thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--These Are 5 Different Types Of Cat Owner. Which One Are You?

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Cats are known to have a ‘wild’ side, but how do cat owners feel about their pets’ behaviour of roaming and hunting?
According to a study by the University of Exeter, cat owners fall into five categories in terms of their attitude towards their cats’ behaviour.
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A research team surveyed 56 cat owners from rural parts of the UK, such as south west England, as well as urban areas like Bristol and Manchester.
The project – Cats, Cat Owners and Wildlife – aims to identify ways owners can manage their cats, but reduce wildlife killing. Researchers wanted to understand how cat owners view their cats and how is best to manage them.
Most owners found dead animals brought into their home an unpleasant reminder to their pet’s wilder side. However, there’s an ongoing argument between prioritising cats’ welfare and focusing on wildlife conservation.
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undefined undefined via Getty Images
So, which type of cat owner are you?
1. Conscientious Caretakers
Owners who are ‘conscientious caretakers’ recognise they have a responsibility to understand their cat’s impact on wildlife.
2. Freedom Defenders
A more “free” approach to having a pet, according to the researchers. These owners tend to be opposed to any forms on restrictions to cat behaviour.
3. Concerned Protecters
Safety first. Owners that are ‘concerned protecters’ focus on the safety and protection of their cat.
4. Tolerant Guardians
These owners will often dislike their cats’ hunting behaviour, but will tolerate it.
5. Laissez-faire Landlords
Finally, these owners are largely unaware of any issues around cats roaming and hunting.
Daugirdas Tomas Racys via Getty Images Bristol, 2011
Commenting on the study, Dr Sarah Crowley, lead author at the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute in Cornwall, said: “Although we found a range of views, most UK cat owners valued outdoor access for their cats and opposed the idea of keeping them inside to prevent hunting.”
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Dr Crowley added “cat confinement policies” will likely be unpopular among cat owners in the UK, but as “only one of the owner types viewed hunting as a positive”, suggests the “rest might be interested in reducing it by some means”.
Tom Streeter, chairman of SongBird Survival, said the study highlights the need for cat owners and conservationists to “work together to find tailored solutions that are cheap, easy to implement, and have a positive effect on wildlife and bird populations across the UK”.
Stefan Tomic via Getty Images Senior man petting his cat on a sofa at home
One of the suggested measures to reduce hunting success includes fitting cats with brightly coloured “BirdsBeSafe” collar covers. Many owners also fit their cats with bells.
Dr Sarah Ellis, iCatCare’s head of cat advocacy, says finding the right interventions “could improve wildlife conservation efforts, maintain good cat mental wellbeing, and at the same time improve the cat-human relationship”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Jamie Laing Returns To Strictly Come Dancing A Year After Injury Cost Him His Spot On The Show

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Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing is making a return to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom, a year after an injury cost him his spot on the show.
On Thursday morning, Jamie became the ninth celebrity revealed as a contestant on this year’s series, during an appearance on This Morning.
He joked: “Here we go again, hopefully this time I can last long enough so my mum can see me dance.
“The reason I’m doing it, is to make my mum proud but all I did last year was make her even more disappointed. Let’s change that this year, can’t wait.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Use Empty Office Blocks To Solve Winter Homeless Shelter Crisis, Say Campaigners

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Campaigners want empty commercial buildings to become makeshift shelters this winter as social distancing severely impacts the number of beds available for the expected “tsunami” of homelessness.
Outreach teams are predicting a sharp rise in the number of people sleeping rough due to a perfect storm of factors caused or exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic – not least, the end of both the eviction ban and the furlough scheme.
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And with more space needed for Covid-secure shelters, innovative measures are being put forward to tackle the crisis, such as taking advantage of the empty office blocks and commercial buildings in town and city centres across the country.
Jon Glackin, founder of outreach group Streets Kitchen, told HuffPost UK: “We’re going to have to start thinking about unorthodox methods. There are lots of empty buildings that could be reappropriated and put to good use – that’s the simple answer.”
Glackin is no stranger to this. Two years ago Streets Kitchen took over an empty building in Islington, north London, for use as a winter shelter.
The economic toll of the pandemic, and the social distancing measures in place to tackle it, mean already stretched shelters will likely see more people asking for help, but be severely limited in how many they can take in.
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Lucy Abraham, CEO of Glass Door Homeless Charity, told HuffPost UK: “The current advice is that accommodation with communal airspaces is not allowed because of the risk of the spread of Covid. So that means any shared night shelters, dormitory-style accommodation can’t operate under current government advice guidelines.
“Our normal service would be five night shelters on any one night of the winter, operating across London and we would normally accommodate 170 people every night.
“So our challenge now is what do we provide to people? And that’s not just us – there are thousands of night shelter places across the country.”
SOPA Images via Getty Images
The coming ‘tsunami’
The government’s Everyone In scheme, launched in March, housed almost 15,000 in emergency accommodation such as hotels and was hailed as a successful – albeit temporary – programme.
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″[The Everyone In scheme] definitely made a big impact, no doubt about it, but you have to remember that homelessness is only increasing,” says Glackin.
“There’s illegal evictions; we’ve had all the backpackers’ hostels closed during the pandemic; the hotels closed down and B&Bs, even sofa-surfers, [were] being kicked out – so there was always an increase in homelessness which we were seeing from day one but it’s only just being recognised now.
“And then you’ve got the eviction ban lifting. We’re going to see a tsunami.”
According to the latest figures from the Greater London Authority (GLA), sleeping rough in London increased 33% year-on-year between April and June, while the number of new rough sleepers rose by 77%.
A government source suggested the rise was due to the increased reporting of people on the street so they could be housed, with most only spending one night sleeping rough. The number of people deemed to be “living on the street” was down 33%.
But there is also a larger problem on the horizon than the number of people already homeless or rough sleeping. The furlough scheme, which has frozen nearly 10m pre-Covid jobs, and the eviction ban will expire in the coming weeks.
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Both will almost certainly result in a huge rise in unemployment – which could in turn lead to a rise in people being forced onto the streets.
“The big question is: what about the new rough sleepers?” says Abraham.
“We know the demand is going to be there this winter. We’re already seeing people who are losing their jobs because of Covid.
“I strongly believe that the economic impact of Covid at the moment is just being kicked down the road.”
The planning problem
The end of August is one of the busiest times for homeless charities as they plan operations for the coming winter – but, this year, everything is effectively on hold.
“At this point we’re not able to plan ahead. We’re getting no guidance from central government,” says Glackin.
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“It’s not a good position to be in in August. Normally we would have planned ahead and started working towards opening the winter shelters in October but that’s just not going to happen this year. Nobody knows what’s happening.”
A spokesperson for the mayor of London told HuffPost UK guidance on night shelters and social distancing would be issued “in the next couple of weeks”.
But even if shelters can operate, they will be severely restricted in how many people they can take in.
“The winter shelters as we know it won’t exist this year,” says Glackin. “At the moment we’re looking at a capacity of a third. Even with the shelters last year, there weren’t enough.”
Charity Housing Justice has published a report titled A New Season, detailing the actions some shelters have already taken to adapt. For example, the Selig Suffolk Trust runs the Ipswich Winter Night Shelter, which used to operate in rotating venues but – after cross-agency working to find a fixed home – will now be based in a Covid-secure location, albeit with a reduced number of beds.
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A possible solution?
Homelessness and rough sleeping is just one of a number of consequences of the pandemic – another being the huge drop in commuters as people continue to work from home.
Boris Johnson has been calling for employees to start returning to their place of work for more than a month amid fears town and city centres are becoming ghost areas as commuters stay away.
“There already were loads of empty buildings; there’ll be even more now,” says Glackin.
“There are plenty of buildings that could be put to good use.”
A spokesperson for the mayor of London told HuffPost UK: “Converting free space is rarely as simple as it seems but our rough sleeping team are working with LandAid to look for buildings to allow us to continue the work we’ve been doing with hotels, as well as sites for more homelessness hubs and No Second Night Out triage centres.”
Another lockdown?
Regardless of planning or advice from the government, one possible scenario would make it all moot anyway – another lockdown.
Last week health secretary Matt Hancock said he could not rule out “extensive lockdowns” this winter and whether regional or national, any shelters in those areas would have to close.
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“I would be hopeful that the government would step in like they did earlier this year because if there is a local lockdown there is no way we can operate any of our services,” says Abraham.
“The government has provided the £105m towards the Next Steps programme. That’s about ensuring that everyone who has come in as a result of Everyone In stays in accommodation and doesn’t go back on the streets and that’s obviously a really positive step.
“But I think the real challenge is, without the central pan-London response that there was – like the GLA procuring a number of hotels and running them on scale – that the funding just won’t be enough.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--As A Teenage Girl, I'm Worried Schools Aren't Taking Sex Education Seriously

School teacher teaching students in class, working with tablets Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images
This week, I’ll be enjoying my first full day back at school in six months. As I start year 11, I am concerned about my GCSEs and how behind I am because of the pandemic.
Mostly though, I worry about the generation of children whose sex education will be incomplete because schools will prioritise exam results over students’ wellbeing.
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This September, sex education becomes mandatory in all state-funded schools. This landmark change has taken years of cross-party campaigning by MPs and charities, and is a massive victory for school children.
Unfortunately, the deadline for implementation has already been pushed back to summer term 2021, in part because of the pandemic.
“Being harassed has certainly been a regular part of growing up for me. I have repeatedly faced sexual harassment while in my uniform.”
Schools up and down the country will be under immense pressure to make up for lost time caused by Covid-19.
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Students who fail to achieve a grade 4 in maths, science and/or English are now required to retake their exams, so teachers will put these targets first. Such a move is understandable of course; we need our core GCSEs.
Yet, a decision to prioritise “academic” subjects over sex education could have enormous unintended consequences.
As a teenage girl, I think nothing is more important than being taught about topics like consent, periods, and violence against women and girls.
Take PSH – public sexual harassment, or “catcalling” as it is often referred to. This is the most common form of violence against women, and a sad part of the majority of schoolgirls’ lives.
Leading children’s charity Plan International UK found in 2016 that 66% of girls in the UK have faced sexual attention in a public place, with 38% being subject to this behaviour monthly. These figures rose amongst BAME and LGBTQ+ girls because of dual discrimination.
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Being harassed has certainly been a regular part of growing up for me. I have repeatedly faced sexual harassment while in my uniform. From sexual comments about my body to being followed by cars, my journey to secondary school has never felt safe.
I was 11 the first time I faced harassment. I remember feeling confused and ashamed, wondering whether it was my fault for wearing shorts that day.
Looking back, I wish that I had been taught about consent and victim-blaming before this happened. Luckily, I decided to talk to someone about my experience. It was only after talking to my older sister that I began to understand that what those men had done was not my fault.
The combination of schools neither teaching about this violence nor responding
to it effectively sends out a dangerous message to children that PSH is normal. It leads girls to blame themselves, and is a crucial reason why 42% of girls tell no one about their experience (Plan UK, 2016).
This is why in April last year, my sister and I launched the Our Streets Now
campaign, calling on the UK government to make public sexual harassment
(PSH) a criminal offence.
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We’ve also published a series of online resources for students and teachers to tackle this issue.
As I look towards my future beyond secondary school, I know very little of what’s in store. What I do know however is that unless sex education schemes like ours are successfully implemented across the UK, one thing I can (unfortunately) count on in the coming years is that I will continue to be a victim of public sexual harassment.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--'Proper Bants'? This Ad Seriously Overestimates Our Love For The Office

Luis Alvarez via Getty Images
It’s time for office workers to go back to work – and no doubt, we’re beyond excited to see our “second family”, engage in some “proper bants”, then slope off early for a “cheeky afternoon in the sun”.
That’s according to a Dettol advert, anyway, which is causing quite the stir on Twitter. The ad, pictured at Euston tube station by a commuter, seems to assume there’s a LOT we miss about the office – and it couldn’t be more wrong.
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“Hearing an alarm. Putting on a tie. Carrying a handbag. Caffeine-filled air,” it opens confidently, rounding up some of those “little things” we’re just thrilled to get back to.
omg they are gagging for us to return back to the office. “second family”? pic.twitter.com/udntfSVXSh — mi🌿 (@helloalegria) September 2, 2020
Other things we’ve been missing, apparently, include “receptionists” and “those weird carpets” – as if human employees and office fixtures are one and the same.
Never mind that “taking a lift” and “face-to-face meetings” are a perilous business in this coronavirus age. Dettol gets to the point at the end of this inventory of office life, by reminding us to “disinfect surfaces we use throughout the day” and “Keep Protecting” – not the slogan we asked for, but clearly the slogan we’re stuck with.
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As you might imagine, Twitter has no truck with these “proper bants” we supposedly live for at work (of which this ad seems an egregious example).
Just straightening my tie and getting ready for some bants. 🤮🤮🤮 https://t.co/9SuetxI01E — Clare Reddington (@clarered) September 3, 2020
In fact, people had issues with a lot of the list, to be honest.
Hearing an alarm go off an hour earlier than now because you need to schlep to the office. Having to endure awkward chat in the corridor. Paying £7 for a sarnie and a drink. Having another £7 sarnie at Waterloo cos you left the office too late to make tea when you get home. — Liz Hartley 🇪🇺 (@thefsgirl) September 3, 2020
not having to make lunch? babes, we were paying 4.99 for two slices of bread under the guise of freshness. — mi🌿 (@helloalegria) September 2, 2020
"Leaving early for a cheeky afternoon in the sun". Are they living in the 1970's? That'll get you on a written warning or sacked. — C Cret (@Bingleboo) September 3, 2020
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Many also pointed out the striking similarities to the “Choose Life” speech from Trainspotting – and the thousand posters it spawned on student walls.
Hearing an alarm. Putting on a tie. Carrying a handbag. Receptionists. Caffeine-filled air. Taking a lift. Seeing your second family. Watercooler conversations. Proper bants. The boss's jokes. Plastic plants. Office gossip. Those weird carpets. Face-to-face meetings. CCing pic.twitter.com/SpLLXTuu9T — Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) September 3, 2020
Even Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh got involved in the chatback.
Because the thing is, all the supposedly fun aspects of office life catalogued by this disinfectant brand are things we either don’t miss (bants, buzzwords and meetings), things that most of us never did anyway (putting on a tie, carrying a handbag, taking the afternoon off) – or they’re wholly inanimate objects like carpet and plastic plants. Anyway, back to the office we go. Or don’t.
This is an itemised list of why I will be working remotely for as long as I can help it — Anaemicbadbinch (@Jayeamber1) September 3, 2020
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Noooooooo there’s another one WHYYYYYYYYYYYY pic.twitter.com/ZGpiCXkzU3 — Jenny se quois (@mmtowns) September 3, 2020
When HuffPost UK contacted Dettol UK for a comment in response to the reaction, they directed us to a tweet by the brand that reads: “More Londoners are on the move again. So we wanted to talk about the things we’ve missed. And the things we haven’t. (And it’s clear there are plenty of those!) Whatever you are on the move for. There are little things we can do to help protect each other.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Ant And Dec Admit They Almost Went Their Separate Ways Following Ant’s Arrest For Drink-Driving

Ant and Dec have revealed they considered going their separate ways following Ant’s 2018 arrest for drink-driving.
Speaking on Wednesday’s edition of The One Show, the Britain’s Got Talent presenters recalled taking a break from working together following the incident.
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly Ian West - PA Images via Getty Images
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Dec admitted: “Oh, absolutely [there was a moment where we thought we might have to go solo].”
“We both did,” added Ant.
Dec continued: “We both were very unsure what tomorrow would bring. I didn’t know if Ant was going to come back from his period away and go, ‘do you know what, I want to go and be a pig farmer in Wales’.”
Ant admitted that the pair’s enforced break meant that when they returned to their working partnership, they started to enjoy it even more.
Ant and Dec win the Bruce Forsyth Award at the National Television Awards 2020 Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
“When you do come back together, and we have in the last year, you enjoy it more.” Ant said.
“I don’t think we ever took it for granted, but there are points where you just go to work. That enforced break made us think about the importance of things. We realised we just love being together.”
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Ant added: “When you take time out you have a chance to look at your life, look at what’s making you happy, look at what you can change and I was going through quite a lot at the time.
“It was the best decision to take time out of work because that wasn’t the most important thing, I just had to get myself right and I did and we spoke a lot as friends, forgetting the career, and we decided that the best thing to do would be to get happy, get well and come back when I was better and that’s what we did.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--JJ Chalmers Joins Strictly Come Dancing Line-Up

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TV personality and Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers has become the eighth celebrity announced for this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.
JJ began his career in the Royal Marines, but this was cut short following life-changing injuries he sustained in an explosion in Afghanistan.
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Following this, he trained to compete in The Invictus Games, winning three medals as captain of the Trike Cycling team in 2016.
More recently, he’s pursued a career in TV presenting, and is now giving the Strictly dance floor a try.
From the Invictus Games to #Strictly 2020. JJ Chalmers is putting the Cha Cha Cha into his latest challenge! 🕺🏻
👉 https://t.co/wrQ9b1b98f @JJChalmersRM pic.twitter.com/tXvHnvHokh — BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) September 3, 2020
He said: “My whole life is defined by facing challenges. Whether it’s becoming a Royal Marine Commando, recovering from my injuries sustained in Afghanistan to competing in The Invictus Games. Now as a TV Presenter I’m lucky enough to witness some of the greatest sporting contests in the world.
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“Strictly is a whole different ball game in respect to the challenges I will face but I’m up for an adventure and at least my mum will know where I am!”
JJ’s TV credits include BBC Sports coverage of the Commonwealth Games and London Marathon.
JJ Chalmers with Prince Harry behind the scenes of the 2016 Invictus Games Chris Jackson via Getty Images
Seven celebrities had already been confirmed before JJ was revealed on Thursday morning, with award-winning actor Caroline Quentin, former NFL player Jason Bell and The Wanted singer Max George the first three stars to be unveiled.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--I’m A So-Called ‘Activist Lawyer’ Who Assists Migrants. Here’s What I Actually Do

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I don’t like labels, but if I had to choose one to describe what I do, it would be lawyer – someone who studies or practices law. I work in legal aid, which means I have a duty to the public purse and a duty to only take cases which are likely to succeed – I never pursue frivolous or fanciful claims. I take my clients’ instructions and advise how the law applies to the facts of their particular case.
When your car breaks down you call a mechanic, and they tell you what is wrong and how to fix it. If you are ill, you tell doctors your symptoms and seek their help. And just like that, my job means I provide an answer to my clients’ legal problems – instead of looking at a broken engine or a body part, I just look at a vast array of documents, the person’s history and the relevant law.
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This shouldn’t be controversial. However, when it comes to providing legal advice in an area of law described as Britain’s most toxic political issue, unfortunately it is. I’m not just a lawyer, doing my job, I’m supposedly an “activist lawyer” or a dinghy chaser, bending the laws of the land to abuse the system.
The Home Office used the first of these labels last week in a video claiming “activist lawyers” were frustrating the law by thwarting deportations. Sections of the British press then name-checked several law firms as “dinghy-chasers”. The truth is immigration lawyers didn’t frustrate the law last week – we upheld it, preventing the wrongful deportation of people who needed our protection.
“The people I work with and advise are some of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society – it’s my job to provide them with necessary, often life-saving, legal advice.”
These characterisations are misleading and dangerous. The people I work with and advise are some of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society – it’s my job to provide them with necessary, often life-saving, legal advice.
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I want to share with you a couple of illustrative examples.
Pedro is a victim of torture, and has PTSD. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, wanted to deport him to the Democratic Republic of Congo a few days after he attempted suicide. Pedro’s deportation would have breached his human rights, and could ultimately have resulted in his death. The Home Secretary should have known this from the evidence before her, yet court action was needed to stop his removal. Pedro has now been granted humanitarian protection in the UK.
Yvonne was recognised as a refugee following a successful appeal. Despite having documentary evidence to support every aspect of her claim, the Home Secretary refused to accept she would be at risk on return. There were numerous legal errors in the decision, which we repeatedly highlighted. Nevertheless, the Home Secretary continued to defend the appeal. In a subsequent judgment the court described the Secretary of State’s conduct in the following terms: “[Either she] behaved unreasonably in not reviewing the sustainability of her decision following the lodging of the appeal, or she behaved unreasonably in allowing the appeal to be carried out by a civil servant who was not reasonably competent and unfamiliar with basic principles of asylum law.”
When the news of the Home Office’s ‘activist lawyers’ video reached fever pitch, I was conducting a telephone hearing. The Home Office had repeatedly failed to comply with court directions. Understandably, the court wanted an explanation for this, but as a representative for the Home Office failed to attend, no explanation could be given. There was no accountability or redress for the harm that the delay had caused. Meanwhile my client, a vulnerable victim of trafficking, continues to wait for a resolution to her case, while she and her children continue to live on just over £5 a day.
“While there are people starving to death due to a broken immigration system, there will very much be a need for lawyers who are prepared to hold the government to account.”
Who here is trying to bend the laws? If these claims had been dealt with promptly and competently there would have been no need to settle these disputes in court. Litigation should be a last resort, but sadly in many cases, it has become inevitable.
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The issues at stake in these cases are of overwhelming importance, not just to my clients, but to society as a whole. The United Kingdom prides itself on being a fair and democratic country, where rights extend to all – whatever your skin colour and regardless of the country you come from, you have the right to access an independent judicial system. Lawyers like me help guide clients through this often confusing and intimidating process. It’s vital we must be able to do this without fear or favour – or inflammatory videos appearing on Twitter.
And amid the Twitter storm caused by the video, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that these cases concern real people. The people I work with are not just a statistic to be disbelieved at every stage until a court rules in their favour, or a body to be put on a plane and removed from this country as quickly as possible. They are definitely not a pawn to be used for political point scoring.
Over the past week, I’ve been thinking of Mercy Baguma, and her poor motherless son. Her tragic case starkly confirms that while there are people starving to death due to a broken immigration system, there will very much be a need for lawyers who, within the confines of the law, are prepared to hold the government to account.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought into Dover, Kent, by the RNLI following a small boat incident in the Channel. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images) Andrew Matthews - PA Images via Getty Images
Just two years ago the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights concluded that the Government must create a positive environment in which lawyers are not impeded from bringing human rights cases against the Government, where lawyers should not be criticised because they represent “unpopular” clients and in which the Government should not seek to abuse their position to influence or intimidate.
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I look forward to working in this positive environment, in which the Government moves away from its rhetoric and propaganda, and in which I’m not worried about the next morning’s attention grabbling headline.
For now, I’m happy to reclaim the label. If ‘activist lawyer’ means a lawyer who does their job in difficult circumstances, who achieves the desired result for a vulnerable class of people and who is prepared to uphold and serve the rule of law, I will wear the label with pride.
Nicola Burgess is legal director at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Matt Hancock Hopes For Mass Coronavirus Testing By End Of Year

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Matt Hancock has said he hopes to have mass coronavirus testing as the norm ini the UK by the end of the year.
The government has announced a new £500m funding package will support trials of a 20-minute Covid-19 test and efforts to explore the benefits of repeatedly testing people for the virus.
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Money will go towards launching a new community-wide repeat population testing trial in Salford, Greater Manchester.
Existing trials in Southampton and Hampshire, using a no-swab saliva test and a rapid 20-minute test, will also be expanded through the new funding.
Speaking to Times Radio on Thursday morning, Hancock was asked: “So by the end of this year you hope to have mass testing as the norm. Is that right?”
The health secretary said: “Yes, yes.”
But in a separate interview with BBC Radio 4′s Today programme this morning, Hancock was reminded several self-imposed government deadlines had been missed including the deployment of a contact tracing app and a “world beating” test and trace system.
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“Well I am not putting a date on this mass testing rollout for exactly that reason,” he said.
But he said the planned testing regime was “the best chance we have of reducing social distancing” without a vaccine.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said saliva-based testing will be used for the pilot in Salford, which will involve the city council and other local partners.
A select number of residents will be invited for a weekly test, with the pilot performing up to 250 tests a day.
PA
The initial focus will be on high footfall areas of Salford, such as retail areas, public services, transport and faith spaces.
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Its aim is to identify positive coronavirus cases early, including for those with no or minor symptoms, so people can self-isolate.
Results will inform how regular repeat community testing could be scaled up across the country.
In Southampton, the second phase of a no-swab saliva test pilot is due to begin this week.
It will see a weekly testing model trialled with more than 2,100 pupils and staff across four schools.
Meanwhile in Hampshire the pilot of a rapid 20-minute coronavirus test will be expanded “to further explore the applications of mobile testing in different settings”, the DHSC said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Homophobic Misogynist Tony Abbott 'Also An Expert On Trade', Says Matt Hancock

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has tried to brush off questions over homophobic and misogynistic comments made by Tony Abbott, who is being tipped as a post-Brexit trade leader.
When confronted by Sky News presenter Kay Burley over Abbott’s record, Hancock insisted the former Australian PM is “also an expert in trade”.
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Abbott, who was ousted by his own party just two years into his tenure as Australia’s leader, is rumoured to have been hired by Boris Johnson to assist with new trade agreements – despite a history of publicly discussing deeply controversial views.
Burley reeled off a list of Abbott’s previous comments, including assertions that he feels “threatened” by homosexuality and women are “physiologically unsuited to leadership”.
But Hancock responded: “As far as I understand it the proposal is that Mr Abbott supports the UK on trade policy, which is an area in which he’s got a huge amount of expertise.
“I bow to nobody in my support for everybody to love who they love, whoever that is, as you know and as we’ve talked about a lot, but we need to have the best experts in the world working in their field and as the former prime minister of Australia obviously Mr Abbott’s got a huge amount of experience.”
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'Is Tony Abbott the right person to represent us - even if he's a homophobic misogynist?' - @KayBurley
Health Secretary @MattHancock says the former Australian PM is "also an expert in trade" and denies the claims.
Follow #KayBurley live: https://t.co/Qj88d3ncEp pic.twitter.com/ELhm8PzXAo — SkyNews (@SkyNews) September 3, 2020
Doubling down on her question, Burley responded: “Even if he’s a homophobic misogynist?”, an assertion that Hancock claimed he “didn’t think is true.”
Burley again reminded Hancock of Abbott’s past record, to which the health secretary said: “Well, er, he’s also an expert in trade.”
“So one plays off against the other, is that really what you’re saying health secretary? Come on,” Burley continued.
“Well no, what I’m saying is we need experts in different areas and the former prime minister of Australia is obviously an enormous expert in the field of trade. It doesn’t change my views,” Hancock said.
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Burley added: “So we can forgive his comments about women, and about letting the elderly die of Covid–19, and about his views on the gay community even though I believe his sister is gay? We can forgive all of that because he’s good at trade?”
Changing the subject, Hancock responded: “Well I’m doing everything in my power to prevent a second wave and protect people from coronavirus...” – a diversion that was quickly picked up on by Burley, who repeated her question.
“Well, Kay, I think the best thing to say is that I’m totally focused on the coronavirus crisis and the future of the NHS and social care. That is my area.
“I do know that Mr Abbott is very good and very experienced in trade.”
The way in which Hancock avoided commenting on Abbott’s past statements aside, it has also been pointed out that while the former Australian PM might have experience in trade, he probably couldn’t be described as an “expert”.
Dmitry Grozoubinski, former Australian trade negotiator and founder of specialist website Explain Trade shared the video of Hancock claiming Abbott was an expert, writing “In what universe?”
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He added: “By his own admission his contribution to Australian FTAs [Free Trade Agreements] was to tell negotiators not to sweat the technical details and to just get ’er dun.
“I’m not saying he has no experience to contribute on trade, but ‘expert’ is pushing it.”
UK shadow trade secretary Emily Thornberry also recently raised concerns around Abbott’s proposed appointment to lead post-Brexit trade deals, describing the choice made by government as “staggering”.
“On a personal level, I am disgusted that Boris Johnson thinks this offensive, leering, cantankerous, climate change-denying, Trump-worshipping misogynist is the right person to represent our country overseas,” she told The Guardian.
She added:“And on a professional level, this is someone whose only experience of trade agreements was turning up to sign the treaties [the former Australian trade minister] Andrew Robb negotiated for him.
Abbott isn't an expert in trade, and there are many experts in trade who are neither a homophobe, a misogynist, or to add one on, a climate change denier.
But it isn't about who is an expert is it? https://t.co/jrJ4bfediC — David Henig (@DavidHenigUK) September 3, 2020
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David Henig, director of think tank European Centre For International Political Economy, wrote on Thursday: “Abbott isn’t an expert in trade, and there are many experts in trade who are neither a homophobe, a misogynist, or to add one on, a climate change denier. But it isn’t about who is an expert is it?”
It’s not the first time ministers have found themselves caught up trying to avoid awkward questions about Abbott’s past.
In late August Liz Truss, international trade secretary and the minister for women and equalities, refused to discuss whether or not Abbott was a suitable appointment as a representative for the UK.
Asked by ITV reporter Harry Horton, “Why is it right that someone who’s widely viewed as sexist, homophobic and a climate-change denier should be representing Britain around the world?”, Truss responded: “What I’d say about Tony Abbott is that he’s a former prime minister of Australia.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Gary Lineker To Welcome Refugee Into His Home To Live With Him

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Gary Lineker is to welcome a refugee into his home to live with him.
The former England footballer has been very vocal in his criticism of the government’s response to migrants crossing the English channel, and according to The Mirror, will open his home to a refugee in just a few weeks.
He told the newspaper he was “not at all” apprehensive about his decision, insisting: “I have had so much connection with refugees over the last couple of years.
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“I have met scores of young refugees through football schemes and they are genuinely lovely kids and they appreciate any help they can get.”
Gary Lineker Eamonn M. McCormack via Getty Images
He added: “I’m sure it will be fine. I have been thinking of doing something like that for a while.
“My kids are all grown up so I’ve got plenty of room so if I can help on a temporary basis then I’m more than happy to do so. Why not?
“I’m used to young men in my house, I have four lads in their 20s and believe you me I’m sure they will behave better than my lot do.”
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Gary revealed last month that he’d been in contact with the organisation Refugees At Home, after one critic on social media questioned whether he’d “housed any [migrants] yet”.
“Not yet,” he responded, along with a screenshot of an email from the UK charity, telling him they’d be in contact soon.
The Mirror has claimed that Gary will undergo both an interview with Refugees At Home and a home visit before, all being well, his application is approved and a refugee comes to live with him “in a few weeks’ time”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--US States Asked To Prepare For Possible Covid Vaccine By Mid-Fall: Report

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Public health officials across the US have been advised to prepare for the potential distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as late October or early November, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing guidance sent out last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A vaccine for the coronavirus has yet to be developed. However, should that happen, the CDC says that limited amounts would first be distributed to health care workers and members of other high-risk groups. The supply would “increase substantially” over the next year, according to the guidance, which was reportedly sent to health officials in all 50 states as well as those in several major cities on August 27.
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Should a potential vaccine be proven effective and safe by the end of October, roughly 2 million doses would be released. Another 10-20 million doses would be released by the end of November, and 20-30 million more by the end of December, the CDC guidance states of one potential, hypothetical scenario intended for planning purposes only.
President Donald Trump tours a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant where components for a potential coronavirus vaccine are being developed in North Carolina Carlos Barria / reuters
CDC Director Robert Redfield has also directly asked states to speed up the approval process for building permits for vaccine distribution sites, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing a letter he sent to the states, also on August 27.
“CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities, and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1, 2020,” his letter read.
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Redfield’s letter, along with the vaccine distribution guidance, went out the same day President Donald Trump announced at the Republican National Convention that a coronavirus vaccine may be available before the end of the year.
“We are delivering lifesaving therapies and will produce a vaccine before the end of the year — or maybe even sooner,” he said.
The CDC did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
A poster seeking volunteers for a possible Covid-19 vaccine study in Binghamton, New York, in July. The FDA's commissioner has said that he would be willing to authorize a Covid-19 vaccine before Phase 3 clinical trials were complete. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― who has frequently been at odds with Trump over the virus’ handling and prognosis ― told NBC’s “Today” on Wednesday that he believes a “safe and effective vaccine” will be developed “by the time we get to the end of this calendar year.”
Fauci made no mention of when it may be distributed but he did suggest that he would be open to allowing an unapproved vaccine to be used under an Emergency Use Authorization, so long as there’s enough data showing it’s “safe and effective for the American public.”
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Dr Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told the Financial Times in an interview published Monday that he would be willing to authorize a Covid-19 vaccine for use before Phase 3 clinical trials were complete as long as the benefits outweigh the risks. He insisted that this authorisation was not for the sake of Trump, who faces reelection in early November.
Fauci criticized Russia last month for skipping the final large-scale clinical trial of its promoted Covid-19 vaccine.
“Having a vaccine” and “proving that a vaccine is safe and effective are two different things,” Fauci told ABC News in response to news of Russia’s decision to skip the final large-scale clinical trial.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Bill Bailey Confirmed For Strictly Come Dancing

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Bill Bailey is the seventh celebrity contestant confirmed for the brand new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
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Bill Bailey EMPICS Entertainment
Meanwhile, Nicola Adams is set to become part of Strictly Come Dancing’s first ever same-sex pairing after the Olympic boxer was confirmed for the new series on Wednesday.
Speaking about his forthcoming turn on the Strictly dance floor, Bill said: “In these strange times we’re living through, it feels right to do something different and take on a new challenge. So I am delighted to be a part of this year’s unique Strictly Come Dancing. My late mum Madrin would have loved it - I hope she’ll be watching.”
The show will be shorter this year because of precautions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Bruno Tonioli will be missing from the judging panel for Saturday night shows when the series returns later this year because he is in Los Angeles, where he is on the panel for the US version of the show, Dancing With The Stars, and will not be able to travel back and forth.
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However, he will be involved remotely in the Sunday night results show each week and will return to the show full-time towards the end of the series.
Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood are all expected to return to their judging roles.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--US Attorney General Says Police Being Racist Toward Black People Isn't Racism

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Attorney General William Barr stunned viewers Wednesday when he said that it’s not necessarily racism when police repeatedly treat Black people differently than white people.
Barr made the remarks in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, who pressed him to back up his stated belief that Black people aren’t disproportionately targeted by law enforcement.
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“I think there are some situations where statistics would suggest that they are treated differently, but I don’t think that that’s necessarily racism,” Barr said.
The attorney general also disputed the idea that the criminal justice system treats Black people more harshly, as research broadly shows it does.
“No, I don’t think there are two justice systems,” he said. “I think the narrative that the police are on some epidemic of shooting unarmed Black men is simply a false narrative, and also the narrative that that’s based on race.”
Wolf confronted Barr with a remark he’d made to ABC in July, quoting him as saying, “I do think it is a widespread phenomenon that African American males, in particular, are treated with extra suspicion and maybe not given the benefit of the doubt.”
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“That’s what I just said,” Barr responded. Perplexed, Wolf asked, “But doesn’t that sound like systemic racism?” Barr began nitpicking the language: “No. To me, the word systemic means that it’s built into the institution.”
What the attorney general acknowledged to be true is, in fact, systemic racism. Racism against Black people has been built into the American system since white settlers colonised the land and then spent centuries enslaving Black people and legalising discrimination against them. The lingering effects of those practices are what fuel the racism Black Americans face today, sometimes directly costing them their lives.
President Donald Trump, too, said this week that police violence against Black people isn’t a systemic issue. “I don’t believe that,” he said. “I think the police do an incredible job, and I think you do have some bad apples.”
Trump was speaking at a roundtable event in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where police recently shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in the back seven times, paralysing him from the waist down.
Barr claimed during his CNN interview that Blake was “in the midst of committing a felony and he was armed.” Wolf corrected him, noting that Blake’s family and lawyers say that a knife might have been nearby but that Blake wasn’t armed with it. Barr stood by his claim about the case, which remains under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the FBI.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Carole Baskin And Selling Sunset's Chrishell Sign Up For Dancing With The Stars

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Monday nights in prison are about to get a lot more exciting for Joe Exotic because his Tiger King nemesis, Carole Baskin, is competing on Dancing With The Stars.
The long-running US version of Strictly Come Dancing will air its 29th season on 14 September. The full cast was announced on Good Morning America, along with their accompanying dancing pros.
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Carole Baskin will be joined by fellow Netflix reality stars, including Selling Sunset favourite Chrishell Stause and Coach Monica Aldama from Cheer.
Chicago P.D. actor Anne Heche, Desperate Housewives alum Jesse Metcalfe, rapper Nelly, former NFL player Vernon Davis, ice skater Johnny Weir, Catfish host Nev Schulman, One Day At A Time actor Justina Machado, Disney Channel alum Skai Jackson, NBA legend Charles Oakley and The Real host Jeannie Mai round out the cast.
Kaitlyn Bristowe of the Bachelor franchise and Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean were previously announced as contestants as well.
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A “vilified” Carole told GMA that she’s looking forward to course-correcting her narrative and advocating for animal rights after being “betrayed” by the popular Netflix series.
So it’s only a matter of time before she’s foxtrotting to an Eye Of The Tiger/Roar mashup in a heavily animal-printed get up.
The season premiere will also mark the debut of supermodel Tyra Banks, who will serve as host and executive producer. She will be taking over hosting duties from Tom Bergeron, who helmed the series for 28 seasons, and Erin Andrews. The two were ousted in a surprise announcement in July.
In a statement revealing her new roles, Tyra said she’s “excited to continue the legacy and put on my executive producer and hosting hats” with network executives, promising that she’ll bring a “fresh take” to the series.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Trump Suggests North Carolina Supporters Should Try Voting Twice

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Donald Trump has suggested that voters in the US state of North Carolina should vote twice in the upcoming presidential election – once by vote and once by mail – to test the security of the system.
“So, let them send it in and let them go vote,” Trump said in an interview with local channel WECT-TV in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Wednesday when asked about the security of mail-in votes.
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He continued: “If the system is as good as they say it is then obviously they won’t be able to vote [in person].”
Voting more than once in an election is illegal.
Activists raised concerns over Trump’s remarks, saying his suggestion violated the law and urging the public not take his words literally.
“Casting two ballots is illegal. Don’t listen to the president”, the American Civil Liberties Union said on Twitter.
Casting two ballots is illegal.
Don’t listen to the President.https://t.co/brFwhrYObs — ACLU (@ACLU) September 3, 2020
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US attorney general William Barr said on Wednesday that mail-in ballots for the November 3 election could be vulnerable to fraud, echoing an argument Trump has made to denounce the use of voting by mail.
Trump has previously said the voting method is susceptible to large-scale fraud, though experts say voter fraud of any kind is extremely rare in the US.
Voting by mail is not a new process for the nation – nearly one in four voters cast presidential ballots in 2016 that way.
A record number of mail-in ballots are expected for the presidential election due to concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has accused Democrats of trying to steal the election by pushing the use of mail-in voting, with the president’s reelection campaign recently suing states like New Jersey and Nevada for expanding access to mail-in voting.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, His Wife And Two Young Daughters Test Positive For Covid-19

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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has revealed he, his wife and his two young daughters tested positive for Covid-19.
The Hollywood star said Jasmine, four, and two-year-old Tiana experienced “a little sore throat” but no other symptoms, however he and wife Lauren Hashian had a “rough go”.
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Despite being “very disciplined” and being in lockdown since March, the actor said he ended up catching the “relentless and unforgiving” virus from “very close family friends”.
The 48-year-old action star announced the news in an Instagram video, confirming he has recovered from the illness while urging fans to take the threat seriously.
He said: “I can tell you that this has been one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure as a family.
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“And for me personally too, as well. And I’ve gone through some doozies in the past. I’ve got knocked about and got my ass kicked a little bit in the past with some challenges.
“But testing positive for Covid-19 is much different than overcoming nasty injuries, or being evicted, or even being broke, which I have been more than a few times.”
The Fast & Furious star added: “But I am happy to tell you guys that we as a family are good. We are on the other end of it, we are on the other side. We are no longer contagious and we are, thank God, we are healthy.”
The actor advised fans to live a healthy lifestyle in order to maximise the body’s defences against illness and urged people to wear a mask.
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He said: “It baffles me that some people out there, including some politicians, will take this idea of wearing masks and make it part of a political agenda.
“It has nothing to do with politics. Wear your mask. It is a fact and it is the right thing to do and it is the responsible thing to do.”
He is not the only celebrity to publicly announce a coronavirus diagnosis.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--35 Interesting Questions You Never Thought To Ask Your Sibling But Should

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You and your siblings may have grown up in the same house and shared the same parent or parents, but that doesn’t mean you experienced those first chapters of life in the same way.
Maybe you were close when you were little but drifted apart as you got older; maybe you were sworn enemies when you were kids but now you’re tighter than ever — or somewhere in between. Regardless of how well you think you know each other, there’s a good chance you’ve only begun to scratch the surface.
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We’ve compiled 35 conversation-starting questions — along with help from psychologists Rebecca Leslie and Erlanger Turner and therapist Nicole O-Pries — that can help deepen the bond you share with your siblings.
Ask your brother or sister some of these during your next phone call or family visit. You might be surprised by their answers.
eyenigelen via Getty Images These questions may help you and your sibling connect on a deeper level.
1. What would you change, if anything, about our experience growing up?
2. What do you admire most about mum and/or dad?
3. In what ways did mum or dad let you down?
4. What’s something you wish you could have told me when we were kids? Why didn’t you tell me then?
5. How could I have been a better sibling to you when we were growing up?
6. What’s your favourite childhood memory of us?
7. What’s the worst fight we’ve ever had?
8. Who was the first person to break your heart?
9. Were you ever bullied? Did you ever bully anyone?
10. What’s my most annoying habit or quality?
11. What memory of us still makes you laugh?
12. Do you think our parents had a favourite kid? If so, who and why?
13. What was your biggest insecurity as a teenager?
14. How did you lose your virginity?
15. What’s your love language?
16. If you had a Saturday with no plans, how would you spend it?
17. What event in your life has had the most significant impact on you?
18. What is your biggest worry these days and why?
19. Where’s a place you wish you could live for a few months?
20. Do you consider yourself successful?
21. What’s your hidden talent?
22. What’s one healthy thing you do to manage stress? And one unhealthy thing?
23. Do you believe in God or a higher power?
24. What’s something you wish more people knew about you?
25. What’s the social or political cause you’re most passionate about?
26. Who would you want to give the eulogy at your funeral?
27. What’s a mean comment someone made about you that’s stuck with you to this day?
28. What’s the most rebellious thing you’ve ever done?
29. When do you feel the most confident?
30. How would you describe your relationship with money?
31. What song or movie scene makes you cry without fail?
32. If salary and experience didn’t matter, what job would you most want to have?
33. If we could go on a dream trip together, where would we go and what would we do there?
34. How do you feel about getting older?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--How To Save Money On Your Bills This Autumn

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Winter’s here, bringing with it a raft load of bills – well, far more than summer in any case. Those who’ve been working from home since the pandemic began will have probably felt the pinch already, as bill prices edge upwards.
So, what can you do to temper the rising overheads? It depends on the type of bill you’re looking to cut down on. We’ll walk you through it.
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ENERGY
Switch bill provider
This could save you serious pennies. MoneySuperMarket’s energy expert, Sarah Jacques, says if you’re on your supplier’s standard tariff, or if you haven’t switched for 12 months, you’re probably paying too much for your energy. “You should consider switching to a cheaper fixed rate now to get the best price possible and lock in energy costs for winter,” she says.
On average, people who switch providers save £286 a year. You can do this online, with your supplier handling the switching process so it’s not too much legwork. And as MoneySavingExpert’s spokesperson points out: “Your supply won’t be cut off, no one visits your property and all that changes is which firm bills you. Even if you’re renting, you’re allowed to switch.”
Jacques recommends checking out energy tariffs from Eon, Shell Energy, and Outfox the Market. Even if you don’t want to switch provider, it’s worth looking into different tariffs, as you could switch to a more favourable rate. Check out MSE’s Cheap Energy Club to find out more.
Check if you’re eligible for discounts or freebies
If you’re struggling to pay your bills, there are plenty of grants and freebies on offer from energy providers – from new boilers to loft and cavity wall insulation. A spokesperson for MoneySavingExpert explains: “It’s all part of their efficiency obligations to people in certain groups, like those receiving universal credit, tax credits, pension credit or income-based benefits. Our full Free Insulation & Boilers guide has more.”
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Other schemes to take advantage of include the Winter Fuel Payment (a one-off payment to help pay for heating in winter, usually if you were born on or before 5 April 1954) and Cold Weather Payments, available for people receiving certain benefits. With the latter, people receive a payment when the average temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days. This year’s scheme started on November 1.
Mkovalevskaya via Getty Images
The Warm Home Discount scheme is another deal worth looking into. It’s a £140 rebate applied to your electricity bill between September and March – unless you have a prepay meter, in which case you’ll be sent a top-up voucher. If you get pension credit, it should come automatically, and if you’re on certain benefits you may qualify, but you must apply, says MSE’s spokesperson.
The government has also announced that up to £5,000 in vouchers will be issued to homeowners in England to install loft, floor and wall insulation, or double-glazing. “It’s not simple though,” says MSE’s spokesperson, “you need to make certain major improvements before you can claim for minor ones.”
Turn appliances off at night
Don’t keep your work laptop and other appliances on overnight. Turning off standby appliances can save you an average of £30 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust. “Consider investing in plug sockets that can be turned on and off via your phone, or a cheaper option is to use timer plugs to schedule turning appliances off,” says Jacques.
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Buy energy efficient products
Jacques also advises people to buy energy efficient appliances when it’s time to replace white goods. “It is definitely worth opting for appliances with a high energy-efficiency ratings,” she says. “For example, an A+++ fridge freezer will save around £320 in energy bills over its lifetime, compared to an A+ model.”
Get a smart meter
Getting a smart meter installed can be easier said than done, but if you’re able to, it’s worth the hassle. It lets you track your energy consumption with accurate and real-time information, so you can be more aware of how much you’re using and work to keep costs down.
“It might also be worth considering installing a smart thermostat to make sure you’re using your heating efficiently,” says Jacques. “Learn how long it takes to heat your home and heat only the rooms you are using.”
Turn down your thermostat
With almost half of the cost of energy bills coming from heating and hot water use, turning your heating down by one degree could save you up to £80 a year, says Jacques. Find more tips for keeping your house warm cheaply, here.
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INTERNET
Switch your broadband
Usually, there’s no need for engineers to come out to your home – unless you’re joining or leaving Virgin, where a new line may need to be installed. When making a comparison, consider if you really have a need for speed, as faster is generally pricier. The standard average 10/11Mb is usually fine for browsing or light TV streaming for one person, but go faster for good streaming, gaming or if multiple people use the broadband at the same time.
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If you’re happy with your current set-up and you’re out of contract, broadband providers are among the easiest to haggle with. Benchmark the best deal on the market, tell them you want to leave, be polite and charming, and if it’s looking like they’ve gone as far as they can, don’t be afraid to tell them you need time to go away and think before making a final decision.
WATER
There are two benefits to saving water at home – firstly, you save money, and secondly, it’s good for the planet. Get water-saving freebies from your supplier Lots of water suppliers offer free water-saving devices including ‘save a flush’ toilet devices (which reduce the amount of water flushed away) and tap aerators, which save water by mixing water with air. Or, try a four-minute water timer, which is designed to cut the time you spend in the shower. Get in touch with your supplier to find out what’s on offer. Products vary by water company, and you can only get one item per household, including shower heads, tap inserts and hose nozzles, to regulate water flow. Go straight to the freebies via Save Water Save Money, unless you’re with Anglian, Northumbrian, Thames, Welsh and Essex & Suffolk Water.
gorodenkoff via Getty Images
Shower instead of having a bath Showers are more water-efficient than baths, and should be your first choice for an eco-friendly wash. Keep them as short as possible and avoid running the water for a long time before getting in. If you only have a tub, you can save five litres of water just by running your bath an inch lower, according to Water UK. Fill your dishwasher, not the sink According to Friends of the Earth, filling up the dishwasher completely each time you run it will use less water than if you did the washing up – just make sure it really is a full load. Get a water butt If your garden is your pride and joy, but you use a ton of water to keep it nourished, invest in a water butt. This means you can use leftover rainwater to tend to your plants, instead of draining precious fresh water. Just one filled water butt holds enough rainwater to fill a watering can 25 times. Could you benefit from a water meter? Some have slashed hundreds off their bills by fitting water meters and cutting down on their usage, says MoneySavingExpert. “Unlike with gas and electricity, you can’t switch to a cheaper provider, but deciding how you’re billed can help make savings. The rule of thumb is: if there are more bedrooms in your home than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.” Don’t be afraid to say if you’re struggling When money’s tight and bills are piling up, it can be easy to bury your head in the sand. But Citizens Advice recommends if you’re behind on water payments, get in touch with your supplier as soon as possible. Otherwise they might take you to court. Most water companies have hardship schemes or other ways to help customers who talk to them about problems – some even have a special debt line service. Check out helpful advice on negotiating with your water company here.
COUNCIL TAX
Challenge how much you’re paying
You might think there’s no wiggle room when it comes to council tax, but you’re wrong. An estimated 400,000 households in England and Scotland are thought to have overpaid on council tax by being on the wrong band, according to MSE.
It’s easy to check and challenge your council tax banding at no cost. If you’re successful, you reduce what you pay now, as well as getting a backdated rebate stretching more than 20 years.
So, how to get cracking? “First check if your band’s higher than neighbours in similar or identical properties, using the Valuation Office Agency website in England,” says MSE’s spokesperson. “If neighbours in similar properties are in a lower band than you, you may have a claim.”
Mint Images via Getty Images Norfolk, Virginia, United States
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--All You Need To Know About This Year's Flu Vaccine

Can the flu vaccine help fight Covid-19?
No, it can’t. But it is “more important than ever” this year, says Public Health England (PHE), due to the risk from Covid-19.
While the vaccine can’t protect you against coronavirus, it’s thought if plenty of people have the flu jab this autumn, it’ll help the NHS cope better through the winter months – especially if there’s another spike in coronavirus cases. Marc Donovan, chief pharmacist at Boots, explains: “Although the flu vaccination does not prevent coronavirus in any way, both of these viruses have an impact on the respiratory system so if you can prevent the flu, it can be a huge benefit to your overall health including your immune system.”
What flu vaccines are available?
The standard jab
This year’s quadrivalent (four-strain) vaccine contains the following:
A/Hawaii/70/2019 (H1N1) virus strain;
A/Hong Kong/45/2019 (H3N2) virus strain;
B/Washington/02/2019 (B/Victoria lineage) virus strain;
B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage) virus strain.
It is available free of charge to at-risk groups, while the general public have to pay (unless you can get it for free through a work scheme).
There are two types of this vaccine, one is egg-based while the other is cell-grown. The egg-based vaccine has a slight alteration – instead of the A/Hawaii virus strain it contains an A/Guangdong-Maonan (H1N1)-like virus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--How To Almost Double Your Annual Leave In 2021 (You're Welcome)

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If you’re already dreaming of trips you can take next year to make up for the holidays you lost in 2020, you’ll want to make the most of your annual leave.
Thankfully, Rachel Evans, a HR director from health and wellness brand GearHungry, has done the maths for you to help you almost double your leave from work, while only using your allocated allowance. You can turn 28 days (20 days holiday, plus eight bank holidays) into 53, she reckons. Dreamy!
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Essentially, you need to book your days off around bank holidays and weekends, she says, so you accumulate large periods of time off as opposed to a few days here and there.
An overview: the 2021 bank holidays are:
Friday January 1 – New Year’s Day
Friday April 2 – Good Friday
Monday April 5 – Easter Monday
Monday May 3 – May bank holiday
Monday May 31 – Spring bank holiday
Monday August 30 – Summer bank holiday
Monday December 27 – Christmas Day
Tuesday December 28 – Boxing Day
April: Turn eight days into 16
Book eight days annual leave in two small chunks from March 29 to April 1, then April 6-9 – and, as you have two bank holidays on the April 2 and April 5, you’ll get 16 consecutive days away from work, including three weekends. You’ll end up with time off from March 27, to April 11.
Peter Cade via Getty Images
May: Turn eight days into 19.
The UK has an early bank holiday that can turn your four-day break to nine, says Evans, if you book off from Tuesday May 4 to Friday May 9. Consecutively, you’ll be off from May 1-9. And then, at the end of the month, you can do the same thing with the bank holiday on the 31. Book off June 1 to June 4, and get nine consecutive days off from May 29 - June 6.
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August: Turn four days into nine.
The summer bank holiday falls on Monday August 30, so if you take time off from Tuesday August 31 to Friday September 3, you’ll get nine days away from work overall.
December: Turn three days into 10.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--22 Brilliant Books To Read This Autumn, Tipped By Those Who Know

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The first Thursday of September has long been known as “Super Thursday” in UK publishing: the day in the calendar when the largest number of new titles hit the shelves, with booksellers hoping to entice readers hunkering down for autumn with a cup of tea and a good book. Or two. Or 10.
This year, no thanks to Covid-19 and months of lockdown, Super Thursday’s book pile is teetering like a Jenga tower – with all the launches that were scheduled for summer festivals and holiday reading held over and added to an already chocabloc autumn list. More than 600 hardbacks alone are being published on September 3, the Guardian reported.
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With so many reads to choose from, we thought we’d ask booksellers which ones have them most excited. Here’s their rundown of the class of 2020 – from debut authors to more familiar names. Just don’t forget the joys of browsing for yourself. Visit your local bookshop and they’ll be sure to help you find more.
9 New Releases For Fiction Fans
As recommended by Bea Carvalho, fiction buyer at Waterstones.
Supplied Who They Was – Gabriel Krauze
1) Who They Was – Gabriel Krauze
“2020 has seen an incredibly strong selection of debut voices, as showcased by the Booker longlist which includes a majority of eight debuts including Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age, C Pam Zhang’s How Much of These Hills is Gold, and Brandon Taylor’s Real Life. Hitting the shelves on Super Thursday with a Booker longlisting already under its belt, Gabriel Krauze’s debut is one of the year’s most hotly anticipated. This unflinching portrayal of violence on London’s streets is a highly original piece of fiction from an exciting, authentic new voice.”
2) On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous – Ocean Vuong
“The poet’s debut novel was one of last year’s most celebrated works of literary fiction, and this new edition promises to be one of 2020’s biggest paperbacks. A triumphant work of self-discovery which ponders the immigrant experience and barriers of language, sexuality, and race with compassion and urgency.”
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3) The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman
“Pointless star Richard Osman’s debut novel sees a group of octogenarian amateur sleuths attempting to solve a murder from their usually peaceful retirement village. Smart, funny, and filled with killer one-liners, this is a thoroughly contemporary take on a classic murder mystery.”
4) Daddy – Emma Cline
“The debut short story collection from the author of The Girls is filled with dark, understated gems which will thrill fans of her novel. Interrogating gender roles, familial relationships, and the latent violence in every day interactions, this is a tense and assured collection from an author with a rare knack for characterisation.”
5) Your House Will Pay – Steph Cha
“Steph Cha’s UK debut arrived earlier this year but Super Thursday sees its paperback release. This striking, confident thriller about two families on either sides of the LA race riots in the 1990s is at once a powerful cross-generational family saga and an urgent examination of racial politics.”
6) Sad Janet – Lucie Britsch
“A whipsmart, biting piece of tragicomedy which manages to inspire real laughter while celebrating sadness. Hilarious, profound and deeply refreshing, Lucie Britsch’s acerbic, pitch-perfect writing will appeal to fans of Ottessa Moshfegh.”
7) Love Orange – Natasha Randall
“Natasha Randall expertly deconstructs the narrative of the American Dream in this satirical 21 century family saga. A shrewd, witty novel which skewers modern life to vivid, discomforting effect.”
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8) The Night of the Flood – Zoe Summerville
“A taught, evocative literary thriller which conjures 1950s Norfolk and the mirrored tensions of a love triangle and a fateful storm to dazzling effect.”
9) The Silver Arrow – Lev Grossman
“The fantasy author makes his children’s debut with this magical adventure of derring-do, in which two siblings journey aboard a steam train with a mind of its own. A fun new direction for Grossman, introducing his writing to younger readers.’
4 More From An Indie Bookstore
As recommended by Jonathan Main from Bookseller Crow, London SE19.
Europa Editions Laura Laura by Richard Francis
10) Laura Laura by Richard Francis
“Richard Francis is one of the UK’s most underrated novelists.”
11) To Cook A Bear – Mikael Niemi
“Brilliant Swedish historical crime fiction.”
12) The Glass Kingdom – Lawrence Osbourne
“A sinister and claustrophobic story set in Bangkok.”
13) New Daughters of Africa by Margaret Busby
“A long awaited paperback, following the £35 hardback earlier in the year.”
9 Cracking Reads From Across The Genres
As recommended by Emma Bradshaw, head of campaigns at the Booksellers Association
Supplied Fattily Ever After – Stephanie Yeboah
14) The Wild Silence – Raynor Winn
“Raynor Winn’s debut, The Salt Path, was shortlisted for the bookseller-curated Books Are My Bag readers awards, and was a big hit with customers. We’re excited for her second book, The Wild Silence, another true tale of triumph over adversity.”
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15) Fattily Ever After: A Fat, Black Girl’s Guide to Living Life Unapologetically – Stephanie Yeboah
“The first novel from body-positivity advocate and blogger sensation, Stephanie Yeboah, Fattily Ever After is definitely one to pre-order.”
16) The Harpy – Megan Hunter
“Megan Hunter’s first novel, The End We Start From, was shortlisted for the ‘Books Are My Bag’ readers awards. This hotly anticipated dark fairy tale, The Harpy, is independent booksellers’ fiction book of the month.”
17) Duty of Care: One NHS Doctor’s Story of Courage and Compassion on the Covid-19 Frontline – Dominic Pimenta
“The first book from a doctor on the Covid-19 frontline, with all royalties going straight to the Heroes charity to support and protect healthcare workers.”
18) Us Three – Ruth Jones
Having made her name as the creator and star of Gavin & Stacey, Ruth Jones made her move into the book world with her bestselling debut Never Greener. An engrossing tale of friendship, Us Three is her anticipated second novel.
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19) A Girl Made of Air – Nydia Hetherington
“For fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and The Binding by Bridget Collins, this magical debut from actress-turned-writer Nydia Hetherington is just the kind of book to curl up and escape to as the days get shorter.”
20) Fake Law: The Truth About Justice in an Age of Lies – The Secret Barrister:
“A previous Books Are My Bag award-winner, we’re very excited to get our hands on a copy of The Secret Barrister’s second book.”
21) Tamarind & the Star of Ishta – Jasbinder Bilan
“Following the success of Jasbinder Bilan’s first spellbinding children’s book, which won a Costa award, we expect her second, set in the Himalayas, to be another magical adventure for young readers. Independent bookshops across will be celebrating it as their children’s book of the month for September, too.”
22 ) Confessions of a Bookseller – Shaun Bythell
“Booksellers are hugely excited about the paperback release of this memoir by one of their own. Lifting the lid on what it’s really like to be a bookseller in the UK, it’s a must read for anyone who’s ever dreamed of working in a bookshop.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--The Clock Is Ticking On Brexit. So Where's That Oven-Ready Deal?

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It’s now September and the month for the Conservative government to finally get serious about securing a trade deal with the European Union.
In June, Boris Johnson claimed there was no reason a deal couldn’t be agreed by the end of July. Yet, despite the prime minister calling for “a tiger in the tank”, negotiators report tortoise-like progress.
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At the general election last year, Johnson repeatedly told the country he possessed an “oven-ready deal” – but increasingly it looks like the government has forgotten to turn the oven on.
The government’s approach to EU negotiations and preparations has been infected with incompetence and carelessness, similar to what we have seen in other areas of government.
Important questions outnumber answers, and slogans have replaced solutions. After a summer of shambles, here are just some of the core questions the government must answer.
First – where are we on the most important trade deal to the UK? Four years ago, Michael Gove assured the country that outside the European Union “we would be part of a free trade zone that extends from Iceland to the Russian border”.
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Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street in London ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yet, with 121 days to go, a deal with the EU has still not yet been agreed. The government has asked British businesses to “get ready”, but they still don’t know the tariffs or trade barriers they need to get ready for. It is a total farce.
Second, what about our post-Brexit infrastructure? Much of the border requirements for the government’s Brexit plans are not yet in place or ready for when the UK leaves the Single Market and Customs Union at 11pm on December 31, 2020.
Deal or no deal, Dover, Hull and other port cities and towns will require additional and necessary measures, potentially including new lorry parks to prevent transport bottlenecks and wider transport disruption.
In July, I visited one site in Ashford to see progress for myself. Construction had only just started and worryingly, these last-minute excavations have just hit a literal Saxon wall in recent days.
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Other facilities have not yet been built or even located and the details of these remain unclear. The technology to manage Boris Johnson’s border down the Irish Sea only went out to tender last month and remains untested. The Tory government should have been preparing for this years ago.
Third, there’s the implications for the country of leaving without a deal. Those in government who insist that the prospect of the UK leaving without a trade deal is a vital negotiating strategy must be furious that the current implications could be so grave for our country.
Ten days ago, a leaked presentation from Gove’s own department showed “a reasonable worse-case scenario” of failing to strike a deal in time included the possibility of shortages of medicines, food and fuel, animal disease spreading, councils going bust and our social care sector plunged into chaos, shortages of electricity and the chemicals needed to purify drinking water, and air drops of food required for the Channel Islands.
“It would be a spectacular failure for the entire Conservative government if they do not deliver the oven-ready deal with the EU they promised the British people.”
That’s not a show of strength but a sign of incompetence and chaos. These warnings come directly from the department led by someone who said a Brexit deal would be easy.
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It’s been four years and three prime ministers since the EU referendum, and the Conservatives are still, incredibly, not yet ready. The Cabinet appears in disarray with Liz Truss writing to Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove before the summer voicing her concerns.
We’ve heard precious little from the chancellor of the exchequer whose financial plans would be sent into a tailspin if the UK was reduced to trading with our neighbours on WTO terms with a currency worth less.
It would be the worst possible signal to investors and increase many everyday costs for people in our country, yet Sunak remains publicly silent.
Meanwhile businesses are left to make sense of it all. In recent months, Labour’s team of shadow ministers has regularly spoken with firms spanning many different sectors, including those employing many skilled and unionised jobs.
As a result of Covid-19 so many of them tell us they simply don’t have the same level of capacity to prepare for an exit without a negotiated deal compared to in 2019. Employers and trade unions tell us the priority must be securing a trade deal with the EU with zero tariffs and zero quotas.
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This impact on business will ripple through to workers. People have gone through so much in 2020 and the government’s job should be to reduce the stress, not add to it. Last summer, Boris Johnson said “f*** business” when it came to Brexit negotiations.
His cabinet ministers have been equally rude about the country’s workforce with the current foreign secretary, home secretary and international trade secretary all having co-authored the notorious “Britannia Unchained” book, wrongly claiming British workers are “among the worst idlers in the world”.
We need a deal which reflects our country’s desire for high standards in employment, consumer, environmental and animal welfare rights in our future outside of the EU.
On top of all of these gaps – trade, infrastructure, preparedness, business and jobs – there’s a threat to stability without a negotiated deal. If the Conservatives failed to agree a deal with the EU it would also put the important Northern Ireland Protocol under pressure and show further contempt towards Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
Make UK has shown that manufacturing jobs in England’s most hard-pressed and held back regions could be badly hit from crashing out with no negotiated deal, badly damaging spending power and livelihoods in towns and local economies. Now more than ever, the UK must secure a trade deal and pull together as we fight the health and economic challenges of Covid-19.
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It would be a spectacular failure for the entire Conservative government if they do not deliver the oven-ready deal with the EU they promised the British people.
Leaving without a negotiated deal wouldn’t end matters, but painfully postpone the most important trade deal the UK Government will sign. People should not have to pay the price for such political incompetence. Labour and the vast majority of people in our country want and expect the Government to deliver the deal that was promised. This is the month to make it happen.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-02--Government Urged To Crack Down On Anti-Vaccine 'Lies' As Social Media Giants 'Fail To Act'

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Social media giants have been accused of failing to act on “dangerous lies” that are fuelling anti-vaccine misinformation and the coronavirus – even when it is reported to them.
A group of young volunteers scoured social networks and found 912 posts between July 21 and August 26, but only 4.9% were acted on after being flagged.
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False posts that were uncovered range from suggesting vaccines can change people’s DNA or are poisonous, to widely-disputed claims linking the virus to 5G.
The Failure to Act report, by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and Restless Development, said Facebook took action on 33 of the 569 pieces of content brought to its attention, while Instagram acted on six out of 144 reported.
On Twitter, six out of 137 were dealt with, but on YouTube no action was taken on the 41 reported to the video sharing website.
Examples of the content reported to the platforms which was left online include false claims that vaccines change people’s DNA, are poisonous and cause autism and cancer. They also suggested Bill Gates wishes the world’s population to be “micro-chipped”, people who refuse vaccines will be forced into starvation and 5G mobile technology kills.
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The two groups say social networks are failing to act on their own policies.
Researchers also said that platforms have still not acted on three-quarters of misinformation highlighted in its previous report published in June.
A letter to home secretary Priti Patel, health secretary Matt Hancock, and culture secretary Oliver Dowden – signed by medics including Adam Kay, Dr Ellie Cannon, Dr Phil Hammond and Dr Dawn Harper – is calling for legislation to prevent dangerous misinformation about health and medicine being spread online.
“A coronavirus vaccine is our best hope of a return to normality,” said Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
“It would be a tragedy if it was unsuccessful in eradicating this disease because of lies told to people on social media.
“While we have made enormous sacrifices to keep our society safe, social media companies are undermining their effort by failing to enforce their own policies and claims to act on dangerous misinformation.
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“Big tech has proven that they do not care, they will not act, and they only listen when their profits are on the line.
“Government must urgently legislate to ensure these platforms take down hate and misinformation that puts lives at risk.
“And companies who advertise on social media can make their voice heard too, by pausing their adverts until action is taken.”
Jo Stevens, shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, responding to the report, said: “This research shows the shocking failure of social media companies to act.
“Misinformation about vaccines – especially during a pandemic – is a matter of life and death.
“We have called on the Government time and again to put the public health and safety before the interests of the big tech companies profiting on the back of a global pandemic and publish the long-awaited Online Harms Bill.”
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Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all responded to the report by saying they are committed to the removal of harmful Covid-19 content.
“Since Covid-19 was declared a public health emergency we’ve taken aggressive steps to limit the spread of misinformation about the virus,” a Facebook spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Twitter said: “We’re prioritising the removal of Covid-19 content when it has a call to action that could potentially cause harm.
“As we’ve said previously, we will not take enforcement action on every tweet that contains incomplete or disputed information about Covid-19.”
YouTube said: “We’ve taken a number of steps to combat harmful misinformation, including removing content that violates our policies, surfacing more authoritative content for people searching for vaccination-related topics and showing information panels with sources for fact-checking information.”
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A government spokesman said vaccine misinformation was “completely unacceptable”, adding: “It is everyone’s responsibility to seek NHS advice, so that they have the right information to make the right choice.
“Since the start of the pandemic, specialist UK government units have also been working rapidly to identify and rebut false information about coronavirus, including working closely with social media companies.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Is ‘NHS Test and Trace’ Undermining The NHS Brand?

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Testing times
For many people, checking out Grant Shapps’ Twitter feed has become as much a part of the traditional British summer as rain at Wimbledon or prime ministers pointing at fish. Every Thursday, the transport secretary’s social media account hangs like a sword of Damocles over hopes of a foreign family getaway.
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Will we have to race home on Saturday, or Sunday? Should we bite the bullet and quarantine for a fortnight on return? Why the hell didn’t we book a campsite in the Peak District? Well, tonight, for once, there was good news as Shapps granted an effective one-week reprieve for English people with holidays in Portugal and Greece.
But within minutes of Shapps’ tweet the Welsh government decided it was going to impose quarantine on those returning from Portugal and seven Greek islands after 4am on Friday, and later the Scottish government said it would impose restrictions on Portugal and French polynesia (nice hol if you can get it) after 4am Saturday.
Now, the real curio here is of course that all of these countries are basing their decisions on exactly the same information, provided by the Joint Biosecurity Centre. Normally, the countries opt for a mainly UK-wide approach but tonight there are real cracks in the consensus.
Did Shapps avoid new restrictions because of the political nightmare of having only weeks ago taken Portugal off the ‘red list’? Was it another U-turn too far? Or were Wales and Scotland overreacting, and not giving enough notice to holidaymakers?
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Well, technically speaking Portugal does have a higher Covid rate than the 20 cases per 10,000 people that is meant to be the benchmark for quarantine (it’s now at 23, up from 15 a week earlier). Yet Shapps seems to be cutting the country some slack for other factors such as how well outbreaks are contained and extent of testing.
The point of the quarantine is to avoid ‘importing’ covid from countries with worse rates than the UK’s. And today health secretary Matt Hancock stressed how different we were from much of Europe, saying that our cases were “broadly flat”, compared to the “big second spike” affecting nations like France, Spain, Croatia, Austria and the Netherlands.
But as the UK recorded 1,735 new cases of coronavirus today - the highest daily total since 4 June - “broadly flat” felt more like “slowly climbing”. Hancock admitted “we are very worried” about a second spike, but said that the reason the UK was faring better than some countries was “partly because of our test-and-trace system working so effectively, partly because of the quarantine and social distancing policies”.
When asked specifically about NHS Test and Trace, Hancock said “let’s be clear, that’s going well”. Just a few hours later, when the weekly stats were published, the service showed its lowest ever “close contact” rate (at 69.4%, the first time it’s dipped below 70% and well below the 80% that all experts say is needed to make the entire system viable).
Now there are valid reasons for the low “close contact” rate, not least the problem of some family members and others failing to provide contact details. Once contact details are provided, the hit rate rises to above 80%, insiders point out.
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Yet Test and Trace chief Dido Harding and ministers don’t do themselves any favours by trying to always present the figures in the best possible light. They will always give a global figure for the number of people asked to self isolate since the service began or its overall contact rate for those three months, rather than admit the current week’s figures are going in the wrong direction.
To be fair, it’s harder to trace people in the open community rather than specific closed settings like hospitals or care homes. But the gap between local public health teams (which reached 97.3% of contacts) and outsourced online and call centres (which reached 59.8% of contacts) is a bad look. The latest ‘rationing’ of regional centre tests has further undermined confidence in the system.
Add in the different success rates on turning round tests within 24 hours (NHS hospitals are well over 90%, but mobile test centres and drive-through test centres are at 53.2%) and you can see why some in the health service are increasingly worried that ‘NHS Test and Trace’ is undermining the NHS’s brand.
Many suspect that Hancock came up with the title to graft some credibility onto the new service, even though it is directed by the department of health and isn’t formally part of the NHS at all (and Serco call handlers certainly aren’t). Stick the NHS logo on something and public goodwill dramatically rises. However, the problems with tracing close contacts are now so endemic that some in the DHSC are just hoping the long-awaited smartphone app will get numbers up.
For all Boris Johnson’s emphasis on “world beating” testing being crucial to containing the spread of the virus, there also seems to be an air of realism creeping in. Hancock stressed that “Hands, Face, Space” (wash hands, wear a mask, keep your distance) were “the first line of defence” and testing second. Senior sources say that “Hands, Face, Space” is likely to remain in place for a long time and testing isn’t a “silver bullet” that will solve all problems.
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The huge increase in testing capacity since April is not to be dismissed lightly. But it seems that it is local public health tracers who are now driving the best bits of the system. As for the outsourced call centres, if ‘NHS Test and Trace’ fails to improve its performance in coming weeks, maybe it’s time to drop the fictional ‘NHS’ nametag for good.
Quote Of The Day
“We have the cavalry of the vaccine, which is still coming towards us but it isn’t here yet.”
Matt Hancock
Thursday Cheat Sheet
The UK recorded 1,735 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily total since 4 June.
The row over former Aussie PM Tony Abbott intensified after Keir Starmer said he had “real concerns” about his views on women, LGBT rights, climate change and a string of other subjects. Trade secretary Liz Truss defended him.
Cabinet office Minister Chloe Smith has distanced herself from her husband’s comments on Covid-19, which he described as “most likely an outbreak of mental illness”.
Shadow cabinet office minister Rachel Reeves appeared to backtrack after having told SkyNews that Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard “needs to think about his position” amid dire poll ratings.
Heathrow Airport told staff they must take a pay cut of 15-20% or face job losses. It issued formal section 188 notices, allowing it to potentially fire and rehire some 4,700 employees.
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Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg played ‘Rule, Britannia!’ from his phone during Business Questions.
Boris Johnson made a “short drop-in” to a meeting of Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the prime minister’s spokesman said.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--A Summer To Forget For Boris Johnson, But Will He Be Marked Down For It? With Emma Hardy MP

A Summer To Forget For Boris Johnson, But Will He Be Marked Down For It? With Emma Hardy MP
Parliament returned from summer recess but it has been anything but a calm and relaxing summer holiday as the fallout from the exam results fiasco and many, many more U-turns from the government left Boris Johnson and the Tories sinking in the polls to the dismay of the party’s MPs.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-03--Wales, But Not England, Adds Portugal To Quarantine List

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Holidaymakers returning to Wales from Portugal will have to quarantine for 14-days, the Welsh government has announced.
But the UK government decided to hold off introducing the same measures for people returning to England.
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There were 23.0 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Portugal in the seven days to Wednesday, up from 15.3 a week earlier.
Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething announced on Thursday afternoon mainland Portugal has been added to the Welsh quarantine list, although the Azores and Madeira will remain exempt.
The Greek islands of Mykonos, Zakynthos, Lesvos, Paros and Antiparos and Crete have also been added, along with Gibraltar and French Polynesia.
The new regulations will come into force at 4am on Friday.
Shortly before the Welsh announcement, UK transport secretary Grant Shapps said there would be no changes to the current rules affecting people arriving in England.
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“Nonetheless, holidaymakers are reminded 14-day quarantine countries can and do change at very short notice,” he tweeted.
And pressure is mounting on Shapps to consider imposing quarantine rules on travellers arriving in England from Greece, amid reports of people returning with coronavirus.
The Scottish Government is already requiring travellers from Greece to self-isolate for 14 days.
Greece was seen as an early success story in dealing with the pandemic as it avoided the high death toll seen in other European countries.
Following an early lockdown, it started welcoming international travellers again in mid-June.
But in early August the Greek government said it was “formally” experiencing a second wave as cases spiked.
Athens has insisted it is doing everything in its power to keep UK holidaymakers safe.
Greek tourism minister, Harry Theoharis, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday the country was “taking specific targeted measures where we see specific concentrations of cases”.
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“Measures that have been successful and have been working in the past few days,” he said.