thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--5 Fibs You Were Told This Week

5 Fibs You Were Told This Week

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“Moonshot” – “an ambitious, exploratory and ground-breaking project undertaken without any expectation of near-term profitability or benefit and also, perhaps, without a full investigation of potential risks and benefits”.
This definition is freely available to anyone with a computer and the ability to type so it was rather surprising and slightly worrying this week when the term “moonshot” became synonymous with the UK government’s latest attempt to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
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Did the PM genuinely just describe his own policy as a moonshot — Ed Gamble (@EdGambleComedy) September 9, 2020
1) The Moonshot
The UK government doesn’t have a great record when it comes to testing for and tracing coronavirus, so it was a bit of a surprise when on Wednesday they announced an even more ambitious plan.
Operation Moonshot is a plan to process “literally millions” of tests “every single day”, using new “simple, quick and scalable” tests that could determine whether someone had coronavirus in as little as 20 minutes.
The PM said: “We believe that new types of test which are simple, quick and scalable will become available. They use swabs or saliva and can turn round results in 90 or even 20 minutes.
“Crucially, it should be possible to deploy these tests on a far bigger scale than any country has yet achieved - literally millions of tests processed every single day. “We are hopeful this approach will be widespread by the spring and, if everything comes together, it may be possible even for challenging sectors like theatres to have life much closer to normal before Christmas.”
While it all sounds absolutely marvellous, when you actually look at the monumental hurdles in the way it all seems a bit ... out of this world.
The technology doesn’t even exist yet, there would be a massive problem with false negative results and there’s not even a plan for how everyone in the country would get receive enough tests regularly enough to do one every day.
Oh, and there’s the slight issue of cost – £100bn, which is almost the entire annual budget of the NHS.
“Matt Hancock does not deny that Operation Moonshot is set to cost a whopping £100bn - almost half the NHS budget”. Someone needs to get a grip of this lunacy. Fast. — (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) September 10, 2020
2) Test and Trace
On Thursday, Baroness Dido Harding – who is in charge of Test and Trace, insisted the system was working despite more missed targets, and the number of close contacts being reached falling to a record low.
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Figures for the latest weekly update show that just 69.2% of those “close contacts” – defined as being within two metres of a Covid carrier for more than 15 minutes – are actually being reached.
The statistics, for the week between August 28 and September 2 show a fall on the 69.4% of the previous week – and are the lowest weekly percentage since the service launched in May.
Testing turnaround times are also well short of the 100% within 24 hours target set by Johnson, with an average of just under 63% of in-person tests meeting that deadline.
Yet Harding said: “NHS Test and Trace is working and every week we consistently reach the majority of people testing positive and their contacts.”
Hmmm.
3)The whistleblowers
While we’re on the subject of Test and Trace, two whistleblowers working at testing centres in England this week came forward to HuffPost UK and described a litany of problems with the supposedly “world beating” system.
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One accused Matt Hancock of “lying through his teeth” as he said the site at which they work is running at a fraction of capacity and has been doing so for at least two weeks in what amounts to a “planned slowdown of testing in all but name”.
One whistleblower spoke out after Hancock insisted on Thursday that the government’s coronavirus testing system was working “well” and said there were only “operational challenges from time to time”.
“This whole thing is ridiculous. Watching Matt Hancock lying through his teeth was too much,” they said.
You can read the full reports here and here.
4) Obeying the law. Or not
On Wednesday Boris Johnson said “everybody” should obey the law.
A simple and sensible request from the PM you might think, but events in the Commons just a day earlier make his request seem a bit... hypocritical.
On Tuesday the government admitted new legislation to change the Withdrawal Agreement signed with the EU would would go against international law in a “very specific and limited way”.
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This remarkable and highly imaginative use of the English language is apparently to ensure “damaging” tariffs are not imposed by “default” on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement fail.
But as you can imagine, it caused quite the furore on social media...
“I assure you officer, I’ve only broken international law in a very specific and limited way" pic.twitter.com/0kYVWSFT3c — Alan Finlayson (@ProfAFinlayson) September 8, 2020
Bugger. Just got home to find another speeding ticket has arrived. Have sent back with the message I was speeding in a very specific and limited way (specifically slightly above the limit) Am hoping that should do the trick. Thanks @BrandonLewis for the free legal advice — ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) September 8, 2020
5) Annnnnnnd finally
This round up wound’t be complete without an entry from President Donald Trump.
According to a new book from legendary Watergate reporter Bob Woodward, Trump knew in early February that the coronavirus posed a unique and deadly threat to the United States, and was “more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”
At the time, Trump repeatedly publicly downplayed the virus as no more dangerous than the flu.
The revelation is one of many in journalist Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book, “Rage”, for which Trump granted Woodward a series of interviews.
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“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said in a February 7 call with Woodward. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.”
“This is deadly stuff,” he repeated.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-11--Ban On Households Mixing In Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell Amid Surging Coronavirus Cases

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Strict new restrictions have been unveiled for Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell following a surge in coronavirus cases.
From Tuesday, people in these areas will no longer be allowed to mix with those from other households.
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The new rules come amid a spike in Covid-19 infections in each of the areas.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street said: “The following areas will now be escalated to an area of national intervention, with a ban on people socialising with people outside their own household.
“The ban will take effect from Tuesday 15th September, but residents are advised to avoid household mixing before then as it has been identified as one of the drivers of transmission.”
He added that the bans applied to the whole of Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull.
NHS data reveals there were 892 new Covid-19 cases in Birmingham in the week up to September 8 – one of the highest figures seen in the city since the peak in April.
During the same period, there was an infection rate of 78.2 cases per 100,000 people.
The government usually introduces quarantine restrictions for foreign countries when the rate reaches 20 per 100,000.
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The current positive infections tally puts Birmingham third in a national table of local authority areas of highest infection rates, behind Bolton and Sunderland.
Birmingham’s director of public health Dr Justin Varney said the uptick in Covid-19 infections was “linked primarily to private household gatherings”, at the end of August and across the bank holiday weekend.
An increase in testing had also turned up more positive results, he added.
A whistleblowers’ hotline set up in August allowing people to report rule-breaking businesses has had more than 800 calls.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Harry Styles Just Landed His Second Huge Film Role Alongside Florence Pugh

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After much speculation, Harry Styles’ second film role has finally been confirmed.
The former One Direction singer is set to star alongside Florence Pugh in Don’t Worry Darling.
As first reported by Deadline, Harry, 26, is replacing Shia LaBeouf in the upcoming film, after he departed the production due to scheduling conflicts.
Harry Styles Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
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It will be his second big-screen acting role, after appearing in 2017’s Dunkirk alongside stars including Tom Hardy and Sir Mark Rylance.
Directed and produced by Olivia Wilde, Don’t Worry Darling is a psychological thriller set in 1950s in an isolated, utopian community in the California desert.
It follows the relationship between an unhappy housewife and her husband.
Florence Pugh Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Harry has been linked to a number of films since making his film debut in Dunkirk, playing a solider in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning war epic.
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The Watermelon Sugar singer reportedly auditioned for the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic, while last year, it emerged that he turned down the role of Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action reimagining of The Little Mermaid.
The part eventually went to US actor Austin Butler.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Trump Campaign Hails Nobel Peace Prize Nomination With An Awkward Typo

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The Trump campaign was quick to praise President Donald Trump’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize this week.
But in its haste, it misspelled the word “Nobel” as “Noble” in the series of ads that it paid hundreds of dollars for and posted on Facebook and Instagram.
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At least six ads containing the typo on a graphic were posted to Trump’s official pages on Thursday and Friday, according to Facebook’s ad library.
The captions of the ads also falsely proclaimed Trump had “achieved PEACE in the MIDDLE EAST!”
All of the ads are now listed as “inactive.”
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Trump himself in April misspelled the word in a Twitter rant about the media. He deleted the post and later claimed he was being sarcastic.
Far-right Norwegian lawmaker Christian Tybring-Gjedde, known for his Islamophobic and anti-immigration views, nominated Trump for the 2021 prize for his work on diplomatic ties between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
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Tybring-Gjedde also put Trump forward for the 2019 prize for his talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Inevitably, the ads went viral for the wrong reasons:
LOL, he is definitely not a candidate for a noble prize. — charlie (@TheOldOlaf) September 11, 2020
Well that’s two things Trump won’t be winning this year: the Nobel Prize and the Scripps National Spelling Bee. — Jay Black (@jayblackisfunny) September 11, 2020
They're spelling it the way Donny spelled it in his tweets at least a few times because they're afraid to correct him. — Jeff: Trump Knew & 200K died on his watch. Resign! (@NewJeffCT) September 11, 2020
Tbh, I'm surprised they didn't call it the Noble Piece Prize. — Bigly Nasty (@GeeJustG) September 11, 2020
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I didn't realize there is a Nobel Prize for Incompetence. — Bill In San Diego (@truthfaux) September 11, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Gogglebox's Jenny Has Viewers (And Lee) In Stitches With Hilarious Bum Wipe Gaffe

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Gogglebox made a much-welcome return to our screens on Friday night, bringing with it laughs aplenty.
In particular, Jenny Newby and Lee Riley had viewers in stitches as she revealed another toiletry gaffe on the Channel 4 show.
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As fans caught up with the hilarious pair, Jenny realised that she had been using bum wipes on her face, much to her best friend’s amusement.
Jenny had enquired whether wipes for one’s backside were available to buy, to which Lee replied that he “always uses them”.
“They aren’t what I use on my face, are they, in that bathroom?” Jenny asked.
Lee burst into laughter as he confirmed that was indeed the case.
“Don’t lie,” a disbelieving Jenny said.
“I swear!” Lee said. “You’ve been using my bum wipes for your face?!”
“I ain’t using no stuff in there no more,” Jenny said. “I used lube before for hand gel sanitiser,” she added in reference to another hilarious gaffe she previously made on the show.
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Bum wipes 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣 and jenny being useing them for her face #GOGGLEBOX pic.twitter.com/sorSmqVMpm — Catherine Foster (@Catheri03013091) September 11, 2020
So we have had Jenny using Lube for hand sanitizer and now bum wipes for her face 😂😂#gogglebox — Clare S (@SowdenClare) September 11, 2020
Oh god. I'm crying here.
Lee and Jenny on Gogglebox.
Jenny: "I'm not using your stuff no more. I've used lube before, thinking it were 'and gel...." — kath (@mrs_coyle) September 12, 2020
Jenny using bum wipes on her face #Gogglebox pic.twitter.com/118NJ1SrEw — Goggleboxfanpage (@goggleboxshow) September 11, 2020
Jenny using arse wipes on her face 😂 #Gogglebox — Stephanie D (@Stepharrnee) September 11, 2020
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Friday night’s episode also saw fan favourites Mary and Marina return to the show, after they’d had to sit out the majority of the last series due to the pandemic.
Viewers were delighted to see them back on screen with their cheeky antics and Bristolian charm...
Happy 😊to see Mary and Marina are back love them❤#GOGGLEBOX pic.twitter.com/00T596sIhX — 🦋 kaza🦋 (@Kaza_gayle) September 11, 2020
Yay! #gogglebox is back!
And very happy to see Mary and Marina are back too 🥰 — Jason Best (@jason_best) September 12, 2020
So glad to see Mary and Marina still with us and on great form #GOGGLEBOX — Anne Bennett (@anniebeanie) September 11, 2020
All is well in the world now I know Mary and Marina are ok and back on #GOGGLEBOX 😊 @Channel4 — Kath Shawcross (@KathShx) September 11, 2020
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Elated to see my queens Mary and Marina back on #Gogglebox — Justin Myers (@theguyliner) September 11, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Toots Hibbert, Legendary Reggae Singer And The Maytals Frontman, Dies Aged 77

Legendary reggae singer Toots Hibbert has died at the age of 77.
The musician, who was the frontman of pioneering reggae group Toots And The Maytals, died in hospital in Jamaica on Friday night, his representative confirmed.
Toots Hibbert has died at the age of 77 PA Media
Toots, whose real name was Frederick Nathaniel Hibbert, was being treated for suspected coronavirus at the University Hospital of the West Indies in the Caribbean island’s capital, Kingston.
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However, his cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
A statement from his representative said: “It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel ‘Toots’ Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his family at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.
“The family and management would like to thank the medical teams and professionals for their care and diligence, and ask that you respect their privacy during their time of grief.
“Mr Hibbert is survived by his wife of 39 years, Miss D, and his seven of eight children.”
It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his family at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica... pic.twitter.com/zOb6yRpJ7n — Toots & The Maytals (@tootsmaytals) September 12, 2020
On September 1, Toots’ management confirmed he had been admitted to intensive care with suspected Covid-19 and was awaiting the results of a test.
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They said he was “resting and in good spirits, and is showing signs of improvement by the hour”.
Toots And The Maytals’ hits include 54-46 (That’s My Number) and Pressure Drop, while their 1968 single Do The Reggay is credited with giving the reggae genre its name.
They released Got To Be Tough – their first album in a decade – last month, which included a cover of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, featuring his son Ziggy Marley.
Ziggy was among the first to pay tribute to Toots online.
He tweeted: “The Legendary Toots Hibbert has passed i spoke w/him a few wks ago told him how much i loved him we laughed & shared our mutual respect.
“He was a father figure to me his spirit is w/us his music fills us w/his energy i will never forget him RIP MIGHTY & POWERFUL NYAH FYAH BALL.”
The Legendary Toots Hibbert has passed i spoke w/him a few wks ago told him how much i loved him we laughed & shared our mutual respect. He was a father figure to me his spirit is w/us his music fills us w/his energy i will never forget him RIP MIGHTY & POWERFUL NYAH FYAH BALL 😢 pic.twitter.com/zIofrbYZU0 — Ziggy Marley (@ziggymarley) September 12, 2020
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Sir Lenny Henry added: “So sorry to hear of Toots Hibbert’s death. His music was a constant in our house growing up via Tighten up albums. His voice was powerful and adaptable to funk, soul, country, AND reggae. Rest in power…”
Toots & The Maytals - Funky Kingston https://t.co/iRNOtswHKN via @YouTube So sorry to hear of Toots Hibbert’s death. His music was a constant in our house growing up via Tighten up albums. His voice was powerful and adaptable to funk, soul, country, AND reggae. Rest in power... — Lenny Henry (@LennyHenry) September 12, 2020
Many other names from across the music industry also paid tribute online...
Tonight at 7pm (U.K. time) Join us for a listening to celebrate the life and music of Toots Hibbert.
Sweet And Dandy by Toots and the Maytals is the album we’ll be playing. No tweets from me, no guests, just those brilliant songs.
Safe travels Toots x pic.twitter.com/kSqJD5Wm9O — Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) September 12, 2020
"It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that Frederick Nathaniel 'Toots' Hibbert passed away peacefully tonight, surrounded by his family at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica," his family said. RIP Toots. You rocked this world - thank you . — Cerys Matthews (@cerysmatthews) September 12, 2020
God bless Toots Hibbert, the world will truly not be the same. I DJed for him many times and spent one of my favourite ever hours doing the Reggae Show with him. Too sad, let's celebrate him. Join me in posting a favouritehttps://t.co/hsuZZV1BMb — Mark Lamarr (@lamarr_mark) September 12, 2020
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Such sad news.. thank you for the music and complete joy you have given us. Love to all Toots family and friends xxxx https://t.co/9kquhjBsIR — edith bowman (@edibow) September 12, 2020
Thanks for the incredible music and all the memories Toots. Here’s one from 2010 on West Holts. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/o7st7Qknib — Emily Eavis (@emilyeavis) September 12, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Exclusive: Muslim Medics Called 'Terrorists' And Told 'Go Back To Your Country' – By Patients

Muslim NHS workers have revealed the disgraceful Islamophobia they face from their own patients, with taunts about being “terrorists” and being told “go back to your own country”.
HuffPost UK joined forces with the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) for a flagship survey of more than 100 Muslim medics about the Islamophobia they experienced at work.
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But many Muslim healthcare staff have admitted they regularly face Islamophobic abuse from patients, too, with some refusing to be treated by Muslim doctors at all and others bringing up terrorism or even accusing them of killing people.
A startling 80% of Muslim medics surveyed by HuffPost UK revealed they had experienced Islamophobia or racism from patients in the NHS.
Shehla Imtiaz-Umer, a GP in Derby,
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Shehla Imtiaz-Umer, a GP in Derby, says it isn’t just abuse from patients that is upsetting – it’s also situations when colleagues don’t stand up for her, or ask if she “misunderstood” what happened.
Once, working a night shift as part of her training, she was asked to speak to a cancer patient at the end of his life.
“We knew he was going to die and resuscitation would be futile,” she told HuffPost UK. “However, he and his family decided they wanted full resuscitation. I was asked to speak to him and his family, but by the time I got there, his family had gone.”
As soon as he saw her enter the bay wearing her headscarf, the patient – who was in his 60s – told Imtiaz-Umer he didn’t want to talk to her. He said: “Your religion is about killing people and mine is about saving lives.”
Imtiaz-Umer said: “It was awful. I was upset and disgusted that someone could have such a viewpoint.
“But I was also offended. I was a Muslim doctor working a night shift and my whole purpose for becoming a medic was to save and improve lives.
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“But his perception based on seeing my hijab was that I wanted to do the opposite.”
“His words were: ‘Your religion is about killing people and mine is about saving lives.’” - Shehla Imtiaz-Umer, a GP
She admitted: “I knew I would cry if I stayed there so I had a sob off the ward.”
But when she went to the staff room and shared her experience with colleagues, hoping for some words of comfort, she was stunned by their reaction.
“There was just pin drop silence and no empathy from my white colleagues, which was disappointing,” she recalled. “They asked if I was sure that’s what the patient meant and said: ‘Maybe you misunderstood.’
“I’m not saying my white colleagues are racist but I feel they don’t understand as they’ve never experienced it. I’ve been called a P*** most of my life. Their reaction spoke volumes.”
Madiyah Bandali, 21, a graduate paramedic
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As a graduate paramedic on the front line, Madiyah Bandali, 21 – who lives in Birmingham – says she faces a huge amount of Islamophobia from patients who lash out after seeing her hijab.
“I’ve had patients say they don’t want to be treated by me because I am Muslim,” she said.
“One patient asked: ‘What’s Osama Bin Laden’s daughter doing here?’ after seeing my hijab.
“I get Islamophobic remarks at least once a week. It’s worse when something has happened and Islam is in the news.
“People make terrorist comments and tell me: ‘Go back to your own country.’ Most colleagues stick up for me. The most hurtful thing is when they don’t and tell me to grin and bear it.”
“One patient asked: ‘What’s Osama Bin Laden’s daughter doing here?’ after seeing my hijab.” - Madiyah Bandali, a graduate paramedic
Once, Bandali was treating a patient for a head injury after he’d been in a fight. “He said: ‘I don’t want a dirty P*** touching me,’ and tried to get violent. My mentor had to drag him away before I got hurt. It was really frightening.”
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Bandali admitted her parents have begged her to leave the NHS as they are worried she’ll get hurt. She describes herself as someone who is confident with little self-doubt, but confesses there have been times she has felt overwhelmed and close to giving up.
“I sometimes questioned why I was putting myself through it,” she said. “I wanted to be a paramedic as I was interested in emergency medicine and wanted to be hands-on straight away and help save people.
“But I had no idea I would face so many different challenges with Islamophobia.”
Conversations instigated by patients about Muslims and terrorism make many Muslim NHS workers feel uncomfortable, as if they are being asked to defend their religion.
Sabeeta Farooqi, 36, a trainee GP in Leeds Sabeeta Farooqi
Sabeeta Farooqi, a trainee GP in Leeds who wears a hijab, had a patient come to her with a urological issue when he suddenly began asking her questions about bombings and terrorism.
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“The conversation came out of nowhere and I tried to get him back to his clinical problem and reminded him that’s why he was there,” she said. “I avoided his questions as I didn’t want a confrontation.”
The patient then asked Farooqi if she was OK with “examining his private parts” as she was a Muslim woman. “I told him I was a clinician and he was a patient and I was happy to examine him.”
The GP partner at the practice was supportive and asked if Farooqi wanted the patient removed from the register. “I said no as I didn’t feel right taking him off the list because of this incident,” she said. “But it left a big impact on me and I realised I was viewed differently because I was Muslim.”
Kiran Rahim, 34, a paediatric registrar working in London, says during her training she was taught to say: “I’m sorry you feel that way,” when subjected to abuse from patients.
“It was very much a view of: ‘The patient is always right,’” she said. “But I did not feel comfortable apologising for someone’s Islamophobia.
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Kiran Rahim, 34, a paediatric registrar Kiran Rahim
“As I’ve become more senior, I have realised NHS staff are not here to be abused. I now simply tell patients I don’t have to stand for their abuse or treat them.”
Ramsha Hanif, 27, a pharmacist in Derbyshire, agrees. She had a customer who would constantly ask her about her religion and ethnicity and tell her that her name wasn’t “very English”.
Ramsha Hanif, 27, a pharmacist in Derbyshire Ramsha Hanif
On one occasion, he asked her what her name was. When she answered, he replied: “No, it’s not, it’s ‘naan bread’!”
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Hanif said: “He kept shouting it but I just ignored him.”
But when the customer came in the following time, he called Hanif “naan bread” again. “I told him I wasn’t doing his prescription but could direct him to another pharmacy,” she said.
“I stayed professional but realised I didn’t have to put up with it. I wasn’t really upset by it, but he had no right to call me that and I knew I had to take a stand.”
Medical student Khadija, 21, says Islamophobia from patients can be subtle as well as overt. “I’ve had occasions such as standing in a group of two medical students and asking a patient a question, only for them to address my white colleagues or tell me they don’t want to speak to me,” she said.
“Or they say things like: ‘You people have such difficult names,’ and question your ancestry, and make you feel different and alien.”
“I never let my armour down and let patients know they’ve got to me. But I might go home and have a cry after a bad experience.” - Khadija, a medical student
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Some days, Khadija admits going home after a day of placements having experienced “horrible Islamophobia” can make her feel she isn’t welcome or deserving of being a doctor.
“I’m a resilient person and regardless of how bad things get, I never let my armour down and let patients know they’ve got to me. But I might go home and have a cry after a bad experience.”
One 40-year-old male consultant has now left the NHS and moved abroad and told HuffPost UK the Islamophobia he and his family faced in the NHS and wider society was a factor.
One patient who had an appointment with him told his secretary he didn’t want to see a Muslim doctor and instead wanted to see a Christian one. “The secretary was shocked and said it was unacceptable,” he said.
“My line manager was supportive and it was addressed immediately. They wrote to the patient explaining the diversity and equality act and how he wasn’t able to choose the doctor he saw.”
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The patient came in for his next appointment and the consultant treated him like every other patient and neither of them mentioned the issue.
However, the patient then made a complaint about him, saying he’d not given proper time and attention to his issues – even though he’d spent 45 minutes seeing him rather than the 30-minute consultation time expected.
“It was horrible,” admitted the consultant. “This patient categorically said he didn’t want to see me as I was Muslim.”
He says that while Islamophobia in the NHS contributed to his decision to move abroad, it wasn’t the only reason. “Islamophobia wasn’t confined to the NHS,” he said. “The attitude to Muslims was getting worse in society. My wife had her hijab pulled from her head in the supermarket and had nasty comments made about her.”
He added: “With the way things are propagated about Muslims, Islamophobia in the NHS is a consequence, not a cause.
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“My fear is for the younger generation of Muslims entering the NHS, particularly if they’re visibly Muslim.”
A 35-year-old male nursing associate who works in Birmingham told HuffPost UK that, since Brexit, patients have become more vocal about Islamophobia.
“So many times, I have been told to ‘go back to my country’ by patients,” he said. “Sometimes, they tell me I smell, and I have been called a P*** and terrorist so many times.
“I was on one ward where a patient passed away and his family came and said: ‘You bloody P***. You killed our dad. Go back to your country.’ I hadn’t even looked after that patient. I was just on the ward.”
“If politicians, world leaders and MPs seem able to say such things, others feel it is normal to be Islamophobic and even actively encouraged.”
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A senior registrar in emergency medicine told HuffPost UK: “People feel they can say what they want about Muslims as no one cares.
“If politicians, world leaders and MPs seem able to say such things, others feel it is normal to be Islamophobic and even actively encouraged.”
One doctor said Muslims in the NHS develop a thick skin. “One patient said: ’You must work for ISIS,′ and I told him: ‘No, I work for the NHS.’
“If abuse gets out of hand, you just tell security. Physical aggression is taken more seriously than verbal Islamophobic or racist abuse.”
Dr Salman Waqar, general secretary at BIMA, said: “Not to excuse their behaviour in any way, but it is often fuelled by the media narrative. If people are vulnerable and in pain, if they’ve been told foreign-looking or sounding people are not to be trusted, they can lash out.
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“There are a lot of horrible stories about the Islamophobia people in the NHS face from patients.”
Iman Atta, director of Tell Mama – which supports victims of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate – told HuffPost UK they regularly receive reports of incidents of Islamophobia from health workers.
“Muslim NHS staff put themselves at stake on the front line, but in return, they are facing discrimination on an almost daily basis,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--New Coronavirus Restrictions Imposed In Parts Of UK As Cases Increase

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Tough new Covid-19 lockdown measures have been announced for parts of the UK as cases continued to rise and the R number climbed above one.
New measures banning people from mixing in homes and gardens will be imposed on Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell from Tuesday in response to a rocketing infection rate in the area.
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Meanwhile, the chairman of the body representing rank and file police officers urged people to look after each other and avoid a “party weekend” before the “rule of six” restrictions come into force on Monday.
John Apter, of the Police Federation of England and Wales said: “There is a real risk some members of the public will take advantage of the current situation and treat this weekend as a party weekend ahead of the tighter restrictions being introduced on Monday.”
Police in Manchester – where a local lockdown has been in force since July 30 – said they broke up a house party of 30 people in the early hours of Saturday.
Officers said: “The occupant claimed he wasn’t aware there were any Covid restrictions in place and couldn’t see what the problem was. People dispersed and fixed penalty notice issued.”
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Officers came across a house party in the #CityCentre with over 30 partygoers. The occupant claimed he wasn't aware there were any #Covid restrictions in place and couldn't see what the problem was. People dispersed and fixed penalty notice issued. #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/PIbXuQEMqA — GMP Manchester City Centre (@GMPCityCentre) September 12, 2020
Coronavirus cases in the UK have risen to the highest level since mid-May, with a total of 3,539 new cases recorded on Friday.
It is the highest daily figure since May 17 and Public Health England’s medical director Professor Yvonne Doyle warned it is a reminder of the “ongoing risk as the virus spreads throughout the UK”.
The figure rose sharply from 2,919 the previous day and most cases are people who have been tested in the community.
Data released by the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) showed the estimate for the R value, the reproduction number of coronavirus transmission, across the UK is between 1.0 and 1.2.
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According to government advisers, the last time R was above 1 was in early March.
Further restrictions came into force at 4am on Saturday, meaning new arrivals from Portugal, Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion have to quarantine for two weeks.
In Birmingham, 1,031 new cases were recorded in the seven days to September 8 – the equivalent of 90.3 per 100,000 people, up sharply from 35.9 in the seven days to September 1.
Solihull was up from 14.8 to 68.4, with 148 new cases, while in Sandwell the rate has risen from 21.9 to 52.4, with 172 new cases.
The lockdown measures were announced by West Midlands mayor Andy Street on Friday, and included a warning from the region’s chief constable that anyone “calculating” a way to flout rules on gatherings risked a £10,000 fine.
They come amid reports that prime minister Boris Johnson is considering plans to fine people who breach self-isolation rules amid concerns people are ignoring the advice and leaving their homes.
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The Times reported on Saturday that the move was part of a “carrot and stick” approach after evidence suggested people were routinely ignoring advice and leaving their homes.
Lockdown measures were also tightened in Lanarkshire due to a rise in cases, the Scottish government said.
The measures will be the same as those currently in place in Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire.
In Wales, first minister Mark Drakeford said coronavirus is “on the rise again” there, as he announced face coverings will become mandatory in indoor public places and the number of people who can meet inside will be limited to six.
Similar restrictions preventing groups of more than six meeting socially come into force in England on Monday.
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Meanwhile the UK government also revealed a launch date for the delayed NHS app which it hopes will help to contain the virus during what the Health Secretary described as a “critical time”.
The tracing app is due to be rolled out across England and Wales on September 24, and pub goers and diners will be among those urged to download it and check themselves in to venues.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said it is “vital” the NHS Test and Trace system is used to reach as many people as possible to prevent outbreaks and “stop this virus in its tracks”.
The @NHSCOVID19app will be available nationally across England and Wales on 24 September.
This follows trials with residents on the Isle of Wight and the London Borough of Newham, and with @NHSVolResponder
Find out more:
▶https://t.co/sKYGQl5BvR pic.twitter.com/kkzNeC0lkl — Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) September 11, 2020
Elsewhere, Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates suggested there has been a 60% rise in daily infections in England.
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The ONS said the rate of new infections in private households was estimated to average of 3,200 people per day between August 30 and September 5, up from 2,000 the previous week.
Separately, new data from an Imperial College London study suggested coronavirus cases in England were doubling every seven to eight days at the beginning of September.
A further six people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday, according to the government dashboard, bringing the UK total to 41,614.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Samuel L. Jackson Hits Donald Trump's Supporters With A Damning Question

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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Mariah Carey Wants To Be In Mean Girls Sequel, Says She'll Write A Song For It

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On Wednesdays, we wear pink. On Fridays, we discuss Mariah Carey’s undying love for Mean Girls.
The singer appeared on Billboard’s Quizzed video series alongside Tina Fey this week and the pair discussed the iconic 2004 film. In the video, Tina quizzes Mariah ― who she calls “the Michael Jordan of Mean Girls trivia” ― and Mariah nails it.
In addition to knowing that Gretchen Weiner’s father invented Toaster Strudel and that Ms. Norbury teaches 12th-grade calculus, Mariah remembered small moments from the film like what band Cady Heron’s parents went to go see and the nutrition bars that Regina eats to “lose weight.”
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One of the highlights of the discussion came as Tina and Mariah recalled the scene when The Plastics perform Jingle Bell Rock for their annual talent show routine.
“I’m a little bit disappointed they’re not dancing to my song, but Jingle Bell Rock is a bit older than All I Want For Christmas Is You, so that’s OK,” Mariah said. “We’re gonna make another movie of it, so if you want to license us that song for the movie and also be in the movie, just say nothing now and we’ll consider it legally binding. Just laugh and that’ll be legally binding,” Tina joked.
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The 50-year-old Grammy winner then suggested she’d write a new Christmas song specifically for a sequel, which Tina emphatically supported.
“I definitely want to be in it as well!” Mariah added. “I don’t know as who. Maybe I can be friends with Amy Poehler as, like, her other friend that wears sweatsuits.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Lady Gaga's Meat Dress Turns 10: 15 Things You Never Knew About The Iconic Outfit

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By the time she stepped onto the red carpet at the VMAs in 2010, Lady Gaga was already one of the most recognisable people on the planet, famous for her show-stopping performances, outrageous interviews and game-changing pop tunes.
Another reason Gaga was almost permanently in the headlines during that time was her outlandish fashion choices, and that year’s Video Music Awards saw her stepping out in what was probably her most iconic outfit to date... the meat dress.
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It’s now been 10 years since Gaga first donned the infamous dress, and it’s gone down in pop history as one of the most recognisable outfits of all time.
But how much do we really know about the controversial ensemble that got the whole world talking?
Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
To mark the 10-year anniversary of Gaga’s meat dress, here are 15 facts about its history and its creation, as well as its legacy...
1. The dress was designed by Franc Fernandez, who has also worked with Scissor Sisters and Beyoncé
Before the meat dress took the world by storm, Franc’s biggest credit was designing one of the most famous outfits in Gaga’s Bad Romance music video – which she collected Video Of The Year for in 2010.
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Lady Gaga in the Bad Romance music video Vevo
2. Seriously, how much of it was actually made of meat?
The whole thing. The dress, bag and even Gaga’s teenie little beret were all made from Argentinian beef, bought from the go-to butcher of Franc Fernandez (who originally hails from Argentina) in Los Angeles.
3. Because of the material, there was no time for an actual fitting, so the first time Gaga put it on her body was actually at the VMAs
Franc told HuffPost shortly after the VMAs: “We didn’t get a chance to have a fitting. The only time she had it on was for the VMAs. Only when I saw it in the monitor did I know it would be big.”
In fact, Gaga didn’t even arrive at the event wearing the meat dress, but changed into it during the ceremony.
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Gaga in her original VMAs outfit, with four LGBTQ veterans Frank Trapper via Getty Images
4. Gaga’s intention behind the meat dress was to make a political statement
The meat dress was intended as Gaga’s protest against the US military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy on sexuality, which was still in effect in 2010. Prior to changing into the meat dress, the singer walked the red carpet with gay veterans as her guests.
She later told Ellen DeGeneres: “If we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights... pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones.”
5. The meat dress got plenty of attention from the celebs in attendance at the VMAs that year
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
Gaga collected her Video Of The Year award from Cher, commenting on stage: “I never thought I’d be asking Cher to hold my meat purse.
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We have to say, we’re big fans of this iconic photo of Gaga with a then-burgeoning Drake, in the audience, too.
6. The 2010 VMAs was a big night for Little Monsters – and not just because of the meat dress
Not only did Gaga steal the show on the red carpet, Gaga took home eight awards on the night, for her Bad Romance and Telephone music videos, including the awards show’s top prize, Video Of The Year.
After being awarded Video Of The Year, she announced her then-upcoming album would be called Born This Way, and performed a short – but still ever so slightly awkward – acapella blast of the title track during her acceptance speech.
7. Yes, the dress did smell a bit
“Gaga said it smelled good,” the designer told MTV. “It had a sweet smell.”
Grim.
He added: “It hadn’t been sitting out for more than five hours. And it’s not a heavy gross meat.”
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8. The dress also had its own unusual method of transportation to keep it fresh
“I had a little cooler that I carried it in,” Franc Fernandez later said. “Its own little coffin.”
Franc said after the VMAs: “While it was being made it was refrigerated, [worked on] and then refrigerated [again]. It took a span of two days on and off. Maybe three with sourcing and getting materials and everything.”
9. Gaga followed the VMAs by recording an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, still wearing the meat dress
This was only the second time that Gaga wore the meat dress, something which Ellen – a devout vegan – made no secret of her discomfort about.
At the end of the interview, Ellen presented her guest with a bikini made out of vegetables, which curiously enough, we never actually saw Gaga trying on.
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10. And unsurprisingly, the animal rights activists over at Peta were less than impressed with the meat dress
They said: “In her line of business, Lady Gaga has a hard time being ‘over the top’, and wearing a dress made from cuts of dead cows is offensive enough to bring comment, but someone should whisper in her ear that there are more people upset by butchery than impressed by it – and that means a lot of young people will not be buying her records if she keeps it up.
“Meat is the decomposing flesh of an abused animal who didn’t want to die, and after being under the TV lights, it would smell like the rotting flesh that it is and likely be crawling with maggots – not too attractive, really.”
Gaga backstage at the 2010 VMAs Frederick M. Brown via Getty Images
11. But despite Peta’s reaction, others were more taken with the meat dress
Time magazine named it the best fashion statement of the year, while a poll from a UK fashion website named it the most iconic outfit of the year, beating Kate Middleton’s engagement dress.
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12. The meat dress wasn’t actually the first time Gaga had worn meat
Days before walking the red carpet at the VMAs, Gaga unveiled her cover photo-shoot for Japanese Vogue, in which she was seen sporting a bikini made out of beef.
Gaga on the cover of Vogue Hommes Japan Vogue Hommes Japan
13. And she revisited the look on the Born This Way Ball tour
Although she’s not usually one for repeating herself, Gaga referenced the meat dress on her subsequent world tour, in support of her Born This Way album.
This time around, though, her outfit was made of fabric that had been designed to look like meat, which we imagine was a lot easier than lugging a load of beef around the globe with her.
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14. The question is, where is the meat dress now?
Well, it’s in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where it was added to the exhibit Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power, the year after it was first worn on the red carpet.
It does look a little different to when it was first photographed, though.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame paid a taxidermist $6000 (£4690) to preserve the dress… although it did have to be painted to look more like meat than what it actually is now… jerky.
The meat dress pictured in 2011 ASSOCIATED PRESS
15. And how do you top the biggest fashion moment of your career?
A year after the meat dress, Gaga returned to the VMAs, where she was nominated for four awards, following the success of Born This Way.
This time around, though, she took a rather different approach with her fashion, walking the red carpet as her male alter-ego, Jo Calderone. Jo was first seen in a Japanese Vogue Hommes shoot (published the same month as that meat bikini) and Gaga stayed in character the whole night, including when she presented Britney Spears with her Video Vanguard award.
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Lady Gaga as Jo Calderone at the 2011 VMAs Kevin Winter via Getty Images
Gaga – or should we say Jo? – opened the show with a performance of her song Yoü And I, accompanied by Brian May on guitar.
Take a look at Gaga in action in the meat dress in the gallery below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Gordon Ramsay's 10-Minute Carbonara Recipe Is The Ultimate Comfort Food

Get a pot of water boiling and add pasta.
Head a non-stick pan to medium high heat, add tablespoon of olive oil then bacon when oil is hot. Add a little pepper for taste. Add garlic after about two minutes of cooking and then mushroom and chilli. Cook until bacon is crispy and there is colour on mushroom. Add salt to taste.
Grate about 1/3 cup (40g) of Grana Padano over egg yolks. Then add crème fraîche and mix. Add teaspoon cold water to mixture to make sure it’s at a liquid consistency.
Add peas as bacon mixture is almost finished cooking. As the the mixture is starting to finish add about three tablespoons of pasta water.
Once pasta is finished, saving some pasta water for sauce, season pasta and then add to bacon mixture and toss. Then add egg mixture after about 30 seconds, turn gas down and mix till cooked. Add parsley at end and plate.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Here’s How To Cope With Lockdown Déjà Vu

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As England braces itself for a second lockdown, the nervous anticipation feels familiar. This time, though, we’re painfully aware of how difficult it is to be cut off from normality for a sustained period of time.
“It’s one thing to be faced with lockdown, but another to be faced with doing it all over again,” psychologist Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo tells HuffPost UK. “Like standing at the bottom of a mountain we just climbed and have to climb again.”
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The new lockdown could be a “traumatic experience” for many people, adds counsellor and psychotherapist Lucy Fuller. “[It] puts us back into a state of not-knowing for a second time, which can feel unbearable,” she tells HuffPost UK.
The feeling couldn’t juxtapose the joy of the summer more, where we ate out “to help out”, got some long-awaited haircuts and spent some carefree time with our grandparents again, breathing a collected sigh of relief.
Johner Images via Getty Images Portrait of woman looking away
Anxiety may be mixed with frustration for some because of the recent happier times, points out Dr Quinn-Cirillo. Facing another lockdown can feel like an unjust consequence of following the rules, for those who’ve diligently worn face masks and abided by social distancing.
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“What we know about human behaviour is adhering to rules is dependent on many factors, including how we are rewarded for sticking to the rules,” she says.
“Many of us were of the belief that sticking to the rules in lockdown and in the weeks after would be rewarded with a more gradual loosening of restrictions. Fairness also plays a huge part in rule compliance.”
So, what can we do to improve our feelings towards the second lockdown? Simply acknowledging your feelings of uncertainty is a good place to start, says Dr Quinn-Cirillo.
“Trying to ‘battle’ to ‘get rid’ of your unwanted feelings can be emotionally and physically exhausting,” she says. “Try making room for them instead.”
Next, you should aim to live in the present moment. “Try your best to focus on what you are able to do, rather than what you are not able to do,” says Fuller.
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One positive step is to make plans that abide by the rules – you can meet up with one other person, and support bubbles are still allowed. “It would be easy to throw away all your plans and fester in your angry and frustrated feelings, but that would be a step backwards,” she says.
“It would be easy to throw away all your plans and fester in your angry and frustrated feelings, but that would be a step backwards.” - psychologist Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo
If you’re hit by a wave of panic, try a grounding exercise to bring you back to the present moment.
“Take a deep slow breath in through your nose and out again through your mouth,” suggests Dr Quinn-Cirillo. “Try and name three things you can see, hear, smell. Push your feet into the floor and focus on how it feels. Find what coping style works for you.”
Now is not the time to skimp on everyday self-care, she adds, so make sure you’re getting the basics right. “Keep hydrated, well nourished through healthy mindfully chosen food. Exercise as often as you can as this is proven to positively impact on your emotional wellbeing,” she says. “Even just a short walk, cycle ride or run, playing a game in an outside space with your children.”
Finally, be kind to yourself – you’ve navigated a hell of a lot over the last six months and it’s okay if your resilience is reaching its limits.
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“Take time to acknowledge this and take pressure off yourself where you can,” Dr Quinn-Cirillo says. “This may be reducing chores, deadlines, or asking for support from others.”
Covid-19 is more than a news story – it has changed every aspect of life in the UK. We are following how Britain is experiencing this crisis, the different stages of collective emotion, reaction and resilience. You can tell us how you are feeling and find further advice and resources here.
How Are You Feeling?
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Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
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CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--How Introverts And Extroverts Handle The Covid-19 Pandemic Differently

“I reached out in the early days of the quarantine to some of my introverted clients, just to make sure they were OK,” Kahnweiler said. “One of them, an introverted leader who was adjusting to leading a team from home, said he missed the informal banter with his fellow IT pros.”
Working at home full-time for him and so many other introverts isn’t the nirvana they expected. For starters, the constant Zoom happy hours and extra conference calls are utterly exhausting. The pressure those under your roof or in your social circle put on you can be taxing, too.
Still, many introverts continue to revel in the quietness and relative serenity of lockdown, said Laurie Helgoe, a psychologist and author of “Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength.”
“For me, just as my extroverted family and friends were getting restless under lockdown, I was hitting my sweet spot,” she said. “I could work remotely and engage from the quiet of my home ― our kids are grown. I could dig more deeply into projects and open up new worlds of insight and knowledge. I could pause to let ideas sink in.”
Because our lives are mostly online now, Helgoe said introverts like her have the opportunity to regulate social stimulation and engage more fully in these interactions: “I’ll stay engaged and look excited on this Zoom birthday party,” they might tell themselves, “but after an hour, I’m going to tell my friends I have to bounce to get some leftover work done.”
In other words, they’re benefiting from the space, Helgoe said.
“This is the point often missed: Introverts do not seek space to escape from relationships,” she said. “We need space to be present for relationships.”
As for extroverts, Kahnweiler said she’s surprised to see many of them coping fairly well, given their predilection for people.
“They’re tapping into their inner introvert,” she said. “They’ve experienced time to think more deeply, prepare for their day and meetings, and be more present with friends and family.”
“They’ve been learning to breathe a bit more slowly,” she added. “Extroverts are accessing those introverted qualities of engaged listening, and even embracing silence.”
Many are getting their extrovert fix by talking to friends and family while walking ― or by scheduling extra FaceTime calls with friends, Kahnweiler said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--I Spent Three Years Homeless. In This Pandemic, No One Should Be Sleeping Rough

A woman walking past a homeless person's tent erected outside a furniture store in Tottenham Court Road, London, after the introduction of measures to bring the country out of lockdown. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images) Yui Mok - PA Images via Getty Images
For three years, I slept rough on the streets of Manchester.
Now, as any Mancunian will tell you, Manchester is the greatest city on earth. But sleeping rough is fraught with dangers wherever you happen to be. The experience was incredibly hard for me, but it also shaped my desire to prevent others having to go through what I did.
The first thing you notice when you live in Manchester is that it’s a beautiful city with a great atmosphere. But there are two sides to every coin – if you had to sleep on the streets, you would see some of the grittier stuff, just as I did. Most people are kind to you and understand that you have nowhere to live, but I know first-hand some people can be needlessly cruel to homeless people.
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Sleeping outside in summer isn’t as hard as when the winter comes. When winter sets in, your survival tactics have to change. When the cold seeps into your bones, it’s not a joke or a game. People die. One day, I woke up and by the time I’d gone to get my breakfast, I heard that two guys had died. One was in his early 30s and one in his early 40s. They both died from the cold.
Getting through winter, night by night, week by week, waking up to the cold is soul destroying.
Trying to change your clothes and freshen up is a struggle when the day centres close over the weekend and even getting support from the council feels impossible.
“This pandemic is far from over. That’s obvious every time you switch on the news.”
Every day you’re banging your head up against brick walls, trying to get help. I remember being told I was a “young man with no mental health issue or drug dependencies. So, if you’re strong enough to walk to a park bench that’s what you should do”. This is hard enough to hear, during a global pandemic when you can’t even follow basic health advice, it’s brutal.
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The three years I spent homeless were a long time to be on the street. One reason I was stuck there for so long was because councils don’t get enough support from the government. That’s why they tell people like me we’re not a priority. People are out on the streets; losing their lives off the back of decisions made hundreds of miles away in Westminster.
The government needs to make it clear to councils that no one at risk of sleeping rough should be turned away now, or in the months ahead. They must urgently publish guidance for councils confirming that everyone who needs access to emergency accommodation, should get it. This pandemic is far from over. That’s obvious every time you switch on the news.
For me, there was a way out. Shelter helped me to get somewhere safe to live and set about rebuilding my life. I got the chance to feel safe. I got to decorate my flat. I even got a cat. Now I want other people to have the same chance.
When lockdown began, it was good to see street homeless people being housed in hotels and emergency accommodation. But when I walk down the street, I see more people out there. When I stop to talk to them, they tell me how they’ve fallen through holes in the government’s safety net.
“When I walk down the street, I see more people out there. And when I stop to talk to them, they tell me how they’ve fallen through holes in the government’s safety net.”
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I’m determined to do all I can to help. That’s why I have started a campaign with Shelter to make sure that no one sleeps rough during this crisis, and into the future. And that’s why we are asking the new homelessness minister, Kelly Tolhurst, to meet with us and put together an action plan now.
This couldn’t be more urgent. Winter is coming. There could be a second wave of both the virus and homelessness, this would be a disaster on our streets. We cannot let this happen.
I read that Prince William visited a group of people at a homelessness centre in Peterborough and said: “You’ll never have a better chance nationally to crack homelessness.” I believe he is right, and so do a growing group of organisations that have rallied around my campaign. Churches, foodbanks, football clubs, schools, congregations, credit unions, homeless charities and concerned citizens – all committed to urging the government to end rough sleeping for good.
The government showed us all during lockdown that it wants to, and can, keep everyone safe. It just needs to be brave and work towards making sure it stays that way.
If it does, this government will be remembered as the government that finally ended rough sleeping for good. If not, it will just be another bunch of politicians making promises they fail to keep. During this outbreak, and for the sake of society, they must be bold and choose the first option.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--7 Netflix Hidden Gems That You Won't Believe Have Passed You By

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Scrolling through endless made-for-TV movies and series that should have never have got the green light in search for something decent to get stuck into on Netflix can feel like a never-ending and often fruitless task.
But in amongst all of that stuff, there are bona fide hidden gems to be discovered.
Just because these shows didn’t make it onto the Most Watched lists doesn’t mean they’re not worth your time of day. On the contrary, recommend these to your mates and they’ll think you’re a Netflix connoisseur.
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You’re welcome.
Rita
A subtitled Danish dramedy isn’t the easiest of sells, but bear with me, because you’re about to discover your favourite new show (honest).
The titular character (played by the charismatic Mille Dienssen) is a teacher and mum to three grown-up children who plays very much by her own rules – with varying degrees of success. The kids love her at school. Not all of her colleagues respect her (it doesn’t help that she’s rubbing belly buttons with the headmaster), and it’s her personal life where things get really sticky (no pun intended).
Over the course of five series we follow Rita as she goes from one disaster to another trying to avoid confronting her “stuff”. It’s all incredibly relatable, extremely funny (who knew Danish and British humour was so alike?), boundary-pushing and often, very touching. Not only will you be rooting for Rita all the way, you’ll also want to be her mate.
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Speaking of which, her best friend Hjørdis is an absolute delight – and proved so popular that she got her very own spin-off series. I got through all five seasons in a week and honestly feel bereft that Rita and co are no longer part of my daily life. Joyous stuff. (Matt Bagwell, Head Of Entertainment)
The Midnight Gospel
The best way to describe The Midnight Gospel would be hallucinogens mixed with Rugrats or Rocko’s Modern Life. The visuals and worlds in which main character Clancy Gilroy visits through his “unlicensed multiverse simulator” are really what I would imagine an acid trip to be like.
I originally watched it on a whim thinking it would be some cartoon escapism after a long day, and instead I was surprised about the show’s ponderings on life, existence, love, spirituality and more. It’s kind of what I would imagine Rick & Morty might be if they suddenly became introspective and holistic (don’t come at me R&M fans, I just don’t like it).
It was only recently that I looked into the writing and production credits and found that the discussions are recordings from co-creator Duncan Trussell’s podcast. Actual interviews from facing death with Anne Lamott, meditation and enlightenment learnt in prison from Damien Echols (one of the ‘West Memphis Three’) and legalisation of drugs with Drew Pinsky – deep intellectual chats wrapped up in an incredible world of cartoon fantasy. (Jayson Mansaray, Video Producer)
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Special
Not only does Special break new ground in terms of representation of disabled people (its lead actor, Ryan O’Connell, also created the show and wrote the whole first series), its attitude to other themes like sex work and body positivity also feel totally fresh.
What definitely helps is that it’s also laugh-out-loud funny and beautifully shot – and with each episode clocking in at around 15 minutes, you can fly through the whole thing in an afternoon. (Daniel Welsh, Entertainment Reporter)
Dark
Dark is a German sci-fi thriller that finished a three season run this summer. I binged the first season (admittedly, in one night) back in 2017 and loved it but totally forgot about it until the last two seasons popped up on Netflix (a TV binger’s dream!).
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You think you are going to be watching a crime show but then get thrown right into time travel, alternate universes and the most complicated family tree imaginable.
If you can overlook English translation voiceovers and a few questionable special effects, I’d highly recommend this show. It was super engaging and suspenseful with no shortage of plot twists. (Samara Mackereth, Head Of Video)
Been So Long
Been So Long is exactly what I didn’t know I needed one lazy Sunday afternoon and definitely a hidden gem, perhaps because of its low ratings on the streaming site. But don’t let that, or the fact it’s a “modern musical” put you off. It’s gritty, funny, refreshing and stars the brilliant Michaela Coel (filmed in between Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You) and the talented Arinzé Kene, who you may recognise from Youngers.
I do love musicals, so I am biased, but the soundtrack was fresh and uplifting, the story passionate and gripping and the acting fantastic. I mean Michael Coel is in it, come on.
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Just like people “discovered” Crashing and the first series of Fleabag after the success of its second season, I think it should be time for people to “discover” this film, after the boom of I May Destroy You. (Becky Barnes, Audience Editor)
The Apartment
If, like me, you still mourn the loss of Changing Rooms (I still think about that poor woman’s collection of teapots getting smashed at the hands of Linda Barker’s malfunctioning shelving unit regularly), then may I introduce The Apartment?
It’s a reality competition series that usually sees amateur designers makeover various rooms in an apartment, which are then judged by a panel that includes Changing Rooms alum Lawrence Llwellyn Bowen.
There’s only one series currently available on Netflix, which is a celebrity edition that originally aired back in 2015, but the fact they are not experienced designers – thus creating some truly monstrous rooms – only adds to its addictiveness. (Ash Percival, Entertainment Editor)
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Insatiable
Insatiable is a about a teenager called Patty Bladell (Debby Ryan) who has always been bullied for her size, but after shedding the pounds one summer and becoming a pageant queen, she goes back to school seeking revenge on the people who bullied her.
The show is such a great watch because it takes the best bits of a comedy, thriller, drama, murder mystery and romance, and packs them all into one show.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--Banksy's Ex-Dealer Lifts The Lid On Iconic Blur Cover With Never-Before-Seen Photos

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Newly unearthed photos chronicle Banksy’s creation of the cover art for the British rock band Blur’s 2003 album “Think Tank” — and reveal the street artist’s ideas that didn’t make the cut.
Steve Lazarides shared the previously-unpublished pictures — that he shot on a traveller site in Deptford, London ― with HuffPost this week following the release of the second book of images he took during his decade as the artist’s right-hand man.
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Steve Lazarides
“It was one of my favorite shoots,” recalled Lazarides, who took two sets of images on the day ― one series of close-ups for the band, who’d commissioned Banksy for the work, and another of the artwork in its environment.
“I loved the way visually it looked in this site,” he said.
Blur went with this Banksy painting of two divers and used Lazarides’ picture for the album cover:
Banksy also painted the same image with just the word “TANK.”
Steve Lazarides
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The divers flipped around, without any text:
Steve Lazarides
A child diver and a bird:
Steve Lazarides
And another child diver appearing to be pooped on by a bird:
Steve Lazarides
Lazarides also shared this image of Banksy painting a mural in east London, around the same time, that became the basis for the artwork of Blur’s single “Crazy Beat.”
The piece was later accidentally ruined.
Steve Lazarides
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Lazarides said the travellers cut the Blur shoot pieces from the wall. The art was worth around £100,000.
“That was a lot of Banksy in one place. Some sold some at auction but I’ve no idea what happened to the rest of it,” he said.
Lazarides last year self-published the first volume of his “Banksy Captured” books, containing hundreds of images he took while working as the artist’s driver, agent, gallerist and dealer from 1997 to 2008.
It featured multiple pictures of the elusive Banksy himself, albeit always unidentifiable as in the picture below, and documented several of his stunts, as told by Lazarides.
Steve Lazarides
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The second installment of the book is in a similar vein, said Lazarides.
It includes never-seen-before images he shot of Banksy’s 2006 “Barely Legal” show in Los Angeles, his infiltration of London’s Natural History Museum and a flash mob he organized for the rock band Jane’s Addiction.
“Some shit I came across I’d just completely forgotten about,” Lazarides admitted.
The 300-page second edition is currently only available in hardcover and costs £125. “I know not everyone can afford that for a book but I really wanted to go old-school and do a pretty lush hardback edition first,” said Lazarides.
A paperback version is planned for later this year. But the Blur shoot images aren’t included. “I was a few pictures too over and if anything was going to go, it was this section. It was a wrench,” he explained.
There are no plans for a third volume.
“I’m bored of Banksy now,” Lazarides joked. Instead, he’s now focused on his newly-launched online “Laz Emporium” store selling what he describes as “objects d’anarchy,” accessible art and pieces from his own collection.
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Steve Lazarides worked alongside Banksy from 1997 to 2008. He opened and ran galleries until last year. LARS FASSINGER
They will be added to with pieces created in Lazarides’ new artistic manufacturing hub near Bristol in southwest England, from where both he and Banksy hail and first met.
Everything artistic is on the table, said Lazarides, who said artists, photographers, writers and other creatives can pitch him ideas as long as they are “fucking cool.”
One of the first projects is “a searing commentary on the state of British cities” as seen in photos taken by inner-city youths, said Lazarides.ƒ
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-12--‘Stop Clapping, Start Paying’: NHS Workers Demand Better Wages

Nurses take part in a demonstration of NHS workers at hospitals across London to demand a 15 per cent pay rise by the government in London, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Frontline NHS workers, many of whom have been helping to fight the coronavirus pandemic, have protested to demand better wages.
Campaigners in central London, many wearing scrubs or other NHS uniforms, held banners which read “stop clapping, start paying,” “priceless yet penniless” and “640 healthcare workers dead, blood on their hands” alongside images of prime minister Boris Johnson.
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Demonstrators began a march to Trafalgar Square after a two-minute silence in honour of 640 healthcare workers who have died during the pandemic.
The protest comes after nurses were excluded from the wage increase for around 900,000 public sector workers announced in July because they are in the final year of a three-year agreement. The pay increase does not apply to junior doctors after they agreed a four-year deal last year.
National Health Service (NHS) workers march from St. James' Park to Downing Street, London, Saturday Aug. 8, 2020, as part of a national protest over pay. Nationwide protests on Saturday are calling for government to address what they claim is many years of reduced wages, and are calling for a voice in plans for public sector pay increases. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alia Butt, 33, an NHS psychotherapist in Essex and chair of Nurses Staff Voices, said: “We have simply had enough.
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“The money is there. They are simply just not providing it to NHS staff. It turns out that the only way to ensure the NHS is able to continue to function is by the sheer force of organising.”
She added: “The government clearly has not got a clue about what it is doing and that is very scary. Nurses saved the lives of the Prime Minister. What more do we need to do to get paid properly? It’s bizarre.”
Jordan Rivera, 43, an occupational therapist in Hackney, east London, said NHS workers are emotionally and physically tired, many are living paycheque to paycheque and the situation they have been left in is “outrageous”.
She said: “Working that hard when you are already exhausted from fighting the pandemic is an outrage.
“How can we be expected to work through a second wave when we are physically and emotionally exhausted and on top of that, we are worried about paying our bills?”
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Nurses stand in front of the entrance to Downing Street as they take part in a demonstration of NHS workers at hospitals across London to demand a 15 per cent pay rise by the government in London, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Protests calling for a 15% increase in pay for NHS workers were also held in Manchester, Sheffield, Brighton and Bournemouth.
Tania, a nursing sister who did not want to give her last name, said: “They (the government) are relying on our good nature and our moral compass to keep the NHS going despite treating us really poorly.
“We have had enough now and are saying pay us properly or we will take action.”
To cheers, demonstrators began chanting “Boris Johnson hear us shout, pay us properly or get out” as they marched through the streets of London.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sent his support to “all of our wonderful NHS workers”, saying: “NHS staff are absolutely brilliant but have suffered a pay freeze, under-funding and under-staffing.
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“Yet when the coronavirus crisis comes along, they are all there working hours and hours more than they were paid to do – care workers doing exactly the same.
“Now is the time to pay them properly and secure jobs for the future in the NHS.”
NHS staff are absolutely brilliant but have suffered a pay freeze, under-funding and under-staffing.
My support to all of our wonderful NHS workers campaigning for a pay rise this weekend.#NHSWorkersSayNo @NurseSayNO @keepnhspublic @pplsassembly pic.twitter.com/jgvDc029qF — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 11, 2020
Grassroots groups including NHS Workers Say No to Public Sector Pay Inequality, NHS Staff Voices, Keep Our NHS Public campaign, Nurses United UK and Unite Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital Branch have backed the protest.
Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB union, said: “Loyal and dedicated NHS workers have been let down in the three-year NHS pay deal – which GMB union opposed.
“Their pay, terms and conditions have been driven down for years.
“Many staff have worked throughout the coronavirus pandemic and now their efforts need to be recognised with a pay award that reflects their commitment and the real-terms losses they have suffered during a decade of austerity.”
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A nurse covered in fake blood takes part in a demonstration of NHS workers at hospitals across London to demand a 15 per cent pay rise by the government in London, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Meanwhile, Unite said NHS workers should receive a pay rise of 15% or £3,000, whichever is greater.
The union said the claim would “restore the pay that NHS workers have lost in the decade of austerity since 2010”.
National officer for health Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe said: “Hundreds of health and social care staff have lost their lives in the continuing battle against Covid-19 which has heightened the deep appreciation that the public has for the NHS and those who work in it.
“This public esteem for NHS workers should be reflected by the government which needs to respond by opening pay discussions, following our claim and those of our sister unions.”
National Health Service (NHS) workers pose with placards, during a socially distanced demonstration as part of a national protest over pay, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday Aug. 8, 2020. Nationwide protests on Saturday are calling for government to address what they claim is many years of reduced wages, and are calling for a voice in plans for public sector pay increases. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our frontline staff, particularly during the pandemic.
“NHS staff are currently benefiting from the final year of a three-year pay deal, agreed with trade unions, which has delivered year-on-year pay increases, such as increasing the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse by 12% by 2021.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--UK Must Act Now Or Risk ‘Dangerous’ Coronavirus Surge, Sage Scientist Warns

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The UK needs to act now to stop the spike in coronavirus cases getting out of control, according to a scientist who advises the government.
Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said a “trickle” of cases could turn into a “cascade” if people do not follow the so-called rule of six.
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From Monday, people will not be allowed to meet up in groups larger than six unless they all live together or are in the same support bubble.
Openshaw, who sits on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said people need to adhere to the rules, telling Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “Everyone is in agreement that we really need to act very quickly now in order to prevent this from growing exponentially.
“We must act fast because it’s so much harder to get this sort of thing under control if you delay even a few days (it) is potentially going to be quite dangerous at this particular moment.”
When asked if he agreed with the idea that the UK was “losing control” of the virus, he added: “It’s a bit like water seeping through a dam, it starts as a trickle and if you don’t do something about it it can turn into a real cascade.”
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People sing and dance as they watch a street performer in Leicester Square, in London's West End before rule of six restrictions come into force PA
Openshaw did raise hopes that a vaccine could pass successful trials by Christmas, having been “a bit pessimistic a few months ago”.
Such a result would mean effective vaccines are available by winter 2021.
He said: “I do feel that on the basis of what we know about the immune system that it’s likely that these immune responses that are being induced by these vaccines may be protective for at least a few months, possibly even years, we just don’t know yet, it’s early days.
“I do think that we will probably have a positive results of at least one of these vaccine trials, probably more than that, by Christmas and that means that with rapid scaling up we might have vaccination programmes that can roll out to some parts of the world in the next nine months.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--Roger Stone Calls For Trump To 'Declare Martial Law' To Seize Power If He Loses

Long-time Donald Trump confidant, and convicted felon, Roger Stone said that the president should declare “martial law” to seize power if he loses what Stone characterized as an already corrupt election.
The results will only be legitimate if the “real winner” — Trump — takes office, regardless of what the votes say, Stone declared. A loss would apparently be justification for Trump to use force to take over the nation.
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Stone, who worked as an adviser in the last Trump campaign, made the astonishing statements Thursday on the InfoWars program of far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Both men talked of an ongoing “coup” against Trump, and Stone inexplicably claimed that he predicted “almost three decades ago that this moment would come.”
Stone appeared resigned to a Trump loss — but blamed it on the baseless claim that early voting has already been “corrupted.”
To safeguard Trump’s position, Stone called for federal authorities to seize ballots in Nevada, for FBI agents to physically block certain voters from casting their ballots, and for Trump to use his powers for widespread arrests to solidify his power, Media Matters first reported.
Under martial law and the Insurrection Act, Trump will have “the authority” to arrest Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, “the Clintons” and “anybody else who can be proven to be involved in illegal activity,” Stone said. He also called for the immediate arrest of former defense secretary James Mattis for “sedition,” apparently because he feared Trump was unfit for office, according to Washington Post journalist’s to Bob Woodward’s upcoming book, “Rage.”
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In addition, Stone warned, journalist also risk arrest. “If the Daily Beast is involved in provably seditious ... acts” in a new Trump future, their “entire staff can be taken into custody and their office can be shut down.” “They want to play war, this is war,” he added.
Stone demanded that “the ballots in Nevada on election night should be seized by federal marshals” and not counted, claiming with absolutely no evidence that “they are completely corrupted.”
While such off-the-rail suggestions could easily be shrugged off from most, Stone is a high-profile friend of the president and has his ear, critics fear. Harvard law professor and Constitutional expert Laurence Tribe warned that Stone’s “advocacy of totalitarian takeover by Trump has to be taken seriously.”
Former Nixon White House counsel John Dean blasted Stone for calling on Trump to “declare himself America’s dictator” — voicing what “many Republicans crave.”
Stone dodged 40 months in prison thanks to Trump, who commuted his sentence in July. Stone was convicted of seven federal felonies, including lying to Congress and witness tampering in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Jones called Stone “almost a political prisoner.”
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Roger Stone wants Trump to declare himself America’s dictator. Roger is saying what many Republicans crave — a Trump dictatorship. Roger will be one of those provoking violence when Trump loses. Indeed, he will be leading the fruitcake’s protest parade. https://t.co/TdWVwIcqal — John W. Dean (@JohnWDean) September 12, 2020
THREAD: Roger Stone was supposed to be in prison now, having been convicted of 7 federal crimes. But thanks to Trump, he's a free man — and can call into Alex Jones' conspiracy show. He did Thursday, and urged Trump to do a bunch of illegal things regarding the election. (1/6) — Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) September 12, 2020
If Stone were some random QAnon-like dude, this might not be worth worrying about. But Stone has Trump’s ear, so his advocacy of totalitarian takeover by Trump has to be taken seriously.
A normal president would tell Stone to shove it. Not Trump. https://t.co/HS2NEKTa8U — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) September 12, 2020
Remember when Republicans went and accused President Obama of being a Dictator simply for creating a healthcare program? But now it’s apparently okay for Roger Stone to call on their boss to commit a total hostile takeover if fraud does not help them steal the election. — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) September 12, 2020
Roger Stone belongs in prison after a jury of his peers convicted him of seven felonies.
Instead, he's on Infowars encouraging Trump to shoot the Constitution in Fifth Avenue because he's going to lose the election.#SaturdayMorning https://t.co/QRLnyf49GO — Grant Stern (@grantstern) September 12, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--Social Media Is 'A Plague On Politics', Says Tony Blair

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Tony Blair has described social media as “basically a plague on politics” and a place where “it’s easier to exchange abuse than argument”.
The former Labour prime minister spoke out about the “divisive” impact platforms such as Twitter were having on politics, saying it “widens and accentuates” cultural divides.
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He said: “It’s divisive in its nature, because it’s all about impact and I think that’s quite a disconcerting impact on politicians.”
Blair added that conventional media had become “very divided” and said this was “why the central ground of politics struggles at the moment”.
His comments came as he was interviewed by Scottish Conservative Holyrood leader Ruth Davidson for her new LBC radio show, which airs at 9pm on Sunday.
Davidson, who has in the past spoken out about the homophobic abuse she receives, asked the former prime minister if social media meant it was harder to be a politician now than when he was in office.
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Blair said: “Look, my view is that social media is basically a plague on politics.”
He added that politicians now have to deal with a “continual social media cycle” instead of the traditional news agenda, PA Media reports.
Blair said he believed there was a still a “big constituency” for centrist politicians amongst the public, but added that “amongst social and conventional media it’s much more restricted”.
His comments came as he told Davidson – who was at one point tipped as a possible successor to David Cameron when he was prime minister – that life in Number 10 was “lonely”.
He said that was the case “even though you’re surrounded by people because, in the end, the decisions stop with you”.
He said being prime minister was a “big responsibility”, adding that he never said he enjoyed the job.
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“For me, I felt the responsibility is so large, I don’t think I’d ever use the word enjoy about it,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--Justice Secretary Robert Buckland Suggests He Could Quit If UK Breaks Law Over Brexit

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The justice secretary has suggested he will quit the government if it breaks the law over Brexit but insisted “we are not at that stage”.
Robert Buckland defended the controversial Internal Market Bill, which gives UK ministers the power to unpick key parts of Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement (WA) that govern trade in Northern Ireland.
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He suggested the powers were only an insurance policy to be used if negotiations with the EU in the so-called joint committee, which monitors the implementation of the WA, collapse.
It comes after Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis admitted last week that powers in the Bill will “break international law”.
The plans have sparked a major Tory rebellion and calls from former prime ministers Tony Blair and Sir John Major for MPs to oppose the legislation in votes this week because they imperil the peace process in Northern Ireland and Brexit negotiations on a trade deal with the EU.
The EU has also reacted furiously to the proposals, giving the UK an September 30 deadline to drop the legislation or risk the collapse of negotiations on a trade deal.
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Buckland suggested the UK would only be breaking the law if it actually uses the powers after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31.
He said he did not think that would happen because the government will strike a deal in the joint committee on trade in Northern Ireland, which is treated differently from the rest of the UK and will have to follow some EU trade rules to maintain an invisible border with the Republic of Ireland under the terms of the WA.
Buckland told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “If I see the rule of law being broken in a way that I find unacceptable then of course I will go.
“We are not at that stage.”
"If I see the rule of law being broken in a way that I find unacceptable then of course I will go," says Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, about the government’s internal market bill which could breach international law#Marr https://t.co/Qoevttrfze pic.twitter.com/9vawyPqPmG — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 13, 2020
Asked if he would quit at the moment the UK does invoke the powers and breaks international law, Buckland said: “I don’t believe we are going to get to that point.
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“That is why I shall be working very hard to ensure that we don’t.”
Earlier, he insisted the Bill was in line with “the most honourable traditions of the British state”.
The justice secretary said the idea was simply “to alert everyone to a possibility of a problem, to actually legislate to prepare ourselves domestically for that”.
He told Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Sky News: “But, to make the point, we’re not at that stage yet and we don’t have to be if all parties come together and work with a will to get these provisions agreed then we won’t need these clauses at all.
“That’s the government’s sincere wish, we’re 100% committed to these negotiations, we’re going to press on with them until the end.”
On the Bill, he added: “This isn’t something we do lightly, this isn’t something that we actually want to use, this is something that a responsible government does in order to prepare for the worst.
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“But can I reiterate our steely determination to get a deal.”
The Bill will come to parliament for votes this week, with several rebel Tories lining up behind an amendment by Commons justice committee chair Bob Neill that would give MPs a veto on the controversial powers been used.
A Whitehall source dismissed suggestions that the government could accept Neill’s amendment.
Labour meanwhile confirmed it would oppose the legislation in its current form, setting up a major parliamentary showdown.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves told Marr: “Tomorrow the Bill as it stands, the Labour Party, and it looks like a large number of Conservatives, will not support it.
“Because I cannot go through and Keir Starmer cannot go through the division lobbies... knowing that we are deliberately and consciously breaking international law.
“It’s the wrong thing to do for our moral standing in the world.
“But it’s also absolutely counterproductive in achieving what we want to achieve - and that is a free trade agreement with the European Union... free trade agreements around the world.
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“Britain’s reputation around the world is one based on our values and our traditions and at the hart of that is respect for the rule of law.”
Blair and Major, former Labour and Tory leaders, have united to condemn the Bill in an article for the Sunday Times.
They wrote: “We both opposed Brexit. We both accept it is now happening. But this way of negotiating, with reason cast aside in pursuit of ideology and cavalier bombast posing as serious diplomacy, is irresponsible, wrong in principle and dangerous in practice,” they said.
“It raises questions that go far beyond the impact on Ireland, the peace process and negotiations for a trade deal — crucial though they are. It questions the very integrity of our nation.”
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier meanwhile rejected Downing Street’s claims that Brussels was threatening to block the export of British food products to Europe.
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Protocol on IE/NI is not a threat to the integrity of the UK. We agreed this delicate compromise with @BorisJohnson & his gov in order to protect peace & stability on island of Ireland. We could not have been clearer about the consequences of #Brexit [1/2] — Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) September 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--A Question Of Sport's Sue Barker, Phil Tufnell And Matt Dawson Leaving Show In Major Shake Up

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Former tennis player Sue has been at the helm of the sports quiz series for 23 years, but will host her final episode with Matt and Phil as team captains next year.
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Former England rugby player Matt, and former English international cricketer Phil have led their teams on the show for 16 and 12 years respectively.
Matt Dawson, Sue Barker and Phil Tufnell are leaving A Question Of Sport BBC/Vishal Sharma
A BBC spokesperson said: “We would like to thank Sue for her enormous contribution as the show’s longest reigning host over the last 23 years, and Matt and Phil for their excellent team captaincy over 16 and 12 years respectively.
“Together they have ensured A Question of Sport remains a firm favourite with the BBC One audience.
“Sue, Matt and Phil’s final series will be broadcast next year.”
The new presenter and team captains have not been announced.
Referred to by the BBC as “the world’s longest running TV sports quiz”, the first edition of A Question Of Sport aired in January 1970.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--Strictly Come Dancing Forced To Axe Blackpool Week Due To Coronavirus

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Strictly Come Dancing has been forced to axe the show’s annual Blackpool special this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Contestants usually head to the town’s famous Tower Ballroom during the second half of the series.
However, the BBC has confirmed this will not be possible for the upcoming series.
This year's Strictly stars will not experience dancing in Blackpool BBC/Guy Levy
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Instead, the show will pay tribute to the venue from the studio in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Blackpool is a milestone moment in every series of Strictly that our audience, our celebs and professional dancers look forward to.
“Whilst we’ll be unable to physically go to Blackpool this series, we’ll still be celebrating this iconic venue and bringing it to life from our studio in Elstree.”
Strictly has filmed at the venue since 2004, taking regular breaks. However, since 2013 there has been a Blackpool special every year.
Strictly has held its annual special at the Blackpool Tower ballroom since 2013 PoppyPixels via Getty Images
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The move is just one of a number of changes the BBC ballroom series has had to make because of the pandemic.
The series running for a shorter time than usual – launching in October, with fewer couples than previous years – as well as the absence of Bruno Tonioli from the judging panel.
Bruno is based in LA, and while he usually flies between the UK and US while he judges both Strictly and the American version Dancing With The Stars, travel limitations mean he will not be able to fulfil his duties on the BBC series.
However, he will still make weekly appearances in the Sunday night results show to offer his critiques on the night’s routines.
There’s also still a question mark over whether there will be any description of studio audience in the ballroom.
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The celebrities taking part in the new series include Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams, former home secretary Jacqui Smith and comedian Bill Bailey.
Nicola will also make history as one half of the show’s first ever same-sex couple.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One in the autumn.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-13--Coronavirus Cases On The Rise In Care Homes Again

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Concerns are growing over an increase in Covid-19 cases in care homes, prompting the government to send an alert to care providers to highlight the rising rates and to call for action.
The letter, which was sent on Friday, urges care bosses to “take the necessary action to prevent and limit outbreaks”, pointing out that in the last three days there had been an increase in notifications of coronavirus cases in care homes.
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At the moment it is the workforce that is most affected, but the letter says that “clearly” there is a risk that the virus will spread to residents and in some cases already has.
The letter, which was written by Stuart Miller, director of adult social care delivery at the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “You will know already that we are experiencing a rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases, across the UK population.
“I need to alert you to the first signs this rise is being reflected in care homes too. Over the past three days, Public Health England (PHE) has reported an increase in notifications of Covid-19 cases in care homes.
“Testing data has also shown an increase in the number of positive results. Currently, the infections are mainly affecting the workforce but clearly there is a risk the virus will spread to care home residents, or to other parts of the care sector.
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“Unfortunately, in some care homes with recent outbreaks, this does appear to have occurred, with residents also becoming infected.”
The Sunday Times reported a Department of Health report marked “official sensitive” and circulated on Friday said that the rate of coronavirus recorded through satellite tests – which are used in care homes – had quadrupled since the start of the month.
The newspaper also said that Health Secretary Matt Hancock was given an emergency update on Wednesday saying that outbreaks had been detected in 43 care homes.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “Throughout our coronavirus response we have been doing everything we can to ensure all staff and residents in care homes are protected.
“We are testing all residents and staff, have provided 200 million items of PPE and ring-fenced £600 million to prevent infections in care homes, with a further £3.7 billion available to councils to address pressures caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care.
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“There is a high demand for tests and our laboratories continue to turn test results around as quickly as possible and we plan to rapidly expand it in the coming weeks as well as bringing in new technology to process tests faster.”
The concern over care homes comes as more than 3,000 coronavirus cases were recorded overall in the UK for the second day in a row – the first time since mid-May that recorded cases have been above that level on consecutive days.
The government said that as of 9am on Saturday, there had been a further 3,497 lab-confirmed cases in the UK, slightly lower than the 3,539 cases recorded on Friday.
Tough new Covid-19 lockdown measures were announced for parts of the UK on Friday as cases continued to rise and as the R number – the reproduction number of coronavirus transmission – climbed above one.
According to government advisers, the last time R was above one was in early March.
The public has been warned against having a “party weekend” ahead of rule changes on Monday, when social gatherings in England will be limited to groups of six people both indoors and outdoors, a new restriction dubbed the “rule of six”.
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Police have been dispersing gatherings and handing out fixed penalty notices over the weekend, with one teenager facing a £10,000 fine for hosting a house party with dozens of guests in Nottingham.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph reported that up to 4.5 million people deemed to be at risk of serious illness from Covid-19 will be asked to stay at home again or given tailored advice on protecting themselves if cases rise to dangerous levels.
The newspaper said people identified using a new “risk model” based on factors such as underlying health conditions, age, sex and weight will receive letters containing specific advice.
The plan is initially due to operate in areas with severe levels of infection, but officials are prepared to roll it out nationwide if required, a source told the newspaper.
A DHSC spokeswoman said: “We keep all aspects of our response to the pandemic under review and in line with the advice of our scientific and medical experts.
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“Shielding for the clinically extremely vulnerable has been paused since the start of August in most of the country while average rates of coronavirus remain low.
“Shielding is still advised in specific areas of the country where prevalence of the virus is higher.”
According to the paper, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is believed to be considering introducing a 10pm or 11pm curfew on restaurants, bars
and pubs if local measures are unable to bring the spread of the virus under control.