thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-15--Dominic Cummings Got A Pay Rise Of At Least £40,000 From No.10 This Year

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Dominic Cummings received a pay rise of around £40,000 for his role as Boris Johnson’s top adviser, official figures show.
The prime minister’s top aide is currently paid between £140,000 and £144,999, as he prepares to officially leave his job on December 18 after walking out of No.10 last month.
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It is an increase on his £95,000 to £99,999 salary which was published in last December’s figures on special adviser (spad).
The pay rise came in a year when Cummings sparked outrage for appearing to break coronavirus rules by travelling to Durham during the middle of the spring lockdown and then visiting Barnard Castle with his wife and son to test his “eyesight”.
One Whitehall source said Cummings’ 40% wage rise was a “disgrace” when other special advisers who, like the PM’s top aide, stayed in the same pay band got just a 1% increase.
“It’s a disgrace,” they said.
“He always said he was gonna find a way to reward spads who were doing a good job.
“All he did was secure a massive pay hike for himself.
“He must have thought he was doing a great job. Others might think otherwise.”
A Tory source said: "Remember his whole not in it for the money thing? £140,000 a year, a million pound house and a £50,000 car (a Land Rover Discovery Sport) is hardly sack cloth. Is it?"
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Another source described the pay rise as a "shocking indictment" as Cummings presided over the introduction of performance related pay for teachers as Michael Gove's special adviser at the Department for Education.
"It's one rule for us, one rule for everyone else," they said.
Labour MP Karl Turner pointed out that Cummings got a pay rise in the same year that millions of key workers were hit with a public sector pay freeze.
.@BorisJohnson was content that key workers got nowt but gave #Cummings a big fat #Covid bonus? https://t.co/xCMXH1Dwpo — Karl Turner MP (@KarlTurnerMP) December 15, 2020
Cummings was in the same pay band as Downing Street director of communications Lee Cain when both decided to quit No.10 last month.
A footnote in this year’s list of spad salaries said: “Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings are in the process of leaving their government posts and are not included in the above list.
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“They are, however, included in the December FTE numbers. Both individuals were in PB4 (pay band 4) and pay band £140,000-£144,999.”
Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain PA Wire/PA Images
Meanwhile, it emerged in further official documents that Johnson overruled Civil Service advice, in order to continue fighting a legal action brought by an ex-Treasury spad over her summary sacking at the hands of Cummings.
HuffPost UK understands that a written ministerial direction issued by the prime minister to the Civil Service relates to the case of Sonia Khan, who was escorted out of No.10 by police after being fired by Cummings.
Khan eventually won a payout of tens of thousands of pounds in a settlement over her dismissal, having rejected an earlier offer.
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Following that rejection, Civil Service chief executive Sir John Manzoni wrote to Johnson on March 3 to urge him to abandon fighting a legal case brought by Khan due to the high cost of defending the case to the taxpayer.
Manzoni wrote: “Given the ongoing expenditure of defending the case and the potential costs that a court may award, it is my advice, taking account of legal and financial analysis that a further negotiation (on a settlement) should be carried out to seek to avoid litigation.”
But replying a day later, the PM instructed Manzoni that “no further offer should be made to attempt settlement in advance of any potential litigation”.
“I understand your concerns as expressed concerning the value for money of contesting the claim without further attempts at settlement, however as you have correctly stated I am able to take into account wider considerations than value for money.
“The legal position is clear that the prime minister can withdraw consent for the appointment of any special adviser.
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“That is the reason for the termination of employment and I am content for a reasons letter to be issued to the individual setting that out.
“I do not believe that individuals should receive more compensation than they are entitled to under their contract and therefore I believe that this claim should be tested in litigation.”
Eventually, Johnson relented and agreed a settlement for Khan, who was an adviser to ex-chancellor Sajid Javid.
Commenting on Cummings’ pay rise, deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “Boris Johnson defended Dominic Cummings when he broke lockdown rules - then awarded him a £50,000 pay rise. Yet he’s freezing pay for key workers and refusing to give our care workers a pay rise to the living wage.
“Cummings’ bumper bonus is an insult to key workers denied the pay rise they deserve. It’s another example of how under this government it is one rule for the Tory Party and their friends and another for the rest of us.”
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Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Families across the country who are facing extraordinary financial hardship right now will be appalled that their taxes were being wasted to pay Dominic Cummings more than five times as much as a nurse.
“Not only did Boris Johnson undermine public trust by refusing to sack Cummings when he flagrantly broke lockdown with his trips to Durham and Barnard Castle, now we learn he gave him a huge pay rise.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--The UK Is Basically The Only European Country Not Changing Its Christmas Plans

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As pressure builds on the UK government to reverse plans to relax coronavirus rules over Christmas, countries across Europe are rapidly rethinking their own plans in the face of a looming third wave.
Germany and the Netherlands have imposed sweeping new restrictions for the holidays, while the Italian government is expected to follow suit. “Further, new restrictions are now needed [...] we must avert at all costs a third wave,” Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday.
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Spain’s prime minister warned on Wednesday of a tougher plan for Christmas if infections continued to increase, and just days ago France announced it was tightening its rules over the holidays, including imposing an 8pm curfew except on Christmas Eve.
England’s health secretary Matt Hancock has joined the chorus of European leaders, including German chancellor Angela Merkel, begging their citizens to reduce contacts to avoid turning festive gatherings into super-spreader events.
However, after agreeing with the devolved administrations last month to allow a maximum of three households to mix between December 23 and December 27, regardless of what local restrictions are in place, Britain’s rules are now more at odds with our European neighbours.
Germany
German chancellor Angela Merkel, pictured on Wednesday, has warned on that January and February would be very tough months. Rules will be eased at Christmas so one household can gather with four close family members. Florian Gaertner via Getty Images
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Germany entered a strict lockdown on Wednesday just as it registered a record number of 952 daily deaths from Covid-19. The previous highest daily increase in deaths was 598 on Friday.
From this week, Germany will only keep essential shops open until at least January 10 and private gatherings will remain limited to no more than five people from two households.
Rules will be eased from December 24 to 26, when one household can gather with four close family members from other households, but the government is recommending at least a week of quarantine before gatherings.
The Robert Koch Institute on Wednesday put the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany at 1,379,238, a daily increase of 27,728. The total death toll is 23,427. In the UK, another 18,450 new infections were announced on Tuesday.
Italy
Crowded streets in Rome and other city centres have concerned the Italian government. Leaders will meet tomorrow to discuss whether to tighten already strict rules on daily life. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The government is considering more stringent nationwide rules for the Christmas and New Year holidays after crowds flocked to city centres over the weekend – just after Rome had relaxed some restrictions. Police were forced to close off popular sites such as Rome’s Trevi fountain due to large crowds.
“We must avert at all costs a third wave, because this would be devastating, also from the point of view of the loss of lives,” prime minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday.
Under an earlier decree Italians will not be able to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve and will be only allowed to move between regions in emergencies between December 20 and January 6. Pope Francis’s Christmas Eve mass will start two hours earlier, allowing the limited number of people who can attend to be home by 10pm.
However, HuffPost Italy reports government leaders will meet again on Thursdsay for crucial talks over the further tightening of rules, with a partial national lockdown from December 24 to at least January 2 on the cards. Extending curfews, banning non-essential movement and closing non-essential shops, bars and restaurants at weekends and bank holiday are also being considered.
Italy reported 484 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday after surpassing the UK the previous day as the European country with the highest death toll.
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Spain
Vendors wait for customers at a Christmas market at the Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez warned lawmakers on Wednesday that the government would issue stricter guidance if infection rates continued to climb. ASSOCIATED PRESS
After announcing up to 10 people per household – up from six – would be allowed to gather for Christmas and New Year in Spain, prime minister Pedro Sanchez warned on Wednesday that he would propose stricter rules if infections continued to climb.
Under the current Christmas plans, curfews will be pushed back to 1.30am from 11pm on December 24 and December 31. Movement between regions will be banned between December 23 and January 6, except for visits to family.
However, speaking to Spain’s parliament, Sanchez described the recent rise in infections as “worrying” and left open the possibility he would recommend strengthening rules, HuffPost Spain reported.
“It is up to us not to open the door to a third wave at Christmas. If it is necessary to toughen the Christmas plan, the government will propose it, ” Sanchez said. “Let’s not throw everything away. It depends on us that there is no third wave.”
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Data from Spain’s health ministry showed 10,328 new coronavirus cases were reported on Tuesday, bringing the total since the onset of the pandemic to 1,762,212 infections.
France
French police check the permission to move of a motorcyclist on December 15, 2020 in Paris, as a new 8 pm to 6 am curfew is implemented in France to avoid a third wave of coronavirus infections. ALAIN JOCARD via Getty Images
At the end of November, the French government paved the way for easing lockdown in stages, including lifting the 9pm curfew for Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. On one condition: the daily number of coronavirus cases fell below 5,000.
But with the seven-day moving average of new daily infections still standing at more than 10,000, France on Tuesday lifted its stay-at-home order and replaced it with an 8pm nightly curfew, which will be waived for Christmas Eve only.
Anyone breaking the curfew is liable for a £120 (€135) fine.
“I know your weariness, your doubts, your sufferings. I share them,” prime minister Jean Castex said last week. “But first I owe you the truth and transparency about this epidemic which is going on longer than we would have liked.”
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While travel will be allowed on December 24, no more than six adults can meet at a time, while cinemas and museums will remain closed, with bars and restaurants shut until at least mid-January.
The Netherlands
The near-empty Kalverstraat pedestrian shopping street in the centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, December 15, 2020. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte imposed a tough lockdown Monday night in a speech to the nation ordering all non-essential shops and businesses such as hair salons, museums and theatres to close. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Netherlands has gone into an immediate hard five-week lockdown with the closure of all schools and non-essential shops. Gatherings will be limited to two people, with that limit raised to just three adult visitors over three days at Christmas.
From Tuesday, all public places – including daycare centres, gyms, museums, zoos, cinemas, hairdressers and beauty salons – will be closed until January 19. Schools will close until January 18.
“The Netherlands is closing down,” prime minister Mark Rutte said on Monday in a rare live television address. “We realise the gravity of our decisions, right before Christmas.”
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Despite restrictions, shopping districts across the Netherlands have been crowded for weeks, with a spike in infections after the December 5 gift-giving celebrations marking the birthday of Saint Nicholas.
New coronavirus infections in the country of 17million increased by around 8,500 in the 24 hours to Monday morning. This followed a jump by almost 10,000 a day earlier, which was the biggest rise in more than six weeks.
Elsewhere in Europe
A man wearing a face mask walks in Lisbon, Portugal, on December 09, 2020. There will be no limit on how many people can gather per household for Christmas in Portugal. NurPhoto via Getty Images
Belgian households will only be able to be in close contact with one extra person over Christmas. People living on their own will be able to meet two others. Fireworks will be banned on New Year’s Eve and foreign travel is strongly discouraged.
Hair salons and bookstores in Greece will reopen during Christmas, while other restrictions will remain in place until January 7. Churches will open for the Christmas and Epiphany masses on December 25 and January 6, with a limited number of worshippers.
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There will be no limit on how many people can gather per household for Christmas in Portugal. The curfew will be pushed back from 11pm to 2am on December 24 and December 25. For New Year’s Eve, street parties will be banned and outdoor gatherings limited to a maximum of six people.
Norwegians will be able to invite up to 10 guests into their homes on two separate occasions between Christmas and New Year. Outside those days, the current limit of up to five guests will apply.
Three households in Ireland will be allowed to meet between December 18 and January 6, and the countrywide travel ban will be lifted for that period.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Love Island’s Laura Whitmore And Iain Stirling Expecting First Child Together

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Love Island’s Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling have announced they are expecting their first child together.
The presenter revealed on Instagram that she is pregnant, with the baby due in early 2021.
Posting a picture featuring a babygrow bearing the logo of Guns N’ Roses and the song title Sweet Child O’ Mine, she wrote: “I’ve always tried to be protective over the personal side of my life. A lot of things are just for me and my loved ones, and we’ve chosen not to share publicly.
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Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling David M. Benett via Getty Images
“However I want to now share good news as it’s our news to share – and I’m gonna be honest it’s starting to look like my lockdown beer belly is out of control. Iain and I are expecting a baby early 2021. It’s been hard to keep such happy news quiet.
“Especially the times when I’ve had to run out of live radio to get sick in a bin or my penchant for a bowl of mashed potato in the morning.
“I wasn’t hungover like everyone thought. In fact I was completely sober filming the entire series of Celeb Juice, which is quite the accolade!
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“We’d appreciate our privacy respected but just wanted to spread some love and a reminder of the beauty of life.”
Laura’s post followed tabloid reports that she and Love Island narrator Ian had recently got married.
The pair met at a TV awards ceremony in 2016 but did not get together until later.
Laura worked alongside Iain on the most recent series of Love Island in January, after succeeding Caroline Flack as the ITV2 reality show’s presenter.
The couple have also appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox together.
Comedian Ian shared his own post about the announcement, posting a picture of his gaming consoles on Instagram with a note reading “I will miss you”.
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He captioned the picture: “Sorry to my old babies but there is a new baby coming early 2021.”
Scarlett Moffatt was among the stars congratulating them, commenting on Laura’s Instagram post: “Congratulations to you both honestly you will make the most wonderful parents xxxx.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Tom Cruise Explodes At Mission Impossible 7 Crew For Breaking Covid-19 Rules

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Tom Cruise tore into members of the Mission Impossible 7 crew for breaching Covid-19 safety protocols, according to an audio recording obtained by The Sun that has gone viral.
The star and producer of the action film launched into an expletive-filled rant and threatened to fire crew members who failed to follow the rules again.
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The incident took place after Tom spotted two colleagues standing closely together at a computer screen, the paper reported.
Tom Cruise went ballistic on the Mission: Impossible 7 crew for breaking COVID protocols...pic.twitter.com/WbIpVlja7w — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) December 16, 2020
“They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. Because they believe in us and what we’re doing,” Cruise shouts in the recording. “I’m on the phone with every fucking studio at night, insurance companies, producers and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherfuckers. I don’t ever want to see it again. Ever!”
Sources close to the production confirmed the incident to Variety and Reuters. The Sun did not report when the tape was recorded, but filmmakers arrived in London in early December.
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A representative for Tom did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Production for the movie in Venice, Italy was shut down in February due to the pandemic. It resumed in September, with shooting slated to take place in Italy, Norway and London.
The film faced delays in October when 12 people tested positive for Covid-19 on the set in Italy, Variety reported.
Tom Cruise during a break in filming for Mission Impossible 7 along Rome's Fori Imperiali avenue. Filming in Italy was shut down in October for a week after a dozen people on set tested positive for Covid-19. ASSOCIATED PRESS / Andrew Medichini
Other Hollywood productions have faced similar issues. In September, filming for The Batman in London was temporarily suspended after its star, Robert Pattison, tested positive for the virus.
Nine cases were recorded among crew members for Ava DuVernay’s “Colin in Black & White” series during pre-production in Los Angeles this month. And the Lionsgate TV-produced Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet has had multiple outbreaks on its L.A. set.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Tory Activists Told To 'Openly Lie' And 'Weaponise Fake News' In Party Newsletter

It says: “It’ll probably be nonsense, but it knocks your opponent out of his stride and takes away his headline.
“You then have a few seconds (possibly minutes) to reword it, say that you mis-spoke, were mis-heard, or whatever.
“You may get a bad headline saying that you spoke something silly, but you can live that down. Meanwhile your opponent is knocked off the news-feed.
“It runs counter to everything that traditional politicians are taught – viz. never say anything that is not 100% accurate. The problem is that 100% right, two weeks late equals defeat.
“Sometimes, it is better to give the WRONG answer at the RIGHT time, than the RIGHT answer at the WRONG time.”
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has written to Tory Party chair Amanda Milling, called for an urgent investigation.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--The RuPaul's Drag Race UK Series 2 Queens Have Been Ru-Vealed

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The BBC has unveiled the 12 queens competing in the forthcoming second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
The show’s return has been long awaited, after filming on the new series was briefly halted earlier in the year. But with the new episodes set to begin airing in January, we’ve now been introduced to the contestants who’ll be vying for the title of the UK’s next Drag Race superstar.
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It’s also been announced that a one-off special, Queens On Lockdown, will air mid-season, following the queens during the break in filming.
The queens of Drag Race UK series two BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
With a mix of talent from around the UK, the 12 new queens are as eclectic as you’d hope, with some specialising in comedy stylings and dance performance, while others are more proficient in makeup and fashion skills.
Do you want to get to know them all a little better? Go on, then…
A’Whora
A'Whora BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
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Age: 23
From: London (via Nottinghamshire)
In her own words: “I’m a fashion designer and A’Whora is my muse, best friend and alter ego. She is well known as a fashion queen, but I’m here to prove she’s so much more than that.
“She is striking, she has presence, and you will never see her in a High Street dress. I’m gagging at the thought!”
Asttina Mandella
Asttina Mandella BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 27
From: London
In her own words: “I am known for giving very extravagant MTV-style performances. I have up to twelve dancers with a big concept show. There are lights, and pyrotechnics and extravagance. It’s very interactive, sometimes with a bit of comedy.
“I have worked with Little Mix, Pussycat Dolls, Melanie C, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Fleur East, Kayne West at the Brits. Now it’s my time to be on the poster and get the headlines.”
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Bimini Bon Boulash
Bimini Bon Boulash BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 26
From: London (via Norfolk)
In her own words: “I would never fit my drag into one box! I like to mix the ridiculous with a bit of topical news.
“I’ve got a lot of different acts. Some are burlesque, some are political, some are me being covered in oat milk, with a strong vegan message behind it. I’m mainly silly, which is what I love about drag. Expect the unexpected!”
Cherry Valentine
Cherry Valentine BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 26
From: Manchester (via Darlington)
In her own words: “I had been doing drag for less than a year when I applied to be on the show, but I was like ‘why not?’.
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“I’ve worked hard at my drag, and I’m really proud of myself for throwing everything into the application process and making it through to this amazing platform.”
Ellie Diamond
Ellie Diamond BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 21
From: Dundee
In her own words: “I’m heavily obsessed with any sort of family friendly films like the Cat In The Hat and Disney, but my all-time favourite film is The Wizard Of Oz.
“I love bold colour, patterns and ideas. I take inspiration from my favourite movies, cartoons, anime and put it altogether to create this beautiful 6ft 8 drag queen that you see before you.”
Ginny Lemon
Ginny Lemon BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
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Age: 31
From: Worcestershire
In her own words: “I’m an improvisational comedienne so you’ll get high energy, you’ll get madness, you’ll get the unplanned. I never ever repeat a show.
“I’m a fabulous singer and I can do everything. And, an absolute bullshitter as well.”
Joe Black
Joe Black BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 30
From: Brighton
In her own words: “Imagine you’ve found yourself in some seedy 1920s Berlin cabaret joint where we will have a dark, delicious and deviant time.
“I bring all the wonky eyebrows and eyeshadow of the traditional seaside drag with a bit of haunted glamour, I sometimes think I’m a bit too much for people, but the nanas love me.”
Lawrence Chaney
Lawrence Chaney BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
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Age: 23
From: Glasgow
In her own words: “I am a mix of Rab C. Nesbitt and Susan Boyle!
“My drag is always silly. I started drag about six years ago, I loved seeing RuPaul looking so glamourous, but also so funny and ridiculous. I wanted to emulate that. I love walking onto a stage looking fabulous and then being daft.”
Sister Sister
Sister Sister BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 32
From: Liverpool
In her own words: “I think I am the underdog, lowkey, multi-tasker. I know I can turn a look and my makeup is strong. I know I can hold attention in a room because I’m funny. I can dance – not well, but I can dance!
“I have personality in abundance and that’s one way to keep the cameras on you at all times.”
Tayce
Tayce BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 26
From: London (via Newport)
In her own words: “The Tayce look is very ‘model-esque’, very villainess, very street fighter. I’m dark and edgy [but] sometimes I like to switch it up...
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“I am doing this for Wales, for my parents and my family. I’m doing it for all those little buggers who have looked at me and thought I was an absolute freak. I’m doing it for myself. I’m doing it for Gavin and Stacey!”
Tia Kofi
BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Age: 30
From: London (via Essex and Nottingham)
In her own words: “I love comedy, camp, old school, contemporary, and cultural references. As there aren’t a huge number of POC queens on the scene, I’ll often throw in something from my Nigerian heritage too.
“I’m also a geek. One day I might be a character from Doctor Who, and I love channelling a bit of Star Trek. My drag is a melting pot!”
Veronica Green
Veronica Green BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
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Age: 34
From: London (via Rochdale)
In her own words: “Veronica is a sweet and innocent Lancashire rose, with many petals and a few little thorns.
“If you come to one of my shows, you’re going to get gorgeous, goofy and professional, multi-skilled and multi- layered. As I’ve been a professional singer and actor for the past fifteen years, you will get live vocals and maybe even a bit of opera.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--5 Things I've Learnt As A Parent Living With Sickle Cell

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Listen to Chronic, our anti-wellness podcast about living well when you’re chronically unwell. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts – just search for “Chronic”.
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Alidor Gaspar, AKA A Star, is a grime artist and rapper. He’s also lived with sickle cell anaemia since birth – a blood disorder that causes excruciating pain.
This week, he’s joining HuffPost’s Lucy Pasha-Robinson on the Chronic podcast to talk dating etiquette when you live with a hereditary disease, masculinity and learning to show vulnerability when living in chronic pain and the life changing importance of good therapy.
Ali’s also just become a father for the first time. Here, he shares five things he’s learnt about being a parent with chronic illness:
1. Find the right partner. It was important for me that I got with someone who didn’t have sickle cell, so there’s a better chance that our children don’t suffer with this disease.
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2. Looking after myself mentally, spiritually and physically is vital. If I’m not fit and well, it will be difficult for me to give my all to my child.
3. Communication is so important. It’s important to communicate with my wife how I’m feeling in myself so we can make childcare adjustments when necessary.
4. There’s no shame in asking for help. My wife and I are not superman and superwoman, especially with my condition – there’s nothing shameful about asking for help.
5. Get yourself in therapy. I’m a huge therapy advocate for whatever stage of life you’re in. My physical health can affect my mental health, so it’s an important outlet to be able to express how I’m feeling.
Hear more from Ali on this week’s episode of Chronic, available now on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts – just search for “Chronic”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Eton's Closure After Covid Outbreak Fuels Backlash Against Government Over State School Threats

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A growing backlash has emerged over the government’s threats of legal action against councils that close schools early for Christmas – not least because elite private institution Eton has already shut.
The prestigious school, which was attended by Boris Johnson, closed to pupils on December 11, with headmaster Simon Henderson writing to parents to say: “We want to avoid a situation where potentially a very large number of close contacts of positive cases have to self-isolate for 14 days over the Christmas period.”
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Henderson said a number of positive cases of Covid-19 had been identified in the school, adding: “The health and wellbeing of the school community is my top priority.” A look at the school’s calendar reveals that almost all planned events have been cancelled until December 17, the date Eton’s term was supposed to end.
But with some state schools in Covid-hotspots forced to stay open despite huge outbreaks of the virus, the government has been accused of double-standards – with no indication that Eton will face any repercussions.
As an independent private school Eton does not have to follow the same rules as state schools, which are controlled by their local authority.
Labour MP Zarah Sultana wrote: “While the Tories force state schools to stay open even where councils say it is unsafe, Eton has closed due to an outbreak at the school.
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“The lives of the working class matter just as much as the lives of the super-rich.
“We need a government that recognises that fact.”
While the Tories force state schools to stay open even where councils say it is unsafe, Eton has closed due to an outbreak at the school.
The lives of the working class matter just as much as the lives of the super-rich.
We need a government that recognises that fact. — Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) December 15, 2020
She was joined by fellow MP Ian Lavery, who tweeted: “Covid outbreak at Eton... Action: students are ALL working remotely... right move I would say.
“Covid outbreak in state schools... Action: the Conservative government are threatening legal action to keep the students at school.
“What’s that saying about rules for the rich?”
COVID outbreak at Eton.....Action: students are ALL working remotely...right move I would say.
COVID outbreak in state schools....action: The @Conservatives Gvt are threatening legal action to keep the students at school.
What’s that saying about rules for the Rich ? 🎩🎩 — Ian Lavery MP (@IanLaveryMP) December 15, 2020
Seventeen-year-old student Hasan Patel, who made headlines after winning a scholarship to the elite school and has more than 60,000 followers on Twitter, wrote: “Eton closed down last Friday and we’ve had virtual lessons since. It’s the right thing to do.
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“But if it’s good enough for Etonians, then my friends in East London deserve nothing less. Shame on this government.”
Eton closed down last Friday and we’ve had virtual lessons since. It's the right thing to do. But if it's good enough for Etonians, then my friends in East London deserve nothing less. Shame on this government. — Hasan Patel 🌹 (@CorbynistaTeen) December 15, 2020
A number of councils in London have now reported contact from the Department for Education (DfE) warning them of potential legal action if they were to go ahead with closing early amid soaring cases.
The Labour-run Greenwich and Islington councils were forced to row back on their advice for pupils to be taught at home in the last few days of term.
Waltham Forest Council, also under Labour control, said schools in the north-east London borough had been threatened with potential legal action by the government if they followed the council’s advice to shift learning online.
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A fourth Labour-run council, Redbridge, said it would support a switch to online learning as schools faced “huge strain” due to the impact of local coronavirus cases.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has called on the government to consider closing all secondary schools and colleges in the capital early and reopen later in January due to coronavirus. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the government had won a “hollow victory” in Greenwich, adding that he would not be surprised if parents kept children at home. School attendance has continued to fall throughout the autumn term, with the most recent data showing a huge disparity in pupil absences across the country. As the following graph from BBC Newsnight journalist Lewis Goodall shows, some local authority areas, such as Medway in Kent, are now dealing with attendance rates as low as 53% in secondary schools.
Huge variety in secondary school attendance across local authorities, see graph I've made up below. In Medway it was 53% in secondary schools last week. Compare to Isle of Wight at 96%. By my calculations more than 30 local authorities have attendance rates of less than 75%. pic.twitter.com/bGc1B4XRlT — Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) December 15, 2020
The DfE said that lateral flow tests would be deployed to all secondary schools and colleges to “help detect asymptomatic cases and break chains of transmission”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Six Ways To Motivate Yourself In 2020

Six Ways To Motivate Yourself In 2020

Six Ways To Motivate Yourself In 2020
After a year of lockdowns, quarantines and self-isolation, we could all do with a little joy right now. And while you can’t always control what happens to you, you can control how you respond to it. We’ve asked therapist Lucy Beresford for tips on how to stay positive and keep our spirits up during challenging times.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Mike Pence Gets A Fact-Check After Calling Covid-19 Vaccine A 'Medical Miracle'

This was not a miracle. This was science and hard work. And, just so you know, this vaccine would have taken this long no matter who was President. The difference is that fewer people would now be dead from lack of leadership. https://t.co/8m9JDLq9Nw


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Boris Johnson Says Christmas Covid Rules Relaxation Will Go Ahead

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Boris Johnson has said the relaxation of the coronavirus rules over Christmas will go ahead as planned.
The government will ease restrictions and legally allow up to three households to mix between December 23 and 27.
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But while the law will remain the same across the UK, the advice given to people in the different nations will be different.
In Scotland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said her “strong recommendation” was that people “stay within your own household and your own home”.
In Wales, first minister Mark Drakeford said “only two” households should mix over Christmas rather than three.
“None of us wants to be ill this Christmas. And we don’t want to give coronavirus to our close family or friends,” he said.
The prime minister has been under pressure to scrap the legal relaxation amid fears it will lead to a surge in infections.
But speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, Johnson said it would “proceed”.
“We don’t want to criminalise people’s long-made plans,” he told MPs.
Johnson said a “unanimous agreement” had been reached between devolved leaders on keeping the law the same.
But he said while the law would still permit people to mix three households, the public should “exercise extreme caution” over Christmas.
“We can celebrate it sensibly but we have to be extremely cautious in the way we behave,” he said.
“It’s absolutely vital that people should – at this very, very tricky time – exercise a high degree of personal responsibility, especially when they come into contact with elderly people, and avoid contact with elderly people wherever possible.”
Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said Johnson’s “slowness” to respond to the pandemic had repeatedly “led to more deaths, a longer lockdown and a deeper economic damage”.
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He said Johnson’s decision to push ahead with a relaxation of the restrictions over Christmas was the prime minister’s “next big mistake”.
In a rare joint editorial, the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal warned on Tuesday relaxing the rules over Christmas would “cost many lives”.
In Canada, the number of Covid cases surged in the weeks after restrictions were relaxed for Thanksgiving.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts in England, also pointed to a spike in cases in the United States after Thanksgiving.
“The number of cases has gone up by 25 per cent, the number of hospitalisations has gone up by 20 per cent in a fortnight, and the number of deaths has gone up by 60 per cent in a fortnight,” he told the BBC.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Ella Kissi-Debrah: Coroner Rules Air Pollution Contributed To Death Of Nine-Year-Old Girl

Ella Kissi-Debrah died in 2013 after an asthma attack PA
A coroner has ruled that air pollution from traffic contributed to the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah.
The historic ruling marks the first time that toxic air has been listed as a cause of death in the UK, according to her family’s solicitors.
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Kissi-Debrah died in February 2013 having suffered an asthma attack.
She had endured numerous seizures and made almost 30 hospital visits over the previous three years.
An inquest ruling from 2014, which concluded she died of acute respiratory failure, was quashed by the High Court following new evidence about the dangerous levels of air pollution close to her home.
Kissi-Debrah had lived 25 metres from the South Circular Road in Lewisham, south-east London – one of the capital’s busiest roads.
A fresh two-week inquest was held at Southwark Coroner’s Court to consider whether pollution in the area may have contributed to her death.
Giving his narrative conclusion over almost an hour on Wednesday, assistant coroner Philip Barlow said: “I will conclude that Ella died of asthma, contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution.”
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Giving the medical cause of death he said: “I intend to record 1a) acute respiratory failure, 1b) severe asthma, 1c) air pollution exposure.”
Barlow added: “Air pollution was a significant contributory factor to both the induction and exacerbations of her asthma.
“During the course of her illness between 2010 and 2013 she was exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in excess of World Health Organisation guidelines.
“The principal source of her exposure was traffic emissions.
“During this period there was a recognised failure to reduce the level of nitrogen dioxide to within the limits set by EU and domestic law, which possibly contributed to her death.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the coroner’s conclusion was a “landmark moment” and called pollution a “public health crisis”.
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“This is a landmark moment and is thanks to the years of tireless campaigning by Ella’s mother Rosamund, who has shown an extraordinary amount of courage,” he said in a statement.
“Today must be a turning point so that other families do not have to suffer the same heartbreak as Ella’s family.
“Toxic air pollution is a public health crisis, especially for our children, and the inquest underlined yet again the importance of pushing ahead with bold policies such as expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone to inner London.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--GWR Christmas Train Cancellations Likely After Staff Covid Outbreak

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The government’s Christmas transport adviser expects the Great Western Railway (GWR) to stop taking bookings for the festive period today due to a coronavirus “outbreak” among staff.
Sir Peter Hendy said people who want to book GWR trains to travel to and from the west of England for Christmas are likely to be redirected to National Express coaches from Wednesday, and indicated some rail services are likely to be cancelled.
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But the Network Rail chairman said he does not envisage “terrible scenes in train stations or bus stations or elsewhere of people breaking social distance rules” over Christmas.
Hendy also said that despite talks between the UK government and leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on whether to tighten Christmas Covid rules, “the situation has been reviewed and the five day travel window is being left intact”.
But those looking to travel to and from places like London Paddington, Bristol, Cornwall, Dorset and Devon by rail face potential cancellations due to a shortage of GWR drivers.
Hendy explained that just a quarter (25%) of drivers at the Plymouth depot that were supposed to be available over Christmas will actually be able to work while there are also shortages in Penzance, as people test positive for Covid or self-isolate awaiting test results.
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The problem has worsened over the last 36 hours and GWR is currently working out how best to allocate healthy drivers to services that have the most bookings.
“There clearly are in both train crew depots and indeed in the surrounding people who are running the service, there’s an outbreak of some sort,” Hendy told the Commons transport committee.
“We are seeing currently some evidence in particular parts of the country that the operators may not be able to run services that they are committed to, not because they don’t want to but actually because actually they don’t have enough staff because people have either got Covid or are self-isolating.
Commuters wearing face masks arrive at Paddington station Toby Melville / Reuters
“GWR are not currently anticipating being able to run the service that they thought that they would and in consequence, certainly if not now, by later this morning if you do try to book an advance ticket to the west of England, I’m hoping that their website will tell you to go to National Express because actually they’re not currently wanting to take any more advance bookings.
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“That’s really unfortunate but that’s not a consequence of government instruction, that’s a consequence of the transport industry not having an unlimited supply of people.”
He added: “There still will be some trains but they are right not to book people on trains they don’t think they will have any drivers for.”
Hendy also dismissed suggestions that there could be travel chaos as people try to make the most of a five day window between December 23 and 27, when three households are allowed to mix, to travel and see family.
He said that according to the latest market research, 76% of people are not planning to travel over the festive period and 80% of those who are will do it by car, and a lot of that will be on Christmas Day.
“I’m not envisaging terrible scenes in train stations or bus stations or elsewhere of people breaking social distance rules,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Revealed: Last-Minute Plans For Parliament To Rush Through A Brexit Deal

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MPs may have to sit in the Commons on New Year’s Eve to ratify a last-minute Brexit trade bill, under contingency plans being drafted by the government.
HuffPost UK understands that both houses of parliament are being prepared for sittings over what is usually their Christmas break, with a particular focus on late December.
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One option is to bring any Brexit trade treaty before the Commons for a fast-tracked one-day approval on December 28, with the House of Lords told to get ready for a two-day scrutiny period on December 29 and 30.
The Commons would then complete the process on December 31, just hours before the UK leaves the “transition period” – under which it has operated within EU rules since formally leaving the bloc last January.
MEPs have also been warned to prepare for an extraordinary sitting of the European parliament on December 28 to allow time to ratify a deal.
The “New Year’s Eve option”, with MPs restarting work on the bank holiday Monday, December 28, is looking increasingly likely given the complexities of the trade talks, insiders say.
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Usually, MPs would be expected to break for a Christmas recess at some point this week, but Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has kept all options open, other than sitting on Christmas Day itself.
With hopes of a Brexit trade deal still hanging in the balance, the practical problem of a late agreement has prompted contingency plans to be prepared.
Even if a deal could be agreed between Boris Johnson and the EU, insiders expect the government’s parliamentary bill lawyers to take at least 48 hours to turn the text into a bill.
If agreement is reached this week, and a bill drafted over the weekend, the required four days of parliamentary time would take ratification up to Christmas Eve. Any delay beyond this week would mean the New Year’s Eve plan would be the more realistic option.
Many MPs, within both the Tory Party and Labour Party, are also concerned about being “bounced” into nodding through the legislation without full scrutiny.
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With the added complication of public transport being in short supply over the festive period, some MPs are hoping proxy votes could be expanded to include those who cannot travel in time to Westminster for any vote after Christmas.
Keeping parliament open would also potentially mean disrupted holidays for support staff, from security to catering and cleaning, who work in the Commons and Lords.
Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said that he hopes MPs will be able to rise by December 21 but stressed he was happy to keep going up to Christmas Eve.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Christmas Rules Latest: What We Know So Far About Changes

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Boris Johnson announced in late November that the coronavirus rules would be relaxed over Christmas to allow more people to spend time with each other over the festive period.
But the government is under pressure to scrap the easing amid fears it will lead to a surge in infections.
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What are the current plans?
The government will relax the rules for Christmas to allow up to three households to mix between December 23 and 27.
The prime minister announced on Wednesday this relaxation in the law will go ahead and will apply across the entire UK.
What will change?
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove hold talks with leaders of devolved administrations on Wednesday morning to try and maintain a UK-wide approach.
A “unanimous” agreement was reached to keep the change in law the same across the UK.
But the advice people are given will be different in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Johnson told the Commons that while three households can mix in England people should “exercise extreme caution”.
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In Scotland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said her “strong recommendation” was that people “stay within your own household and your own home”.
In Wales, first minister Mark Drakeford said “only two” households should mix over Christmas rather than three.
What’s the problem?
There are deepening concerns that the relaxation will lead to a further spike in infections and deaths in the New Year.
In a rare joint editorial, the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal said relaxing the rules over Christmas would “cost many lives”.
In Canada, the number of Covid cases surged in the weeks after restrictions were relaxed for Thanksgiving.
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Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts in England, also pointed to a spike in cases in the United States after Thanksgiving.
“The number of cases has gone up by 25 per cent, the number of hospitalisations has gone up by 20 per cent in a fortnight, and the number of deaths has gone up by 60 per cent in a fortnight,” he told the BBC.
Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the US, has said the post-Christmas surge could be even worse than the steep rise that followed Thanksgiving.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Revealed: The Places Where Covid Has Killed Most People In The UK

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Pressure is growing on the government to scrap the easing of coronavirus restrictions over Christmas with health professionals warning the move could overwhelm the NHS and contribute to the loss of “many lives”.
This of course would come on top of the many lives already lost in the UK to Covid-19, a staggering toll that currently stands at 64,908, according to official figures. In the week up to Tuesday, 2,874 people were reported to have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.
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No part of the country has been spared, with London taking the brunt of deaths, nearly four-and-a-half times more than the second worst hit area, Lancashire.
The figures below are deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
The place where Covid has killed the most people in the UK
London total deaths – 7,491 deaths / (83.6) per 100,000 people Lancashire 1,691 (138.6) Kent 1,642 (103.8) Essex 1,514 (101.7) Birmingham 1,457 (127.6) Staffordshire 1,260 (143.3) Hertfordshire 1,041 (87.5) Surrey 987 (82.5) Derbyshire 959 (119.5) Hampshire 936 (67.7) Nottinghamshire 870 (105) Leeds 859 (108.3) County Durham 816 (153.9) Lincolnshire 803 (105.5) Northamptonshire 779 (103.4) Liverpool 746 (149.8) Bradford 726 (134.5) Sheffield 713 (121.9) Glasgow City 699 (110.4) Wigan 690 (209.9) Manchester 655 (118.5) Leicestershire 649 (91.9) Suffolk 616 (80.9) Cumbria 600 (120) Warwickshire 591 (102.3)
The areas of London where Covid has killed the most people
Croydon total deaths – 422 deaths / (109.1) per 100,000 people Brent 415 (125.8) Havering 389 (149.9) Barnet 372 (94) Redbridge 344 (112.7) Harrow 319 (127) Ealing 308 (90.1) Newham 281 (79.6) Enfield 272 (81.5) Bromley 270 (81.2) Hillingdon 260 (84.7) Lambeth 256 (78.5) Bexley 243 (97.9) Lewisham 238 (77.8) Waltham Forest 236 (85.2) Hounslow 228 (84) Greenwich 209 (72.6) Wandsworth 205 (62.2) Merton 201 (97.3) Hackney and City of London 201 (69.1) Barking and Dagenham 196 (92.1) Haringey 188 (70) Sutton 180 (87.2) Southwark 175 (54.9) Tower Hamlets 164 (50.5) Westminster 151 (57.8) Richmond upon Thames 135 (68.2) Hammersmith and Fulham 131 (70.8) Kingston upon Thames 151 (85.1) Camden 126 (46.7) Islington 121 (49.9) Kensington and Chelsea 104 (66.6)
On Tuesday, the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal published a rare joint editorial calling for the “rash” decision to relax social distancing measures over the festive period to be scrapped.
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"We believe the government is about to blunder into another major error that will cost many lives. If our political leaders fail to take swift and decisive action, they can no longer claim to be protecting the NHS" @fgodlee @HSJEditor https://t.co/cbgphEQVjr — The BMJ (@bmj_latest) December 15, 2020
The places in the UK where Covid has killed the fewest people
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar total deaths –1 death / (3.7) per 100,000 people Orkney Islands 2 (9) Shetland Islands 6 (26.2) Moray 14 (14.6) Rutland 23 (57.6) Highland 33 (14) Clackmannanshire 37 (71.8) Fermanagh and Omagh 39 (33.2) Argyll and Bute 49 (57.1) Scottish Borders 49 (42.4)
Reducing the planned easing may further anger Tory backbenchers who oppose restrictions, but a poll suggested the majority of Britons believe the relaxation should be scrapped.
The YouGov survey of 3,856 adults on Tuesday indicated that 57% believe the plans should be dropped and that current rules should remain in place during the festive period.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--The Real Full Monty On Ice Viewers Moved To Tears As Celebs Bare All To Raise Awareness Of Cancer

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Viewers of The Real Full Monty On Ice were left in tears on Tuesday night, as a host of famous names stripped to raise awareness of cancer.
The ITV show saw stars including Ashley Banjo, Coleen Nolan, Linda Lusardi and Chris Hughes staging an ice-based performance that culminated in a striptease.
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Throughout the show – aimed to encourage people to check themselves for signs of cancer – many of those involved shared their heartbreaking experiences with the disease.
A host of famous named bared all to raise awareness of cancer ITV
They included former X Factor contestant Jake Quickenden, who lost both his dad and brother to cancer.
The singer broke down in tears on the day of the performance, as photos of his late relatives appeared behind him before he sang Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas in their memory.
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Former Love Island star Shaughna Phillips was also emotional as she discussed losing her dad to cancer, while fellow Islander Chris Hughes spoke about his brother’s recent diagnosis with testicular cancer, which came after he had a live examination on ITV’s This Morning in 2018.
The ladies used giant feather fans as part of their performance ITV
The men stripped to Tom Jones' You Can Leave Your Hat On ITV
A virtual audience watched as the stars performed to Lean On Me and This Is Me, before baring all to the Tom Jones classic, You Can Leave Your Hat On.
A message saying “A check is for life not just for Christmas. So get checking…” then appeared on screen.
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The episode proved to be an emotional watch for many viewers...
Don't think anyone could listen and watch @JakeQuickenden tell the story of losing his Dad and Brother to cancer on The Real Full Monty on Ice and not cry 😢 Proper emotional!! Top man and massive respect for him! — Jenny Craven (@jc1982uk) December 15, 2020
The Real Full Monty has me in tears everytime, so emotional❤ — Oci T (@ocitaylor29) December 15, 2020
@NolanColeen absolutely fantastic the real full monty on ice, cried like a babuy
Well done to everyone taking part, Brilliant — june lloyd (@welshy01) December 15, 2020
Oh my.. just watched the Real Full Monty: On Ice.. and now in bits 😢😢😢 — Mrs T (@TyerTracey) December 15, 2020
Just cried like a baby watching the real Full monty! Check ur boobs and balls guys and gals! 💕 — hannah moir (@hanzo_94) December 15, 2020
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Tearing up at the end of The Real Full Monty: On Ice, celebs doing something amazing for such a good cause! Well done everyone 👏 #TheRealFullMontyOnIce — LHM (@LaurenMannie) December 15, 2020
I really hope people watch The Real Full Monty, and listen to Jake Quickenden’s story and appreciate the way it leaves the families of those who pass from cancer. I hope people understand that the way some of us are the way we are is as a coping mechanism to hide from the pain — Matt (@mattlgree) December 15, 2020
Wow The Real Full Monty on Ice really got me tonight. Blubbering mess! That routine was amazing!! Well done to them all! @AshleyBanjo @JakeQuickenden — Claire Valente (@bandg1rl) December 15, 2020
I *knew* it was a bad idea to watch The Real Full Monty on Ice on @ITV. I'm on after the show (with ITV News At Ten), and just burst into tears watching it in the make-up room. Well done to all involved in the show for their honesty... — Charlene White (@CharleneWhite) December 15, 2020
Gah. I should maybe not have watched The Real Full Monty on Ice. As fun as the final performance was I'm a tearful emotional wreck from the cancer stories the celeb participants shared and I really miss my mum. — Amabel Thornton (@i_am_amz) December 15, 2020
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Crying at The Real Full Monty on Ice 🥺 makes me feel silly for complaining every day — saoirse (@_Saoirsex) December 15, 2020
Wow just cried through the whole of the real full monty 🥺🥺 they all did and looked amazing ❤ — Heidi Longthorp (@heidilongthorp2) December 15, 2020
The real full monty...... AMAZING!!! Cried from start to finish 😍 #TheRealFullMontyOnIce @AshleyBanjo @NolanColeen — Zoe Leanne Carver (@ZoeLeanneCarver) December 15, 2020
How amazing was The Real Full Monty on Ice, literally balled my eyes out all the way through they were all so brave 💙 But @JakeQuickenden 😭 what a hero 💙 — Kass Haygarth (@kasshaygarth) December 15, 2020
The real full monty gave me so many mixed emotions this year, absolutely stunning❤ — CB (@CharlieBoothxo) December 15, 2020
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Would encourage anyone to watch The Real Full Monty: On Ice - it was so special to see everyone come together and share their experiences of Cancer. A tough but educating watch with the important message... lads and ladies check yourselves !♥ #TheRealFullMontyOnIce — kofi dennis (@kofi_denn) December 15, 2020
My full bodies got goosebumps watching the real full monty on ice... incredible 😢😢😢 — ✌🏼 (@CloClarke) December 15, 2020
Watching The Real Full Monty On Ice and I'm in tears. It is so so important for both men and women to check themselves regularly. Cancer doesn't discriminate. Don't be afraid to go to the doctor. Every day matters. Time is precious. — Laura Faye (@MizzLH_44) December 15, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Piers Morgan Blasts Government's 'Mixed Messaging' Over Christmas: 'It's A Failure Of Leadership'

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Piers Morgan has blasted the government for failing to show leadership with its messaging over Christmas Covid plans.
Number 10 has faced increasing pressure to review its decision to allow three households to bubble up between 22 and 27 December, due to a fresh spike in coronavirus cases.
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Urgent talks between Michael Gove and the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland broke up on Tuesday without agreement on a new strategy.
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid ITV
Instead, PA Media reported that leaders are trying to agree on new safety warnings, amid suggestions from officials and ministers that people should be more careful than the rules allow.
Piers slammed the mixed messaging on Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain, raging: “All we’re getting on Christmas is the government saying, ’all get together at Christmas, but maybe don’t all get together at Christmas’. It’s the worst kind of mixed message imaginable from a government that seems incapable of not talking in complete mixed messaging. All it does is confuse people.
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“I don’t know anybody now who really understands whether the government wants them to get together with their families or would prefer them not to. It’s a failure of leadership.”
'It's the worst kind of mixed message imaginable' - @piersmorgan
'The govt do not want to criminalise people who simply want to see their elderly mum or dad' - @susannareid100
Piers and Susanna discuss whether the govt should scrap the plans to relax Covid rules over Xmas. pic.twitter.com/PrJGIVLQSQ — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) December 16, 2020
Piers’ co-host Susanna Reid tried to counter the argument, saying: “I think the government is dealing with a stark reality that people are going to get together at Christmas and they do not want to criminalise people who simply want to see their elderly mum or dad, and they don’t want police officers going round saying, ‘how many bubbles have you got?’
“That’s what they’re doing – they’re making a pragmatic decision which is about we don’t want to criminalise, and within that, they’re telling people to minimise contact.”
Piers disagreed, continuing: “We don’t do that with anything else, do we? When people were dying from drink driving in cars, we didn’t say, ‘well, people are going to do it anyway’ – we told people you can’t do it. And sometimes, you have to say that this is going to save lives if you don’t do it, so you can’t do it, and they’re doing it in Germany, the Netherlands and others.
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“Here, no one knows what the government now wants to do.”
The proposals being discussed by leaders could include guidance for people to consider whether they should meet elderly or clinically-vulnerable loved ones and to stress that the rules are a limit and not a target.
The talks took place after two leading medical journals warned that a lessening of restrictions would “cost many lives” and the British Medical Association (BMA) echoed Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in demanding an urgent re-think.
The YouGov survey of 3,856 adults on Tuesday indicated that 57% believe the plans should be dropped and that current rules should remain in place during the festive period.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Ivanka Trump Called 'Fake Scientist' After Decrying Science Of Covid Lockdowns

none of this would even be happening if you had listened to the scientists from the start... but you didn't and now... hundreds of thousands are dead and things are happening in local communities that seem chaotic. Don't blame them for the chain of events you started.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Trump Now One Of American History’s Greatest Losers – Except For 2024 Republicans

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As Donald Trump officially joins the ranks of the biggest losers in presidential history, he can likely count on continued public praise from at least one group: Republicans eager to run for the job in 2024, potentially re-creating the same conditions that led to his 2016 primary victory.
Unlike previous one-term presidents rejected by voters, Trump still maintains a death grip on many elected Republicans, who appear fearful of crossing him and angering his loyal fan base. To complicate matters further, Trump has publicly broached the idea of running himself in four years.
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“It’s virtually impossible for anyone to gain any real footing as long as Trump continues to pretend that he’s going to run again,” said one Republican consultant who spoke on condition of anonymity, who added that the would-be field is well aware of Trump’s vindictiveness.
That fear mystifies Trump’s GOP critics, who wonder what it will take for the rest of the party to move past him.
“This is the irrefutable truth: This was not a close election. Donald Trump is in the weakest position a politician could be in. He is a lame duck who lost big,” said Jennifer Horn, who once chaired the state party in New Hampshire.
Given the enormous advantages of incumbency, most presidents who have sought a second term have won it, and Trump last month became just the fourth incumbent to lose reelection in a century. Republican Herbert Hoover lost in 1932 to Franklin Roosevelt. Democrat Jimmy Carter lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980, and Republican George HW Bush lost to Bill Clinton in 1992. Only Hoover tried to run again, but he failed to win the nomination in 1936. Carter and Bush were treated by many within their own parties as pariahs for having lost.
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“Why are you afraid of him?” Horn said. “What is it exactly about this roundly defeated crazy person that is scaring you off?”
That his would-be GOP successors are afraid of him or, more precisely, afraid of his hard-core base of supporters, has been evident since the November 3 election. The potential 2024 candidates ― from GOP senators including Missouri’s Josh Hawley and Arkansas’s Tom Cotton to former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley ― avoided congratulating Democratic nominee Joe Biden on his victory. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who ran against Trump in 2016 amid a crowded Republican presidential primary field and called him “utterly amoral” and a “pathological liar,” even volunteered to argue a case before the Supreme Court that would have disenfranchised millions of voters in order to throw the election to Trump.
The high court refused to take the case last week.
“Are we going to be a party that can’t win a national election? Or are we willing to do the hard work of building a durable coalition that can shape our nation’s destiny?” - Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan
“The last four years, the likely 2024 Republican hopefuls have been mighty quiet when it comes to criticising the president. One has to wonder if they miraculously have a change of heart when it appears he may upend their political aspirations,” said Terry Sullivan, who in 2016 ran Florida senator Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign. “If [Trump] decides he wants to run again, it’s going to take someone willing to go toe to toe with him and put him on the defensive if they want to have any chance of stopping him. We’ve seen it done effectively at times. But whoever does it has to stick with it.”
Yet so far, other potential candidates have largely praised Trump in hopes of winning over his supporters if he falters or winds up not running ― which is the exact strategy that most of the 2016 GOP field employed without success.
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“Exact same posture,” Sullivan said. “But for a different reason. Then everyone thought they could beat him in a head-to-head. Now they think he won’t actually run. In some ways, he will help them. They don’t face any real scrutiny or expectations as long as he’s doing his dance.”
One potential 2024 candidate, though, has already broken from the pack of those hoping to inherit Trump’s support: Maryland governor Larry Hogan, who within weeks of the November 3 election posted a video on his “An America United” group’s website arguing that the Republican Party needs to change direction.
“Are we going to be a party that can’t win a national election?” Hogan asks, alluding to the Republicans’ track record now of losing the popular vote in seven of the past eight presidential elections. “Or are we willing to do the hard work of building a durable coalition that can shape our nation’s destiny?”
Hogan does not mention Trump once during the 2 minutes and 35 seconds, but he harks back to Reagan, including a clip of him saying “make America great again” decades before Trump co-opted the slogan. Hogan then repeats a message that the GOP embraced after losing the 2012 election but then abandoned after Trump won the 2016 nomination on a platform of deporting undocumented immigrants and making Mexico build a wall along the southern border. “Here’s a truth that our party needs to hear: No one will listen to our message if they don’t believe that we’re listening to them,” Hogan says in the video.
Another Republican consultant, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said if most of the other 2024 candidates are competing to see who can be most like Trump to win over his supporters, that could leave an opening for an anti-Trump candidate like Hogan to win over a significant plurality of support.
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He added that once Trump is gone from the White House and no longer has the ability to dictate the national conversation, his dominance over the field is likely to fade and Republican voters may begin to see his 7-million-vote loss as the terrible showing that it was.
“This year should have been a layup,” he said. “Every single incumbent’s ratings have surged. Except him. He ran an awful campaign and lost.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to HuffPost queries for this story.
Horn said that Trump’s loss gives his Republican would-be successors everything they need to confront Trump, and if they still cannot, they have no business running.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--This Is How Many Times Trump Has Lost Since The Election

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Donald Trump could have lost the 2020 election just one time, but “because of his penchant for self-sabotage, he keeps losing it over and over again,” CNN host Brianna Keilar said Tuesday as she recapped the president’s string of losses since November 3.
“He lost the Electoral College – he lost it on November 7 and then confirmed it again yesterday. He lost the popular vote on election night. ... He’s lost multiple recounts in two states,” Keilar said.
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“In Georgia, he lost one that he requested and another that was done voluntarily by the state. In Wisconsin, he lost a recount where [President-elect Joe] Biden actually gained votes. The president, by the way, paid $3 million to find that out.”
She continued: “He’s lost nearly 50 lawsuits that he or his allies have filed, baselessly claiming that the election should be overturned or votes should be tossed out because of widespread fraud.”
Among those lawsuits, Keilar noted, were two cases rejected by the US Supreme Court.
"The President could have lost this election only once, but because of his penchant for self-sabotage he keeps losing it over and over again." @brikeilarcnn takes a closer look at how President Trump keeps confirming his election loss. pic.twitter.com/AcIzqcBrTb — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) December 15, 2020
“Finally, President Trump lost his own way,” Keilar concluded.
She then read aloud an excerpt from Trump’s 1987 book, “The Art of the Deal”:
“You can’t con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you don’t deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on.”
You can count Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell among those who have finally caught on, Keilar said.
McConnell acknowledged Biden’s win on Tuesday after electors had formalised it a day earlier, casting 306 electoral votes for Biden and 232 for Trump.
But Trump still hasn’t conceded and claimed Tuesday that there’s “Tremendous evidence pouring in on voter fraud. There has never been anything like this in our Country!”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--Cher Says Two Fans Helped Her Escape Man Who Threatened To Kill Her

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Cher has recounted a terrifying story about a man who threatened to kill her and how two fans came to her rescue.
The If I Could Turn Back Time singer told The Guardian that she doesn’t “like going out now because everybody’s got a camera and it’s not safe.”
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“People rush you, and you don’t know if they’re going to kill you or take your picture. Either way, I don’t like it,” the performer said.
When asked if anyone had ever been hostile to her, Cher said she once “had a man try to kill me” in the 1980s.
Cher Tara Ziemba via Getty Images
The singer said she “always got dropped off at the stage door” when she was in the play Come Back To the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean on Broadway, which opened in 1982.
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“I thought he was going to shake my hand, and he grabbed my arm and put it behind my back,” she recalled. “He started pushing me down the alleyway, and he said: ‘If you make a sound, I’ll kill you.’”
Cher said the two fans, “who later became friends” saw something was wrong and “they started screaming and ran towards me, and he ran away.”
Left to right, actors Sandy Dennis, Cher and Karen Black at the opening of the play "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean" on Feb. 18, 1982. In The Guardian interview, Cher recounted an attack by a man who threatened to kill her. Lenore Davis/New York Post/Photo Archives
Cher also held forth about her well-known antipathy toward Donald Trump, who she said has made U.S. culture “toxic.”
“People who just disagreed with each other before are now enemies. I hate to even call him a president because all he does is watch TV,” the 74-year-old said.
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“I hate him,” she added, explaining that she’s never hated anyone more than Trump “in my whole life, never.”
“I pretty much disliked (former President George W.) Bush when he started those wars, and I could say for a minute it was touch and go for hate,” Cher said. “But the one thing I know is he loves America and Trump doesn’t.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--I'm Dreaming Of A Less White Christmas For My Child of Colour

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My daughter loves Christmas, so when she wasn’t feeling well recently I looked for a small gift for her in the holiday section at Target. I went for a stuffed animal: the arctic fox from the Elf on the Shelf. Box in hand, I peered at the included picture book, which featured Santa. A white Santa. I’d already passed hand towels and pillows I couldn’t buy because they only featured white Santas and white elves. Same thing happened in the candy aisle — even the chocolate Santas came wrapped in white-Santa foil. I put the stuffed animal back on the shelf.
Last year, at age four, my daughter was indignant when we brought out the brown Santa we’d had since her first Christmas.
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“Santa is white,” she insisted, amazed at our ignorance and our refusal to acknowledge such a clear truth.
“Why do you think Santa is white?” I asked.
“Because he is,” she answered. For weeks, she pointed out examples of white Santas, from the movie The Polar Express to the local sit-on-Santa’s-lap events. “See?” she’d say petulantly. “I told you Santa is white.”
My wife and I are devoted to surrounding our daughter with positive images of brown and Black people. My wife is a sociologist, and I’m a onetime literary historian. She’s Black and Jewish, and I’m Puerto Rican and Irish. Our daughter is Native American and African American. Professionally and personally, we know something about race in the US, and have read extensively about the best way to help our kid deal with racism.
Still, American cultural institutions are slowly defeating us. Despite recent corporate pledges to the idea that Black lives matter, simple changes like better representation of diversity on store shelves haven’t happened.
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More than 65 years after the Supreme Court case Brown vs. the Board of Education made the “doll test” famous, I still can’t walk into a superstore and find BIPOC really represented in toys.
My daughter’s instance on Santa’s whiteness is disturbing for what it represents: that the world is thwarting my efforts to create a space for my daughter where people of colour are front and centre. Our culture continues to insist that BIPOC are secondary ― and, all too often, completely invisible.
Photo Courtesy Of Heather Tirado Gilligan Even the chocolate Santas are white.
It’s not just Santa. When we go to the store to buy a Chelsea doll, we can only find the white, blonde version. The Polly Pocket toys on the shelf come with the two white characters included; their Black friend Shani is available only in a jungle-themed house. Shopping is painful year-round, but especially during the holiday season.
What my daughter sees around her matters to how she understands herself. Studies suggest that just seeing a teacher of colour leading their class, for instance, has a positive impact on kids. A child’s relationship with Santa is very different from their connection to their teacher, but it’s still powerful. Santa is a mythical man who sees and judges your every action. He withholds and rewards a child’s most dearly held wishes. And white America isn’t ready to see a Black person in a such a role.
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When the Mall of America cast a Black man as Santa in 2016, a fiercely racist online backlash followed. The prevailing view at the time was that the online racism was an anomaly. Today, it seems predictive of how open racism would become in the U.S. in the ensuing years.
“I’m glad we have methods to mitigate the effects of living in a racist society. But my daughter’s life — and mine, too — would be so much easier if consumers of all races demanded diversity in stores.”
“Our kids are more exposed than we think and the larger environment can be pretty toxic in these ways,” Melissa Giraud, co-founder of the organisation Embrace Race, said when I asked her for advice. Embrace Race’s goals include building resilience in children of colour and teaching empathy to all children.
Giraud noted that our efforts to provide our child with spaces where people of colour were central were countercultural efforts, and that pushing back against mainstream culture is an ongoing challenge. “We have to keep going,” she said, “and they have to work through their ideas about this stuff.”
This wildly uneven tug-of-war with racism is exhausting. But the best thing parents can do is continually meet issues of racism head-on, explained Medina Jackson, the director of engagement for P.R.I.D.E at the University of Pittsburgh, a program that develops positive racial identity in Black children.
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“The first thing you want to do is not shush them,” Jackson told me. Next, parents should monitor their own reaction and remain calm, which is harder than it sounds when something disturbing happens (like your daughter rejecting Black Santa). Then talk to them about whatever issue they bring up. If you can’t do it in the moment, set a date to talk later — and make sure you keep the date.
I’m glad we have methods to mitigate the effects of living in a racist society. But my daughter’s life — and mine, too — would be so much easier if consumers of all races demanded diversity in stores, and if stores agreed to do the right thing by showing that Black and brown lives matter in the products they feature.
Since it’s Christmas, I’ll hold out hope that someday this will happen, and that this holiday my daughter loves so much will be less white.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--The Best Christmas Films And TV Specials Streaming On Disney+ Now

Disney+ is home to loads of favourites this Christmas Disney/Shutterstock
Above all else, Christmas is all about that warm, cosy feeling – and who does that better than Disney?
Luckily for us, this year we have Disney+ to help us get in the spirit with a range of cherished festive classics, as well as some brand new originals.
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Here are 14 of our top picks from the streaming service’s festive selection...
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Jim Henson Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock
While some wait for the Coca-Cola ad and others look forward to those opening bars of Mariah Carey’s classic Christmas tune on the radio, for us the festive season doesn’t really begin until we hear those French horns at the very start of The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has obviously been done 1000 times over (there are multiple versions to take your pick from on Disney+ alone), but the Muppets’ irreverent and heartwarming take will forever be our favourite, helped in no small part by Kermit The Frog being the most adorable Bob Cratchit in history.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Disney
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True, it’s no Muppet Christmas Carol, but if you’ve already watched the Muppets’ take on the festive classic a thousand times over (not that we’d consider that a bad thing), Mickey Mouse and co’s animated version is also available to watch on Disney+.
Look out for some classic Disney characters scattered throughout the 26-minute short, but we should also tell you to brace yourself for a genuinely-quite-menacing moment towards the very end, as Scrooge McDuck comes face to face with his potential fate.
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas
Disney
Another jolt of festive cheer from the core Disney gang, Once Upon A Christmas is made up of three short stories featuring Donald Duck, Goofy and, of course, Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Obviously, it’s mostly geared towards children, but as with all great Disney films, there’s something for viewers of all ages here, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself shedding a few tears during the final act.
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The CGI sequel, Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas, is also available to stream for anyone who fancies an even bigger kick of festive cheer afterwards.
Home Alone
Moviestore/Shutterstock
Yes, actual Home Alone.
The iconic 90s family favourite is finally back on streaming services, so we can all follow along with Kevin’s adventures, marvel at the fact that his mum is, indeed, Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek and then, when it’s over, check out the sequel (yep, the one with the infamous Donald Trump cameo).
Home Sweet Home Alone
Disney
There are, in fact, a fair few Home Alone sequels available to stream on Disney+, including this new addition for 2021.
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Home Sweet Home Alone is the sixth addition in the comedy franchise, and while it hasn’t exactly had the warmest reception, if you have children in your life that might need some distraction over the festive period, this is definitely worth checking out and making your own mind up about.
Plus, who doesn’t mind spending an hour and a half in Rob Delaney’s presence?
Beauty And The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
Disney
Usually we’d recommend giving Disney’s many straight-to-video animated sequels from the 90s and early 2000s a wide berth, but there’s something about this film that we love. And that something… is the fact there’s a musical number featuring both Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters.
If that thought isn’t camp enough, Belle’s Enchanted Christmas also features one of the most genuinely menacing Disney villains ever – a CGI organ named Forte (voiced by Rocky Horror’s Tim Curry, no less) who spends the whole film threatening to bring the castle to the ground. Through song.
Godmothered
K.C. Bailey
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The comedy introduces Eleanor, a trainee fairy godmother who learns that she could soon be out of the job, so takes it upon herself to show the world why she and her fellow fairy godmothers are still needed.
If that doesn’t draw you in, it’s also directed by Sharon Maguire, best known for helming Bridget Jones’s Diary and its 2016 sequel, which has definitely got us intrigued.
The Santa Clause
Attila Dory/Walt Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
Guaranteed to give millennial Disney fans a huge nostalgia jolt, this feel-good family film sees Tim Allen playing Scott Calvin, a single dad who – after accidentally causing Santa’s death (dark, we know, but stay with us) – must take on the role of Father Christmas himself.
As you can imagine, much silliness ensues.
The Simpsons
Fox
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Over the years, The Simpsons has gifted us with a number of Christmas specials, many of which have gone on to become fan favourites. With loads to choose from, we’d definitely recommend checking out season 11’s Grift Of The Magi and season nine’s Miracle On Evergreen Terrace.
And don’t forget that the very first episode of The Simpsons was actually a Christmas special, and while it’s far from the show’s finest hour (it would be a year or so before The Simpsons would fully hit its stride), it’s still a must-watch for fans of the show at this time of year.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Moviestore/Shutterstock
For anyone who enjoyed finally being able to celebrate Halloween properly so much they want to keep the spooky festivities going, we’ve got some great news.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is now streaming on Disney+, with the classic stop-motion animation swerving the usual festive tropes that have been done to death a thousand times over, while still managing to be Christmassy enough that you don’t need to worry about anyone calling you a Scrooge.
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The Search For Santa Paws
Disney
File this under: they thought of the title before the actual concept.
That being said, are we going to turn our noses up at a cosy Christmas film where talking dogs rescue an amnesia-stricken Santa in the middle of New York City? No, we are not.
Disney’s Fairytale Weddings: Holiday Magic
Disney
What could be better than a wedding show about people who tie the knot at Disneyland parks around the world?
Well, a wedding show where people tie the knot at Disneyland parks around the world at Christmas, of course.
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Frozen
Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
Listen, we get it. Frozen (and its sequel!) are not “Christmas films” in the traditional sense, but they’re still guaranteed to get you in the cosy winter mood, so we’ve included them on this list anyway.
Frankly, it’s been a rough couple of years for all of us, so we’ll take any opportunity to enjoy a Frozen double-bill and a cup of something warm, alright?
Lego Star Wars Holiday Special
Disney
We’re going to be honest, we have no idea what this is, but we know it’s something we definitely want to check out immediately.
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If nothing else, it should serve to tide us over until Disney pluck up the courage to finally give us what we’ve wanted for decades – the original Star Wars Holiday Special from the 1970s.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-16--How To Prepare For Your First Christmas With A New Pet

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Christmas is an exciting time for all – and that includes our four-legged friends. But it can also be a dangerous time if we’re not hot on what’s good and bad for our pets’ health.
2020 saw adoptions and sales of pets soar thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, with more and more people spending time at home and seeing it as the perfect occasion to get a new dog or cat.
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This means that lots of people will be celebrating their first Christmas with a brand new pet – and if you’re not up-to-speed on the dangers that festive foods and traditions could pose, it could prove to be a Christmas to forget.
Dr Samantha Butler-Davies, a vet and veterinary clinical services manager at Vets4Pets, explains: “With so many people in the UK having decided to add a pet to their family during lockdown I’m sure for many this will be their first time owning a pet.
“We therefore wanted to make sure everyone knows the key dos and don’ts for pets during the festive season, so owners can be assured that they can enjoy a relaxing and happy Christmas with their family, without any surprise emergency visits to their vet.”
There was a rise in gastro-related queries and claims over the festive period last year, according to digital pet insurance company Waggel – a result of dogs or cats consuming the wrong foods or accidentally eating festive decorations.
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Vets Now are bracing themselves for an 880% rise in emergency admissions this Christmas due to the fact so many people have acquired new pets during lockdown. A spokesperson said they see more cases of raisin toxicity on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day each year – particularly from pooches who ate mince pies left out for Santa.
A Waggel spokesperson and Vet4Pets’ Dr Butler-Davies walk us through some of the hidden dangers that the festive period brings.
Christmas foods that are poisonous to pets
There are quite a few foods that disagree with both cats and dogs. Keep in mind that if your pet eats any of the below, they’ll need to see a vet.
Chocolate
Chocolate is dangerous for pets because it includes a chemical called theobromine, which can’t easily be metabolised, making it potentially poisonous. Dark chocolate is especially problematic.
So if you do have pets, it’s best to put tree chocolates on the highest branches of your Christmas tree (or just don’t put them out this year and eat them instead). You should also be wary of any gifts that contain chocolate, as keeping these under the tree basically acts as an open invitation to dive in.
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“Your pet will be able to sniff chocolate through any wrapping so to make sure they can’t get their paws on them, place these out of reach and somewhere other than under the tree,” says Waggel’s spokesperson.
Jutta Bauer via Getty Images
Cooked bones
You might want to give your pooch a nice turkey leg to chomp on while you all sit down to eat your roast, but any meat with bones in it can either cause your pet to choke or can splinter and cause issues when ingested.
Onions and garlic
Thiosulphate is an ingredient found in onions and garlic, which is toxic to pets, says Waggel’s spokesperson. “If eaten, it can cause an upset stomach and can also put them at risk of developing a condition called haemolytic anaemia which can cause damage to the red blood cells.” So yes, that means keeping the stuffing and onion gravy away from furry paws too.
Salty or fatty foods
You might think sausages, ham or a little bit of bacon is safe, but because they all have a high fat and salt content, they can actually cause an upset stomach. And in severe cases, consuming these foods can cause pancreatitis, which can make pets extremely poorly.
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SGAFotoStudio via Getty Images
Christmas pudding and mince pies
Anything that contains raisins, currants or grapes is extremely toxic to cats and dogs – even if your pet consumes as little as one raisin, it can be dangerous. If eaten, you should consult your vet straight away.
Nuts
These have a high fat and salt content, which can cause stomach upset or even choking. Watch out for macadamia nuts in particular, which can be toxic when consumed by dogs and cats.
Alcohol
Keep the booze out of reach of prying paws. If your pet consumes alcohol, they might react in a similar way to a human, becoming wobbly or drowsy, and in some cases, wanting all the fuss. But in severe cases, your pet’s body temperature might drop and they could experience low blood sugar and fall into a coma.
Artificial sweeteners
Lots of the sweets and treats you may have lying around the house at Christmas will contain artificial sweeteners such as xylitol, which can be toxic to pets. It can cause hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) in dogs.
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Jelena Irikova via Getty Images
So which foods are safe, then?
Your normal pet food is the best thing to feed your pet during the Christmas season, as even small changes in diet can cause an upset stomach. However if you do want to give your pet a treat, there are some foods that are perfectly safe to give, says Waggel’s spokesperson.
These include: dog- or cat-specific chocolate, biscuits and treats (bought from pet stores); boiled or steamed vegetables including peas, broccoli, green beans, carrots and sweet potatoes (just make sure there is no added salt or butter, and that they are cut into small chunks); and lean parts of white meat (without any sauces, glazes or oils on them).
Beware seasonal plants
They might look pretty to you, but there are plenty of festive plants that can be harmful to pets – and you probably didn’t even realise it. You should be mindful of poinsettias, Christmas tree pine needles, holly, mistletoe and conkers or acorns. All of these can cause irritation, stomach issues and are a choking hazard. Lilies are also highly toxic to both cats and dogs.
Timofey Zadvornov via Getty Images
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Keep an eye on your Christmas tree
If it looks beautiful to you, you can bet it’s also pretty intriguing to your new pet. “Christmas trees are a key centrepiece in most family homes over the festive season, but they can be a potential hazard,” says Dr Butler-Davies.
“Cats love to climb trees, so it is key that cat owners make sure to fully catproof their tree, ensuring it is well-anchored and keeping all the decorations securely fastened higher up and towards the centre of the tree, so they are less easily accessible.”
She says most cats dislike the sensation of tinfoil on their claws, so you could try wrapping tinfoil around the base of the tree to deter them. And make sure any water in the tree base is kept covered, so no inquisitive pets take a drink.
Christmas decorations can also potentially be hazardous. “Pets love to play and chew anything they can get their paws on,” says Waggel’s spokesperson. “If they swallow decorations which are lying around, they could cause choking and may need to be surgically removed.”
Outdoor hazards
Some other things to be mindful of: antifreeze is highly toxic to pets so make sure yours is securely stored away after you’ve used it, and salt and grit on the pavement and roads can cause irritation to the pads on dogs’ paws, says Waggel’s spokesperson, so make sure to wipe their feet after taking them out for a walk.
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Pilin_Petunyia via Getty Images
Keep the stress levels down
Having people over can be exciting for your pets – but it can also be a stressor. So it’s important to keep an eye on any abnormal behaviour.
“A new issue that many pets will have to get accustomed to this year, is potentially sharing their home with multiple new guests for the first time,” says Dr Butler-Davies.
Socialisation is a crucial stage in development for puppies and kittens, and normally by the time a person collects a new pet, breeders will have begun socialisation by handling them, letting them see people of different ages and appearances, including children, and introducing them to other animal species.
However, continued contact this year has been difficult to keep up during the national and local lockdowns, with many pets only having limited interaction with new people and experiences.
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“Therefore, if people are going to enjoy a socially distanced Christmas gathering this year, it is crucial that they ensure their pet is calm and relaxed,” says Dr Butler-Davies. “The easiest way to achieve this is to create a cosy den with their favourite toys in a quiet area of the house that they can escape to.”