thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Biden Claims Trump Is The First Racist President

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Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, claimed Wednesday that there had never been a racist president in the US until Donald Trump.
Biden made the claim at a virtual town hall on Wednesday after being asked about Trump’s decision to call the coronavirus the “China virus” or “Wuhan virus” whenever he speaks publicly about the pandemic, which places a stigma on Asian people.
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“The way he deals with people based on the colour of their skin, their national origin, where they’re from, is absolutely sickening,” Biden said.
“No sitting president has ever done this,” Biden added. “Never, never, never. No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We’ve had racists, and they’ve existed, they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has.”
The former US vice president said that Trump pitted people against each other to “divide the country, divide people, not pull them together.”
Though Trump is known for making racist remarks, provoking racial tension in the country and attacking people of colour, he is not the first racist elected to the White House.
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There were a number of presidents who either owned slaves, held racist views or were overtly racist.
Many of the early American presidents owned slaves, including George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
President Andrew Jackson, also a slave owner, would order “harsh, even brutal punishment for enslaved people who disobeyed orders,” according to the White House Historical Association. Jackson was also responsible for the Indian Removal Act, which forced Native Americans off their tribal lands in the South so white settlers could grow cotton. The expulsion led to the infamous “Trail of Tears.”
In July 2019, a historian uncovered a recording of Ronald Reagan calling African delegates of the United Nations “monkeys” during a phone call with President Richard Nixon in 1971. Reagan was the governor of California at the time of the call.
“To see those, those monkeys from those African countries — damn them, they’re still uncomfortable wearing shoes,” Reagan told Nixon, according to The Atlantic.
During World War II in 1942, President Franklin D Roosevelt signed an executive order that forced Japanese Americans into prison camps.
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When asked about Biden’s remarks during the White House coronavirus update, Trump boasted about how his administration has benefited Black and minority communities.
“Prior to the China plague coming in, floating in, coming into our country and doing terrible things, we had the best African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, almost every group was the best for unemployment,” Trump said.
Trump added: “Most importantly when you look at criminal justice reform … I’ve done more for Black Americans than anybody with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln. Nobody has even been close.”
Biden has also been accused of racial insensitivity.
In May, he suggested to New York radio host Charlamagne Tha God that Black voters who supported Trump over him “ain’t black.”
Biden later said he “should not have been so cavalier” with his comment and said he’d never “take the African American community for granted.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Starmer Critic Loses Bid To Become Left’s Candidate To Succeed Unite’s Len McCluskey

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Len McCluskey makes a speech during the Durham Miners' Gala. PA
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One of Keir Starmer’s most vociferous critics has failed in his bid to win the Left’s endorsement as the successor to Len McCluskey as the head of the Unite trade union.
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Howard Beckett, who had campaigned explicitly on a platform of attacks on the Labour leader, was confirmed as having lost to Steve Turner for the crucial endorsement of the United Left faction of the 1.2 million member-strong union.
The result will have a key impact on the Labour party, where Unite’s presence on the ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) as well as its role as the biggest donor has been highly influential.
Turner, Unite’s assistant general secretary with responsibility for manufacturing, won the United Left election by 370 votes to 367 after its hustings on Saturday but the result was swiftly called into question by Beckett’s supporters who claimed irregularities in the ballot.
After receiving two reports on the conduct of the election, including one from the independent scrutineers running the ballot, United Left’s ruling committee has now “overwhelmingly” endorsed Turner’s victory.
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Howard Beckett PA
HuffPost UK understands that the committee dismissed claims that one dead member of the union had been allowed to vote, and confirmed that all those who had been eligible to vote had been allowed to do so.
Former Labour general secretary Jennie Formby – who had supported Beckett – was barred from voting as her subscription to the union was not up to date, sources have said.
Some 230 of Beckett’s 367 votes came from Scotland, where the union had launched a big recruitment drive at the Grangemouth oil refinery run by INEOS, whereas Turner’s were spread over the whole of the UK and Ireland.
Candidates for the Unite Left nomination usually agree before the contest not to run against each other in the wider election for general secretary and Beckett’s hopes of succeeding McCluskey appear dashed as a result.
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Beckett had tweeted the day before the hustings that “regardless of the outcome the left will emerge from this united”. The tweet appeared to have been deleted following the hustings and ballot result.
If Beckett were to run in his own right, he risks splitting the Left vote and allowing centre-right candidate Gerard Coyne to win.
In a statement late on Wednesday night, United Left chair Jim Kelly said the election had been “a profoundly democratic process” with the largest turnout and selection vote in its history. “Steve Turner has now been confirmed as the United Left nominee for the position of Unite General Secretary,” he said.
Steve Turner PA
A key ally of former Jeremy Corbyn chief of staff Karie Murphy, Beckett has been vociferous in his criticism of Starmer in his role as one of Unite’s representatives on Labour’s NEC.
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He has attacked the Labour leader for pushing for the reopening of schools and for his sackings of Rebecca Long-Bailey, Ian Lavery and Richard Burgon.
In one tweet he warned Starmer and Boris Johnson against trying to “dump the pandemic fallout on the working class”.
Beckett’s campaign included a pledge, much ridiculed by his opponents, to spend union members’ money on a “Unite TV” station that would be a left-wing rival to Netflix and the BBC.
Centre-right candidate Gerard Coyne is expected to make another bid to lead Unite in the general secretary election, which will start at some point next year, although Turner will be seen as the favourite given his close links to McCluskey.
McCluskey’s term ends in April 2022 but the election to succeed him will take at least 6 months and union sources have confirmed that the race will have to start in 2021.
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Turner, who has been a lifelong member of the union and shop steward, is firmly of the Left and had backed Long-Bailey for leader. But he is seen as more of a pragmatist focused on workers’ rights than publicly challenging the party leadership.
He recently told the New Statesman: “I’m a democratic centralist. It’s our job to steer and guide and influence the leadership, not to have a public spat with the leader of the Labour Party.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Government's Coronavirus Pandemic Planning Branded 'Astonishing Failure'

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The government’s failure to plan for the economic impact of a pandemic like the coronavirus has been branded “astonishing” in a scathing report by financial watchdogs.
The influential cross-party Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the economic reaction to Covid-19 was rushed and has left whole sectors behind. The report is especially damaging given that an extensive report in October 2019 gave the UK a high global ranking of countries’ pandemic preparedness.
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The committee said lack of preparedness could have a “long-term” impact on the economy.
It said the Treasury waited until mid-March, days before the lockdown, before deciding on the economic support schemes it would put in place.
The committee also warned of the impact on children, saying: “It will be a huge task to ensure lengthy school closures do not have long-term or irreversible effects on children and young people’s future health and education.
“Yet, while school closures were predicted in pandemic planning, there seems to have been no plan for how schools and pupils would be supported to continue to learn.”
The PAC urged the government to “learn lessons” from its response and “ensure it doesn’t repeat its mistakes again in the event of a second spike in infections – or another novel disease outbreak”.
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The report stated: “We are astonished by the government’s failure to consider in advance how it might deal with the economic impacts of a pandemic.”
Labour chairwoman of the committee, Meg Hillier, said: “Pandemic planning is the bread and butter of government risk planning, but we learn it was treated solely as a health issue, with no planning for the economic impacts.
“This meant that the economic strategy was of necessity rushed and reactive, initially a one-size-fits-all response that’s leaving people – and whole sectors of the economy – behind.
“A competent government does not run a country on the hoof, and it will not steer us through this global health and economic crisis that way.
“Government needs to take honest stock now, learning, and rapidly changing course where necessary.
“We need reassurance that there is serious thinking behind how to manage a second spike.
“This is not some kind of competition – this is our nation’s lives and livelihoods at stake.”
Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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The report noted that the government had undertaken a pandemic simulation exercise in 2016 known as Exercise Cygnus.
However, it stated: “Exercise Cygnus may have been health-focused but it is astounding that the Government did not think about the potential impact on the economy, and that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was not even aware of the exercise.
“Despite the first reported case of coronavirus being confirmed by the chief medical officer in England on 31 January 2020, the Treasury did not announce plans for significant funding to support businesses and individuals until the Budget on 11 March, and it did not become clear to the Treasury until the following week that a furlough scheme would be needed.
“The lack of prior thinking on the types of schemes that may be required led to a delay in implementation because the Government needed to design the schemes from scratch, particularly in relation to the self-employed scheme where it lacked sufficient, reliable information on who the recipients should be, causing unnecessary uncertainty for businesses and individuals.”
The report also called for more transparency in government decision-making.
It stated: “Decision-making on important issues, such as introducing the Test and Trace programme, has been slow.
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“The government’s response in some areas has been poorly co-ordinated and has not adequately taken into account long-term impacts on people and communities.
“For example, the government’s ‘stop-start’ approach to school closures risks major harm to many children’s life chances, exacerbating already existing inequalities.”
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The study added: “The cabinet office should review crisis command structures to ensure that longer-term decision making, as well as the immediate operational response, is properly informed and coordinated effectively across government.
The PAC report was also highly critical of how the issue of personal protective equipment (PPE) was handled.
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The study said: “There were fundamental flaws in the government’s central procurement and local distribution of vital goods and equipment.
“We recognise that the government was faced with a massive challenge to procure a huge quantity of personal protective equipment (PPE) for 58,000 separate sites including hospitals and care homes. But, despite a pandemic being identified as the government’s top non-malicious risk, it failed to stock up in advance.
“The department of health and social care was not focused enough on the challenge of how to identify need in the care sector and ensure supply of PPE.”
The report also called for greater involvement with businesses regarding their needs.
It stated: “The Treasury should engage with key sectors and industries, such as the aviation sector, to develop bespoke support measures aimed at helping those businesses through the ongoing effects of the pandemic.”
It added: “Central government has not given local authorities the clarity or support they need over longer-term funding.”
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JohnnyGreig via Getty Images
A government spokesperson said: “As the public would expect, we regularly test our pandemic plans, allowing us to rapidly respond to this unprecedented crisis and protect the NHS.
“It was clear that coronavirus would affect all areas of the country, that’s why we immediately put in place an unprecedented initial economic support package for jobs and business worth £160bn.
“The next stage in our economic response will make a further £30bn available to ensure all areas of the UK bounce back.”
“We’re providing over £100m to support children to learn at home and a £1bn Covid catch up fund will directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time, as schools and colleges welcome children back in September,” the spokesperson added.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Sunak Urged To Fund Mental Health Support Amid Claims Coronavirus Bailout Excludes More Than 1m

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Ministers have been urged to boost mental health support amid claims Rishi Sunak’s coronavirus bailout failed to reach people struggling with the financial fallout of the pandemic.
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The chancellor was told on Wednesday that gaps in his emergency wages package - known as the furlough scheme, introduced in March - excluded more than a million people from government help.
MPs said Sunak has “effectively drawn a line” under aiding more than a million people after Covid-19 hit the UK, due to government small-print and special terms.
Now, a letter sent by the Lib Dems to Sunak and the health secretary Matt Hancock, call on the government to step up mental health services to support those on the bread line.
Jamie Stone, a Lib Dem MP and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for Excluded UK - a group representing a coalition of campaigners including freelancers and those unable to claim support because of childcare - said: “The terrible financial pressure on the millions excluded from financial support is putting tremendous strain on people’s mental health.
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“We need action now, not just to support this group financially, but to support the mental health of those affected.
“We are calling on the government to increase funding for mental health support for all groups affected by this pandemic, not least those who are burdened by significant debt.”
Pressure continues to build on Sunak to extend the Covid-19 support package to a number of groups not covered by the furlough scheme.
Chairman of the Commons’ Treasury select committee, Mel Stride, has stressed that more than a million people have not received support from the government and called on the chancellor to “do whatever it takes” to protect people and businesses.
In a letter, Sunak admitted to MPs on the committee that it “is correct that some people have not been eligible” for furlough or self-employment scheme funding, while others, such as PAYE freelancers, do not have a specific scheme.
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However, the chancellor defended the scheme and said that these “were the right policies for the first phase of the crisis”.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunak also said that the Treasury was unable to allow returns for the 2019-20 tax year to be used by people to secure self-employment support as that would create an opportunity for an “organised criminal gang to file fake or misleading returns to claim the grant”.
In response, Stride said: “The chancellor has effectively drawn a line under helping the million-plus people who have been excluded from support for four months.
“Despite stating that he will not pick winners and losers when it comes to sectors and businesses that need support, the chancellor has done this when it comes to households and individuals.
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“The chancellor said that the schemes were designed to be open and accessible to as many people as possible, but the committee remains to be convinced that more people could not have been helped.
“The chancellor initially told those at risk of losing their livelihoods that they would not be forgotten.
“While the government is clear that it is moving on to the next phase of its recovery plan, it cannot just turn its back on those who are suffering.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Yes, You Should Speak Up If Your Family Or Friends Post Something Racist

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Nice white people, including those in your family, can still be racist.
That’s a hard lesson many of us are grappling with as we enter into the second month of protests and conversations spurred on by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
Perhaps in the past, during the holidays or at family get-togethers, you listened through gritted teeth as racist jokes or comments were casually tossed around, frozen from action because, hey, racist uncles are gonna racist uncle. (Plus, did you really want to be that family member who ruins what might be the last Christmas for your 97-year-old grandma?)
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But in light of the protests, many are doubling down with racially insensitive comments and reaction memes: “MLK protested, these are just thugs looting on the streets.” “All lives matter.” “No white person alive today ever owned a slave. No Black person alive today was ever a slave.” “Candace Owens says we shouldn’t be mourning George Floyd because he was far from the perfect victim.” “What about Black-on-Black crime?”
You were silent before, but the stakes feel higher now. You’re probably more well acquainted with recent victims of police brutality, knowing them by their full names and back stories: George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Elijah McClain. Ahmaud Arbery. Tamir Rice. Rayshard Brooks. Atatiana Jefferson. The list goes on and on with a sickening constancy. Just as soon as you commit one person’s face and name to memory, it seems like another incident committed by the police makes headlines.
If you feel compelled to speak up and call out racism when you see it, especially among those you’re close to, you’re hardly alone right now, said Elizabeth McCorvey, a clinical social worker and therapist who offers anti-racism courses in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
“Sometimes speaking up isn’t even about educating the other person so much as it is standing up for your own morals and ethics,” McCorvey said. “It’s saying: Whether or not I change their mind, I refuse to let this happen without saying something. I will always accept the invitation to stand up for what is right.”
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White people need to normalise checking each other when they see racism. Even the most politically sanitised quote cards shared at the height of the protests drove that point home: As we’ve seen, protesting is vital and effective, but there’s also a need to address hatred in your own inner circle, with your own people.
There’s nothing fun about “getting into it” with your family, but calling out implicit bias and racism is one of the most important things you can do as an ally. And this isn’t your standard family disagreement: You can’t “agree to disagree” that Black Lives Matter.
Many of these debates are happening on Facebook: Because of the pandemic, we’re all sitting around on our phones, reacting to updates about anti-racism protests in real time. People you never would have thought had hard-line beliefs about oppression or the Black experience are revealing a lot of interesting thoughts.
Some of those views are problematic. That raises the question: If someone close to you posts something racially insensitive or factually inaccurate on social media, what should you do? Do you have a moral obligation to call it out?
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The long and short of it is yes, you do, said Jacqueline Battalora, an attorney, professor of sociology at Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois, and the author of “Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today.”
“Because Facebook is such a public platform, even if among ‘friends,’ it is important to point out when something is problematic,” she said. “Failing to do so can be affirmation by silence. You don’t have to do it directly; you can indicate that you are happy to talk offline.”
You won’t change everyone’s mind, but you can plant some seeds of thought about how race operates in our country. Below, experts including Battalora and McCorvey offer advice on the best tactic to take with these uncomfortable conversations.
Illustration by Isabella Carapella/HuffPost
Accept that addressing it will likely be uncomfortable.
It’s easy to get worked up: You value your friend or family member’s opinion and it’s painful to see them be so dismissive of Black people’s generational trauma and current experiences: “How could they watch that video ― all 8 minutes and 46 seconds ― and not come away with the same unshakeable belief that things need to change?”
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It hurts to see them miss the mark. Truth-telling can hurt, too; no one wants to draw battle lines or be divisive with people they love, but sometimes it’s necessary. Bringing this topic up or objecting to things said can absolutely change lives for the better.
“You may be potentially saving a Black or brown person from having to risk further traumatisation, and you’re letting the people in your life know where you stand and what your commitment to equity is,” McCorvey said.
“The responsibility for dismantling systems of oppression has been on the shoulders of Black and brown people for a very long time but we can’t do it alone,” she explained.
Don’t shy away from intervening and objecting when you see racism, whether on Facebook or offline. As Paul Kivel explained in “Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Social Justice,” notice code words for race, and the implications of the policies, patterns and comments that are being expressed or supported.
Notice how racism is denied, minimised and justified, even by your family. If someone says, “All lives matter,” break down what that statement gets wrong: There is nothing in the BLM statement that insinuates other lives don’t matter. All lives do matter, but as this moment shows, collectively, we need to do a much better job of protecting the Black lives in our community.
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“Being someone who is against white solidarity and anti-racist means that when you see racism, you have to call it out. And call it out. And call it out. And call it out, even when you’re tired,” McCorvey said.
Understand why your white friends or relatives get defensive when you point out blatant or systemic racism: You’re breaking white solidarity.
When you first hear about the concept of “white solidarity” and the need to break rank from it, it can sound a little weird: After all, you’re not part of some vast white person conspiracy to screw over Black people. You didn’t rally with white nationalists in Charlottesville in 2017. You strive to treat people of all races and ethnicities equally and you’re definitely not a racist.
But as sociologist Robin DiAngelo explains in “White Fragility,” that’s just not how racism works today: It’s systemic and operates quietly. You can be a good person while still reaping the benefits of a deeply racist society, one that favours whiteness. And if you really give it some thought, you’re probably more unconsciously biased than you realise: Racism exists on a spectrum and we all have unconscious and learned racist behaviours and beliefs.
As DiAngelo explains, white solidarity protects those beliefs: Think about all the times you’ve shrugged it off when someone made a racist joke about a Black classmate when they’d left the room. The times an elderly person said a racial slur and you overlooked it because “that was just their generation.” The times you and friends unconsciously grabbed your purses or darted across the street when you saw a Black man approaching. Think about how it happened and how you never thought about it ever again.
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When you break white solidarity with your family or friends ― on Facebook or elsewhere ― you’re probing and questioning that kind of behaviour. It’s unnerving to the other person because they, like all of us, have been taught that only “bad” people can be racist. By calling it out, you’re disturbing their peace and their ability to go on thinking of themselves as non-racist. Avoidance or ignoring comments is exactly why white supremacy still has such a hold in our country today, anti-racist organiser Clare Bayard said.
“White people are born and trained to be its primary defenders,” she said in a 2016 interview. “That is what our role is supposed to be, whether we are active advocates or whether we’re complicit through silence or passivity. If we’re not moving against white supremacy, we are moving with it. We are supporting it.”
By objecting to casual racism and talking about your own racial biases, you’re modelling for them how a “good” person can still have racial biases ― and that it’s possible to address those by becoming more racially conscious. Point the finger inward and take ownership of your mistakes when pointing out white supremacy.
By seeing your example (whether you’re replying or sharing some other experience about race on your personal page), your loved one may swing from being totally offended to begrudgingly (and hopefully later, non-begrudgingly!) appreciative.
Accept that you might not change their mind, but you will get them thinking.
When you try to break white solidarity, you’re showing integrity and doing the hard work but you won’t win over everyone right away or maybe ever, McCorvey said. That cherished older neighbour from your hometown probably won’t join a march with you, but by offering a counterargument to the “Black-on-Black crime” talking point meme she shared, you’ve given her some racial awareness she may have been blind to living in her suburban bubble.
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“Every time you continue to engage with them, you’re planting seeds for thought,” the therapist said. “You might never see the fruits of your labor, but if she chooses to read the article, she might think twice next time she hits the ‘retweet’ button on similar content. That’s progress, too.”
Don’t make it personal.
Be strategic here: Decide what’s important to challenge and what’s not. You don’t want to be troll-ish and reply to everything. You don’t want to hint that your friend is a bigot for their beliefs. You’re not bringing this up to make them feel bad.
Don’t go personal — attack the source of power (systemic racism, police brutality) instead, Battalora said.
“Keep things as factual a possible and try not to let your response focus on an individual,” she said. “I respond in a way that includes me in the social indictment of white structural advantage (‘us white people often ... ’) and I always try to give a historic example to support my point.”
If they describe the largely peaceful protests as “looting” carried out by “a bunch of thugs,” describe to them what you saw with your own eyes when you went out protesting.
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Overall, the most effective way to approach someone is not through shame or with a flood of counter-evidence but through empathy. McCorvey said she often recommends people start the conversation from a place of wanting to learn more: If someone you love posts something racially insensitive, you could say, “I’m surprised to hear you say that. Can you elaborate?”
Not everyone will want to learn and engage but try to make inroads by leading with things you have in common, she said. If your loved one posted something racist, they’re not going to be so blatant to say, “I hate Black or brown people and I want them to suffer.”
“They might assert that they value all life and think everyone has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” McCorvey said. “Well, awesome! You both agree and are on the same page and have somewhere to start.”
From there, talk about how Black Americans’ rights and pursuit of happiness have been severely sidelined by the government long after Emancipation and the end of slavery. (Talk about the Jim Crow era, the prison-industrial complex, redlining, the looming threat of police brutality within Black communities.)
In other words, meet them where they are right now and nudge them to think beyond their own experiences as a white person.
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“If you can stay curious in the conversation, learn where those viewpoints come from, and understand the experiences they have and why it’s led to the conclusions they’ve come to, you might have a better chance at a meaningful dialogue.” she said.
SDI Productions via Getty Images "Being someone who is against white solidarity and anti-racist means that when you see racism, you have to call it out. And call it out. And call it out. And call it out, even when you’re tired," McCorvey said.
Take the conversation offline.
It’s true that the most effective political conversations take place face to face rather than Facebook-to-Facebook, said Tania Israel, a professor at UCSB and the author of “Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide, Skills and Strategies for Conversations that Work.”
Of course, we don’t have much opportunity for those in-person conversations because of social distancing, but you can still text or talk on the phone.
“If you really want to connect, understand, or persuade, the most effective comment is an invitation to set up a time to talk via video or in person and then approach the conversation with curiosity and listening,” Israel told HuffPost.
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Think twice before hitting “unfollow” or deleting the person.
There’s nothing wrong with taking breaks from engaging with your friends or family if they’re posting things that are upsetting. But try to reengage ― and recognise that you can unfollow someone and still commit to having a conversation with them, said George James, a marriage and family therapist and a professor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
“You can hold them accountable but you don’t have to cut off from them,” he said. “You can send them a text saying that you didn’t like their post and you thought it was offensive.”
Unfollowing is easy ― but it’s also a very privileged choice, James said.
“If every Black person cut off everyone who said or did something racist, where would they live, work or go to worship?” he said.
Of course, if your relative is posting racially insensitive or dismissive comments on your posts and you’re worried how it will impact friends who are BIPOC, you have a right to tell them you’re moving the conversation to DMs.
Stay hopeful: Seismic change is happening — and you’re definitely not alone in having these conversations.
The reassuring news is, the public, by and large, is learning and changing from this conversation about race: Since the protests began, U.S. voters’ support for Black Lives Matter has increased nearly as much as it did over the previous two years, The New York Times reported.
Each tough conversation you’re having with your relatives ― each article you’re sharing on your own page ― is making a difference, even if you’re not seeing immediate change in your inner circle. And it’s important to remember that challenging racism is never just about the person or persons you’re trying to “change.”
“It’s a process that impacts you and society,” Battalora said. “The engagement shapes our thinking, helps to understand resistance and sources of fear and anxiety, helps to sharpen our thinking, challenges our emotions and body.”
Lean in to your friends who are broaching these tough conversations now, too, said McCorvey.
“You definitely have friends or followers that are dealing with this exact same thing,” she said. “Start an anti-racist book club to increase your education on the topic, get an accountability partner to practice conversing with, and research anti-racist educators that have published work on how to have thoughtful dialogue with challenging people.” (She noted that the organisation Showing Up for Racial Justice is a good place to start with all of this.)
Remember that you’re calling out those close to you so a Black person doesn’t have to.
Going to bat for anti-racism causes and beliefs is exhausting; Black people have known this for generations. It’s so disheartening getting through to white people, some Black people have said they’ve essentially “given up” on talking to their co-workers, neighbours and friends who are white.
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As writer Reni Eddo-Lodge said in a 2017 Guardian piece: “The journey towards understanding structural racism still requires people of colour to prioritise white feelings. Even if they can hear you, they’re not really listening. It’s like something happens to the words as they leave our mouths and reach their ears. The words hit a barrier of denial and they don’t get any further.”
Black and brown communities depend on us to stay in the conversation about race: They need you to remind your relative that Candace Owens doesn’t speak for all Black people. To counter the tired “bootstrap narrative” pushed by conservative radio and TV, to talk about President Donald Trump’s dangerous track record with people of colour.
The need you to talk about what it means to be Black in America and, more important, what it means to be white. People of colour have historically depended white-on-white conversations happening in the home and still are today, McCorvey said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Upgrade Your Go-To Vegan Dishes With These Tasty One Pot Recipes

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When it comes to weekly meals, it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of making a set repertoire of dishes every seven days – and repeat.
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Thankfully the duo behind So Vegan, Roxy Pope and Ben Pook, are here to inject some newness into our week-night routine.
The pair have been creating delicious vegan recipes since 2016, with the aim of making it easier for everyone to eat delicious, plant-based foods “so people and the planet can thrive”.
Their recipe book One Pot Vegan is a continuation of their mission to make it as easy and fuss-free as possible to get more people eating plant-based food.
From quick dinner tray bakes to tasty fakeaways, the recipes are full of flavour but (clue’s in the name!) easy on the washing up. Here are three recipes from their brand new book including a spicy Caribbean feast, loaded sweet potato wedges and a creamy ‘chicken’ supreme.
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Caribbean Feast
“Feast your eyes on this. It’s a sweet, spicy and savoury fiesta of food, where our very own DIY jerk sauce teams up with fresh fruits and veggies to create a carnival of flavours.”
Serves: 4 | Dish: Large roasting tray | Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 40 mins
One Pot Vegan Caribbean Feast
Ingredients
200g basmati rice
1 x 400g tin of coconut milk
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans
salt and pepper
4 corn on the cob
300g oyster mushrooms
2 ripe plantains
⅛ of a Savoy cabbage
⅛ of a red cabbage
1 lime
3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
1 ripe mango
a handful of fresh coriander
For the jerk marinade:
2 shallots
a thumb of fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves
1 Scotch bonnet chilli
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
vegetable oil
Method
First prepare the jerk marinade. Peel and roughly chop the shallots, ginger and garlic, and put them into a food processor (see tip below if you don’t have a food processor). Remove the stalk from the Scotch bonnet, cut in half and discard the seeds, then pick the leaves off the thyme and add both to the food processor along with the soy sauce, maple syrup, juice from half the lime, allspice, cinnamon, three tablespoons of vegetable oil and pinches of salt and pepper.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas 7. Put the rice into a sieve and rinse until the water runs clear, then transfer to a large roasting tray along with the coconut milk, 250ml of water and pinches of salt and pepper. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add them to the tray, then stir to combine. Cut the sweetcorn cobs in half, rub four tablespoons of the jerk marinade all over them, and add them to the tray. Cover the tray with baking paper or a larger tray, and roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, tear any large mushrooms in half and rub them with the remaining marinade. Peel the plantains, cut them into 1cm-thick slices, put them into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Remove the baking paper from the tray and discard, then add the mushrooms and plantains to the tray, covering the rice to help it steam. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, turning the plantain and mushrooms halfway.
Meanwhile, prepare the slaw by finely chopping the Savoy and red cabbage. Put both into a mixing bowl along with the juice from the remaining lime half and the vegan mayonnaise. Stir to combine and set to one side.
To serve, top the Caribbean feast with the slaw, then peel and dice the mango and scatter over the tray along with the coriander leaves.
Don’t have a food processor? Finely chop the shallots, ginger, garlic and Scotch bonnet and add them to a pestle and mortar. Grind until mostly broken down. Add the thyme leaves along with the remaining ingredients and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Grind into a rough paste.
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Loaded Sweet Potato Wedges
“A celebration of the humble sweet potato. Here we roast them as wedges, as well as blend them to create our very own homemade queso. Delish.”
Serves: 2–4 | Dish: Large roasting tray | Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 45 mins
One Pot Vegan Loaded potato wedges
Ingredients
50g cashews
1.2kg sweet potatoes
salt and pepper
vegetable oil
2 red onions
3 garlic cloves
1 ripe mango
1 red pepper
a handful of fresh coriander, plus extra for topping
1 lime
2 x 400g tins of black beans
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
180ml unsweetened plant-based milk
1 red chilli
1 avocado
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas 7.
Put the cashews into a bowl, cover with hot water from the kettle, and set to one side to soak.
Dice 200g of the sweet potatoes into 1cm pieces and place in the corner of a large roasting tray. Slice the remaining sweet potatoes into wedges, then place at the other end of the tray. Season the wedges with ½ teaspoon of salt and a large pinch of pepper, drizzle over two tablespoons of vegetable oil, and toss to combine. Slice 1 red onion in half, skin on, and add it to the tray along with the garlic cloves (skins on). Roast for 20 minutes.
For the salsa, cut the mango in half around the stone, score the halves in a criss-cross pattern and scoop out the flesh. Dice the red pepper, discarding the core and the seeds. Peel and dice the remaining red onion and roughly chop the coriander leaves, discarding the stalks.
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Add everything to a mixing bowl along with the juice from half the lime, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together.
Take the tray out of the oven and remove the onion, garlic cloves and diced sweet potato. Move the sweet potato wedges around the tray, then return the tray to the oven for 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse the black beans. Add them to the tray along with the Cajun seasoning and gently give everything a mix. Roast for 10–15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is lightly charred.
To make the queso, drain the cashews and transfer them to a high powered blender or food processor, along with the diced sweet potato, roasted red onion and garlic (skins removed from both), nutritional yeast, juice from the remaining lime half, milk, half the red chilli (seeds removed), and large pinches of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Remove the wedges from the oven and scatter over the salsa and half the queso. Thinly slice the remaining chilli and roughly chop the rest of the coriander leaves. Cut the avocado in half, scoop out and slice the flesh, then add it to the wedges, along with the sliced chilli and coriander leaves. Serve alongside the remaining queso.
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‘Chicken’ Supreme
“It turns out fried oyster mushrooms have an uncanny resemblance to chicken, so we combine them with a rich, robust and creamy roux to create this supremely tasty dinner.”
Serves: 4 | Dish: Shallow casserole pan | Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 40 mins
One Pot Vegan 'Chicken' supreme with crusty bread.
Ingredients
500g oyster mushrooms
3 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tbsp chicken seasoning mix
6 shallots
3 garlic cloves
3 tbsp plain flour
200ml dry white wine (or 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar)
500ml vegetable stock
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp herbes de Provence
200g green beans
a small handful of fresh chives
a large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley (20g)
250ml vegan single cream
salt and pepper
sliced baguette, to serve
Method
Slice the oyster mushrooms into 1cm strips. Melt two tablespoons of the vegan margarine in a shallow casserole pan over a medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms, stir in the chicken seasoning and fry for 15–20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are crispy. Remove from the heat, spoon the mushrooms on to a plate and keep to one side.
Meanwhile, peel and chop the shallots and garlic. Melt the remaining tablespoon of vegan margarine in the pan, reduce the heat to medium, then add the shallots and garlic. Fry for four minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Stir in the flour and fry for two minutes, then very slowly pour in the wine, stirring quickly to prevent the flour clumping together and using the wine to deglaze the pan, gathering up as much flavour as possible. Simmer for one to two minutes, then stir in the stock, mustard and herbes de Provence. Trim the ends off the green beans and add the beans to the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the beans are cooked but still have a good bite left to them.
Meanwhile, chop the chives and pick the parsley leaves from their stalks, then roughly chop the leaves. Add the cooked mushrooms, most of the parsley leaves and the vegan single cream to the pan, and cook through for one to two minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the chopped chives, the remaining parsley leaves and freshly ground black pepper, and serve alongside the sliced baguette.
One Pot Vegan by Roxy Pope and Ben Pook of So Vegan is published by Michael Joseph and available to buy now. RRP: £16.99


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--How Face Masks Became A Powerful Symbol Of Expression In Dark Times

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They were once reserved for the faces of the most coronavirus-prepared, those working on the front line against Covid-19 – the clinical blue and white oblongs a visual reminder to everyone at home that an invisible virus was looming.
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Fast forward three or four nauseating months, and here we all are, habitually instructing our hands to loop two elastic bands behind our ears to secure our masks and face coverings in a daily routine that’s now become as familiar as brushing our teeth.
When the government announced, after weeks of prevarication, that face masks would be mandatory on public transport from June 15, even the naysayers had to buy themselves one – or several.
Extremely 2020 problem: I’ve lost my “good” facemask. — Rosalind (@rozya) July 15, 2020
Slowly those blue and white oblongs became ubiquitous: on people’s faces as intended or discarded on street corners alongside a blue plastic glove or two.
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And their ubiquity became a problem. Not only are surgical masks bland in look and feel but, crucially – as has been drilled into us by the government – they are valuable pieces of PPE. Shouldn’t we be saving them for the NHS rather than buying them up as a cheap option for ourselves?
That was certainly the argument made during early lockdown by Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and co. Now, the prime minister has finally announced face coverings will become mandatory in shops across England from July 25.
the_burtons via Getty Images
In the meantime, a culture war has been waging between those happy or at least resigned to wearing masks and those who don’t believe in enforcement – either because they question their efficacy in the fight against Covid-19 or because they see it as an infringement of rights to be told to wear one.
That same culture war is playing out in the US, fuelled by the whims of politicians and the great American public. Meanwhile, in other countries, particularly in parts of Asia where face masks and coverings have been commonplace for decades, people are bemused at what our problem is.
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But like them or not, as masks have become normalised, they have also become personalised.
Inevitably, fashion and sportswear brands – looking to diversify their offering in tough economic times – have capitalised on our demand, with styles and fits available in all the colours of the rainbow. Meanwhile, indie makers have flooded site like Etsy with their own designs, as the DIY mask goes mainstream.
Our face mask or covering now tells the world who we are – they are reflective of our style and quirks; and they are statements of intent, solidarity and identity.
And while a lot of people are still wearing the surgical versions, others are drawn to more experimental designs, as we manoeuvre to find the style and feel that suits us best.
What mask will you choose?
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“The face mask movement can be split into a few categories,” reflects London-based fashion designer Kervin Marc, who has pivoted from reworking vintage army kit to making face coverings during the pandemic.
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“People who somehow could get hold of medical masks; people who wear DIY face coverings; people who have been wearing fashion masks which reflect their personalities; people who are literally wearing full on post-apocalyptic gas masks; and the most stand out trend in masks – the political statement masks due to all the recent protests, especially the Black Lives Matter protests.”
Whether face obscuring and jet-black to protect anonymity at a protest or powder pink and covered in daisies for walks in the park, masks are now as individual to the wearer as piercings, jewellery or tattoos.
For his part, Marc says he is interested in “the warrior aesthetic” that a face mask can lend its wearer.
“Masks are a powerful symbol of defiance in their subversive imagery of the freedom fighter and the rebel,” he tells HuffPost UK. “Masks seem to also be the perfect canvas for artists to make a statement.”
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An item ultimately designed for the most practical of reasons – to protect people close to you from the micro-particles of your breath and, ideally, to protect you from theirs, too – has the power to be both expressive and highly symbolic.
“Bring a mask” was the top piece of guidance given by those who organised marches in the wake of the brutal killing of George Floyd to those attending. Many of those masks were emblazoned with the Black Lives Matter message – enacting as well as communicating it by protecting the wearer.
A mask as creative or political statement becomes cathartic, a symbol of endurance against the oppressive tides of both coronavirus and of racism.
ASSOCIATED PRESS Black Lives Matter protests in London's Hyde Park.
While masks and coverings have become a means of spreading messages of solidarity and individualism, they have also been commodified by brands.
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In the commercial sphere, one label attempting to cut through a crowded marketplace is French brand Le Colonel, with its range of reversible masks.
“Now that it will be compulsory to wear a mask in certain circumstances, people don’t necessarily want this medical blue square on their faces,” says lead designer Rémi, whose collection features a variety of military, 90s throwback and animal print styles.
“People have the choice of what ‘face’ they choose to show on any given day or for different occasions eg. the weekend vs going to work,” Rémi explains (just don’t forget, presumably, to wash your mask before you flip it and reverse it).
“What we choose to wear everyday reflects how we want to present ourselves to ourselves and those around us,” agrees Angela Morris Winmill. “Clothing is a reflection of who we are and our personalities, what we do and how we feel,”
The Australian-born, UK-based artist is behind a virtual art exhibition running at the M1 Art Gallery in London during lockdown, introducing a critical dialogue to discussions of the humbled face mask.
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“The mask became my new canvas and it was exciting coming up with ideas using materials and resources from my home studio,” Morris Winmill explains.
The masks on display in the exhibition were created variously using crushed up dollar bills, blooming flower and barbed wire. One, made from reclaimed computer parts, is priced at £1,000.
The gallery says that this makes it the world’s most expensive face mask, but with the rise in masks made by luxury brands, can it really claim that crown?
Angela Morris Winmill
“The mask is a new tool for expression which can be conveyed through colour, print, design and embellishment. It is important to make it ‘your own’, especially if this becomes the new normal,” says Morris Winmill.
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“We have hundreds of facial expressions the human brain reads,” she adds. “Our new expressions now include a face mask shielding from nose to chin and hiding what we would normally read of someone.”
This idea of mindful presentation resonates with Maria Williams, a designer from Dallas, who carefully matches her handmade masks – which range in hues from gold to midnight blue – to her clothes and accessories. But for her part, she sees real positives in wearing them.
“When most people put on a face mask it likely makes them feel hidden. When I wear my designer face mask, I feel seen,” she tells HuffPost UK of her styling.
“I feel like I am representing a creative expression of myself.”
In her sparkling creations, Williams has extended the concept of the face mask beyond simply covering the wearer’s nose and mouth – pairing the style and material she uses with complementary headdresses, capes and dresses.
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She also likes the idea of emblazoning messages on her masks and coverings to play with the idea that masks somehow silence us.
“To me the face mask is a symbol that calls for us to speak less and listen more,” she says, adding that masks allows us to “hear and understand” different cultural groups and stories outside our lived experience.
But as well as helping us understand each other as individuals, the wearing of face masks or coverings indicate we are going through a shared experience.
As Williams sees it: “Face masks and the Covid pandemic has truly allowed people to retreat, go within literally and figuratively, so that we can listen and observe what’s going on in our world and can bring forth positive change.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--What Drinking On An Empty Stomach Does To Your Body

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Most of us will have had a drink or two on an empty stomach at one point or another – the after work trip to the pub where you didn’t have chance to grab food beforehand, or your mate’s wedding reception where you filled up on Prosecco before the starters came out.
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But what’s happening in the body when you drink without eating first?
Dr Keith Grimes, a GP for online doctor service Babylon Health, explains that when someone drinks alcohol, it is absorbed into the blood stream from the small intestine – the part of the bowel that starts where the stomach ends.
“About 80% of the absorption of alcohol happens here, and it happens quickly,” he says. “The stomach plays an important role in determining how quickly alcohol makes it into the small intestine.”
If your stomach is empty, this happens faster. But if your stomach is full of delicious grub, alcohol enters your bloodstream more slowly – and generally more safely.
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Dr Tony Rao, an NHS consultant and specialist in alcohol and mental health, says eating food usually coats the stomach and slows down absorption of alcohol – but not always. Fatty foods tend to be the exception.
How fast the alcohol enters the bloodstream depends on stomach ‘motility’, he explains, which is basically a fancy term for how fast the stomach empties.
Eating unhealthy fatty foods can increase motility, which results in alcohol entering your bloodstream quicker. “So, eating your kebab and chips may result in alcohol being absorbed sooner than, say, drinking a glass of milk,” he says.
The type of alcoholic drink you have can also determine motility. “Stronger drinks such as spirits and fizzy alcoholic drinks increase motility and speed up alcohol absorption,” says Dr Rao. “Sugary drinks and caffeine reduce motility and delay it.”
People who eat a meal before drinking tend to be better off, because the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream slows down – and the body works to adsorb it in a more manageable way.
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Experts advise against drinking on an empty stomach because of the impact it can have on the body. “The short-term effects of drinking on an empty stomach, particularly stronger alcoholic drinks, can mean a more rapid rise in blood alcohol,” says Dr Rao. As this happens, you’ll feel more drunk quickly and will struggle with thinking clearly and coordinating your body movements.
“Binge-drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous, as the rapid rise in blood alcohol can increase the toxic effects of alcohol on the brain,” he adds.
Alcohol can also irritate the lining of the stomach when combined with stomach acid, which can worsen when the stomach is empty.
In very rare cases, if a person is fasting or starving, significant alcohol consumption can trigger a serious complication called alcoholic ketoacidosis, says Dr Grimes. This is where the metabolism of the body is disrupted and can lead to severe nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
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The condition requires hospital treatment. “Tragically, we saw a young, fit woman die from this,” he says, referring to the death of 27-year-old Alice Burton Bradford, from Brighton, who passed away in her garden after suffering from reported alcoholic ketoacidosis. News reports suggest she had been drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.
For those who do end up drinking and forget to eat, Dr Grimes advises keeping the strength of your drink low and drinking it slowly, or with a still, non-alcoholic mixer. “If possible, have some snacks as an accompaniment,” he suggests.
“It’s something Mediterranean bar owners have known for some time, so the next time you enjoy tapas with your Rioja, be reassured the bar person has your good health in mind.”
Find out more about how alcohol impacts different parts of the body.
If you need help with a drinking problem, call the Alcoholics Anonymous national helpline for free on 0800 9177 650 or email help@aamail.org.
For advice on how to reduce drinking, visit Drinkaware’s website or Alcohol Change UK.
Find alcohol addiction services near you using this NHS tool.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--While We're Confronting Racism, Let's Talk About Colourism Too

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In my early teens, I was bullied by another girl who was lighter-skinned than me – and thus apparently felt she could demean me for my looks.
Her abuse added another layer to the shame and ridicule I already felt about my dark skin. And her colourist name-calling caused me such pain that, one day, my fury manifested itself in an emotional rage – and a hard slap across this girl’s face.
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You know the saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’? It’s a load of bollocks. I had never been in a physical fight before that day, and it remains the only physical fight I’ve ever been in. But years later, her words leave a mark in my memory, a symbol of how harmful colourism can be.
Colourism has its roots in the same seeds as white supremacy: that whiter and brighter denotes better. It’s deeply ingrained in our culture, so much so that we even see young teens like my bully internalise that privilege over their peers.
Growing up, I saw how fetishised light skin defined who society sees as more attractive, more worthy of employment and relationships. I saw how light-skinned friends were the one to be asked out, while guys told me they “like me a lightie”. Even now, there is an unspoken, unrecognised social preference for light-skinned people, who are viewed as the acceptable versions of blackness, viewed as the ones to be heard, listened to, and held up as beautiful.
HuffPost UK Courtesy of the author
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Look at our prominent successful Black people – from Beyoncé Knowles and Mariah Carey to even Barack Obama – and you will see the truth of light skin privilege. Growing up, I don’t think I could name a single black celebrity that I admired that looked the same shade as me. The Black women I saw idolised were always lighter, and always validating the false narratives I told myself.
And the results of that? Colourism makes dark-skinned individuals hate their own skin. I know I did. It strips away your confidence, and makes you feel even further toward the back of the line in an already marginalised and isolated group.
Of course, it’s important to say colourism has not been the only issue in my life. I am a Black woman of African descent, and that alone comes with a myriad of intersectional hurdles I have had to jump over – and sometimes fall under – in the course of my life.
But as the Black Lives Matter movement and the battle against systemic racism continues, I believe it’s important our own community’s issues with skin colour are checked too. The race issues we fight for on intimate and systemic levels can be just as harmful in our own Black and brown communities – and addressing racial injustice must come hand-in-hand with addressing colourism.
Courtesy of the author The author, Tina Charisma
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We’re making gradual progress from what I was exposed to as a young girl. We have come to celebrate the melanated goodness of women like Lupita Nyong’o, Nyakim Gatwech, Alek Wek, Adut Akech – darker-toned women that have paved the way for the needed representation of women who look like me. I will never forget the first time I saw Lupita in conversation with Oprah, who said in the most genuine voice ever: “you are beautiful “ With tears in my ears, I remember thinking: Yes, she is. We are.
As the Ghanaian proverb goes: Aboa bi beka wo a, ne ofiri wo ntoma mu – the people who harm you are often those closest to you. It’s bad enough living through the systemic racism that still determines our opportunities in life without having to deal with this destructive enemy within.
Tina Charisma is a writer, activist and social entrepreneur. Follow her on Twitter at @TinaCharisma and Instagram at @verostina


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--One Direction Quiz: Can You Match The Tattoos With The Singers?

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HuffPost UK
Aside from their ever-changing hair, their colourful personal lives and – oh yeah – their actual music, if there’s one thing One Direction became renowned for during their time in the spotlight was for an expansive array of body art.
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When the group’s profile began to expand in the early 2010s, so did their collection of tattoos, with Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik (though, interestingly, not Niall Horan) each showcasing a unique and increasingly elaborate collection of ink.
The question is – just how recognisable are each of their tattoos?
To commemorate the 10-year anniversary of 1D being put together on The X Factor, we’ve picked a selection of Harry, Liam, Louis and Zayn’s tats. All you have to do is work out which one of them each belongs to.
See how you get on, but be warned, it’s not as easy as you might think...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--10 Years Of One Direction: Their Story In Pictures

HuffPost UK
It’s now been 10 years since One Direction were put together during the seventh series of The X Factor, and pop history was made.
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And, forgive us slipping into X Factor clichés, but what a journey they’ve been on in that time.
From five baby-faced young singers, the band went on to become one of the biggest pop acts of the decade, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, touring all over the world and making household names out of members Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik.
We don’t know about you, but the anniversary has got us feeling all kinds of nostalgic, so let’s take a look back at 1D’s incredible story in pictures, starting at the very beginning...
2010
ITV
As we all know, One Direction actually all intended to appear on the X Factor as solo acts, so each of them auditioned individually. Here’s a 16-year-old Harry already charming everyone with his version of Isn’t She Lovely.
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ITV
Two years on from his first try at The X Factor, 16-year-old Liam Payne powered his way through Michael Bublé’s Cry Me A River, winning over all of the judges (including Cheryl Cole, with whom he would go on to have a child seven years later).
ITV
Louis’ audition didn’t actually air on the main show, but after seemingly spending the whole morning straightening his hair, he got a yes from each of the judges.
ITV
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Similarly, Zayn – or Zain as he was then known – only had his audition shown on The Xtra Factor, rather than the main show. He performed a cover of Let Me Love You by Mario.
ITV
Niall was the only one of the 1D boys who didn’t quite nail his audition. Guest judge Katy Perry told him to potentially audition a few years later, while Simon Cowell told him he was underprepared and had oversold his talent. Still, he managed to win a spot at boot camp, where One Direction was formed.
Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock
After failing to impress with their dance abilities, the five members of One Direction were given a “lifeline” when they were put together as a group.
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Their first performance together as a cover of Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn, which they performed at Simon Cowell’s house, although their chances were almost scuppered after Louis was stung by a sea urchin and had to be rushed to hospital.
Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock
As we know, though, the group managed to make it to live shows, where they quickly made an impression on the British public.
Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock
Highlights included this Halloween performance...
Ken McKay/Shutterstock
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...and this rendition of Kids In America (during what was supposed to have been “American anthems” week, but we’ll let them off for covering a British singer since it’s them).
Beretta/Sims/Shutterstock
You may recall there were also a lot of onesies about during this period.
Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock
The band did a great job on X Factor, managing to avoid the bottom two every single week and making it all the way to the final, where they duetted with Robbie Williams (almost a decade later, Louis would join Robbie on the X Factor judging panel, alongside the singer’s wife, Ayda Field).
Ken McKay/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock
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Ultimately, it was Matt Cardle who the public chose as their winner, but Simon Cowell clearly saw something in 1D, and signed them to his label after the series ended.
2011
Mcpix Ltd/Shutterstock
The following summer, One Direction unveiled their debut single What Makes You Beautiful, and they went on the promo offensive.
ITV/Shutterstock
This included a performance on Simon Cowell’s ill-fated series Red Or Black...
Steve Meddle/Shutterstock
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...celebrating Niall’s 18th birthday first thing in the morning on the now-defunct Daybreak...
Steve Meddle/Shutterstock
...and, of course, cosying up to Rustie Lee in the This Morning kitchen.
Hugh Thompson/Shutterstock
Ultimately their hard work paid off, and they were rewarded with their first UK number one.
Rob Cable/Shutterstock
And what better way to celebrate than with a massive food fight at G-A-Y, right?
Getty Images
Soon afterwards, the group released their first album, Up All Night, which reached number two in the UK and spawned singles One Thing and Gotta Be You.
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Shutterstock
To promote the album, they also embarked on their first headlining tour, performing in theatres and small venues around the UK.
Vivid/Shutterstock
Capitalising on their popularity, a range of dolls was also released and as you can see, the quality of the resemlance differed quite drastically from member to member...
2012
Dave Hogan via Getty Images
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This was around the time things really began to blow up for 1D, beginning with their first ever Brit Award win, for Best British Single.
The Washington Post via Getty Images
As their profile began to grow on the other side of the Atlantic, US, Australia and New Zealand dates were added to the Up All Night tour, including a handful of area shows.
NBC via Getty Images
They also made their debut on Saturday Night Live, where there was apparently an unlimited chinos budget.
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MCT via Getty Images
Back on their home turf, the group were invited to perform What Makes You Beautiful during the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony, where they were one of the newest acts on the line-up of mostly British performers.
Jason LaVeris via Getty Images
That year, One Direction also made their VMAs debut, performing One Thing during the ceremony, where they were flanked by their devoted fans.
Frank Trapper via Getty Images
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One Direction scooped all three of the awards they were nominated for that night, including Best New Artist, making them the biggest winners of the night (sidenote: remember Zayn’s blond fringe? Dreamy).
New York Daily News via Getty Images
As a nice end to what had been a mammoth year for the group, they also headlined a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York. Even more excitingly, it seemed they were finally ready to put the chinos behind them.
2013
Kiyoshi Ota/EPA/Shutterstock
Continuing their global domination, 1D began 2013 by arriving in Japan, posing for this photo (judging from Zayn’s face) roughly five minutes after getting off their long haul flight.
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Vevo
The band looked back on their world travels in the music video for their Comic Relief single One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks), which included this choice cameo from then-PM David Cameron.
John Marshall/Invision/AP
As well as performing the song at the Brit Awards, One Direction picked up the first ever Global Success prize during the ceremony.
The category was a divisive one, as some felt it had only been introduced so 1D could win an award, after losing the British Group title to Mumford & Sons.
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The Take Me Home tour, in support of One Direction’s second album, would take them all over the world, and kept them busy for much of the year.
Shutterstock
Fortunately, they were able to take some time out so they could be immortalised in wax at Madame Tussauds, gifting us this photo of Harry with what seems to be an enormous pair of tweezers up his nose.
Shutterstock
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The figures were eventually unveiled in mid-2013. See if you can tell who’s made of wax in the photo above...
Vevo
One Direction also underwent some pretty impressive transformations for the music video for Best Song Ever, the lead single from their third album, Midnight Memories. Zayn’s was our favourite, obv.
Jon Furniss/Invision/AP
The music video was interspersed with clips from This Is Us, One Direction’s 3D concert film, which people were doing a lot of back in 2013.
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The film’s London premiere was also where Zayn and then-fiancée Perrie Edwards revealed to the world that they were engaged. Zayn and Perrie eventually split in 2015.
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This year’s VMAs was another biggie for One Direction, who won Song Of The Summer for Best Song Ever (although admittedly it was also the year that Miley Cyrus twerked on Robin Thicke wearing a nude leotard and a foam finger, so we’ll forgive you for forgetting that).
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It seemed the tide was beginning to turn, though, and 1D were actually booed by some audience members when they picked up the award, sparking the wrath of Lady Gaga at the time.
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The end of the year saw One Direction releasing their third album, Midnight Memories, showcasing a more mature and instrument-driven sound.
To promote the release, the band took part in a seven-hour live-stream, which was all kinds of chaotic, but fans obviously loved it.
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The stream featured a cameo appearance from Simon Cowell and Liam learning to wrestle (which is why he’s dressed like that, btw).
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There was also this musical number...
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...and even an interview with Piers Morgan, for some reason.
2014
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Most of 2014 was devoted to – you guessed it – another world tour. This time around, though, One Direction played only at stadiums for the first time.
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It was also a good time to watch Harry’s hair get longer...
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...and longer...
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...and longer again (and yes, that’s Courtney Love he’s cosying up to).
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Still, let’s not overlook 2014′s finest One Direction hair moment...
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...the Zayn strand. What a time to be alive.
2015
YouTube/Mok Mok
After the release of their fourth album – the imaginatively-titled Four – One Direction embarked on their On The Road Again tour, their fifth in as many years.
Life in the band was clearly beginning to get to band member Zayn Malik, who dropped out of the tour due to stress in March 2015, announcing a week later that he’d quit the band completely.
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A few weeks later, Zayn made his first red carpet appearance since leaving the band, walking the red carpet at the Asian Awards in London with his mum as his guest.
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He also debuted a new buzzed hairstyle, and while we were sad to see the end of the Zayn strand, we can’t pretend we weren’t loving this style too.
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Meanwhile, the rest of the band announced that they would be continuing One Direction as a four-piece following Zayn’s departure. Louis was apparently determined to make every red carpet a fun-filled one in their former bandmate’s absence.
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This included continuing the rest of the On The Road Again tour, all the while secretly recording their fifth – and, so far, final – album Made In The A.M.
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Anyone who worried how 1D would fare without Zayn needn’t have, though. Their first post-Malik single Drag Me Down – which saw the band playing astronauts in the accompanying music video – topped the singles chart here in the UK.
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By the end of the year, it had been announced that One Direction were heading towards a hiatus, but before they hung up their chinos and hairspray, they had to return to their own stomping ground for one last performance.
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A few weeks later, they marked their last TV performance as a group, during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
2016
Twitter/Louis Tomlinson
The beginning of the new year was an especially exciting one for Louis, who celebrated the arrival of his baby son, Freddie, by tweeting this photo, alongside the message: “Meet my little lad, Freddie.”
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That same month, the band unveiled the music video for their last single, History, which interspersed clips from their six years in the spotlight, as well as a poignant farewell scene at the very end.
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Although One Direction’s hiatus was only supposed to last around 18 months, the band are yet to reunite, with each of them enjoying varying levels of solo success.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--19 Batsh*t Crazy Photos That Show Just How Dedicated One Direction's Fans Were

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One Direction would have been nothing without their millions of adoring fans. And no matter where in the world Harry, Zayn, Liam, Niall and Louis were, their fans would always be right behind them.
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And we’re not just talking about stadiums and TV studios – Directioners were so dedicated that they would turn up outside the band’s family homes, on the golf course and even on the same plane.
So, if you’d forgotten just how heeeeuuuuge the British boy band were during the height of their fame, then these 19 batshit crazy photos will remind you...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--One Direction Fans On Ten Years Of Fandom And The Legacy Of The Boyband That Changed Everything

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“Remember Futureproof? No, of course you don’t. And that’s why you shouldn’t bother remembering One Direction either,” music writer Stuart Heritage wrote in The Guardian in 2010. “Like Futureproof, One Direction are an X Factor boyband slung together from solo audition leftovers. And, like Futureproof, they aren’t long for the world. What a waste of so many good Justin Bieber haircuts.”
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It isn’t easy to remember that small window of time early in the audition phases of X Factor 2010 when One Direction were just another budding boyband, but it makes perfect sense that critics would have denounced them as just another bunch of wannabes.
After all, even by 2010, The X Factor had already developed a reputation for producing artists that struggled to hold onto their fame for longer than five minutes.
“This isn’t the last you’ll see of us!” became the death croak of many bands and solo artists as they tearfully clutched onto Dermot O’Leary for support as Simon Cowell and his cohort of judges clapped sympathetically.
One Direction fans have been reflecting on 10 years of fandom Getty
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But One Direction were so different. Others X Factor acts did enjoy major success too - let’s not forget Little Mix, Olly Murs, Alexandra Burke and Leona Lewis. But One Direction’s level of fame surpassed anything that modern audiences had seen.
Fans and non-fans alike widely agree that such intense levels of fandom hadn’t been seen since The Beatles in the 1960s, and records stacked up: One Direction sold 70 million records in five years.
To give some context, David Bowie just sold double that across his 54-year career.
Directioners, as the band’s fans were affectionally called, made news for forming unprecedented mobs outside hotels, at airports and outside concert venues. For years, the boys would discreetly exit buildings to remain safe, and to keep fans safe too.
Ten years on since the band were formed on The X Factor, how has the One Direction fandom shaped the lives of fans today?
One Direction meet fans at an album signing Getty
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“I got my first job in music eight years ago from trying to sneak backstage to a 1D concert,” says Claudia Villarreal, 26, who lives in Los Angeles. “I met someone who offered to help me and in return, when I told them I’d love to work a show, they called me and I never stopped working.
Claudia describes herself as a One Direction superfan and first began following the band when she realised they were the same age as her, and seemed to share the same sense of humour.
“The One Direction fandom completely changed my life and I wouldn’t be living in LA and working in music, had I not found them,” she adds. “They gave me the drive to do what I didn’t know I wanted to do as a career.”
Claudia now works at the record label KYN Entertainment as the Community and Engagement Manager and was employed by CEO Sonny Takhar, who is the ex-president of Syco Records, Simon Cowell’s label.
“My work is dependent on what I experienced, and the relationships I built, from the 1D fandom,” says Claudia, who is based in the US but travelled to the UK, Australia and Canada to see the band perform in their heyday.
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Claudia meeting One Direction's Harry and Louis Claudia Villarreal
“I spent my free time with friends I had made from the fanbase. Friendships that still hold strong even all these years later. I would definitely say One Direction is a part of my identity, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Never in a million years did I think being a ‘professional superfan’ would be a job, but it’s mine.
“I actually turned 20 years old on the tarmac of a private airport (Luton) in London waiting for 1D to arrive with my friends,” she adds. “I saw them three nights running at Wembley Stadium and the longest I camped was for fourteen hours to get front-row barrier. I stayed outside with friends I had met on Twitter, lived off McDonald’s and the free cookies from the Double Tree where I was staying. I would do it all over again.”
Dimple Ambasana, 21, from London, created a fan account on Twitter for One Direction in 2011 and has gained over 25,000 One Direction fan followers. “I still talk to a few of the same people that I followed nine years ago,” she tells me.
“I'd never seen anything like it... People running after SUVs and ultimately risking their lives...” - Dimple, 21, who runs a One Direction fan Twitter account
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Dimple believes One Direction fans on Twitter shaped social media stan culture as it exists today.
“I’d never seen anything like it,” she says. “Seeing people running after SUVs and ultimately risking their lives on the streets of New York just to catch a glimpse of five guys from different parts of the UK and Ireland was insane.
“I vividly remember major moments that happened amongst the fandom purely because of the way everyone on Twitter reacted. The fight between One Direction and The Wanted, songs getting leaked, brand new pictures or videos from their tour, One Direction performing in front of the Queen of England and at the Olympics...the list could go on!”
Dimple, a One Direction superfan who made a Twitter account which gained 25,000 followers Dimple
Gaining a following on social media allowed fans like Dimple to form communities and support networks, which were formative for her at an early age. Dimple was eleven when she started tweeting about One Direction and the fandom helped her form her identity as a young person.
“Not only did those five men give me the confidence to break out of my shell as a 11/12 year old, but the fandom was a safe space for so many, myself included,” she reflects.
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“I definitely would not be the person that I am today if it wasn’t for everything that I learned from so many incredible people within the fandom that were constantly willing to talk, no matter what time of the day it was.”
“I definitely would not be the person that I am today if it wasn’t for everything that I learned from so many incredible people within the fandom” - Dimple, a One Direction superfan
“Everyone just seemed to have each others’ backs and enabling myself to have that kind of safe haven as someone growing up in suburban West London, where people aren’t as open minded as I’d like, definitely helped me in so many ways,” she adds.
Perhaps part of the reason One Direction managed to encourage fans to embrace themselves as individuals was because each of the band members had their own distinct sense of style.
Unlike the highly engineered boy bands that came before them like Boyzone and Westlife, One Direction didn’t wear matching suits, perform naff choreography or just sing cheesy ballads. Instead, they embraced their differences.
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“I think they broke the boyband mould in that they were themselves, as much as they could have been. They each had a personality somewhat created for them (Zayn was the moody one, Niall was the cute one), but outside of that they were still themselves,” says Jennifer, 20, an account manager in London.
One Direction meet fans Getty
“They’ll be remembered for their individuality within the band, alongside their amazing humour, talent and genuine love for their fans,” adds Millie, 15, who was only 6 years old when the band formed in 2010.
They may have retained more of their individuality than other boy bands, but ultimately Millie believes the pressures of being signed to a major label restricted their independence and made them unhappy.
“I think being in the band kind of messed them up a bit personally,” she says. “I’d like them to have a reunion and tour again, but only if that makes them happy and it’s what they want.”
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One Direction fan Millie, right, with her sister Jessie, left, standing with One Direction cutout figures of Harry and Niall Millie and Jessie
The band’s image gained them a male fanbase too, as young guys their age lived vicariously through how the boys appeared to be living the dream: they enjoyed freedom through travelling, and seemed to have great banter in interviews.
“I always think of One Direction as basically just university boys that never went to uni,” says Richard, 25, a civil servant who works in London.
“Had they not been international stars they probably just would have ended up in a similar situation to me,” he adds. “It was a novelty being a One Direction fan. If you manage to find a group of likeminded fans, normally girls, you’d connect and have a crazy little dance session. These were magical.”
Many of the Twitter fan groups that were hotly posting tips and news about the boys back in the day are quiet now, not least because many fans may have moved to TikTok and Instagram in the years since the band went on hiatus. Of course, others will simply have moved on.
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One Direction sign autographs for fans at an American shopping mall Adam Bettcher via Getty Images
Jennifer believes the fandom will live on though, and Dimple still receives five to ten messages a day to her Twitter account about the band.
“I definitely think the fandom has lasted,” says Jennifer. “We may not be as vocal day-to-day as we once were when the boys were touring and making music day in and day out, but a lot of the fans are still friends with each other thanks to the internet.”
“I’ve vowed to buy a ticket to their first ever show back, no matter where it is in the world” - Jennifer, 20, from London
She adds: “I’ve made friends for life through One Direction. I went to LA in February and stayed with a friend I met through the boys. It was my birthday over the weekend and a friend I met in Sydney came to my picnic in the park in Primrose Hill. Lifelong friendships were made during One Direction’s prime and we don’t necessarily need annual albums to maintain those relationships.”
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Naturally, those that still identify with the fandom hope the band will eventually release more music.
“Once a reunion - and there will be a reunion one day - is announced, the fandom will be just as noisy and just as obsessed as we were back in the day,” believes Jennifer. “I’ve vowed to buy a ticket to their first ever show back, no matter where it is in the world.”
“The only thing we don’t want is a goodbye tweet: we don’t want One Direction to be over.” - Alivia, 17
“We would all love a reunion and for the band to get back together, but not if that costs their happiness and freedom,” adds Alivia, 17, a student from Michigan who was just 7 when the band were formed.
“The only thing we don’t want is a goodbye tweet: we don’t want One Direction to be over. Even though it has been five years, they still made us a promise that this is not the end.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--10 Years Of One Direction

10 Years Of One Direction

10 Years Of One Direction
10 years ago, Simon Cowell decided to bring together four solo acts on X Factor to create boy band One Direction. Since that fateful moment, Zayn, Niall, Harry, Louis and Liam went on to takeover the world with four albums and 326 shows across four global tours to become the biggest boy band that the world has ever seen. Here’s everything you need to know about One Direction.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--Trump Cancels Republican Convention In Florida As Coronavirus Cases Soar

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Donald Trump has said he would no longer be holding a large gathering in Florida next month to accept the Republican Party’s presidential nomination after a spike in coronavirus cases in the state.
“The timing for this event is not right,” Trump said in a White House press briefing. “It’s just not right with what’s happened recently, the flare up in Florida. To have a big convention it’s not the right time.”
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The convention, initially slated to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, had been moved to Jacksonville, Florida, after North Carolina’s governor refused to guarantee Trump could hold a large event in the state.
Republican delegates would still be meeting in Charlotte, the original venue for the convention, on the week beginning August 24, Trump said.
He added he would still give a convention speech but “in a different form” and said there were plans for so-called “telerallies” during the week.
Trump said he had already informed Florida’s governor of the decision, which comes as the United States grapples with large numbers of new Covid-19 cases outside of the north east of the country, the region hit hardest in the early months of the outbreak.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-23--New £400bn Tax On House Price Rises ‘Would Help Young Avoid Covid-19 Debts’

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Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
A new £400bn tax on house price rises should be used to protect young people from the unfair impact of coronavirus, a leading think tank has urged.
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The centre-right Social Market Foundation warned that without radical moves to find extra tax on “unearned” income, the UK faces an unsustainable national debt and stagnant growth that will blight the lives of future generations.
In a move that could be seized on by both Labour and Tory MPs searching for fresh ideas, its latest report suggests the Treasury could raise £629 billion over the next 25 years by imposing a new “Property Capital Gains Tax” on all homes sold in the UK.
The tax, which could be set at 10% of the increase in the value of the property since it was last sold, could raise so much money that it could help abolish stamp duty and inheritance tax on property, leaving the chancellor with £421bn to repair the public finances.
The report follows intense debate in recent weeks over whether a ‘wealth tax’ on assets of the better off could be used to avoid tax hikes for the wider public
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Labour’s shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds suggested she was looking at the idea and even the Tory party is reported to have polled the popularity of the measure.
Economist and former Corbyn adviser Richard Murphy estimated that the Treasury has the potential to raise up to £174bn a year to help cope with the Covid-19 crisis if it taxed wealth at the same rate as income.
Unearned wealth from house price rises is seen by some on both sides of the political spectrum as one way of avoiding hikes in income tax, National Insurance or VAT, all of which are ruled out by the last Tory manifesto.
Many Tories want to find a way to abolish stamp duty altogether, as well as slash inheritance tax, both of which they view as penalising aspirational voters.
Written by Michael Johnson, a former banker and actuary, the SMF report argues that the fairest place to levy new taxes is “unearned” gains on residential property - rather than on taxes on wages.
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Once mortgage debt is taken into account, the equity in UK homes is worth more than £5 trillion pounds, a figure that has more than doubled in the last 20 years.
Rishi Sunak last week ordered a Treasury review of capital gains tax, looking at how capital gains are taxed compared to other types of income. He has also slashed stamp duty on homes for a temporary period to stimulate the housing market.
The new tax would fall largely on older people, who own most of Britain’s property, and those who inherit property and then sell it.
Even with the pandemic, house price rises in the UK are seen as having weathered the storm and are expected to increase further with any uptick in the economy.
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Based on ONS data, Johnson calculates that the average pensioner household has net property wealth of £272,900, compared to £53,700 for those aged 25-34. In total, pensioner households own £2,149 billion in property equity.
Johnson said: “The vast £5 trillion pool of equity in homes presents the Treasury with an opportunity to pay for the economic damage done by the coronavirus, through the introduction of a capital gains tax on the unearned gains in the value of property.
“The alternative is that the young will have to pay for a debt-laden future. They are already hugely disadvantaged, financially, relative to older generations. Asking them to bear the burden of this crisis in the decades ahead would be unfair and unreasonable.”
The report follows last week’s projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility showing that the huge costs of the coronavirus crisis, coming on top of weak public finances, put Britain on course for record-breaking levels of debt.
The OBR’s most recent figures show public sector net debt (PSND) increasing from 86% of GDP in 2017-18 to 283% of GDP in 2067-68. If interest rates turn out to be 1% higher than modelled, then debt would rise to over 350% of GDP.
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The same forecast shows public sector net borrowing (PSNB) increasing from 2.2% of GDP to 20.2% of GDP in 2067-68. The UK has never run a deficit in excess of 10% of GDP, except in wartime.
The report also argues that without significant action to arrest the growth of the debt, Britain faces “Japanification”, repeating Japan’s modern experience of low growth, deflation, a huge debt-to-GDP burden and low interest rates, all aggravated by an ageing population.
James Kirkup, director of the Social Market Foundation, said: “These reforms are bold, far-reaching and could be politically controversial: the older voters who own most British property are a powerful group.
“But the scale of the coronavirus crisis and the unprecedented outlook for the public finances mean that responsible politicians of all parties must be prepared to embrace new ideas and take bold action.
“Failure to act risks severe economic and social harm. A post-crisis era where the costs of the crisis fall more heavily on the young than the old could strain the social contract between the generations to breaking point.”