For businesses who can open it is now clear the impact of restrictions on them particularly in the hospitality sector is more significant than they had hoped.
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“So, I am making two changes to the short-time work scheme to make it easier for those businesses to keep staff on rather than make them redundant.
We're making the Open Job Support Scheme more generous to protect jobs during lower demand.
- Government now pays at least 62% for hours not worked
- Employer contribution cut from 33% to 5%
- Employees now take home at least 73% of pay for working a new minimum 20% of hours pic.twitter.com/bSXr0zup6d — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 22, 2020
“First, under the original scheme employees had to work for 33% of their normal hours. Now we will ask them to work only 20% of those hours.
“Second, the employer contribution for the hours not worked will not be 33% as originally planned, or even 20% as it is in the October furlough scheme, it will reduce to 5% and the scheme will apply to eligible businesses in all alert levels.”
Sunak also unveiled more backing for the self-employed, with the maximum grant available raised to £3,750.
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He added: “I’m increasing our contribution to the incomes of the self-employed as well. Today we are doubling the next round of the self-employed income support from 20% to 40% of people’s incomes, increasing the maximum grant to £3,750.”
There will also be grants of £2,100 available for firms in tier 2 areas of England, primarily aimed at helping hospitality and leisure venues which have seen takings plummet due to a restrictions on households mixing.
He told MPs: “It will be up to local authorities to decide how best to distribute these grants, giving them the necessary flexibility to respond to local economic circumstances.
“But I am providing enough funding to give every business premises in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors a direct grant worth up to £2,100 for every month tier 2 restrictions apply.
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“That is equivalent to 70% of the value of the grants available for closed businesses in tier 3.”
He also used a speech in the Commons to speak directly to people hit by tier 3 restrictions, where hospitality venues have been closed.
He said: “I understand your frustration, people need to know this is not forever. These are temporary restrictions to help control the spread of the virus.
“There are difficult days and weeks ahead, but we will get through this together. People are not on their own. We have an economic plan that will protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people wherever they live and whatever their situation.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the measures were a “sticking plaster” rather than a solution to the problems faced by the economy.
He said: “The changes announced today are a welcome improvement to the flawed and narrow job support scheme announced last month.
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“These should have been in place from the start – instead, businesses and workers have been put through weeks of uncertainty.
“This latest announcement is just a sticking-plaster solution that still fails to match the true scale of the problem.
“The collapse of tourism into London has impacted heavily on footfall and left many hospitality, retail and leisure businesses without any prospect of returning to normal levels of business for many months to come.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Michael Eavis Just Gave Glastonbury Goers A Glimmer Of Hope About The 2021 Festival

Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis has given festival goers a glimmer of hope that next year’s event might still be able to go ahead.
There has been huge doubts about the viability of the 2021 event amid the on-going pandemic, which had already cancelled the festival’s 50th anniversary event in June.
However, speaking at a Wells Festival of Literature Q&A event at Wells Cathedral School on Wednesday, Michael – who organises the festival with daughter Emily – revealed there could be a way forward with the implementation of mass coronavirus testing.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Three Baffling Reasons Tory MPs Have Given For Voting Against Free School Meals

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On Wednesday evening, 322 Tory MPs voted against a motion to extend free school meals for children, as millions of families face financial hardship through the Covid-19 crisis.
Among the MPs voting against the motion – which has been fiercely campaigned for by footballer Marcus Rashford – were children’s minister Vicky Ford and Jo Gideon – a trustee of Feeding Britain.
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The government has come under fierce criticism for its approach. Even Nigel Farage came out against the vote, tweeting: “If the government can subsidise Eat Out to Help Out, not being seen to give poor kids lunch in the school holidays looks mean and is wrong.”
Here are six ways Tories have justified theirs and their party’s vote – and some of the glaring holes in their defences:
The government is focusing on ‘pumping money into the welfare system’
During an appearance on Sky News on Thursday morning, minister for crime and policing Kit Malthouse said he voted against the motion to extend free school meals because “the best way to help those on low incomes was to pump money into the welfare system”.
The Universal Credit (UC) system, which was designed and rolled out nationwide under Conservative rule to replace multiple separate benefits, has repeatedly been cited as a key factor in pulling families into poverty.
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According to the UK’s biggest food poverty charity, the Trussell Trust, the huge surge in demand for foodbank use can be explicitly linked to the introduction of UC. With a five-week wait for the first payment, many households have been plunged into rent arrears and faced mounting bill payments.
#KayBurley asks the crime and policing minister why he voted against the motion to extend free school meals for children.
Kit Malthouse says 'the best way to help those on low incomes is to pump money into the welfare system'.https://t.co/J3xvlRjTVC pic.twitter.com/XCFowoMKU0 — SkyNews (@SkyNews) October 22, 2020
Research published by the Trussell Trust in September 2019 revealed that the longer UC exists in an area, the higher the demand for foodbank use.
In areas where UC has been rolled out for at least a year, food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network saw a 30% increase in demand. In areas with the reinvented welfare system in place for at least 18 months this jumped to 40%, and increased again to 48% for food banks in areas with UC for at least two years
During the interview Malthouse referenced a government initiative announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak, in which UC claimants were given a £20-a-week ‘uplift’ to help them through the pandemic – amounting to little more than £1,000 a year.
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But analysis of the support package carried out by the Resolution Foundation has revealed that there are no plans to extend the uplift beyond April 2021, meaning the UK’s poorest households will suffer an income loss of £1,000 the following year.
The UK is already ‘the most generous nation in Europe’ and the motion was ‘designed to embarrass the government’
Again appearing on Sky News, Jeremy Hunt explained along similar lines to Kit Malthouse that the government had already provided significant financial support and throughout the Covid-19 crisis the UK had been “the most generous country anywhere in Europe, possibly the world”.
But this isn’t true. In response to Boris Johnson’s recent claims that there is “no country in Europe” that has equalled the UK’s financial response to Covid-19, The National reported that both wage and business support was much better in many European nations.
Looking globally, when looking at extra spending as a percentage of GDP, Britain falls behind Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand and the US.
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"Why did you vote against the motion to extend free school meals?"@Jeremy_Hunt: "I think the government is doing a lot ... if we get to a point when we're in a lockdown over the Christmas holidays, I'm sure they'll look at this again." JJ#KayBurley pic.twitter.com/nzCJqgFZUF — Kay Burley (@KayBurley) October 22, 2020
In response to a question for Burley about why Tory whips had reportedly asked MPs to brief against Rashford, Hunt said the Labour motion to extend free school meals was “designed to embarrass the government” – putting aside genuine, evidenced concerns that more children are going hungry amid the pandemic.
It was revealed on October 12 that almost one million pupils had recently signed up to the scheme for the first time on top of the 1.4 million who were already claiming.
‘I do not believe in nationalising children’
During the debate on the motion Brendan Clarke-Smith touted a need to return to parents “taking responsibility” for their own families, which he led by announcing he does “not believe in nationalising children”, apparently regardless of the fact, as a House of Commons briefing paper points out, the private sector has owned and run the majority of industries and utilities in the UK since the late 1980s.
But never mind the global pandemic which has decimated the finances of thousands of families, Clarke-Smith was very clear – asking: “Where is the slick PR campaign asking absent parents to take some responsibility for their children?”
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Brendan Clarke-Smith(Tory MP) - “I do not believe in nationalising children. We need to get back to the idea of taking responsibility. This means less celebrity virtue signalling on Twitter by proxy" #FreeSchoolMeals pic.twitter.com/83FuyWrfsi — Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) October 21, 2020
He continued: “Instead, we need to get back to the idea of taking responsibility, and this means less celebrity virtue-signalling on Twitter by proxy and more action to tackle the real causes of child poverty.”
This may come as a surprise, but it turns out this line of argument didn’t exactly go down well.
Feeding hungry children during the school holidays in the middle of a pandemic is not 'nationalising' them. Caring about their welfare is not 'virtue signalling'. Parents struggling to make ends meet are not abandoning responsibility for their children. #insulting https://t.co/1qnBhdiZhC — Aunty Malorie Blackman (@malorieblackman) October 21, 2020
Imagine forcing business closures, expecting huge numbers of people to live on two thirds of minimum wage or nothing at all, then absolving yourself of any duty to make sure children dependent on them have something to eat.
“Nationalising children.” What a nasty piece of work. https://t.co/FOjDDY5Yxw — Emily Heward (@EmilyHeward) October 21, 2020
Imagine thinking that giving out free school meals is “nationalising children”. Imagine having that level of analysis and being an actual elected representative. https://t.co/dzJXbIELW0 — Tom Hamilton (@thhamilton) October 21, 2020
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Parents had been reportedly ‘using the £15 a week voucher on alcohol, tobacco or on unhealthy food’
Redcar MP Jacob Young said he voted down the motion because he’d “been contacted by schools, supermarkets and concerned parents who have witnessed people using the £15 a week voucher on alcohol, tobacco or on unhealthy food.”
Teeside Live, which reported the reasons all three Tory MPs in the area had voted down the motion, reported comments from Young in which he suggested cooked meals or food parcels would be more appropriate, but questioned who they would be prepared by or who they would be paid for by.
Apart from anecdotal stories, including one report by a single Asda worker in Hull whose comments were picked up widely by national titles in May, there is no substantial evidence that parents have been spending food money on age-restricted items.
It’s not the first time Tories have brought up these concerns. During a debate in June, MP Ben Bradley said: “We often find that those children—the ones that schools normally look out for—are in a position where their parents are not necessarily going to use those vouchers in the right way, and the current system seems to have no safeguards against that.”
Education secretary Gavin Williamson replied: “I can assure my honourable friend that measures are in place to ensure that the vouchers are not used for things such as alcohol, cigarettes or gambling.”
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Bradley later told the Mansfield Chad that he was pleased the government was working with supermarkets to prevent parents from spending the vouchers on anything but food for their families.
There have been no widely-publicised stories of parents misusing vouchers since May, with the entire summer passing without further articles being published and concerns have not been widely raised about the scheme.
What we do have evidence for, however, is the fact that since the start of the pandemic, hundreds of thousands more children have signed up for free school meals, with many more households worried about affording food.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner shouldn’t have described a Tory MP as ‘scum’
Despite no longer being an MP and therefore not voting on the bill, one former minister also weighed in on the vote with questionable logic.
During an appearance on BBC Question Time, former culture secretary Nicky Morgan claimed “the Labour party might have found they got more supporters if the deputy leader hadn’t called one of the Conservative MPs scum.”
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During Wednesday’s debate over the motion Angela Rayner called Tory MP Chris Clarkson “scum”, for which she has since apologised.
She was quickly shut down by host Fiona Bruce, who said: “I’m not really sure anyone’s defending that, but that’s not exactly the point is it?” Despite the interjection, Morgan later repeated her comment – describing Rayner’s words as “unconscionable” and “unparliamentary”.
“The Labour party might have found they got more supporters if the deputy leader hadn’t called one of the Conservative MPs scum.”
Nicky Morgan clashes with @bphillipsonMP over free school meals. On #bbcqt, 10:45pm, @bbcone pic.twitter.com/82EYuDR4FR — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) October 22, 2020
Morgan also tried to blame the Tory dismissal of the motion on the way in which it had been brought before parliament via a Labour Opposition Day motion.
She said: “If the Labour Party had really wanted, and I think Marcus Rashford complained about it becoming politicised, if the Labour Party had really wanted support they wouldn’t have made it what’s called an opposition day debate. There would be other ways to build a coalition in parliament.”
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Labour MP Bridget Phillipson refuted the comment, asking: “So kids are going hungry this Christmas because you don’t like the parliamentary process?”
Free school meals are “traded for drugs”
It’s 2020 and children are trading in their free school meals for drugs in their local crack den – or so according to Tory MPs Ben Bradley and Mark Jenkinson.
Bradley, MP for Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, caused some outrage on Friday when he suggested free school meals for children in his constituency “effectively” went to a crack den and brothel.
One of the kids in his seat “lives in a crack den” while another “in a brothel”, he claimed, adding that extending free school meals would not reach these children.
When one Twitter user responded ”£20 cash direct to a crack den and brothel” could be “the way forward”, the MP said: “Thats what FSM vouchers in the summer effectively did.”
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When Bradley was accused of “disgraceful and disgusting” “stigmatisation of working class families” by Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner, Workington MP Mark Jenkinson jumped to his colleague’s defence.
He said: “Here, @AngelaRayner is either being disingenuous or really hasn’t a clue what goes on in her constituency. I hope for the sake of her constituents it’s the former.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Test And Trace Hits Another New Low With Worst Ever Contact Tracing Rate

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Boris Johnson’s test and trace service has hit another new low after it reported its worst ever figures for tracking down “close contacts” of people with Covid.
The controversial system saw just 59.6% of cases in England being reached and told to self-isolate to stop the spread of the virus.
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The figure is the worst since the so-called NHS Test and Trace was launched in May, and down on the previous week’s 62.6% , itself a record low at the time.
It means that nearly more than 40% of people who have been in contact with someone testing positive for the virus have not been reached – and not told to home quarantine for 14 days.
Government scientific experts have advised that the whole system can only work effectively if at least 80% of “close contacts” are actually tracked down and self-isolate
Close contacts are defined as those who have spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of a positive Covid case.
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Latest figures for the week between October 8 and October 14 starkly underlined the continuing surge in coronavirus cases across the country, with 101,494 people testing positive for the first time – a 12% increase compared to the previous week.
The so-called NHS Test and Trace system, which is headed by Tory peer and former TalkTalk phone giant boss Dido Harding, has been dogged by criticism since it began earlier this year, with many attacking its use of private firms like Serco and Deloitte.
The statistics for turnaround times for tests also went in the wrong direction.
The proportion of in-person tests – local test sites, mobile testing units and
regional test sites – received within 24 hours was just 15.1%, less than half of the 32.8% in the previous week.
Boris Johnson had promised MPs earlier this year that his “world beating” test and trace system would hit a 100% target for receiving results within 24 hours by the end of June.
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The figures show that for all routes combined, just 7.4% of tests were received within 24 hours, compared to 14.8% in the previous week). The 7.4% figure is the lowest recorded since the service began.
Shadow health minister Justin Madders said: “To have over 40 per cent of people not even being contacted by the test and trace system is an Interstellar sized black hole in the Government’s plan to reduce transmission.
“How much longer are we expected to put up with this dangerous failure before Ministers admit that the likes of Serco just aren’t up to the job? The need for a circuit break is absolutely critical now and that time should be used to fix test and trace once and for all.”
The Department of Health and Social Care admitted in its report on the figures that the 15% statistic for 24-hour turnaround was heading the wrong way.
It said: “There has been a downward trend in the percentage of in-person test results received within 24 hours since the end of June when 94.3% were received within this time frame.”
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The worrying numbers on the proportion of “close contacts” reached was down to the big rise in so-called “non-complex” cases of the virus in the community.
These are cases outside hospital and care home settings where it is much harder to identify those who have come into contact with someone testing positive.
“As non-complex cases have a higher proportion of contacts who are unable to be reached, this has contributed to the reduction in the overall percentage of contacts who were reached and asked to self-isolate since Test and Trace launched, from 91.1% to 59.6% in the latest week,” the DHSC said.
But yet again there was a big difference in results for the public and private sector arms of the service.
For cases handled by local health protection teams, 94.8% of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate in the week to October 14. For cases handled either online or by call centres, the figure was 57.6%.
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The statistics also show starkly how the percentage of people testing positive has increased and that the rise cannot be explained by the fact that many more people are being tested than earlier in the pandemic.
The weekly positivity rate for has increased dramatically since the end of August, going up from 0.9% between 20 August and 26 August to 7.1% in the most recent week.
The service reported slightly better figures for the number of people with Covid that it managed to reach in the first place.
Out of the 96,521 people transferred to the contact tracing system in the latest week, 77,892 (80.7%) were reached, 17,141 (17.8%) were not reached and 1,488 (1.5%) had no communication details.
The proportion of people reached has decreased since the beginning of September but has increased slightly in the latest week.
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The proportion of people who provided contact details of one or more contacts also increased to 84.9%.
The prime minister’s official spokesman accepted the figures were not good enough.
“We are processing tests on an unprecedented scale and we are regularly doing over 300,000 a day now. But we recognise that testing turnaound times must improve and we are working hard to address this,” he said.
“NHS Test and Trace is increasing staffing levels, the use of robotics and it is adding more testing capacity, meaning they will be able to both do more tests, but also to improve turnaround times.
“You can see we are putting extra resource into test and trace for example we are making available specific amounts of money to areas which go into the ‘Very High’ alert level to ensure there is additional resource on the ground to help with contact tracing.
“We have always said there will be a need for test and trace to continually improve and we are putting in the work to do that.”
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Test and Trace chief Baroness Harding said: “Reducing turnaround times is our absolute priority to make sure we are reaching people as soon as possible.
“We always need to balance ensuring as many people as possible can get a test alongside ensuring test results are delivered as quickly as possible, and as capacity continues to grow at pace, we expect to see improvements.”
She stressed that testing capacity of nearly 30,000 tests had been added in the last week, “which will result in faster turnaround times going forward”.
Health minister Lord Bethell added: “On all fronts, we’re increasing our resources to ensure we can meet the challenge of the coming winter.
“We’re rightfully proud of our achievements, as we continue to test more per head that any other European country.
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“However, we do know that more needs to be done; to this end, we’re constantly looking for new ways to improve the service, scoping out new technologies, partnerships and ways of working to equip us to better support our people, locally and nationally.”
The test-and-trace system faced fresh criticism this week when it emerged was being forced to draft in untrained staff to carry out clinical assessments of patients infected with coronavirus.
Leaked emails obtained by The Independent show that as of Wednesday, staff from outsourcing firms Serco and Sitel, who have no clinical training, will be working alongside nurses and clinical staff to help assess and contract trace approximately 20,000 cases each day.
Serco was handed a contract worth more than £410 million to help run testing facilities where swabs are taken from potentially infected patients.
Sitel has been paid over £300 million to provide systems and help the test and trace service to run.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Barack Obama Returns To Campaign Trail

Barack Obama Returns To Campaign Trail

Barack Obama Returns To Campaign Trail
Barack Obama delivered a powerful speech blasting President Donald Trump’s coronavirus response, saying he has given Americans plenty of evidence that he’ll never take the pandemic seriously.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Boris Johnson Knew Test And Trace Wasn't World Beating – And Ignored it

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
The last few weeks has seen us reach a grave place in our fight against Covid-19. The number of cases is rising across the country. There are now more people in hospital with Covid-19 than on March 23 when we went into national lockdown. The spread of infections is hitting all age groups.
All of this – along with the advice from the government’s scientists – is why Keir Starmer and the Labour party have been calling for a short, sharp circuit break of two to three weeks to fix the broken Test and Trace system, protect the NHS and save lives.
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Our proposal would mean a temporary set of clear and effective restrictions designed to get the “R” rate down and reverse the trend of infections and hospital admissions. It would not mean closing schools, but if it happened soon it could be done over half-term to minimise disruption.
Introducing national restrictions is not something anyone wants to do. It was not inevitable, but because of the government’s incompetence it is now necessary. And the cost of not acting now – both for our nation’s health and economy – could be serious.
It would give the government space to address the biggest hole in their response to the pandemic: the test and trace system.
Analysis released by Labour a few days ago shows that nearly a quarter of a million of close contacts to people who tested positive for Covid-19 were not contacted by the government’s tracing system. In one week in October alone, 80,000 close contacts to people tested positive fell off the map.
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This failure is absolutely jaw dropping – especially when you consider we were offered a “world-beating” system by the prime minister.
We are beyond the tipping point with the test and trace system. Without our local councils working day in day out to pick up the pieces, contact tracing would have all but collapsed. If the prime minister was to use his common sense and the precious time a short circuit breaker would bring, we could start to rapidly improve the system.
“As we enter the second wave, we need to return to a spirit of unity.”
We should start by guaranteeing the 24-hour test turnaround time – to help us keep up with the virus and take swift action when there is an outbreak.
We can increase testing capacity by using NHS and university labs, rolling out regular testing in specific high-transmission settings, and innovate our approach with saliva and pool testing to speed up the process.
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Targeted, regular testing in high risk workplaces – especially to protect our NHS and social care workers – can help stop the spread quicker.
We can urgently improve contact tracing too – which has been led by Serco and is getting worse week by week. The SAGE minutes from September 21 show the government’s scientists believe the test, trace and isolate strategy was only having a “marginal” impact, despite the £12 billion invested.
With them only contacting barely 70% of people, Serco’s contract must not be renewed. But we don’t have to wait for those ludicrous contracts to run out to start fixing this – there are practical and reasonable steps that can be taken to hand over control to local communities and reach people faster.
Finally, the government can and must support people to do the right thing and self-isolate when required, by making sure they get the financial support they need.
It was beyond disgraceful to see Tory MPs voting against the Labour motion yesterday, which called on the government to face up to its appalling treatment of Greater Manchester, and make good on its claim that it would do “whatever it takes” to support workers and businesses, by ensuring those faced with hardship receive at least 80% of their previous incomes.
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By choosing to deny this, they have left those worker’s very livelihoods hanging by a thread.
We entered this pandemic as a country together – united together in our determination to protect the NHS and save lives. As we enter the second wave, we need to return to that spirit of unity. We cannot defeat this virus divided – yet division is what the government seems intent on creating.
That means this government providing the economic support communities need to protect jobs and businesses no matter where they are. It means looking at what’s working, and frankly, what isn’t when it comes to our Test & Trace system. And it means taking decisive action and showing clear leadership before we are plunged into a long and bleak winter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Facebook Dating Launches In The UK – With A 'Secret Crush' Option

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Got dating app fatigue? Facebook has decided to shake up the market, with a new dating service to rival Hinge, Bumble and Tinder.
The social media giant has launched Facebook Dating in the UK – at a time when we’re in a tiered lockdown system and many people can’t go to pubs and bars. A bold choice.
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The service allows users to create a separate dating profile, independent of their main Facebook page or Instagram account. You’ll then be shown potential matches – from friends of friends, or people not in your friend/follower circle.
The algorithm won’t suggest your Facebook friends as potential matches – unless you choose to use ‘Secret Crush’. Each user is allowed to select up to nine of their Facebook friends or Instagram followers who they’re interested in.
Facebook Dating
If your crush adds you to their Secret Crush list too, you’ll be matched. If your crush doesn’t use the service, doesn’t create a Secret Crush list or doesn’t put you on their list, then they’ll never know you’ve entered their name.
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It all sounds a bit playground-esque – the name Secret Crush alone is giving us serious throwbacks to reading Mizz magazine – but Facebook says there’s been more than 1.5 billion matches since the service launched in other parts of the world.
It still begs the question of whether we need another dating site. But, Facebook claims it’s in a unique position to offer something different.
The dating service gives users the option to share Facebook or Instagram stories on their dating profile, allowing you to show off your personality and giving you a deeper insight into potential love interests.
There’s also the option to quickly move onto a virtual date, by simply tapping the ‘video chat’ icon, potentially ending painful back and forth messaging.
Who knows if the service will be a hit among Brits, but we spend so much time using social media anyway, if nothing else, it’s entertainment for lockdown 2.0.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Jennifer Lawrence Used To Be A Republican But Donald Trump Soon Changed That

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Jennifer Lawrence has revealed she was a Republican before Donald Trump was elected as US president.
The Oscar-winning actress, who is from Kentucky, said she grew up in a Republican household and first voted for Republican John McCain in 2008 when Democrat Barack Obama defeated him.
Jennifer Lawrence SIPA USA/PA Images
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She told the Absolutely Not podcast with Heather McMahan: “It’s extremely hard to talk about politics, you don’t want to, I’m an actor, I want everybody to see my movies.
“I grew up Republican. My first time voting, I voted for John McCain. I was a little Republican.
“I was fortunate to grow up in a Republican house where I could see the fiscal benefits of some of the Republican policies and I could also see the social issues weren’t in line with my views.
“Then for me when Donald Trump got elected that just changed everything.”
She added: “This is an impeached president who has broken many laws and has refused to condemn white supremacy, and it feels like there has been a line drawn in the sand.
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“I just don’t give a fuck, I guess that is the bottom line, I just don’t think it’s right, it just changes things for me.”
The actor has endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 election and told V Magazine: “Voting is the foundation of our democracy and our freedom. And I would consider this upcoming election the most consequential of our lifetime.
“I’m voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris this year because Donald Trump has and will continue to put himself before the safety and well-being of America.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Joe Wicks Undertaking 'Savage' 24-Hour Workout Challenge For Children In Need

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Not content with keeping the nation moving during lockdown and raising thousands for the NHS, Joe Wicks is now taking on his most gruelling challenge yet.
The Body Coach has announced he will be attempting to work out for 24 hours as part of this year’s Children In Need.
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Joe, 35, is hoping to raise millions after signing up for next month’s “savage” ordeal, and admitted he could “burst into tears”.
Joe Wicks EMPICS Entertainment
“It’s going to be tough, I’m not going to sleep, there’s no end to it. I’ve just got to keep going,” the virtual PE teacher told the PA news agency.
“It will be draining and I know that when you get true fatigue and you’re really exhausted, you get really emotional.
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“I’ll probably end up, at some point, bursting into tears.”
He added: “But hopefully people will be there to pick me up and say, ‘Come on, keep going’.”
He continued: “My biggest concern is just the tiredness, I think when it gets to 3, 4, 5am, I’m going to really want to cry myself to bed….
“It’s going to be savage. It’s going to be really intense, really draining.
“But at the same time, I think every single hour that goes by, if I can see the money climbing up a little bit, I’ll be like, ‘Come on, one more push, let’s get another million’.
“This could raise one million, it could raise five million, we just don’t know.
“I’m hoping we can raise big numbers and get loads of money in that Children In Need pot this year.”
Joe's PE classes during lockdown raised over £500k for the NHS Getty
The challenge will see Joe do everything from his signature HIIT workouts to rowing, using the treadmill and yoga.
He will work out live on BBC Radio 2 from the BBC Studios in London and viewers can watch his efforts on the Red Button and BBC iPlayer across the 24 hours.
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Joe, who was recently made an MBE, has been advised he should try to consume 10,000 calories during the fundraiser – the same number he will burn through.
“Hopefully, I’ll have predominantly healthy food but with the odd chocolate bar or packet of fruit gums,” he said.
“I want to keep my blood sugar levels stable rather than just smashing the sweets and the chocolate.”
Last year, Rylan Clark-Neal took part in a 24-hour karaoke challenge for the charity, with surprise guests joining him.
In previous years, the likes of Dermot O’Leary, Sara Cox, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have taken on the 24-hour danceathon.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Covid Vaccine Trial: What Scientists Say About A Volunteer’s Death

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A volunteer taking part in the clinical trials of a promising Covid-19 vaccine has died in Brazil, leading to a number of alarmist headlines and speculation on social media.
Oxford University is in advanced stages of testing an immunisation being developed with AstraZeneca, with volunteers in countries including Brazil, the UK and the US. Scientists have emphasised there is no cause for concern.
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The cause
Most importantly, the volunteer is not thought to have received the vaccine and may have been given a placebo.
The trial would have been suspended had the volunteer been given the vaccine, suggesting the person was part of the control group that was given a meningitis jab, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
AstraZeneca said it could not comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality, but said all due processes had been followed and there were no issues with the trial continuing.
“Without details it’s impossible to know what has happened in this case but as the trial is continuing, I think we can assume the circumstances of the death were such that it was clearly not vaccine related,” Ian Jones, Professor of Virology at the University of Reading, said in a statement issued by independent science publicity group the Science Media Centre.
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The volunteer
The identity of the person who died has not been confirmed by those running the trial but CNN Brasil reported he was a 28-year-old man who lived in Rio de Janeiro and died from Covid-19 complications.
Andrew Freedman, reader in Infectious Diseases and Honorary Consultant Physician at the Cardiff University School of Medicine, said: “Fortunately, deaths resulting from the administration of a trial drug or vaccine are very rare and would normally lead to the immediate discontinuation of the trial.”
The trial
The trial is continuing.
So far, 8,000 of the planned 10,000 volunteers in the trial have been recruited and given the first dose in six cities in Brazil, and many have already received the second shot, said a university spokesman.
Oxford said in a statement: “All significant medical incidents, whether participants are in the control group or the Covid-19 vaccine group, are independently reviewed.
“Following careful assessment of this case in Brazil, there have been no concerns about safety of the clinical trial and the independent review in addition to the Brazilian regulator have recommended that the trial should continue.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Dawn French Confirms RuPaul's Drag Race Judging Role And We Could Not Be More Excited

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We have our first guest judge for the second series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and it’s a good one.
Dawn French has confirmed she will be taking a seat alongside Mama Ru when the hit BBC Three series eventually returns.
The comedian and actor is the first celebrity name to be announced for the upcoming series, and revealed she is due to film her stint on the panel in a couple of weeks.
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Dawn French PA
Making an appearance on Jessie Ware’s Table Manners podcast, Dawn revealed: “Here’s a spoiler I’m going to give you, a little scoop – I’m going to be one of the guest judges.
“They did originally ask me if I would be a full-time judge, but I couldn’t – because I just don’t live in London. But I am going to be a guest judge in a couple of weeks.”
Speaking about the Covid protocols on set, Dawn added: “I think there’s going to be sort of Perspex between each judge kind of thing, so I won’t be able to touch Ru. That’s a shame, because I really do want to touch Ru!”
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Earlier this week, regular judge Alan Carr confirmed the series is set to resume filming in two weeks, after being halted midway through due to the pandemic back in March.
Regular Drag Race UK judges Graham Norton, Michelle Visage, RuPaul and Alan Carr BBC
Appearing on Lorraine, he then joked: “It’s also good for some of the drag queens who maybe their sewing wasn’t that good – because in the lockdown, if they’ve got any sense, they’d be on that sewing machine, with that pedal down! No excuse.”
The British version of Drag Race launched last year, with a second run originally scheduled for the autumn.
While no new air date has been set, it is thought it Drag Race UK will return in early 2021.
In the meantime, bosses have announced a new spin-off series, which takes a look at what happened to the queens after the first series concluded.
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The cameras followed them on their UK tour last year for the fly-on-the-wall docu-series, with viewers promised plenty of high jinks, sisterly camaraderie and good old-fashioned shade.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Lily James Makes First TV Appearance Since Dominic West Controversy

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Lily James has made her first TV appearance since the controversy surrounding her trip to Italy with actor Dominic West.
Lily James Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
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He then flew home and held an impromptu press conference with Catherine FitzGerald outside of their home in the Cotswolds to address the state of their relationship.
“Our marriage is strong and we’re very much still together,” he told reporters, before the couple shared a kiss.
Catherine FitzGerald and Dominic West David M. Benett via Getty Images
Lily and Dominic will star together in the BBC’s adaptation of The Pursuit Of Love, which began filming in July. Lily plays the daughter of Dominic’s character.
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On Wednesday, Lily chatted to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show after reportedly pulling out of previously planned media appearances following the controversy.
During the interview, Lily chatted about her role in the Netflix adaptation of Dame Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, teaching an acting class over Zoom and a potential Mamma Mia sequel – but stopped short of discussing her trip to Rome.
She also revealed she found out about her role in 2018 musical Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again on her way home from Glastonbury and said she is open to a follow-up.
“Yeah, I want to do four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10. I’m down,” she said.
She stars alongside US actor Armie Hammer in Rebecca, playing the young wife of a handsome widower.
And she revealed the creepy link between the new film and her real life after she was asked about ghosts.
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“My whole life I’ve had these recurring nightmares where a dark figure walks towards me and leans over me and I wake up screaming,” Lily explained.
“I was in a dorm for nearly 10 years with one girl when I was at school and she would comfort me almost once a week, I would end up screaming.
“I have only just realised this but her name is Rebecca. So I think she has been screwing with me my entire life.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Tory Minister Tells Public To 'Educate Themselves' About Lockdown Rules

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The public has a “duty” to go off and “educate themselves” about the lockdown rules, police minister Kit Malthouse has said.
A chief officer leading the policing response to Covid-19 made has made “strong representations” to the government that tier rules should be the same wherever they were applied.
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Assistant chief constable Owen Weatherill told MPs on Wednesday he was continuing to push for simplified messages that are easy for the public to understand.
But speaking to the BBC on Thursday morning, Malthouse said there was “plenty of information out there on the internet where people can go and inform themselves about what the regulations are in their area”.
“We all need to recognise we have an individual duty towards our collective health and that means informing ourselves about what the regulations are in our area and complying with the rules,” he said.
He added: “Everybody really has a duty to go and try and educate themselves about what the rules are in their area.”
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But Malthouse denied he was blaming the public. “Who said it’s their fault?! ” he told HuffPost UK on Twitter. “I don’t think it’s too much to ask that people reassure themselves about the rules in their area is it?”
Malthouse also said some people were “taking the mickey” and “not complying” with the rules on purpose.
“Most people recognise the very dangerous moment for us in this pandemic and are complying, and let’s hope that continues,” he said.
Police dished out more than £40,000 in fines to Nottingham Trent University students after breaking up a house party on Tuesday night.
Four students were each given £10,000 bills for breaching Covid-19 rules after ignoring orders from police to stop the party.
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It comes as Rishi Sunak is expected to announce a new support package for businesses affected by tier 2 restrictions.
The chancellor is set to unveil a new plan to help firms, particularly pubs and restaurants, who have seen their trade drop as a result of the social restrictions in the “high” category.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--Jessie J Appears To Confirm Channing Tatum Split In 'Single Life' Instagram Post

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Jessie J appears to have confirmed she has split from Channing Tatum.
The singer shared a post about enjoying “single life in a pandemic” on Instagram on Wednesday, after much speculation about her romance with the Hollywood star.
Jessie uploaded a video montage that showed her drinking wine and attempting to twerk, captioning it: “What my pupils are actually doing while I calmly stare at you trying to get a quick read on your energy... Single life in a pandemic is [crystal ball emoji].”
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Jessie J and Channing Tatum pictured in January Tommaso Boddi via Getty Images
She added: “It’s supposed to be funny. So don’t get serious Sally in the comments. Sorry if your name is Sally and you aren’t serious.”
In January, Jessie and Channing revealed they were back together following a reported brief split, as they cosied up on Instagram.
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He first appeared to confirm rumours they were dating in November 2018 when he praised her performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where he was in the audience.
It was thought they first started dating six months after Channing split from his wife of nearly nine years, actress Jenna Dewan.
Meanwhile, Jessie is one of the stars rumoured to be taking part in the upcoming series of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-22--The UK Is Now The Second Biggest Hub For QAnon Internet Activity In The World

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The UK is now the second biggest hub for QAnon internet activity in the world, a new report has revealed.
Falling second behind only the US where the far-right movement originated – and has been bolstered by the president – a quarter of people in the UK now say they believe in conspiracy theories that align with QAnon.
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Originating in a 4chan message board in October 2017 with a single post from an anonymous user identified only as ‘Q’ claiming to be a Donald Trump insider with access to classified information, QAnon has since spiralled into a conspiracy intended to “raise awareness” that Trump is waging war against a network of powerful Satanic paedophiles.
While the conspiracy theory has its roots firmly in the US, research by Hope Not Hate reveals that other false theories that align with the QAnon worldview have begun to proliferate in the UK.
The poll revealed a particularly strong belief in the conspiracy theory among young people, with 35% of 18-24s and 33% of 25-34s agreeing that “secret Satanic cults exist and include influential elites” – far higher than the average of 25% of the population.
More than a quarter (29%) of the UK population polled by Hope Not Hate said they agreed with the statement that regardless of who is officially in charge of governments and other organisations, there is a single group of people who secretly control events and rule the world together” – with this belief held by 38% of 18-24s and 43% of 25-34s.
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Meanwhile, 26% of people polled agreed that “elites in Hollywood, politics, the media and other powerful positions are secretly engaging in large scale child trafficking and abuse”.
While decoupled from US conspiracy theories about Donald Trump, the UK has seen a growing minority engage in movements such as Save Our Children, which centre on fictional child trafficking plots – attracting people unaware of the campaign’s roots.
The report acknowledges that real life events, such as the high-profile institutional child abuse scandals of recent years, have raised fears, but states that the “disproportionate, illogical, and exaggerated nature of these conspiracy theories push them into the realm of dangerous fantasy.”
The rise of the QAnon movement in the UK is also closely intertwined with the spread of Covid-19, with slogans such as WWG1WGA (Where We Go One, We Go All), anti-vaccination, anti-5G and Save Our Children often seen at anti-lockdown protests.
Hope Not Hate’s research found that 17% of people polled agreed that “Covid-19 has been intentionally released as part of a ‘depopulation’ plan orchestrated by the UN or New World Order”, while 14% agreed that a Covid-19 vaccine “will be used maliciously to infect people with poison or insert microchips into people”.
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Much of the growth of the QAnon movement in the UK can be attributed to the rapid spread of Facebook groups, with Hope Not Hate highlighting research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), which found that global membership of QAnon Facebook groups soared by 120% in March 2020.
Experts believe this trend may have been even more pronounced in the UK. Prior to March, Hope not Hate had identified just three UK-specific
Facebook groups devoted to QAnon, with a combined membership of less than 5,000.
But by mid-May, there were at least 10 dedicated Facebook groups with a rapidly growing membership of more than 20,000, although groups devoted specifically to the promotion of QAnon represent only a minor element of its rise.
The central aspect of the QAnon worldview – that there are thousands of
children being kept captive in dungeons and tunnel networks across the world – has drawn in many who might otherwise have rejected the heavily pro-Trump and narrow political narratives of the original movement
QAnon researcher Marc-André Argentino reported in September that membership of 114 Facebook groups which present a softer anti-trafficking face, but were actually dominated by QAnon content, had increased by 3,029% since July.
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In early October the social media platform banned all groups, pages and Instagram accounts openly affiliated with QAnon, but a quick Facebook search reveals that groups focused on child trafficking “awareness” and anti-5G messages are still active with tens of thousands of members.
With 6% of people in the UK professing support for QAnon (3.2% strong support, and 2.5% soft support) and 19% having at least heard of the conspiracy theory, Hope Not Hate Have also highlighted the role of media appearances made by high-profile figureheads.
The groundwork for the movement has long been laid by British conspiracy theorists such as David Icke who, despite denouncing Trump, Hope Not Hate said had spent decades promoting the idea that a single, global ring of Satanic elites are trafficking, ritualistically abusing and cannibalising children – mirroring beliefs held by QAnon supporters.
The report states: “Whilst Icke’s views may seem niche, we should not underestimate his ability to introduce dangerous notions to new audiences.”
Researchers have specifically highlighted a “friendly” three-hour interview with Icke on the True Geordie podcast in September 2019, which has received close to a million views.
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In the podcast, Icke alleges “a very common theme of paedophilia” among elites, alongside “literally human sacrificing and animal sacrificing Satanism.
“And you can chart these bloodlines, if you like, back into ancient history [...] The cement that holds this web together is paedophilia and Satanism”.
The podcast, based in London, usually produces sports and comedy content and has almost 1.9m subscribers – most of them young people.
As a result of its research, Hope Not Hate has identified five potential dangers posed by the movement, which is already inspiring regular protests across the UK including a recent demonstration outside Buckingham Palace and a thousand-strong march on Oxford Street.
They include the following:
QAnon sustains antisemitic conspiracy theories which sit at the core of its belief system It provides access to a pool of people for the far-right to exploit due to a crossover between conspiracy theories It poses a risk to legitimate child protection in the UK as it has it the US It could inspire harassment & violence as also seen in the US It encourages corrosive and disproportionate distrust of institutions