thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-09--No, I Won't Celebrate Joe Biden's Victory – Here's Why

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The news that Barack Obama had won the 2008 US election is something I’ve always heard millennials remember fondly.
There was something about its tantalising promise of change, and the beacon of hope that came with seeing the election of the first Black US president.
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I was nine when Obama won, so I have no memory of his victory, but it’s the kind of triumph my generation has longed for, after feeling so continuously let down by the political landscape of the 2010s.
Joe Biden’s win could have been that moment for us, but I feel largely disengaged by his victory because so many parts of it are simply not cause for celebration.
The first political event I remember being genuinely engaged in was Brexit. I had just turned 17 and I stayed up all night to watch the results with the optimism that only a newly politically engaged teenager has. But I was left feeling numb in disbelief the next morning. I approached the US election that year with a similar hopefulness and was once again left devastated.
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For young progressives, the good fight really is working out to be the long fight SIPA USA/PA Images
Last year’s general election in the UK used up the last ounce of hope I had for politics. I had canvassed for Labour, despite knowing their chances of winning were slim, and was left with that familiar feeling of disappointment as the exit polls were released.
Since Brexit, I have kept up to date with the minutiae of each and every significant political event in the US and the UK. This year though, I was out of optimism and I saw no reason to believe that Donald Trump would not be re-elected.
I supported Bernie Sanders’ campaign to become the democratic nominee, nevertheless, as I believed in the progressive policies that he had championed throughout his entire career. For me, he stood in stark opposition to Joe Biden, who epitomises the infamous “pale, male and stale” political caricature.
I saw my perception of Biden cemented when his now Vice-President, Kamala Harris, called him out in the Democratic primary debate in June over his civil rights record, after Biden had fondly recalled the politics of the 1970s, including his work with segregationists.
This kind of political nostalgia makes me uncomfortable. I want to support politicians with fresh, new ideas and who are looking to the future. Politicians like Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who is Biden’s opposite in many ways – something she confirmed when she said earlier this year: “In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party.”
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Looking back at Biden’s voting record, he comes off as even less of a progressive candidate than he currently appears. As recently as last year, he said he still supported the Hyde Amendment (which forbids public money being used for abortions), but reversed course after it became clear he was the only Democrat in the field who did so. He also supported the Iraq War and was an advocate for a 1994 anti-crime bill that encouraged lengthy sentences and mass incarceration.
Biden’s appointment of Harris as his running mate gave me slightly more cause for enthusiasm in their campaign, as the first Black woman to become Vice-President. But although Harris now presents herself as a progressive, her history as California attorney general saw her take hardline stances on criminal justice, which feels particularly uncomfortable in light of the events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement this year.
I approached this year’s US election with cynicism as my self-defence. But my jubilation at Trump’s defeat has been tarnished by the realisation that the president-elect is not the left-wing president I have spent my teenage years hoping for.
This was reflected on social media too, as young people celebrated the result of the election, making clear that it was not in fact Biden’s victory that they were celebrating, but Trump’s loss.
I feel invigorated by the outcome of the US election but there is still a bitterness to the fact that my generation has once again had to settle for a centrist candidate that we do not truly believe in. I hope the lack of real gratification for left-wing young people will not discourage us from engaging with politics in a meaningful way, something that is perhaps more necessary than ever right now.
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For young progressives, the good fight really is working out to be the long fight, but we must take solace in the huge sense of relief this election has brought in allowing us to feel hope again.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--FA Chairman Greg Clarke Apologises For Using Phrase 'Coloured Footballers'

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The Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has apologised after he referred to non-white people as “coloured”.
Speaking to the Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee, he also said the FA’s IT department was staffed by more “south Asians” than “Afro-Caribbeans” because they had “different career interests”.
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And he suggested it was a “choice” to be LGBT.
Clarke told MPs on Tuesday he wanted to see racist, homophobic and misogynistic abuse in football stadiums criminalised.
But he had to say sorry after being pulled up on his use of language.
Questioned over why no professional male footballer in England had come out as gay, Clarke said LGBT athletes from other sports had told him it was because people had seen what “happens to high profile female footballers, high profile coloured footballers, and the abuse they take on social media”.
“People can see if you’re black and if they don’t like black people because they are a filthy racist they will abuse you anonymously online.
“They can see if you are a woman. Some of the high profile black female footballers take terrible abuse.”
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Labour MP Kevin Brennan interrupted Clarke to ask him to “withdraw” the use of the word “coloured”.
“Diversity is not really the issue. Football is diverse. It’s inclusion that’s the issue,” Brennan said. “Isn’t that exactly the sort of language that means inclusion is not a reality, even though football is very diverse?”
Clarke said: “If I said it I deeply apologise for it.
“I am a product of having worked overseas. I worked in the USA for many years where I was required to use the term ‘people of colour’ because that was product of their diversity legislation and positive discrimination format, sometimes I trip over my words.”
Tory MP Damian Collins, who used to chair the committee, said Clarke’s comments would cause offence because “although unintended” they suggested a “casual disregard for concerns about inclusion and confronting prejudice in football”.
“He was right to apologise but we should surely expect higher standards,” Collins said.
Clarke also said he did not want to view the BAME community as an “amorphous mass”.
“If you look at top level football, the Afro-Caribbean community is over represented versus the south Asian community,” he said.
“If you go to the IT department at the FA there are lot more south Asians than Afro-Caribbeans, they have different career interests.”
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Clarke said while he had not “talked directly to gay footballers” because he had “not found any who will meet me”, other “top level professional footballers” had said there was “not a problem in the changing rooms” with homophobia.
The FA chairman added: “A lot of the guys know who is gay and who isn’t, and it’s not an issue, it’s their choice, it’s not a big deal.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Ballet Dancer With Alzheimer's Remembering Swan Lake Will Move You To Tears

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Correction: This article originally stated that Marta C González was a dancer with New York Ballet. It has been amended to clarify that González was instead a dancer with her own company in New York, and that the footage of the younger dancer is of Russian dancer Ulyana Lopatkina.
Some things you never forget. A video of a former ballerina with Alzheimer’s disease has moved people around the world, after she remembered the choreography she once danced.
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Marta C González was a prima ballerina with her own company in New York in the 1960s. The team at Spanish charity Asociación Música para Desperta allowed González to relive her youth last year, by playing her Tchaikovsky’s famous Swan Theme, from the ballet Swan Lake.
To their delight, she instantly recognised the music and began to move her arms to reflect remembered choreography – as poised and graceful as ever.
The video of González dancing in her chair is cut with footage of a Russian dancer named Uliana Lopatkina performing on stage, which the charity has called “a metaphor for Marta’s past”.
González died later in 2019, but the magical moment has reached millions this week, after the video was shared on Twitter.
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Asociación Música para Desperta Asociación Música para Desperta
Pepe Olmedo, psychologist, musician and director of Música para Despertar, who appears alongside González in the video, describes it as one of “the most impressive moments that I have been able to live in all my life”.
″[I was] absolutely excited to be able to see her response, and to be able to accompany and facilitate this moment, so that she could fully enjoy it,” he tells HuffPost UK.
Olmedo has been able to witness other remarkable moments through the organisation, which is dedicated to educating people about the power of music in helping people with Alzheimer’s.
He and his team also provide training for professionals and families to create fulfilling experiences for those affected by the disease.
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“We want to show another more positive side of dementia, and of the possibilities we have to improve their condition thanks to music, emotions, and an appropriate attitude on the part of caregivers,” he says.
The video from Spain comes after Nick Harvey, from East Sussex, shared a clip in September of his father, Paul Harvey, composing a melody, despite living with dementia.
Dad’s ability to improvise and compose beautiful melodies on the fly has always amazed me.
Tonight, I gave him four random notes as a starting point.
Although his dementia is getting worse, moments like this bring him back to me. pic.twitter.com/dBInVCTmfF — Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) September 17, 2020
The BBC’s Philharmonic Orchestra was so impressed by Paul’s composition, they orchestrated and recorded their own version – which Paul and Nick were then able to listen to on Radio 4.
It has since been released as a single, and two weeks later, it is number 17 in the official charts – and even Stephen Sondheim has sent his congratulations.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Dido Harding Rejects Calls To Ditch ‘NHS’ From NHS Test And Trace Because ‘That Is Its Name’

Baroness Dido Harding, Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace, in Westminster, London, after giving evidence before the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee and Science and Technology Committee. PA
Baroness Dido Harding has rejected calls to stop referring to her service as “NHS Test And Trace”, saying “that is its name”.
The Tory peer also suggested that the controversial £12bn system, which is run by the Department of Health and Social Care and uses several private firms, deserved the NHS tag because it was free for the public to use just like the health service.
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Harding further pointed out that NHS labs played a key part in its work, but said she was proud of the private sector’s role and declared that “we have built a retail organisation larger than Asda” in just a few months.
The former boss of telecom firm TalkTalk, who was given her current role by health secretary Matt Hancock earlier this year, made her defence of the service as she gave evidence to MPs on the Commons science and technology committee.
NHS Test and Trace has come under repeated criticism not just for its failure to hit tracing and test result turnaround targets but also for its use of big contractors such as Serco and Deloitte.
Several senior NHS insiders have told HuffPost UK they fear the use of the NHS logo is undermining the health service’s brand.
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Labour MP Zara Sultana pointed out to Harding that of the 35 organisations listed as data processors for the service, just four were NHS bodies, four were privately-run Lighthouse Labs, four were Public Health England and one was the Ministry of Defence.
As the remaining 22 were all private companies such as Deloitte, Serco, G4S and Amazon, Sultana asked the Tory peer if it was accurate to keep referring to the system as “NHS Test and Trace”.
“Yes I do, that is its name,” Harding replied. “NHS Test and Trace is a free at the point of need service that we’ve built together, as you’ve rightly listed, with a whole group of different parts of society to deliver something at extraordinary scale.
“But it absolutely meets our basic fundamental NHS values as a clinical service available to everyone when they need it...plainly the NHS [lab] tests are an integral part of our overall ‘team of teams’.”
Dido Harding giving evidence HuffPost UK
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In the same evidence session, former King’s Fund chief Professor Sir Chris Ham said that the decision to hire private firms had shown how ministers were “biased” against localising the service.
“The difficulty we have is the government has built a test, trace and isolate system too much biased towards the national and too late in providing the resources and staff at a local level where most of the effective work on contact tracing has to be done.
“On contact tracing specifically, the government chose to go down the route of bringing in private sector expertise through Serco and Sitel to run the national system and only belatedly has recognised the expertise that exists within our councils and our public health teams.”
An organogram of the service released in September showed that its top leadership included several senior figures brought in from retail, commerce and industry, but only one clinician in Susan Hopkins, an epidemiologist and Public Health England adviser on infection.
Former Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe was appointed as interim director of testing during the summer and Harding’s own adviser is a former TalkTalk employee.
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Harding told MPs that external consultants had been used to set up the test and trace service because there were no permanent jobs when it was created.
She said: “We stood this service up in May at extraordinary speed, we built something that’s the same size of Asda in the course of five months. When you start something very quickly you need to pull on all the talents across all of society.
“You can’t offer people permanent jobs when you don’t have a permanent organisation, so you have to employ people either as independent individual consultants or through consultancy organisations.”
When asked if civil servants could have done the same job and if using the private sector was value for money, Baroness Harding added: “We need both.
“To stand a service up at this speed we have needed to call on the talents across the whole of society both the public sector and private sector, as the organisation becomes more established and more permanent we are able to offer people more long-term permanent jobs and we are seeing the proportion of civil servants grow.”
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Reacting to her evidence, shadow health minister Justin Madders told HuffPost UK: “The poorly run, outsourced contact tracing system isn’t worthy of the NHS brand.
“Matt Hancock should put public health teams in charge of both contact tracing, and of mass testing from day one, to drive down infections and ensure this lockdown is as effective as possible in reducing the spread of the virus.”
During the committee session, Harding also admitted that test and trace had failed to anticipate the demand surge caused by the return of schools in September and said that insufficient financial support was a key reason for people not self-isolating.
Harding revealed that she had pushed ministers for more financial support for those who find it difficult to self-isolate for 14 days, a move that resulted in a £500 payment for the lowest paid.
When asked if even more cash support would help, she replied: “All the evidence shows that people are not complying with isolation not because they don’t want to, but because they find it very difficult.
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“The need to keep earning and to be able to feed your family is a fundamental element of it, which is why I think the financial support payment is a very good thing.”
She said the actual sum of money on offer “was a decision for the government, for the prime minister and the chancellor”, not her.
She said preliminary data from the organisation’s own survey carried out from the end of August to mid-September showed “54% of people telling us that they didn’t leave home during the period that they were asked to isolate”.
Harding also acknowledged that the “balance between supply and the demand forecast” of Covid-19 testing towards the end of the summer “wasn’t right”.
Pushed on why the demand for testing was not anticipated when schools reopened, she said: “I said that we did not anticipate the exact amount, correct.
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“With the benefit of hindsight, the balance between supply and the demand forecast wasn’t right, clearly that’s true.
“But what you’ve also seen in the last six weeks is that we’ve met our commitments to get that supply and demand into balance.”
Boris Johnson recently said for the first time that the test and trace performance on turnaround times and contact tracing had to get better. Harding conceded: “We have to keep expanding our testing, improving our tracing.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Coronavirus Vaccine: What Happens Next?

Coronavirus Vaccine: What Happens Next?

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A collective sigh of relief is being heard around the globe amid news that early analysis has shown a coronavirus vaccine to be more than 90% effective in preventing the virus.
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Currently, the Pfizer trial has been the first to announce its results, but those from a jab being developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca are apparently just weeks away.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been working closely with Pfizer and AstraZeneca, gathering information as trials progress.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has said the exact model for the UK vaccine rollout would depend on which vaccine was adopted.
Amid the caution and warnings not to consider the vaccine a “silver bullet” which will bring the pandemic to an end, there are some practical hurdles standing between individuals receiving the jabs.
We took at look at the next steps:
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The trial is not yet finished
Clinical trials on humans progress through three phases, with the first tests being on small groups of up to 100 people to assess the safety of a vaccine.
At a second phase a larger group of several hundred people is used to check if a vaccine consistently works, while a third phase could involve several thousand people to gather statistically significant data on a vaccine’s safety and efficacy.
Clinical trials can normally take years, but due to the pressing need significant global investment and scientific collaboration during the pandemic has helped accelerate research processes.
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Pfizer said the first set of results from its Phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial, which enrolled some 43,538 participants, provides initial evidence of its ability to prevent the virus.
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However, these are interim findings which are yet to be peer-reviewed and with more studies to follow.
But the study isn’t stopping: To be sure of protection, it’s set to run until there are 164 infections - a milestone expected to be reached later this month. The more Covid-19 cases occur in the trial, the better idea scientists will have of just how protective the shots really are.
Pfizer, working alongside German biotech company BioNTech, said it plans to apply to the US medicines regulator the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency approval to use the vaccine by the end of the month.
If the vaccine is approved in the US first, is it also approved in the UK?
No. Any vaccine for use in the UK will need the separate approval of the MHRA or, up to December 31, the EMA. From January 1 next year, after the end of the Brexit transition period, the MHRA will be the UK’s standalone medicines and medical devices regulator, but it can still recognise the decisions of the EMA after that date.
Before the referendum a lot of Britain’s regulatory work was closely linked to that of the EMA.
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When medicines were approved by European regulators this would help steer the decisions for which drugs or medical products could be used in Britain.
In October, new law came into force to allow the MHRA to authorise temporary supply for vaccines if one becomes available before 2021.
This means that if a vaccine is found to meet standards of safety, quality and effectiveness by the MHRA then vaccinations can begin without needing to wait for the EMA.
Will the UK have enough vaccines for everyone?
Health secretary Matt Hancock has promised the vaccine could be here by the start of December. Thomas Peter / Reuters
Not immediately, no. The UK government has ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine – enough for about a third of the UK population. As it is a two-dose vaccine, this could potentially enable 20 million patients to be inoculated before the new year.
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It expects 10 million of these doses to arrive in the UK before the end of this year, with people given two doses, 21 days apart.
Most people will not get a jab until 2021.
Who will be vaccinated first?
Priority will be given to those in care homes, the elderly and health and social care staff.
Hancock says once the vaccine is available, it will be delivered through care homes, GPs and pharmacists as well as ‘go-to’ vaccination centres set up in venues such as sports halls.
He said the vaccine would not be required for children and that uptake would be voluntary.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has examined data on who suffers the worst outcomes from coronavirus and who is at highest risk of death.
Its interim guidance says the order of priority should be:
Older adults in a care home and care home workers
All those aged 80 and over and health and social care workers, though they may move up the list
Anyone 75 and over
People aged 70 and over
All those aged 65 and over
High-risk adults under 65
Moderate-risk adults under 65
All those aged 60 and over
All those 55 and over
All those aged 50 and over
The rest of the population, with priority yet to be determined.
How easy will it be to obtain the vaccine?
“The Pfizer vaccine needs to be held at minus 70C until the last few hours before it is deployed, which obviously makes things more complicated,” Hancock has admitted.
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This could pose problems for transport and storage of the vaccine.
But Hancock has added that it can be stored at a warmer temperature in the two days prior to being used, implying that GPs will be able to administer the vaccines two days after deliveries without the need for new refrigeration systems.
The Oxford vaccine will be easier to deploy as it does not need to be stored at subzero temperatures.
Do we know enough about side effects yet?
Earlier this year, separate studies of vaccine candidates made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were temporarily halted after some participants experienced health problems, delaying the research until safety investigations allowed both to resume.
Pfizer said on Monday that no serious safety concerns have emerged so far with its vaccine.
But the US regulator the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring that companies track at least half of study volunteers for two months to look for side effects before asking the agency to review their vaccine. That’s about when side effects have cropped in studies of other vaccines.
Pfizer expects to reach that safety milestone later in November and is now planning to apply to the FDA for emergency approval to use the vaccine by the end of the month.
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Could the results differ in real life?
Experts have said the full effect of a vaccine on transmission in the population will not be known until one is in circulation and more data is collected.
And the first people vaccinated will need to undergo extra safety tracking, as the government watches for rare side effects that might crop up when the shots are given to many more people than were in the research studies.
The vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised. The analysis was carried out after 94 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were found among those taking part in the trial.
Some participants got the vaccine, while others got placebo shots. Pfizer released no specific breakdowns, but for the vaccine to be 90% effective, nearly all the infections must have occurred in placebo recipients. The study is continuing, and Pfizer has warned that the protection rate might change as more Covid-19 cases are added to the calculations.
Will we need regular vaccinations?
Whatever the ultimate level of protection, no one knows if people will need regular vaccinations.
Data released about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine does not indicate how long immunity lasts, but suggests protection is achieved 28 days after vaccination.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Strictly Come Dancing's HRVY Speaks Out On Maisie Smith Romance Rumours

During an appearance on Tuesday’s edition of Lorraine, the ITV presenter also pressed him on the matter, but HRVY gave a similar response.
“Lorraine you know I’d tell you the truth,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Wales Has Scrapped All End Of Year School Exams In 2021

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End of year exams in Wales will be scrapped in 2021 and replaced with coursework and assessments, Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams has announced.
The move, which affects GCSE, AS-level and A-level exams, is the latest ongoing disruption to schools caused by the coronavirus which has made it “impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place”.
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Williams said the decision “removes pressures from learners” and “the well-being of learners and ensuring fairness across the system is central in our decision-making process”.
She added: “In line with the recommendations of both Qualifications Wales and the Independent Review, there will be no exams for GCSE or AS level learners next year. A-level students will also not be required to sit exams.
“We remain optimistic that the public heath situation will improve, but the primary reason for my decision is down to fairness; the time learners will spend in schools and colleges will vary hugely and, in this situation, it is impossible to guarantee a level playing field for exams to take place.”
Exam desks in a exam hall Robert Moore via Getty Images
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Williams said universities across the UK had been consulted and had confirmed “that they are used to accepting many different types of qualifications”, PA Media reports.
“They expect a transparent and robust approach which provides evidence of a learner’s knowledge and ability,” she said.
“Our intended approach does just that, as it is designed to maximise the time for teaching and learning.
“Cancelling exams provides time for teaching and learning to continue throughout the summer term, to build the knowledge, skills and confidence in our learners to progress in whatever they decide to do next.”
Teacher-managed assessments will include assessments that are externally set and marked, but delivered within a classroom environment under teacher supervision.
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Teachers will also have flexibility when it is best to undertake the assessments.
The announcement comes months after a shambolic summer of exam results across the UK.
In Wales 42% of A-level results predicted by teachers were lowered by Qualifications Wales, leading to claims that its algorithm, which took into account the past performances of schools, had unfairly downgraded some pupils.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Revealed: £670,000 Of Taxpayer Cash Given To PR Firm With Links To Cummings’ Family

Boris Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings pictured in July PA
A boss at the PR firm handed £670,000 of taxpayers’ cash by the government’s vaccine tsar works with Dominic Cummings’ father-in-law and runs a caviar company, where he touts himself as an expert on “indulgence”.
Angus Collingwood-Cameron is the company secretary of Admiral Associates, which has reportedly been hired by the under-fire head of the government’s vaccine taskforce, Kate Bingham, to oversee her media strategy.
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Company filings reveal that Collingwood-Cameron is also a director at the Chillingham Wild Cattle Association, which is run by Sir Humphry Wakefield, the father-in-law of Boris Johnson’s top aide.
Collingwood-Cameron further runs Caspian Caviar, where he became involved “due to his love of the good things in life”, and is “happy to advise on indulgence”, according to the firm’s website.
The Liberal Democrats said the revelations “beggar belief” and called for Bingham to quit, while Labour said the public deserve “urgent answers” on the contract.
It came after the Sunday Times reported that Bingham, who is married to Tory minister Jesse Norman, had already spent £500,000 on a team of eight full-time consultants from London PR agency Admiral Associates.
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They are contracted to the end of the year, which means each consultant is being paid more than £83,000 for about half a year’s work – more than the prime minister’s average salary, the report said.
Whitehall insiders have indicated that Bingham is expected to leave her role when her contract expires at the end of the year.
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Scriven said the contract for Admiral Associates was a “colossal waste” of taxpayers’ money.
Government vaccines tsar Kate Bingham Mike Coppola via Getty Images
He told HuffPost UK: “Over the weekend, the reports that £670,000 of taxpayers’ money had been spent on PR consultants at the hands of the government’s vaccine taskforce rightly outraged many.
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“However, the fact that one of the directors at the firm in receipt of this huge sum of money not only advertises his expertise in ‘indulgence’, but also happens to be a director at Dominic Cummings’ father-in-law’s country estate, really beggars belief.
“Once again we are seeing this government putting lining their friends’ pockets ahead of getting a grip on the spread of this virus.
“Rather than spending money on Caviar consultants, this government should be using taxpayers’ money wisely, especially when in contrast so many families are struggling to get by.
“Not only must the government make it clear to parliament and the public what these consultants offered that their civil servant press officers didn’t to justify this payment, but considering the clear colossal waste of taxpayer’s money it is only right Kate Bingham and others involved in such scandals resign.”
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the decision to hire the PR advisers was signed off by officials at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
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“Specialist communications support was contracted by the vaccine taskforce for a time-limited period in line with existing public sector recruitment practices and frameworks,” he said.
Asked whether the PM had full confidence in Bingham, the spokesperson said: “Yes. The work of the vaccine task force is obviously of great importance and we have secured agreements for 350m doses overall of six leading vaccine candidates.”
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said: “These revelations raise yet more serious questions about how taxpayer money is being spent during the pandemic and how the government is being run.
“The public deserve urgent answers as to how a small PR agency [whose boss is linked to Cummings] was simply gifted such a large contract – and what exactly was delivered for such a price tag.
“The prime minister must be transparent about the processes he has put in place to allow such potential breaches of public trust.”
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Responding to a question from Lord Scriven on the revelations, business minister Lord Callanan told the Lords: “Dominic Cummings had no role whatsoever in any of these procurement processes or in any of these appointments.
“The specialist communications support was contracted by the vaccines taskforce.
“Details of all arrangements and all firms and contract labour used by the taskforce will be published in due course with the usual transparency arrangements.”
Later on Tuesday, a No.10 spokesperson said: “It is ridiculous to make such an imaginary and tenuous link. Dominic Cummings has never heard of Georgina or Angus Cameron.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Fox News Cuts Away From White House Press Secretary After Fraud Claim

Fox News Cuts Away From White House Press Secretary After Fraud Claim
Fox News cut away from Donald Trump’s campaign press conference as allegations of voting fraud in the presidential election were outlined. During the broadcast on the Fox News channel, host Neil Cavuto cut away from White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany during her statement on the broadcast.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Ken Spears, Scooby-Doo Co-Creator, Dies Aged 82

Scooby-Doo co-creator Ken Spears has died at the age of 82.
The TV writer and producer died on Friday following complications related to Lewy body dementia.
Ken’s son Kevin confirmed news of his death to Variety, saying: “Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic.
“Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of Scooby-Doo. Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts.”
Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, honors #ScoobyDoo co-creator Ken Spears: "He was a true innovator in the industry whose gifts of humor and storytelling continue to delight audiences" https://t.co/OIwI8woYvW — Variety (@Variety) November 10, 2020
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Ken joined Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1959 as a sound editor, and he met future creative partner Joe Ruby during his time with the company.
The duo subsequently sparked a productive writing partnership, penning teleplays for Hanna-Barbera, Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.
Their biggest success was Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, which has gone on to become one of the most popular cartoons in history.
Scooby Doo, Where Are You? aired from 1969 to 1978 CBS/Hanna-Barbera Productions
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The duo went on to launch their own studio, Ruby-Spears Productions in 1977, producing several animated series together, including Superman, Alvin And The Chipmunks and Thundarr The Barbarian.
The president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, Sam Register, paid tribute to Ken in a statement.
“He was a true innovator in the industry whose gifts of humour and storytelling continue to delight audiences,” he said.
“You cannot find a screen in the world that has not played a version of Scooby-Doo. We continue to be inspired by his work at Warner Bros. Animation and are honoured to carry on the legacy of his beloved characters.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Coronavirus Vaccine: 7 Things You Need To Know

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A 90-year-old has become the world’s first patient to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
Margaret Keenan received the jab at Coventry Hospital on Tuesday morning, as dozens of hospital hubs across the country gear up to deliver millions of vaccines.
The vaccine produced by Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech has made headlines recently after it was approved for use in the UK.
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The company expects to make as many as 50 million vaccine doses this year, enough to protect 25 million people, and then produce up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
So what do you need to know about the vaccine? We’ll walk you through what we’ve learned so far.
KrizzDaPaul via Getty Images
1. How it works
It’s an mRNA vaccine, so it uses a bit of the coronavirus’ genetic code to prompt the body to initiate an immune response.
While many standard vaccines work by injecting a dead or weakened form of a virus into the body in order to build immunity, RNA vaccines introduce a messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence into the body that contains the genetic instructions for the vaccinated person’s own cells to produce the vaccine antigens and generate an immune response.
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It’s a bit like injecting an instruction manual so your body is able to build a bit of the virus protein, which then prompts an immune response. The body then knows how to fight the virus if you come into contact with it in real life. Clever.
The benefit of this particular vaccine is because the RNA is man-made, you don’t need live virus to make a batch of the vaccine. This makes it generally easier to manufacture.
2. Who came up with the idea?
A married couple of Turkish descent are the brains behind the vaccine. Professor Ugur Sahin, 55, and Dr Ozlem Tureci, 53, run German biotech company BioNTech.
Their company primarily specialises in individualised cancer medicine, but in January they pivoted to creating mRNA-based viral vaccines to help fight Covid-19, Sky News reported.
This is Ozlem Tureci and Ugur Sahin - the couple behind Biontech (the firm working alongside Pfizer).
Their company is worth £16.6 billion but Ugur still cycles to work. Colleagues say they are dedicated to vaccine research & even spent time in the lab on their wedding day
💉🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/14XfZwfOPi — Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) November 10, 2020
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3. How effective is the vaccine?
Data from the Phase 3 clinical trial demonstrated a vaccine efficacy rate of 95%. Efficacy was consistent across age, gender, race and ethnicity demographics, with an observed efficacy in adults age 65 and over of more than 94%.
The vaccine is given in two doses, and protection from the vaccine is achieved 28 days after the first injection. The protection that the vaccine offers is that it can help prevent people from becoming severely ill and needing hospitalisation because of the virus. At this stage we don’t know if it can prevent actual transmission of the virus.
4. Is the Pfizer vaccine safe?
The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for use in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which means it’s been deemed safe to use for those aged 16 and over. Further tests are required to determine whether it’s safe for children and pregnant women.
5. Are there any downsides?
One of the biggest issues is that the vaccine needs to be stored at an incredibly cold temperature in order to work (-80 °C to -60 °C), which brings distribution challenges.
Some people may experience side effects from having the vaccine, however this can occur with most vaccines so it’s nothing new. Some of the more common side effects, which may affect one in 10 people, include: pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. People are urged to tell their doctor, pharmacist or nurse if they experience any side effects.
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6. What happens to other vaccines now?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Emmerdale Producer Defends Upcoming Down's Syndrome Abortion Storyline Following Concerns

Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw has defended an upcoming storyline which will see one character terminating a pregnancy after learning her unborn child has Down’s syndrome.
In scenes set to air over the winter, Emmerdale residents Laurel Thomas and Jai Sharma (played by Charlotte Bellamy and Chris Bisson) will find out that their unborn child has Down’s syndrome, after which Laurel will decide to have an abortion.
When the upcoming soap plot was first announced last week, it was met with a mixed response, with an open letter from Wendy O’Carroll, the founder of the charity Ups And Downs Southwest, going viral on Facebook.
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Charlotte Bellamy and Chris Bisson on the set of Emmerdale ITV
“Your proposed story will further serve to encourage and confirm the opinion that ending the life of a baby just because it has Down syndrome is perfectly acceptable and understandable because maybe it would be better if fewer people ‘like them’ were in the world,” Wendy wrote in her letter.
“Have you considered for even a moment, how children and adults with Down syndrome who follow your programme will react to two of their favourite characters discovering excitedly that they are to have a baby, and then deciding to terminate the life of that child because it has Down syndrome?”
Responding to the backlash, Laura insisted she is “confident that what we’ve produced has been done in a really balanced and sensitive way”.
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“We haven’t gone into this blindly,” she said (via BBC News). “We’ve spoken to as many people as we possibly can. We’ve got the research, this is based on real life, and I think people will see that.
“You’re going to feel uncomfortable at times watching it, but I hope that people will then, as they watch it, understand why we’ve done it.”
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said she fully expects a "mixed" reaction to the upcoming storyline PA
“I’m sure we’ll get some mixed reactions, I’m well aware that it’s a hugely emotive subject,” she added.
“But I do honestly think that once everyone has watched the episodes play out, they’re going to feel huge sympathy for what an impossible and difficult choice these couples face, and an understanding. And what you’ll see through Jai and Laurel’s story is how that decision goes on to affect their lives for years to come.”
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The soap producer also noted that the storyline will not attempt to cast anyone as “right or wrong’, but instead is about “people taking really, really difficult decisions and that they should be allowed to do that without living in fear of being judged or shamed”.
Emmerdale bosses worked with the organisation Antenatal Results And Choices to ensure Laurel and Jai’s story is portrayed with sensitivity and accuracy.
Director Jane Fisher has said she hopes the soap could help make abortion less of a taboo subject, stating: “I think it’s really important that people can speak about it, it’s not that they must because for many people this is a very personal and painful and private experience and that’s fine, they may not want to talk about it.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--I'm A Celebrity: Welsh Castle Initially Thought ITV Email Was A Hoax

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The head of the preservation trust for the Welsh castle that will host I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! this year has revealed he initially ignored ITV’s email asking to use the property.
The upcoming series of the reality show will see it relocate from the Australian jungle to Gwrych Castle in Wales, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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However, when ITV first approached Mark Baker, founder of the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust, about the move, he thought the message was spam and didn’t bother replying.
Gwyrch Castle is the new setting for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
Speaking to Radio Times, he said: “It mentioned a major proposal for a television programme, asking me to call urgently. But in my job I get loads of strange emails from people claiming to be princes of Egypt with millions of pounds.
“I thought it was one of those, so I just left it.”
However, ITV got back in touch, with a deal eventually being struck, which is believed to be worth a reported £300,000.
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The fee has provided a valuable cash boost for the castle, which is in need of restoration.
This year's I'm A Celebrity line-up ITV
Mr Baker’s Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust bought the derelict building in 2018 for £1 million, according to Radio Times.
He said phase one of the rebuild could cost £10 million and the fee from ITV will pay for just one part of the roof.
Mr Baker added that he has never seen I’m A Celebrity so is not sure how the new site will compare to the old one.
He said: “I know who Ant and Dec are, of course. I remember them from Byker Grove when I was a kid.
“That was the last time I saw them in anything. I don’t watch much TV.”
I'm A Celebrity hosts Ant and Dec ITV
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ITV recently confirmed that one of the contestants on the line-up was still in self-isolation, having recently tested positive for coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Coronavirus Vaccine: BAME People Aren’t Mentioned On The Priority List

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People from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are not mentioned in the priority list for a coronavirus vaccine – despite the health secretary saying they could be among “the first” way back in June.
On Tuesday it was announced a vaccine could be available for five million people by Christmas after Pfizer and BioNTech said their candidate had proved more than 90% effective in preventing the disease during clinical trials.
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Interim guidance from the Independent Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVIV), which advises the government, lists 10 groups it deems high-risk and priority for a vaccine – but makes no mention of BAME people, despite itemising seven separate age categories.
older adults resident in a care home and care home workers all those 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers all those 75 years of age and over all those 70 years of age and over all those 65 years of age and over high-risk adults under 65 years of age moderate-risk adults under 65 years of age all those 60 years of age and over all those 55 years of age and over all those 50 years of age and over
But in June Hancock said the government would consider BAME groups as a priority for a vaccine.
A man wearing a protective face mask passes a mural showing Black and Asian medical and transport workers, in Waterloo Dominic Lipinski - PA Images via Getty Images
He told a Downing Street press conference: “As we learn more about the virus we will continue to take into account which groups may be particularly vulnerable – including, for example, those from ethnic minority backgrounds – so that we can protect the most at risk first, should a vaccine become available, and get this country back on our feet as soon as we possibly can.”
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The government on Monday repeatedly failed to answer HuffPost UK’s questions about whether it would be accepting the JCVI’s recommendations wholesale, or whether it had any idea why BAME people were not mentioned once on the list.
Nor could a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care tell HuffPost UK if BAME people were classed as high-risk or not, as per point 6 of the scale above.
They said: “We want as many people as possible to access the Covid-19 vaccine. The Independent Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVIV) advise government on which groups of people to prioritise, based on the characteristics of the vaccine when it becomes available and the nature of delivery, and we keep their advice under consideration.
“The committee’s interim advice is the vaccine should first be given to care home residents and staff, followed by people over 80 and health and social care workers, then the rest of the population in order of age and risk.”
Labour MP Apsana Begum asked Hancock about the issue again in the Commons on Tuesday.
“The JCVI have looked at this issue,” said the health secretary, “and in their earlier iteration of their draft advice they considered the question of the disproportionate impact that this virus has had on BAME communities.
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“Their conclusion having looked at it in some detail is that the overwhelming indicator of mortality from coronavirus is age and therefore they’ve based their recommendations around age and of course the occupation groups who directly support the most vulnerable, hence they’ve come up with the classification that they have and I respect their independence and their analysis.”
He did not explicitly say whether the government would adopt the guidelines in full, or why it was not possible for the JCVI to consider more than one risk factor when there is clear evidence that BAME people are more at risk than white people.
Health secretary Matt Hancock in Downing Street earlier this year ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Public Health England (PHE) report published in June, entitled Covid-19: Review of disparities in risks and outcomes, indicated that a range of people, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds, were most disproportionately impacted by Covid-19.
It found the increased risk of death involving Covid-19 for people from a Black ethnic background was two times greater for males and 1.4 times greater for females compared with white people.
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Last month, HuffPost UK revealed that the proportion of intensive care beds filled with Covid patients from BAME backgrounds was back at the level it had been during the first peak – despite pledges from the government to learn lessons and protect the vulnerable.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Piers Morgan Takes Aim At 'Gutless Weasels' In Government Who Refuse To Be Interviewed On Good Morni

Piers Morgan Takes Aim At 'Gutless Weasels' In Government Who Refuse To Be Interviewed On Good Morning Britain

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Piers Morgan has branded the government a “bunch of gutless little weasels” as the apparent ban on officials appearing on Good Morning Britain nears its 200th day.
Earlier this year, Piers claimed that there was a government ban which forbade ministers from appears on the ITV breakfast show, after he won praise for his no-nonsense interviews with several MPs at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Speaking on Tuesday’s show, the divisive presenter spoke of the news that a vaccine currently being trialled has been 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 in tests, and the fact no ministers had been interviewed on GMB in 196 days.
“We have asked the government if they will put a minister up on Good Morning Britain, for interview about the biggest health crisis we’ve faced since 1918,” Piers said.
“And each time the answer comes back, ‘no, we don’t have anybody from the government who will talk to your viewers and inform them about the health crisis’.”
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid address Good Morning Britain viewers ITV
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“Well, I have a view,” he continued. “I think they’re a bunch of gutless little weasels. I’m sure you have a similar view now, Good Morning Britain viewers.”
Piers added: “It doesn’t harm us. Our ratings have gone ever higher without the government ministers, in fact the one thing that worries me about getting them back is they may have a devastating effect on our viewership. Because most of them [the government ministers] are so clueless.
“But you know what? They have a democratic duty to talk to this programme as they do to talk to every programme. And it is really scandalous that we’re approaching 200 days of the entire government boycotting the main commercial breakfast TV show.
“And if you care about democracy, you should be as incensed about this as we are. And frankly, if they can’t cope with a fiery, passionate interrogation about this kind of story, this kind of crisis, why would we trust them to run the country? Because that’s one of the problems, they can’t even cope with an interview. They can’t even cope with people like me, raising our voices.”
'If they can’t cope with a fiery interrogation about this crisis, why would we trust them to run the country?'
On the 196th day of the government's boycott of GMB @piersmorgan says it is a scandal and @susannareid100 calls it a dereliction of democratic duty. pic.twitter.com/gCh9ObxpK7 — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 10, 2020
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Co-presenter Susanna Reid then interjected: “Look, government. If I can cope with Piers Morgan raising his voice, and I do it pretty much every morning, you can cope with it.”
As Piers branded the government “pathetic”, Susanna added: “[This is] a dereliction of your democratic duty. I find it extraordinary that on a day when you can talk about good news [they still won’t come on Good Morning Britain].”
Later in the show, a reporter was able to corner health secretary Matt Hancock outside of the BBC to ask about the latest development.
However, Hancock refused to commit to a studio interview, despite answering questions put to him on the spot.
Watch the moment we finally get a government minister to appear on GMB after 196 days. @NickdixonITV approaches Health Secretary Matt Hancock in London.
He speaks briefly but refuses to commit to appearing with @piersmorgan and @susannareid100. pic.twitter.com/HzhIRLUrCZ — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 10, 2020
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And the moment to make your morning… @nickdixonitv chasing Health Secretary to ask him if he will appear on GMB🏃♂@Piersmorgan | @Susannareid100
Watch it all here👉https://t.co/fzcHkA6S4k pic.twitter.com/lBBR0Pcba6 — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 10, 2020
Last week, Piers and Susanna made headlines when they tore into Boris Johnson, suggesting the prime minister had “dithered” when it came to reintroducing lockdown measures.
“The big question now is, how many people are going to die now, in the next few weeks, again, unnecessarily, because this prime minister dithered and delayed and got torn [between] all sides of this debate and couldn’t make a damn decision?” Piers said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Stephen Colbert Reveals What He’s Most Looking Forward To When Donald Trump Leaves Office

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US talk show host Stephen Colbert said he had an emotional reaction when he learned on Saturday that Joe Biden had defeated Donald Trump in last week’s election.
“I sat down and just started crying with relief and Evie said, ‘You never have to talk about him again,’” Colbert said, referring to his wife, Evelyn McGee-Colbert. “And then I cried with joy.”
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Colbert also said there were some things he was looking forward to once Trump finally leaves office.
“For the first time in four years, we’ll be able to shift our collective focus away from him and onto anything else,” he said. “Maybe each other, wouldn’t that be nice?”
Colbert said people might even be nicer again, including himself.
“One of the things I’ve found about this job is that I tend to reflect back the national tone ― and that tone comes from the top,” he said.
“This is entirely my responsibility: I’ve done harsher jokes than I’ve ever done in my entire life,” Colbert added. “This is why they say don’t wrestle with a pig because you’ll both get filthy and the pig likes it.”
See his full monologue below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--The Crown's Emma Corrin Explains Why She 'Feels Sorry' For The Real-Life Royal Family

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The Crown newcomer Emma Corrin has admitted to “feeling sorry” for the real-life royals, ahead of her debut in the new season of the Netflix drama.
Emma will play Princess Diana in the fourth series of The Crown, which also sees Gillian Anderson joining the cast as prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
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In a new interview with Radio Times, Emma admitted that, unlike her on-screen character, she would “run a mile if anyone in the royal family asked me to marry them”.
Revealing she’s previously considered herself “indifferent” when it comes to the royals, she explained: “I do feel sorry for them. We know what happened to Diana. It’s an impossible situation.”
Emma Corrin David M. Benett via Getty Images
Her “indifference” to the royals is quite a contrast to her co-stars Tobias Menzies and Josh O’Connor, who both admitted last year that they were not big fans of the monarchy.
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Meanwhile, Emma recently told HuffPost UK that her own feelings towards the late Princess Diana were largely influenced by her family, particularly her mother.
“My mum particularly is just so fond of her, and has a real empathy with her,” the 24-year-old said. “So Diana has always kind of been a martyred figure to me.
“I feel like I got to know her better [through doing The Crown], like I’ve uncovered a lot of things, and I feel I understand her experience.”
Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in The Crown Des Willie/Netflix
The fourth series of The Crown will debut on Netflix this weekend, with critics having heaped praise on the new batch of episodes.
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Read Emma’s full interview in the new issue of Radio Times, on sale now.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Trump Camp Forced To Switch Voter Fraud Hotline Numbers To Dodge Prank Calls

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President Donald Trump’s campaign has been forced to repeatedly change its voter fraud hotline number in a fruitless effort to avoid prank calls.
The campaign is relying on the hotline to find incidents that might actually back up Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. Instead, the hotline has become a particular favourite of TikTok pranksters and others who share it on social media.
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One TikTok caller attempted to report apparently nefarious doings by an “obese turtle that has rolled over on its back,” referring to journalist Anderson Cooper’s controversial description of Trump last week.
Alex Hirsch, creator of the “Gravity Falls” cartoon, posted one of his calls to the hotline on Twitter. He reported suspicious activities by someone who sounded suspiciously like McDonald’s Hamburglar, adding helpfully: “I think he’s probably antifa.”
Hirsch also called in the voice of one of his characters, Stan Pines, boasting about vote-stealing. (Listen to the video up top.)
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Lara Trump, for one, is not amused. Eric Trump’s wife scolded Americans for not taking voter fraud seriously in a tweet announcing yet another new hotline number.
“Keep spamming,” she taunted. “We will keep changing the number.”
Another new number 👇🏽 To those who have spammed our other numbers: it’s shameful that you don’t think it’s important to have integrity in our elections. It’s fundamental to our republic. Keep spamming. We will keep changing the number. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ILPJrqG42D — Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) November 7, 2020
Critics on Twitter had a few things to say about that.
Please help us fabricate fraud! All these pesky judges keep throwing out our cases for lack of evidence. — Atomic Rocket 🌭 (@AT0MICRocket) November 9, 2020
LARA HELP HELP I SAW A BLACK PERSON VOTING, DO SOMETHING — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) November 9, 2020
THERE IS FRAUD! (Please call us and tell us where the fraud is, because we don’t know.)
That is what you people are saying. Shameful. — Kurt "Mask Up, Vote Early" Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) November 9, 2020
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A few turned the tables on the Trump administration, calling out efforts to hobble the US Postal Service and to “subvert democracy with disinformation and lies.”
I think it is important. Election fraud is very serious. I’m concerned with the fraud that has been happening with the USPS and the intentional delay of mail. I will call the hotline to leave the tip. Perhaps you could investigate who ordered the delay and who hired that person. — Georgia Blue Voted! 🌊 (@TGalore2) November 9, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Robert De Niro Finally Addresses Donald Trump's Election Loss – And He's Pulling No Punches

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Robert De Niro has finally weighed in on the US election result, and he’s pulling no punches when it comes to losing candidate Donald Trump.
The Oscar-winning actor has had a long-standing feud with Trump throughout his presidency, and in an interview with MSNBC, spoke of his “relief” at the news that he won’t be getting a second term in the White House.
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Suggesting that Trump has a “screw loose”, De Niro claimed that if Trump “had done what he should have done” with regards to the coronavirus pandemic, the result could have been very different.
“I think there’s a screw loose there. He [Trump] just doesn’t get it. If had done what he should’ve done for the virus, he could’ve won this election. I wouldn’t be happy about it, but he could’ve done something right,” Robert De Niro says about Pres. Trump's handling of Covid-19 pic.twitter.com/WVwsA4Jvqh — MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 10, 2020
“I think there’s a screw loose there. He just doesn’t get it,” De Niro said. “If he had done what he should’ve done for the virus, he could’ve won this election.
“I wouldn’t be happy about it, but he would’ve done something right [had he handled the crisis better]. He didn’t even know how to do that.”
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Comparing Trump to the film The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight – a 1970s comedy about an incompetent gang of crooks – he added: “Certain people only know how to do things with a felonious intent.
“They can’t just go from A to B to C to D. They have to go to A to B to G to H, whatever. They don’t understand if you do it right, stay straight, do the right thing, that’s all you have to do. And he just doesn’t understand that.”
Robert De Niro and Donald Trump Tim Rooke/Shutterstock/CHRIS KLEPONIS/POOL/EPA-EFE
The Goodfellas star is one of the celebrities that Trump has fired back at on Twitter when they’ve criticised him in the past.
Earlier this year, De Niro hit out at Trump over his reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, branding him a “lunatic” who “didn’t care” how many people die of Covid-19, as he was too preoccupied with the election.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Covid Vaccine: Doctors Reveal How The Rollout Could Work

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Covid vaccine clinics could run from 8am to 8pm seven days a week, leading doctors have suggested.
GPs in England have been given information on how to prepare for a vaccine rollout.
According to the British Medical Association (BMA), the correspondence says that the NHS and GP practices must be prepared for “rapid delivery” in the event that a vaccine gets approved for use by regulators.
The intention is for doctors to be prepared to start delivering vaccines when they become available.
But the BMA said it expects “vaccine availability to be limited to begin with, meaning only small numbers of vaccine may be given in December and most vaccinations taking place in early 2021”.
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Matt Hancock said he had told the NHS to be ready to begin vaccinating people from the start of December.
The health secretary told Sky News that no vaccine will be deployed until the government is “confident” of its safety.
He added: “I have asked them [the NHS] to be ready from the start of December.
“Of course, there are many hurdles that still need to be gone over and we haven’t seen the full safety data, and obviously that is critical.
“We won’t deploy a vaccine unless we can be confident in its clinical safety, but we also do need to be ready should a vaccine be licensed and get through all those hurdles and be ready to roll it out.”
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The doctors’ union has created guidance for GPs on the new “directed enhanced service” document – which sets out how they deliver a service above their usual contract.
The vaccine consists of two doses, which are to be delivered between 21 and 28 days apart (file picture) SIPA USA/PA Images
Family doctors have been provided with information on how they will provide the vaccine, what they will be paid for the service and other key information.
GPs have been told to prepare to give patients two vaccine doses, which are to be delivered between 21 and 28 days apart.
Eligible patients will be “confirmed soon”, the BMA said but it is expected that the priority list for who gets the vaccine will be in line with that set out by government vaccine advisers.
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In September the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said care home residents and staff were among those who should be given the jab first.
The prioritisation for other people is linked to their age and risk, the JCVI said.
It appears that those who work in GP practices will also be among the first to receive the vaccine.
“The high priority groups will be vaccinated first, and as the vaccine becomes more available, practices will be able to provide this to increasing numbers,” the BMA document states.
As well as GPs and pharmacists delivering the vaccine, mass vaccination centres may also be used “in a similar way to testing centres”.
The NHS previously said that mass vaccination centres are being considered, as are the use of “roving teams” who deliver the vaccine to care homes and house bound patients.
The BMA said due to the logistics and delivery requirements, it’s likely that groups of GP practices will need to work together with one “designated vaccination site”.
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“Working together, practices will need to be prepared to offer vaccinations seven days a week so that the vaccine is delivered within its short shelf-life and so patients receive it as soon as possible,” it added.
“Practices will need to work together to decide which one practice (or another appropriate site) is used for the vaccination site, remembering the need for provision to be potentially available 8am-8pm, seven days a week.”
GPs will be paid £12.58 per vaccine delivered and practices will be provided with the appropriate medical kit and personal protective equipment.
Responding to the positive news about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Dr Richard Vautrey, chairman of the BMA’s GP committee in England, said: “With their proven track record of mass immunisation campaigns and strong relationships within their communities, GPs, practice nurses and other key staff are the right people to be leading this campaign once vaccines become available.
“With a number of approval processes still to go, we are a long way from guaranteeing that vaccinations in local surgeries will begin in December – but practices, working together in their areas, will stand ready.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--How It Feels To Be Black And Know Racist Trump Got Millions Of Votes

Joe Biden’s vote count in 2020 has been so record-breakingly enormous it’s easy to forget that Donald Trump has broken a record of his own.
He’s the first presidential loser (and indeed only the second person ever, after Biden) to take 70m votes in a US election – a figure that comfortably beats his own 2016 result.
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That increased vote count comes despite Trump’s well documented history of racist, xenophobic and sexist actions, policies and statements.
Some see this as confirmation that Trump’s divisive ideologies reflect the views of many people – in other words, Trumpism is Americanism.
Lord Simon Woolley, founder of Operation Black Vote, told HuffPost UK in the aftermath of the result that “Black people around the world will sleep easier tonight.”
But not everyone shares his optimism.
US academic Eddie Glaude told NBC that Trump is the “manifestation of the ugliness that’s inside of us”.
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After the election, Mutale Nkonde – a Harvard University research fellow – told HuffPost UK she was surprised Trump hadn’t won.
“America was built on white supremacy,” she said. “Trump started his political life by spreading disinformation relating to the citizenship of Obama. He relied heavily on white cisgendered men that agreed the with notion that they are the the only people who are worthy of leadership in a context of constant Black resistance against racial patriarchy.
“Trump used the ‘white fear’ invoked by the Black Lives Matter uprisings to campaign to white women and his support rose within that group. This is a year where the American public have discussed the problems posed by ‘Karens’ who call the police on Black people living their everyday life and it would seem that the vote’s outcome was contingent upon this.”
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Celebrations in Atlanta, Georgia, as Biden's victory was announced on Saturday Brandon Bell/Reuters
By contrast, Black voters (of all genders) in key cities helped deliver Biden’s victory, mobilised by figures such as Georgia politician Stacey Abrams.
During the 2020 election cycle, Nkonde worked on a campaign to interrupt a disinformation campaign advanced by a Black group called the American Descendants of Slaves (ADOS), who were dissuading Black voters from taking part.
Trump made similar attempts to silence Black voices in 2016: Channel 4 News revealed that his campaign had targeted millions of Black Americans through voter suppression tactics and disinformation to encourage them to “stay home on election day”.
Nkonde said: “The voting booth is the only place where Black and white people are equal under one person, one vote. Even the most liberal of whites are uncomfortable with true racial equality because it challenges the notions of white supremacy that all of us hold true.”
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This side of the Atlantic, British campaigners see Trump’s loss as the epic toppling of a deranged dictator, a whopping win in the global fight against hate and – in light of the two countries’ “special relationship” – an indication that threats posed to marginalised groups by the British government, far-right figures and parts of the media may yet be squashed.
After Johnson replaced Theresa May as PM last summer, Trump congratulated him and gave him the bizarre moniker “Britain Trump”. It’s an unshakeable comparison and, while the pair have enjoyed a friendly relationship, the general public have drawn parallels between the two men – from their policies to their previous use of racist language.
But just as the president received an overwhelmingly high number of votes, Johnson was voted in as PM by millions of Brits last December – after he had called Black people racial slurs, implying they have lower IQs and saying Muslim women wearing burkas “look like letterboxes”, to name just a few jibes.
The PM presides over a Conservative government that enacts policies which systemically disadvantage Black, Asian and minority ethnic people – from immigration and housing to healthcare and education.
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It comes as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately affect BAME people. The government is accused of failing to adequately protect these groups.
There is of course no UK election scheduled until 2024. But some believe Trump’s defeat is a sign that Johnson’s brand of politics is falling out of favour.
Tweeting to the PM directly, British political activist Femi Oluwole posted: “Hi @BorisJohnson... You’re next.”
UK rapper AJ Tracey echoed: “BORIS GOTTA GO NEXT”.
BORIS GOTTA GO NEXT ! ✊🏽🥳 https://t.co/NNe1Q0bIqa — aj (@ajtracey) November 7, 2020
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Publisher Sharmaine Lovegrove wrote: “For me, the most profound thing re: Trump’s loss will be the demise of the emboldened fascist government in the UK. They were prepared to take food from kids, deport nationals, ban immigration & destroy livelihoods w. a no-deal Brexit that’d decimate society. Now they’re alone.”
Indeed, after Trump lost, the PM U-turned on the government’s decision not to feed hungry schoolchildren during Christmas.
Protesters hold placards as they march during a demonstration in Millennium square. SIPA USA/PA Images
But Black Lives Matter UK say Johnson and Trump are one and the same, warning that the UK cannot be complacent.
“We, like all anti-racists around the world, celebrate the end of the Trump presidency. This has only happened due to the heroic efforts of thousands of grassroots campaigns, many of which were led by people of colour,” spokesperson Kojo Kyerewaa told HuffPost UK.
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“[But] an unprecedented 70m US citizens voted for four more years of barely restrained white supremacy. While the UK media occasionally at times challenged the racism, lies and assaults on democratic institutions from the Trump administration, it has failed to do the same for the UK Johnson government.
“Johnson and Trump are part of the same political project. Johnson, like Trump, plans the UK to be a more aggressive hostile environment towards migrants. Johnson like Trump is attacking anti-racist ideas like critical race theory and banning terms like white privilege in schools. Johnson like Trump has suspended parliament to bully opposition into submission.“
Kyerewaa added: “The UK media was virtually silent when Kemi Badenoch falsely accused Reni Eddo-Lodge of promoting ‘segregation’. The USA may have turned a page, but in the UK we have four more years of this to come. We will continue to organise, resist and build coalitions to liberate all oppressed by this racist and violent political project.”
Actor John Boyega speaks to the crowd during a Black Lives Matter protest in Hyde Park on June 3, 2020 Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
Zita Holbourne, co-founder of Black campaigning organisation BARAC UK, said its very existence shows how endemic racism is within Britain.
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“We have seen countless reports in the UK to tell us that racism exists but those of us on the receiving end already know this – we don’t need more reports to confirm what we already know,” she said. “What we need is action – changes in policies, in practices and in cultures. Politicians have a responsibility to take action to end racism, to prevent racism but also to create an equal, inclusive and fair society.
“In the summer, following the Black Lives Matter protests, Boris Johnson announced an inquiry into racial inequalities saying that it is aimed at ending ‘the sense of victimisation’ felt by Black, Asian and minority ethnic people. This makes it sound like the problem is with our feelings about racism rather than the actual racism itself.”
Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) staged an anti-Trump protest outside the US embassy in London on Wednesday alongside other anti-racism groups including All Black Lives UK.
Aima, of All Black Lives, told HuffPost UK: “As many of us know, American politics affects the whole world. Their relationship with Britain is extremely important, and a lot of things that happen over in America mirror in this country too.
“I feel like watching this election is a repeat of the last UK general election, [although] the American election had a more positive outcome than the British one. We all know the two leaders that people compare a lot in the modern ages are Trump and Boris. This is because they both have been very racist, Islamophobic and sexist. This is the same anxiety I had for our general election.
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“I really do not believe what is currently happening with the US election will happen with the next general election here, I feel like the people in this country still glorify the ignorance of the man who runs the country.”
President-elect Joe Biden, right, on stage with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, left, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) ASSOCIATED PRESS
The 18-year-old added: “The UK media has to stop attacking Trump but ignoring what Boris does. It is exactly like how they focus on the problem of racism in America but not here.”
Dr Kehinde Andrews echoed this. “It’s easy for the media here to paint Trump as the bad guy, the cartoonish racist that would never thrive here,” she said. “It helps them to ignore the problems of the UK which are just as deep and even harder to address.
“I have not a single shred of optimism in the UK political system because it is worse than the US. But the recent Black Lives Matter protests give me hope that [people] are waking up to the reality.”
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“As much as it seems insane to say it – with Trump being so awful – the situation is actually worse here. The US system has checks and balances. One of the reasons he did a lot less damage than he could have done was the midterm election, where the Democrats won the House of Representations and could therefore block his legislation.”
Andrews continued: “In the UK we have five-year parliaments where if a government gets a majority in an election they can basically do whatever they want – as we are about to find out with Brexit. Johnson’s government is just as extremist, populist and, yes, racist – and can do as they please.”
Journalist Nadine Batchelor-Hunt tweeted: “The British media are suddenly going to have to start taking Boris Johnson’s racism seriously. Pity they didn’t do it for the British election when people of colour begged them to Instead we were shut down, gaslighted, and ridiculed.”
The British government is scrambling to appear less racist because suddenly that’s not such a good look any more. I see you 👀 #ByeByeTrump — Afua Hirsch (@afuahirsch) November 7, 2020
What happens next remains to be seen. As of Monday morning, the UK PM – like Trump – has yet to speak to US president-elect Biden.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--US Election Loser Trump Just Got Dumped By Fox News Too

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Outgoing President Donald Trump’s week is going from bad to worse – even Fox News is turning its back on him.
The split became clear on Monday night, when Trump’s press secretary Kayleigh McEnany delivered a briefing in which she repeated the president’s claims about voter fraud, stating: “We want every legal vote to be counted and we want every illegal vote to be…”
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But Fox News host Neil Cavuto immediately interrupted, informing viewers: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I just think we have to be very clear: she’s charging the other side as welcoming fraud and illegal voting, unless she has more details to back that up, I can’t in good countenance continue to show you this.”
Watch Fox News cut away from Press Sec. McEnany: pic.twitter.com/SwW9cq9bJI — The Recount (@therecount) November 9, 2020
McEnany was just about heard insisting: “You take these positions because you are welcoming fraud and you are welcoming illegal voting,” before Fox News cut away completely.
Cavuto said they would return to the press conference if they presented evidence to substantiate the claims.
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“But that’s an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating, if she does bring proof of that of course we’ll take you back so far she has started saying, right at the outset, welcoming fraud, welcoming illegal voting,” he said.
Other broadcasters described it as an “extraordinary moment”.
Fox News
An extraordinary moment in US broadcasting history - Fox News cuts away from the White House press secretary citing the lack of evidence for her claims of Democratic cheating..... https://t.co/2yUXE7jgbn — Nick Bryant (@NickBryantNY) November 9, 2020
Prior to the election, Trump appeared to enjoy a cosy relationship with the channel, with criticism of the president rarely aired. But Fox News appears to be pushing back against its former ally and fact checking the baseless claims coming from his camp.
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Trump continues to refuse to concede the election, launching a series of legal battles in his effort to stay in the White House.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Eva Longoria Apologises For Downplaying Black Women's Role In Joe Biden's Win

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Eva Longoria has apologised for undermining the crucial role Black women played in the recent US presidential election, clarifying that she never meant to take credit from the voters who helped to deliver Joe Biden’s victory.
During an appearance on MSNBC on Sunday night, the Desperate Housewives star spoke about how women of colour lifted Biden’s bid for the White House, placing special emphasis on the turnout of Latina women.
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“The women of colour showed up in a big way,” Eva told host Ari Melber. “Of course, you saw in Georgia what Black women have done, but Latina women were the real heroines here. Beating men in turnout in every state and voting for Biden/Harris at an average rate close to three to one.”
She went on to comment on how the “spirit and perseverance that Latinas use” in the face of voter suppression came into play during the election.
Eva Longoria to @AriMelber on the impact of Latina women: “That spirit and perseverance that Latinas use in their daily life, the struggle to pay their bills and the struggle to show up to their jobs … that’s the same perseverance and spirit they used to show up to the polls,” pic.twitter.com/BiATbXbaeG — MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 9, 2020
Eva was quickly criticised for downplaying the significance of Black women voters in the election, who powered key wins in major swing state cities like Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.
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CNN exit polls show that 91% of Black women voted for Biden compared to the 71% of Latina women who backed him.
Her comments were also construed as reinforcing the painful and longstanding erasure of Afro-Latinas in the very communities she was praising.
that eva longoria msnbc interview is why we emphasize that you specifically say “black women” and not “woc”...because even within our own communities our work is diminished and erased... — amy gdala ✨ (@lyviafm) November 9, 2020
Eva Longoria just embodied one of the many barriers in the way of WOC unity - the desire to bring attention away from and size up the efforts of Black women. A core of antiblackness is the sense that Black women are underserving - even a little attention, is "too much." — Sierra (@sierrasviews) November 9, 2020
Eva Longoria invented a contest where there was none, and then managed to lose it. All at once. This was as perplexing as it was dismissive. https://t.co/jARNAnyO6W — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) November 9, 2020
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Eva Longoria just said on MSNBC “I mean you saw what Black women did in Georgia but Latinas are the REAL heroines of all of this.” But why? What’s the point of that? @EvaLongoria — Papp (@evet965) November 9, 2020
eva longoria undermining the black community (specifically black women) by saying that latina women are the “heroines”. just shows the anti-blackness in our community and how we do not appreciate black women enough for their efforts and what they do. — sophie 🦃 (@sophiebeatricee) November 9, 2020
Just a thought - a lot of Black women who voted for Biden are Afro-Latinx. https://t.co/1ZasERA5Jn — Rebecca Theodore-Vachon (@FilmFatale_NYC) November 9, 2020
Hours after a clip from the interview went viral across social media, Eva released a statement, in which she expressed regret that her “wording was not clear.”
“I’m so sorry and sad to hear that my comments on MSNBC could be perceived as taking credit from Black women,” she wrote on Twitter.
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“When I said that Latinas were heroines in this election, I simply meant that they turned out in greater numbers and voted more progressively than LATINO MEN.”
She went onto apologise for “contributing to” a “history in our community of anti-Blackness” before reiterating how Black women time and time again have proved to be the most loyal group of Democratic voters.
“My wording was not clear and I deeply regret that,” she continued. “There is such a history in our community of anti-Blackness in our community and I would never want to contribute to that, so let me be very clear: Black women have long been the backbone of the Democratic Party, something we have seen played out in this election as well as previous ones.
“Finally, Black women don’t have to do it alone any longer. Latinas (many who identify as Afro-Latina), indigenous women, AAPI women and other women of color are standing with them so we can grow our collective voice and power.”
Please read 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/KO80U2yarD — Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) November 9, 2020
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While many online dismissed Eva’s apology, she did receive support from others, including fellow actor Kerry Washington, who served as an emcee for the Democratic National Convention alongside her.
“I know Eva like a sister. We have been in many trenches together,” the Little Fires Everywhere star wrote. “She is a fighter for all women. Read below. This is what she meant. This is how she truly feels.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Whoopi Goldberg Doesn't Mince Words In Missive To Trump Supporters: 'Suck It Up'

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Whoopi Goldberg has a no-nonsense message for anyone questioning the legitimacy of the presidential election results and Joe Biden’s victory.
During Monday’s edition of the US talk show The View, Whoopi addressed supporters and allies of Donald Trump, many of whom are refusing to acknowledge that Biden won the race.
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Trump himself has refused to do so, even though Biden ― based on nonpartisan analysis of the vote in the key states ― has been projected the winner by all the major networks and The Associated Press.
The former vice president also has been congratulated on his victory by foreign leaders around the world.
Trump has maintained, without evidence, that Democrats cheated in the vote in various states. That has prompted many of his followers to protest totally standard and legal vote counting processes around the country as fraudulent. His allies in Congress, too, have defended or stayed silent about his attacks on the democratic process.
“To all those people who don’t believe that Americans actually got out and voted, let me say this to you. When you-know-who was elected four years ago, Hillary Clinton didn’t say, ‘Hey wait a minute, this doesn’t feel right, stop the count’,” Whoopi noted. “She didn’t say, ‘This isn’t right, I’m not going.’ She didn’t say any of that.”
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Whoopi Goldberg on The View The View
“So all of you, suck it up. Suck it up like we sucked it up” Goldberg continued,
“And if you’re not sure that you’re comfortable with Joe Biden, do what we did. Find things and then take it to the law. And if the law says it’s something to look at, look at it.”
She also urged Trump’s supporters to “grow the pair for him that he can’t grow for himself, because this is ridiculous.”
“You’re bringing into question all these Americans who voted legally, came out, and stood, and voted. How dare you question it?” she added.
“All of you, suck it up — suck it up like we sucked it up.”@WhoopiGoldberg to those who won’t acknowledge that Biden won: “You’re bringing into question all these Americans who voted legally, came out and stood and voted. How dare you question it?” https://t.co/f8u2wbJuik pic.twitter.com/LxcHhqbLXW — The View (@TheView) November 9, 2020
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Whoopi later reminded those referencing the prolonged recount in the 2000 presidential race between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore that the comparison is flawed and off-target.
“The difference in Florida — and the Republicans keep bringing this up — the difference was 500 votes in one state,” she said. (Bush ended up being declared the winner of Florida by 537 votes ― and thus won the presidency with 271 electoral votes, just one more than required.)
Biden’s margin over Trump in electoral votes is larger and not dependent on one state. Based on the AP calls, he leads with 290 electoral votes to Trump’s 214, and Biden is ahead in the battle for Georgia’s 16 votes, pending a recount.
In Pennsylvania, the state that clinched Biden’s win on Saturday, he is up by more than 45,000 votes, and that figure is expected to rise a bit. Trump carried the state in 2016 by slightly more than 44,000 votes.
“This is the United States of America,” Whoopi said. “When our guys win, we got to suck it up. When your guys win, we got to suck it up. We each have to do what we have to do. That’s the American way.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--Your Christmas Trees Are Going Up Already – And We Totally Get It

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Queer Eye’s Tan France is one of many who’ve already got their Christmas trees up – and aren’t afraid to show them, despite the fact we’re not even halfway through November. But perhaps the TV presenter is on to something.
With not much to look forward to and most of the world unable to make plans for the foreseeable, surely focusing on our home and how we can make it (quite literally) sparkle is the perfect antidote to the pandemic right now?
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We’re probably spending enough time in it, after all.
Bestselling author and HuffPost UK podcast guest, Candice Brathwaite has already put her tree up, too – with the help of her husband and two children.
They’ve gone for a traditional red and gold theme, with a star on top.
Braithwaite shared a time lapse video of her family decorating the tree over the weekend, with the caption: “If I had it my way the tree would’ve been up October 31st.”
Judging by the responses to the post, plenty of her followers have already got theirs up too. “I’m with you Candice!” one person wrote. “I’m putting mine up today too!”
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It certainly feels like there’s appetite for an earlier Christmas this year, with more people confined to their homes, and in desperate need of a happiness boost.
Suzy Hainsworth, 58, from Southampton, put up her tree on November 6 – and has gone for a silver and gold theme this year.
“I am disabled and live alone, so this year my tree has gone up earlier than normal,” she tells HuffPost UK “With Covid-19, I thought it would brighten the lockdown up more and spread some cheer.”
She’s already feeling the joyful effects in her living room. “I turned the lights on and sat back and smiled,” she says. “Despite what we are going through, there is always a smile to be had.”
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Suzy Hainsworth Suzy's Christmas tree is up already.
Mum-of-two Laura Whalebone, 37, from London, doesn’t usually put her tree up until December – but this year felt different. Her place is full of eye-catching decorations, including a bright and colourful rainbow tree.
“I only got this tree last year. It may seem like just a rainbow tree but it’s much more,” says Whalebone, who left a 16-year relationship in 2019. “Christmas was a time I dreaded, as it meant more time together, and I could never do Christmas how I wanted.”
She says it “felt great” putting her tree up and placing a crown at the top. “It was exactly what I wanted, picked and paid for. Having that freedom is something many take for granted.”
When the UK went into lockdown, the 37-year-old struggled mentally – “I had only just started to enjoy going out and seeing friends and family,” she says – so she started making changes to brighten up her home.
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“In summer I put up rainbow balloon garlands,” she explains. “So I thought let’s put the tree up early. It makes us so so happy, and it’s my choice. I can’t see my family for now, but it’s a reminder that I will.”
Laura Whalebone Rainbow Christmas treet
Mum-of-eight Sally Porter put her tree up with the help of her kids on November 3, as she wanted them to have something to look forward to “after missing out on so much this year”.
“I’m determined this virus will not take away Christmas,” says the 44-year-old, from north Yorkshire.
So far she has festooned her front room with festive decorations, and there are even wrapped presents underneath the tree – surely the height of organisation.
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Sally Porter Christmas has arrived at Sally Porter's house
Tom Campbell, 36, from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, has also given into the festive fun. “The tree normally goes up at the end of November but this year has been such a raging Hellscape it made sense to bring in the festive cheer earlier,” he says, adding that it was a treat for his partner.
“I put it up as a surprise for when my good lady got home from work – I’ll admit she’s much better at decorating the tree than I am!
“Christmas doesn’t make the problems of 2020 go away but it allows a bit of bright and fun normality. People have kicked off about it, but people are kicking off about EVERYTHING this year so whatever – Merry Christmas!”
Tom Campbell Tom's Christmas tree is out – and so is his Christmas suit.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-10--We Need A Word For Feeling Happy For Others But Sad For Yourself

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Listen and subscribe to HuffPost UK’s weekly podcast Am I Making You Uncomfortable? about women’s health, bodies and private lives. Available on Acast, Spotify, Apple and wherever you listen to podcasts.
“It’s a travesty that there isn’t a word in the English language for feeling happy for someone, whilst also feeling sad for yourself at the same time,” says Jessica Hepburn, the co-founder of Fertility Fest, who had 11 unsuccessful rounds of IVF. “That is the only way I can describe what it feels like.”
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Hepburn is talking about the experience of viewing pregnancy announcements when you’re trying to conceive or have accepted your fertility journey has come to an end.
Her friend and festival co-founder, Gabby Vautier, agrees the bittersweet emotion needs to be spoken about more openly. “You’re so happy for that person, but a part of you dies as well,” admits Vautier, who eventually conceived twins via IVF, after a five-year quest for a baby.
Vautier remembers feeling “guilty” when she fell pregnant, so she decided to tell Hepburn her news via email, allowing her friend time and space to process it privately.
The pair appear in the latest episode of Am I Making You Uncomfortable?, HuffPost UK’s weekly podcast on women’s health, bodies and private lives, where we tackle the tricky topic of fertility and friendship.
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Fertility Fest Gabby Vautier (left) and Jessica Hepburn (right)
If you’re experiencing fertility problems, or you want a baby but are unable to start trying due to your own circumstances, what’s going on in a friend’s womb can be unexpectedly upsetting.
Hepburn describes it as a double loss: you grieve the absence of your own child, but you’re also “robbed of sharing that joyous moment with friends” if they conceive. ‘Envy’ doesn’t feel adequate for describing such a complex emotion.
“In our head, we can be happy for someone and their joy, but in our heart, a little piece of us is wounded.” - Lucy Beresford, psychologist
Our inability to compartmentalise the two states stems from our tendency to compare ourselves to those within our social circles, says psychotherapist Lucy Beresford. Comparison is human nature – so you shouldn’t feel bad about it.
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“We are very susceptible to comparing ourselves to others and deciding whether we are ‘better than’ or ‘not good enough’. Someone else’s ‘success’, such as delivering a healthy baby, can trigger feelings of being useless or even a bad person for not having the same good fortune,” she tells HuffPost UK.
“So in our head, we can be happy for someone and their joy, but in our heart, a little piece of us is wounded.”
doble-d via Getty Images
There are tips for how to deal with the situation in person, and then tips for how to handle things in private.
“Have up your sleeve a couple of standard ‘excited’ phrases to wheel out when news of a pregnancy or birth risk making you wobble,” says Beresford. “A phrase like ‘that’s fantastic! I am so thrilled for you’ is something to say to the person who quite rightly wants to share their amazing news. In this moment, it is not about you.”
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Privately, it is about you. Be truthful with yourself about your feelings, of sadness, envy, grief, anger or guilt.
“It’s healthy to acknowledge to yourself, and maybe a therapist or understanding friend, that you are finding this situation painful,” says Beresford. “Give yourself permission to not interact too much with people or situations that are proving hard, and treat yourself with compassion every single day.”
More than a decade after she began trying to conceive, Hepburn says “I’m never getting over this sadness. I carry it with me”. But in that time, she has developed tactic to allow her own feelings to co-exist alongside strong friendships.
A key factor, she says, is learning to forgive people for inadvertently saying or doing the wrong things. “People don’t put pictures up or invite you to baby showers or christenings because they’re wanting to hurt you,” she says. “And actually, to be honest, it’s even worse, I think, when you stop getting invited to those things because people don’t want to hurt your feelings.”
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Vanessa Haye, founder of femelanin.org, who also guests on the podcast, says at times she’s politely declined invites to child-centred events, but sent a gift to the parent or parent-to-be, to let them know that she wishes them well.
Taking a pro-active approach such as this is important, says Beresford, as friendships will crumble without a bit of honesty.
“Authenticity is a crucial ingredient for any relationship, so at a later date (not when they announce their pregnancy or birth), explain that you are finding such information painful right now, and that you hope they can be understanding if you aren’t as available to them as you would dearly like to be,” she says.
It’s only by having these difficult conversations that we acknowledge and normalise the strain fertility journeys can have on a friendship.
“We do need to have a language for this, which we haven’t had historically,” says Hepburn, “and we need to encourage people to be able to talk to each other about what is right for them.”