thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-25--'Major Incident' Declared In Bournemouth As Thousands Flock To Beaches

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A major incident has been declared in Bournemouth after thousands of people flocked to the town’s beaches on the hottest day of the year.
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Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council leaders said they had been forced to initiate an “emergency response” on Thursday, with additional police patrols and extra parking enforcement. It comes as huge crowds turned out for a second consecutive day amid the heatwave.
“We are absolutely appalled at the scenes witnessed on our beaches, particularly at Bournemouth and Sandbanks, in the last 24-48 hours,” council leader Vicki Slade said.
“The irresponsible behaviour and actions of so many people is just shocking and our services are stretched to the absolute hilt trying to keep everyone safe.”
The council said it had issued a record 558 parking fines as people descended on Bournemouth’s beaches, while more than 41 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from along the coastline on Wednesday and Thursday.
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There were also a number of incidents involving “excessive alcohol and fights”, the local authority warned.
Urging visitors not to travel to the area’s beaches, Slade added: “The numbers of people descending down here are like those seen on a bank holiday.
“We are not in a position to welcome visitors in these numbers now or to deal with the full range of problems associated with managing volumes of people like this.”
Tobias Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, said there had been half a million visitors to Dorset, adding that he had asked the police minister to dispatch additional officers to the county to deal with the issue if they were needed.
‘MAJOR INCIDENT’ declared in BOURNEMOUTH - pls stay away.
With 1/2 million visitors in Dorset, roads are gridlocked, hindering emergency vehicles & beaches are full - with Dispersal Orders on both piers.
I’ve asked Police Minister to dispatch additional police if Dorset requests pic.twitter.com/YnSpfdXOLc — Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) June 25, 2020
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Dorset Police’s assistant chief constable Sam de Raya said: “The declaration of a major incident allows us to bring agencies together so we can take actions available to us to safeguard the public as much as possible.
“We are also reliant on people taking personal responsibility and strongly advise members of the public to think twice before heading to the area. Clearly we are still in a public health crisis and such a significant volume of people heading to one area places a further strain on emergency services resources.
“This influx of visitors to our area places a significant increase in demand on our service and we would ask people to please bear with us”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-25--Rebecca Long-Bailey Sacked As Shadow Education Secretary

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Rebecca Long-Bailey has been sacked as shadow education secretary by Labour leader Keir Starmer for sharing an “anti-Semitic conspiracy theory”.
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Long-Bailey was removed from the shadow cabinet on Thursday after she Tweeted an article that included a claim the US police learned the tactics that killed George Floyd from Israel.
In the interview with The Independent, actress Maxine Peake said: “The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.”
Maxine Peake is an absolute diamond https://t.co/uzxPEm8VkI — Rebecca Long-Bailey (@RLong_Bailey) June 25, 2020
A spokesperson for the Israeli police told the newspaper: “There is no tactic or protocol that calls to put pressure on the neck or airway.”
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Long-Bailey tweeted the article along with the comment: “Maxine Peake is an absolute diamond.”
A spokesperson for Keir Starmer said: “This afternoon Keir Starmer asked Rebecca Long-Bailey to step down from the shadow cabinet.
“The article Rebecca shared earlier today contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.
“As Leader of the Labour Party, Keir has been clear that restoring trust with the Jewish community is a number one priority.
“Anti-Semitism takes many different forms and it is important that we all are vigilant against it.”
In a follow up tweet before she was sacked, Long-Bailey added: “I retweeted Maxine Peake’s article because of her significant achievements and because the thrust of her argument is to stay in the Labour Party.
In a statement afters he was fired, Long-Bailey said the clarification had been agreed with Starmer’s office, but she was then told to delete both tweets.
“Today I retweeted an interview that my constituent and stalwart Labour Party supporter Maxine Peake gave to the Independent. Its main thrust was anger with the Conservative government’s handling of the current emergency and a call for Labour Party unity,” she said.
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“These are sentiments are shared by everyone in our movement and millions of people in our country. I learned that many people were concerned by references to international sharing of training and restraint techniques between police and security forces.
“In no way was my retweet an intention to endorse every part of that article.
“I wished to acknowledge these concerns and duly issued a clarification of my retweet, with the wording agreed in advance by the Labour Party leader’s Office, but after posting I was subsequently instructed to take both this agreed clarification and my original retweet down.
“I could not do this in good conscience without the issuing of a press statement of clarification. I had asked to discuss these matters with Keir before agreeing what further action to take, but sadly he had already made his decision.
“I am proud of the policies we have developed within the party from our green industrial revolution to a national education service and I will never stop working for the change our communities need to see.
“I am clear that I shall continue to support the Labour Party in parliament under Keir Starmer’s leadership, to represent the people of Salford and Eccles and work towards a more equal, peaceful and sustainable world.”
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Starmer is expected to appoint a new shadow education secretary in the days ahead.
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Mike Katz, the national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said Long-Bailey’s sacking was welcome.
“We have consistently maintained that the pervasive culture of antisemitism, bullying and intimidation can only be tackled by strong and decisive leadership. The culture of any organisation is determined by the values and behaviours of those who lead them,” he said.
“We hope that the Party, at every level, reflect and learn from this action.”
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is expected to soon publish its report into accusations of ant-Jewish racism in the Labour Party.
Long-Bailey was a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn and flew the flag for the left of the party in the leadership contest when he stood down.
Corbyn’s leadership of Labour was dogged by repeated claims he tolerated anti-Semitism in the party ranks - something he has strongly denied.
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Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, thanked Keir Starmer for his “swift action”.
Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge, who is Jewish, tweeted: “This is what a change in culture looks like. This is what zero tolerance looks like. This is what rebuilding trust with the Jewish community looks like.”
But John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor, and ally of Long-Bailey, said he wanted to “stand in solidarity with her”
“Throughout discussion of antisemitism it’s always been said criticism of practices of Israeli state is not anti-Semitic,” he said.
And Jon Trickett, a shadow cabinet minister during Corbyn’s time as leader, criticised Starmer’s move.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-25--DHSC: UK Records 149 More Coronavirus Deaths In 24 Hours, Bringing Total To 43,230

A coronavirus ward in north west London London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust/Steve Watkins
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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 43,230 – an increase of 149 over 24 hours.
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Since the end of April, the government’s daily announcement has included people in care homes and the community, rather than just in hospital, who have died.
But only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 are included, meaning anyone who died with a suspected case won’t be recorded.
The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Wednesday.
149 deaths were reported in the most recent 24-hour period. Statista
It comes after the number of people who have died in hospitals across the UK, as well as care homes in Wales, after contracting the virus rose by 63 in 24 hours.
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That increase consisted of 55 in England, two in Scotland and six in Wales. Northern Ireland reported zero deaths.
NHS England said the patients who died were aged between 49 and 98 years old. One patient, aged 70, had no known underlying health conditions.
Meanwhile, the government has not published the number of people who have been tested for coronavirus for several weeks.
As of 9am on Thursday, there had been 8,710,292 tests completed, with 167,023 in the past 24 hours. The true number of tests is likely to be much lower as many patients are tested more than once for the virus.
Infographic supplied by Statista.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Armed Police Respond To 'Serious Incident' In Glasgow City Centre

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A suspected knife attacker has been shot dead after a police officer and five others, including two teenagers, were stabbed during a “serious incident” at a hotel in Glasgow city centre.
The incident is not being treated as terrorism, Police Scotland has said.
All six injured people, including the 42-year-old officer who is in “critical but stable” condition, are being treated in hospital. He was later named as constable David Whyte.
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The other victims are men aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53 and have not yet been named.
There is currently a heavy police presence around the Park Inn in West George Street with more than a dozen emergency vehicles. Authorities said the incident was “contained” and there is no danger to the general public.
HuffPost UK understands the Park Inn Hotel, which armed police were seen entering is temporarily home to asylum seekers – though it is not known if there were other guests as well. Two receptionists are believed to be among those injured.
The scene in West George Street, Glasgow. PA
Police Scotland assistant chief constable Steve Johnson said: “The individual who was shot by armed police has died. Six other people are in hospital for treatment to their injuries including a police officer, who is in a critical but stable condition.”
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UPDATE 15:25 ACC Steve Johnson said: "The individual who was shot by armed police has died. Six other people are in hospital for treatment to their injuries including a police officer, who is in a critical but stable condition. — Police Scotland (@policescotland) June 26, 2020
One witness, who gave his name as John, told the PA news agency he saw two people stabbed in the hotel. He said he came down from the third floor to see the reception area covered in blood.
“One receptionist had been stabbed behind the receptionist desk,” he said.
“And then when I went down to the entrance I shouted at him and told him to stay calm and I will call for help.
“When I went to the entrance I saw another receptionist [...] had been stabbed. There were two police officers there assisting him.”
Glasgow UK
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Addressing the attack, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “First and foremost my thoughts are with all those people who have been caught up in this terrible incident, particularly the six injured people taken to hospital for treatment, as well as residents and staff at the hotel.
“While such a serious incident is rare in Scotland it is another reminder of the courage and professionalism of our police officers who are willing to run towards danger in order to protect the lives of others.”
The reports from Glasgow City Centre are truly dreadful. My thoughts are with everyone involved. I am being updated as the situation becomes clearer. Please help the emergency services do their jobs by staying away from the area - and please don’t share unconfirmed information. — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) June 26, 2020
Greater Glasgow Police tweeted: “Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident on West George Street in Glasgow.
“The street is currently closed off and the public are asked to avoid the area at present.
“The situation is contained at this time and there is no danger to the general public.”
Craig Milroy, who saw the aftermath of the incident from an office building nearby, said he had seen four people taken away in ambulances.
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“After that we saw commotion, ambulances further up and we saw armed police all running into the hotel next to the Society Room,” he said.
“We were still standing outside. After that the police all came down. The riot police and triage team told us to go back in and lock the door.”
Deeply saddened by the terrible incident in Glasgow, my thoughts are with all the victims and their families.
Thank you to our brave emergency services who are responding. — Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) June 26, 2020
Witnesses posting on social media reported a large police presence including armed officers and riot vans.
Serious police presence in West George Street, Glasgow just now. Armed police entering a building. Anyone know what’s going on? pic.twitter.com/aplqcywWrN — Adele Mills (@MillsAdele) June 26, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Exclusive: Migrant Women Suffering Domestic Abuse Can't Get Help And Aren't Believed, Government Tol

Exclusive: Migrant Women Suffering Domestic Abuse Can't Get Help And Aren't Believed, Government Told

Migrant women suffering domestic abuse are often not believed, campaigners warn Arman Zhenikeyev via Getty Images
Migrant women subjected to domestic abuse are being left unsupported by the authorities and at the mercy of their tormentors, dozens of activists have warned.
They are calling for emergency protection for migrant women who are experiencing domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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More than 50 signatories have sent a letter to the government calling for change, including representatives of campaign groups, a councillor and an author.
The lockdown has seen an increase in global domestic violence cases, prompting the the UN to describe the spike as a “shadow pandemic”.
The letter reads: “As you know, violence against women and girls is on the rise in the UK as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and government response. Women and girls are reporting increased sexual and racialised harassment in public spaces and online.
“They are trapped with abusers in conditions ripe for increased sexual, domestic and honour-based violence. Violence against women and girls reports may well increase further after restrictions are lifted as women and girls, who see few options during lockdown, are more able to access help.”
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The signatories, which include Labour councillor Shaista Aziz and author Maya Goodfellow, are demanding that the government step up efforts to protect at-risk migrant women, irrespective of their immigration status, including by:
Abolishing the Home Office’s no recourse to public funds condition for all women escaping violence, which was today estimated by Citizens’ Advice to affect 1.4m people;
Working with specialist violence against women and girls services to house all migrant women escaping violence;
Suspending all healthcare charges, not just ones related to Covid-19;
Launching a communications campaign that is accessible and produced in different languages to ensure all women experiencing violence know what help is available.
Backers of the letter represent various organisations including the Runnymede Trust, BARAC UK, Safety4Sisters and Level Up.
One activist told us: "Your immigration status takes complete precedence. The needs of your children, if you have any, doesn’t make a difference" Motortion via Getty Images
Gisela Valle, director at the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS), told HuffPost UK: “The issue here is that there’s a whole category of women who do not have equal treatment when they are subjected to domestic abuse – the response from the state is completely different. Nobody believes you’re a victim and, even if they do, they don’t treat you like one. Your immigration status takes complete precedence. The needs of your children, if you have any, don’t make a difference; we have seen this time again.
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“The heart of that is discrimination. Being in front of the police to report a crime, often they don’t believe you, think you’re gaming the system and looking for a way to remain in the UK; social services don’t believe you and often think it’s appropriate to leave children with perpetrators if they’re a British citizen.”
“This letter is important because it touches on all specific ways where there’s no equality for migrants. If you look and sound one way you’ll have one response and if you look and sound another, you’ll have a different one – and that’s no response.
“Oftentimes this is why survivors go back to perpetrators in these cases – what choice do they have?”
There was one woman who presented herself to the police with bruises who suggested she inflicted it upon herself, Valle said.
“We have been locked up by abusers and family, we have been locked up by the Home Office and now we are locked up again – how much can we bear?” another asylum seeking woman told LAWRS.
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Meanwhile, four in five migrant women are turned away from refuges, and they are often too scared to seek healthcare, according to a recent Amnesty report.
Campaigners are calling for emergency protection for migrant women who are experiencing domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic Jasmin Merdan via Getty Images
Migrant women are prevented from reporting domestic abuse to the police or other statutory services as perpetrators threaten them with deportation.
One such case is that of Rita – who came to the UK with her EU partner and her first child. She entered the country on a tourist visa, and as her partner refused to apply to regularise her immigration status, she became undocumented.
Since 2013, she has experienced multiple forms of violence from her partner who continuously threatened her with deportation, Valle told HuffPost UK.
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They have three children together and separated in 2019, while their kids remained with the perpetrator. However, the abuse intensified as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic through child contact.
“We have been locked up by abusers and family, we have been locked up by the Home Office and now we are locked up again – how much can we bear?’” - Safety4Sisters service user
Moreover, Rita lost her job and income, meaning she could not afford her rent. Due to the Home Office’s “no recourse to public funds” policy, she is ineligible to apply for any welfare support. For that reason, and facing a real risk of destitution, Rita was convinced to share a room with one of her flatmates.
At the beginning of June, he sexually assaulted her while threatening her with eviction. She is currently sofa surfing with friends and her caseworker is trying to find her emergency accommodation.
“Covid-19 is not only a public health crisis but a human rights one,” the letter states.
“In the aftermath of the Hidden Harms Summit hosted by the Prime Minister on May 21, we ask the government to translate its commitment on violence against women and girls to action to safeguard the lives, physical security and mental wellbeing of migrant women.”
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If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Woman Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder After Two Men Shot Dead At Manchester Street Party

Police at the scene of a fatal shooting in the Manchester PA
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two men died in a shooting at a street party in Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police said that officers investigating the deaths in Moss Side had arrested a 32-year-old woman from the Birmingham area on Thursday.
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She was was arrested on suspicion of two counts of murder, the force said, and remains in custody for questioning.
Police investigating the murder of two men in Moss Side have made an arrest https://t.co/5tMDYjgavF pic.twitter.com/fzwJl8k2rS — Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 26, 2020
Police were called to reports that gun shots had been heard on Caythorpe Street at around 12.55am on June 21.
A short time later, police were made aware that two men had arrived at hospital with gunshot wounds.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Why You Need To Stop Saying 'Sanitary Products' When Talking About Periods

nixki via Getty Images
Walk into your average supermarket or chemist and you’ll find an aisle labelled “feminine hygiene” or “sanitary products”. Scan the packaging of your tampons or towels, and the word “period” is often nowhere to be seen.
Euphemisms for menstrual bleeding have become normalised around the world, but increasingly, brands are switching up the language they use.
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Boots has become the latest high street chain to rename its former “feminine hygiene range” as “period products”. The leading pharmacy chain will also be removing words like ‘hygiene’ and ‘sanitary’ across its website and stores.
It follows in the footsteps of Asda, which rebranded its “feminine hygiene” aisle towards the end of 2021.
Isn’t it about time we followed suit across retail – and in everyday conversation – and learned to call a spade a spade?
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“Women and people who menstruate have long been made to feel ashamed for bleeding, and that’s in no small part due to the language used around periods,” says Rachel Grocott, communications manager at period poverty charity Bloody Good Period.
“Terms like ‘sanitary’ and ‘feminine hygiene’ imply that periods are dirty, and over the years and generations, that has contributed to a powerful sense that periods are something to be hidden away, something shameful and not discussed.”
Chella Quint, a former PSHE teacher and founder of the menstrual literacy campaign Period Positive, called for UK shops to make the change back in 2017, but it’s been an uphill struggle towards progress.
“I contacted high street shops, but they’ve been ‘in consultation’ about it ever since, with no updates,” she tells HuffPost UK. “Smaller start-ups, period poverty charities and reusable menstrual product companies have made the language shift as a result of the campaign – but I want mainstream businesses to drop the euphemisms because they have so much influence.”
Seeing the words “hygiene” and “sanitary” on shelves reinforces negative narratives around periods, Quint adds. And this sense of shame can stop people reaching out for the information or support they need if something is wrong, says Grocott.
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“It can also make people feel ‘less’ because they bleed.” - Rachel Grocott, from period poverty charity Bloody Good Period
“It can also make them feel ‘less’ because they bleed – marginalised, as if their needs don’t matter,” Grocott says. “Yet periods are a normal, healthy biological function, which are essential for life on the planet – so it really is time we changed the language around menstruation.”
Alongside her MP, Quint submitted an early day motion to raise awareness of the issue. She called on the government to ensure “all menstrual products and issues are correctly named in official documents and euphemisms such as sanitary and feminine hygiene are removed”.
Meanwhile, Bloody Good Period ran a campaign called ‘Mind Your Bloody Language’, which raised awareness of the impact language has in this area.
“We use the terms ‘period products’ or ‘menstrual supplies’ to describe what we provide to people who can’t afford them,” says Grocott. “These items are essential for anyone with a period, but what we call them really does matter.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Tate Modern Attacker Jonty Bravery Jailed For At Least 15 Years After Throwing Boy Off Viewing Platf

Tate Modern Attacker Jonty Bravery Jailed For At Least 15 Years After Throwing Boy Off Viewing Platform

PA
A teenager who threw a young French boy from the viewing platform of the Tate Modern art gallery last August has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.
Jonty Bravery, 18, pleaded guilty to attempted murder after hurling the six-year-old victim from the 10th floor of the London tourist attraction.
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The boy suffered a bleed to the brain, fractures to his spine and broken legs and arms following the fall, and spent over a month in hospital in the UK before being discharged to a hospital in France.
He remains in a wheelchair, and will require 100% care support until at least August 2022. It is uncertain if he will ever make a full recovery, the court heard as Bravery was being sentenced.
At the time of the attack he was living in a flat in Northolt, west London, with round-the-clock care by Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
A recording from autumn 2018, obtained following a joint investigation by BBC News and the Daily Mail, allegedly reveals him telling his carers of a plan to kill someone because he is fed up and wants to go to prison.
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The audio, reported to be the voice of Bravery, says: “In the next few months I’ve got it in my head I’ve got to kill somebody.”
The court heard the victim and his family, on holiday from France, arrived at the Tate Modern viewing platform at 2.32pm on August 4, having spent the day sightseeing and having a picnic by the river.
CCTV then caught Bravery turning towards the victim’s family, with the boy skipping a little way away from his parents, PA Media reports.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer said: “As [the boy] approached, the defendant scooped him up and, without any hesitation, carried him straight to the railings and threw him over.
“The CCTV footage shows [the boy] falling head-first towards the ground.”
Heer said CCTV also showed the defendant backing away from the railings.
“He can be seen to be smiling, with his arms raised. At one point, he appears to shrug and laugh,” she said.
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“The footage also captures [the victim’s] parents’ disbelief and rising panic at what had just happened.”
She said the boy’s father initially thought the incident was “a joke” until he saw his son’s body below.
Challenged by the father, Bravery said: “Yes, I am mad,” the prosecutor said.
Following his arrest, Bravery was said to have asked police if he was going to be “on the news”.
He said that he had been “seriously unhappy” recently and had been “hearing voices” telling him to hurt and kill people for the last couple of months.
He said he had to do anything he could to get out of his accommodation.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was visiting London with his family at the time and spent several weeks in intensive care.
A victim impact statement from the victim’s parents, taken six months after the incident, said they had not left their son’s side at all, other than for just a couple of hours.
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They said: “The act committed by this defendant against our son is unspeakable.
“We have been so scared of losing him that now it is impossible for us to spend more than a few hours away from him.”
They said their son was unable to trust people, and said the boy “would like to slap” Bravery for what he did.
The six-year-old continues to recover in hospital and, according to an update posted on a fundraising site in May, is now wearing two boot splints and one on his arm.
“Our child has only his two boot-shaped splints now, and a splint on his left arm that he wears only at night. He still has to spend his day in a shape moulded seating fixed on his wheelchair,” the post, dated May 15, reads.
“His sentences are always hashed, syllable by syllable, because he still lacks breath and muscle tone. We don’t always understand everything he says, especially when he’s tired but he expresses himself more and more.“
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In March, the family put out a statement to say: “He can now eat all soft foods and can almost eat all of his meals on his own, holding his spoon himself with his right hand.
“As he has more strength, he also has more breathe and for that reason, we understand better what he says and he manages to speak to us more.
“At last, he continues to train to open his left hand during the exercises but he now manages to move his left arm a little to the right and a little to the left, in front of him.
“Only few movements, very approximate and they exhaust him so much that he very quickly starts yawning, but for him, it’s the beginning of the reconquest of his left arm!”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Clerk Of Commons: Not Having Fully Independent Harassment System Would Have ‘Seriously' Undermined C

Clerk Of Commons: Not Having Fully Independent Harassment System Would Have ‘Seriously' Undermined Complaints

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Moves to stamp out bullying and harassment in parliament would have been “seriously” undermined if MPs had not voted this week to make the process fully independent, the Clerk of the Commons has declared.
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Writing exclusively for HuffPost UK, John Benger hailed the “momentous decision” to create an expert panel to deal with complaints and for the Commons to approve any sanctions without any debate.
His words follow a major rebellion by Tory backbenchers on Tuesday, who rejected a proposal by Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg that would have allowed MPs to discuss the most serious cases where suspension or expulsion was recommended.
Rees-Mogg’s plan sparked a furious backlash among current and former parliamentary staff and women’s groups, who said it would deter complaints from being made and inflict further pain on those who had suffered abuse.
Dame Laura Cox, who had led a probe into bullying and harassment, had warned she had “serious concerns” that the Rees-Mogg plan would fail to meet her key recommendation that the new system would be one in which “MPs play no part”.
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Benger, the most senior official in the Commons, said that he was “painfully aware” that staff needed reassurance about the full independence of the new system, which will create an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) to determine complaints.
“In cases where the IEP recommends the most extreme sanctions, such as suspension or expulsion of an MP, the House must approve the recommendation via a motion in the Chamber. Any such motion will be taken without debate,” he writes.
“This significant decision means that we have now implemented all three of the recommendations from Dame Laura Cox’s report.
“I have been painfully aware that without this measure, the level of trust and reassurance provided by the ICGS [the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme] would be seriously reduced. This week’s decision means our system of reporting unacceptable behaviour is robust and truly independent.”
Benger did not refer to the original Rees-Mogg motion, but his words will be seen by campaigners as vindication for their case that the government’s unamended plans would have failed to implement the Cox review in full.
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On the eve of the vote, former Commons clerk Jenny McCullough had said victims of abuse wouldn’t go “anywhere near” a system that allowed colleagues of those found guilty to talk to a live TV audience about whether sanctions should be applied.
In the end, 45 Tory MPs – including former PM Theresa May – defied guidance from their whips and backed an amendment by Standards Committee chairman Chris Bryant to remove any possibility of debates on sanctions.
Benger added that Dame Laura’s report had found that “high levels of deference and elitism” had contributed to a culture in which bullying, and harassment were not addressed.
“Outdated power structures had continued unchecked, and there was little recourse for victims when bullies took advantage of that situation.
“It laid bare facts which were impossible to ignore, including a failure of leadership, highlighting the testimonies of hundreds of staff who had experienced awful and traumatic treatment in the workplace.”
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He said that that the Commons had “much more to do” to show it was not just catching up with other workplaces but was a model of how to deal with bullying, harassment and sexual harassment.
Tuesday’s vote was described as a “game-changer” by Amy Leversidge, assistant general secretary of the FDA civil service union, who praised those staff who had lost careers for speaking out against previous abuse.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Westminster Bullying Can Finally Be Stamped Out For Good

View across river Thames on Houses of Parliament in London, UK Marek Stefunko via Getty Images
The House of Commons is many things. It is a legislature, making laws which govern the lives of all our citizens; it scrutinises the activities of Government; and it is an architectural masterpiece forming part of a UNESCO world heritage site. But it is also a workplace, where thousands of individuals contribute to supporting this institution at the heart of the nation.
As a place of work, it has not always kept pace with changing attitudes to the modern workplace and it has not always upheld the standards of behaviour which are usual and expected in a professional environment.
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Almost two years ago, Dame Laura Cox’s report into the bullying and harassment of House staff in the Commons, found that high levels of deference and elitism had contributed to a culture in which bullying, and harassment were not addressed. Outdated power structures had continued unchecked, and there was little recourse for victims when bullies took advantage of that situation.
The necessary complexity of the governance process in the House of Commons is rarely seen in comparable organisations and this has contributed to challenges and frustrating delays in delivering essential change. However, due to the courage of those who were willing to speak out, significant changes have now been made.
Ultimately, the function of the Cox report was to hold up a discomfiting mirror to the institution, and demand change. It laid bare facts which were impossible to ignore, including a failure of leadership, highlighting the testimonies of hundreds of staff who had experienced awful and traumatic treatment in the workplace. Dealing with this issue has proved tough for parliament but now, significant progress really has been made.
Dame Laura made three key recommendations to deal with the problem of bullying and harassment in the Commons. The first two dealt with removing outdated policies which lacked staff confidence and opening up the complaints process to historic cases which were previously not covered. The third and most complex recommendation focused on making the judgements and sanctions related to complaints completely independent of MPs.
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This week, the House took the momentous decision to create an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) to determine complaints of bullying or harassment in relation to MPs submitted under the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS). In cases where the IEP recommends the most extreme sanctions, such as suspension or expulsion of an MP, the House must approve the recommendation via a motion in the Chamber. Any such motion will be taken without debate.
This significant decision means that we have now implemented all three of the recommendations from Dame Laura Cox’s report. I have been painfully aware that without this measure, the level of trust and reassurance provided by the ICGS would be seriously reduced. This week’s decision means our system of reporting unacceptable behaviour is robust and truly independent.
While we celebrate this progress, we recognise that we have much more to do. Rather than catching up with other workplaces, I want the House of Commons to be an exemplary employer, which is why we know we must keep improving – there is a still a great deal more to do. Finding a solution to the problem of making the process completely independent of MPs was complex and has taken longer to achieve than we hoped. Now that we have the structures and processes in place, we need to make sure that they work and that everyone has confidence that they are effective. This is not the end but a milestone, an opportunity to look back and realise just how much has been achieved by the hard work and participation of so many in the House Service, before continuing to ensure we deliver lasting culture change.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Don't Shame Beachgoers – Blame The Government

Crowds gather on the beach in Bournemouth as the UK experience a heat wave, in Bournemouth, England, Thursday, June 25, 2020. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Has Twitter become the new Daily Mail? Social media has become awash with photos of busy beaches and parks, accompanied with tut-tut comments about reckless “Covidots” endangering us all by failing to socially distance.
Paul Dacre would have been proud of this finger wagging and public shaming. “Here comes the second wave,” indignant users tell us, as they share images of strangers relaxing in the sunshine.
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Naturally, many of these photographs were taken by the tweeters themselves, so you have to wonder whether they noticed the irony of them complaining of there being too many people in a park that they themselves were sitting in.
Naturally, some of the mainstream media is also pointing the finger at Joe Public. Yesterday’s Daily Mail front page led with a photo of a “jam-packed” Southend beach, telling us a “human tide” has “swamped” the Essex coast.
“So much for social distancing,” sighed the Daily Express next to a similar photo, while the Daily Telegraph groaned disparagingly of “mad dogs and Englishmen” taking to the seaside.
I’m still keeping a low profile, even as the government eases lockdown restrictions. So I understand the frustration at “covidiots” to a degree. Some members of the public have taken unnecessary risks during the pandemic and any risk-taking can put others in danger.
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But aren’t we getting angry with the wrong people? Boris Johnson’s government has absolutely failed us during this crisis – right from the start. As the pandemic began, the prime minister skipped Cobra meetings and took a 12-day “working holiday”.
While Johnson relaxed in the countryside, he was paving the way for thousands to go to an early grave, according to one expert. Professor Neil Ferguson says introducing lockdown measures a week earlier could have halved the UK’s coronavirus death toll, meaning tens of thousands of lives would have been saved.
Then there are the care homes. Matt Hancock claims that the government threw “a protective ring” around them but the truth is that he released hospital patients into care homes without Covid-19 tests. At the last count, 16,000 people have died in care homes from coronavirus.
Dominic Cummings devised the lockdown rules that saw people lose their livelihoods and meant families were unable to say goodbye to their dying loved ones. Then he broke those rules and smirked when he was questioned about it in the Rose Garden of Downing Street.
“If you look at the government's pandemic record and have even a fraction of anger spare to direct at beachgoers then I wonder if you’ve really understood what has happened.”
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Wherever you look, the government have failed us: on PPE, on track-and-trace and on communications. Every day another of their lies is exposed. When we needed leadership, intelligence and compassion more than ever we got none.
The Conservative government was more interested in business, which is why it started the lockdown late and is opening up too soon. But it’s not as if this approach is even succeeding: the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that the UK is likely to be the hardest hit by Covid-19 among major economies.
Nowhere is the Tories’ failure more glaringly and hideously clear than in death figures. Official figures show that excess deaths linked to Covid-19 in England and Wales have reached 65,700. At one point we had the second-worst death rate on earth.
Let’s be clear: Johnson and his cabinet of sycophants should be in the dock. If you look at their pandemic record and have even a fraction of anger spare to direct at beachgoers then I wonder if you’ve really understood what has happened.
It’s easy to get angrier with ordinary people than the authorities during a crisis. At times of heightened tensions, even those who oppose a government can succumb to the hope that people supposed to protect us are competent and sincere. The alternative is too scary for many to sit with, so they lash out at the people, rather than politicians.
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We have long been trained to point the finger at our fellow man, rather than those in powerful positions. The media and politicians have always cunningly directed our anger in the wrong direction. That’s why people rant about benefit fraud, rather than tax avoidance, even though benefit fraud is estimated to cost £1.2bn a year, compared to £70bn worth of tax evasion.
Forget Bournemouth beach, the images that should make us rage are not those of ordinary people, doing their best to navigate these scary and confusing times.
Instead, get angry at other images: of Matt Hancock sniggering on television as tens of thousands die unnecessarily because of his policies, or of Boris Johnson applauding the NHS after his failures sent frontline workers into coffins.
These men are the villains of the coronavirus. No one is keener than them for you to turn against your fellow man. Don’t do it.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Black Influencers Shortchanged By Big Brands Are Starting To Talk

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Mikai Mcdermott will never forget finding out – in the middle of a photoshoot for a popular hair and beauty brand – that she was being paid a fraction of the fee of another woman in the same room. “I actually asked a white influencer what her rate was and it was 10 times more than what I had asked for, despite the brand telling me they had no budget,” says the 23-year-old from east London.
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To add insult to injury, “the brand took over four months to pay me for the work I did with them.” It was a lightbulb moment for Mcdermott, who has worked as an influencer for two years, gathering 62,000 followers on Instagram and 42,000 YouTube subscribers for her content about beauty, fashion and academia – she’s currently studying for a Masters alongside her media work.
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, as a new wave of Black Lives Matters activism ripples around the Black community and the world, Black people are choosing to speak up about the way we are treated in society and workplace.
People are lifting the lid on structural and institutional racism in their companies, on microaggressions in the office, and on the substantial career blocks and pay gaps they have faced in comparison with their white counterparts.
And what’s true of traditional careers is also true for Black influencers.
Mikai Mcdermott Mikai Mcdermott
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As a Black woman, I owe so much to Black influencers. Growing up in the UK, it was a struggle to find people who looked like me on TV, but social media changed that. Black influencers taught me how to do my hair, find the right shade of foundation, and build a community with other Black women online.
It’s not just beauty and fashion – Black people are influencing in every field from home, wellness and parenting, to business, politics and activism, often in combination. As interior design influencer Medina Grillo recently posted on her Instagram (followers 137,000): “If recent events have you questioning the definition of an influencer ... that’s probably a good thing.”
While growing, the industry is still a largely unregulated space, with individuals usually left to negotiate with brands behind closed doors, sometimes aided by agents, but with little transparency or industry standards, except when it comes to the familiar labels and hashtags – #partnership #ad #gifted – they are now legally obliged to post on content.
It was a lack of transparency on rates especially that pushed Adesuwa Ajayi, 28, who works in senior talent at the influencer agency, AGM Talent, to create the Influencer Pay Gap page in early June.
“I created this page for a number of reasons, primarily because as I work in the influencer space, I’ve definitely seen the differences in the way Black influencers tend to be treated in comparison to their non-Black counterparts,” says Ajayi.
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“The influencer industry reflects what’s going on in the real world.” - Alison Kukosama
Her idea was simple: influencers anonymously share the fee earned for a job alongside their influencer reach and their race, which is then shared publicly on the group’s Twitter and its Instagram page, which already has more than 25,000 followers. One recent post reads: “I have almost one million followers and struggle to get £400 for a post.” Another post reads: “I have 70k followers collectively, 10 years of experience and brands [only] want to gift me.”
While Ajayi’s agency manages a growing amount of Black talent, the influencer agency world is far from diverse, she says – in either staffing, clientele or talent. “You don’t really see any Black representation in these companies,” she says. Even if they have Black talent, the rest of the roster is predominantly white so that plays a role in structural racism and has an effect on the influencer space.”
The most shocking pay gap revealed was for a household-name cosmetics company: “A Black influencer who participated received £1750 and a mixed-race person mentioned they were paid £10,000 for the same campaign,” says Ajayi.
Alison Kukosama, 24, has been a beauty influencer for a year and a half and blames a wider system in which Black people have to work twice as hard as their white peers for less money. “The influencer industry is based on consumerism and capitalism so it’s inherently anti-Black,” says the politics and international relations graduate, who has a YouTube channel, LifeOfAls.
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“Because of that, brands will always find a way to short change us whilst abusing our labour. The influencer industry reflects what’s going on in the real world.”
Alison Kukosama Alison Kukosama
Kukosama, who hadn’t ever discussed rates with other influencers, says the Influencer Pay Gap has shown her she should be. “I’ve found out I’m not charging a lot at all compared to white counterparts. I’m seeing people with way less engagement than I have charging way more than I do,” she says.
Black influencers face a double-edged silence: speaking about money is already stigmatised, but many also fear that speaking out about brands that underpay them will impact future partnership deals.
“Underrepresented influencers know that if they don’t talk about rates they won’t have to demand their worth.” - Adesuwa Ajayi
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“No one is calling these brands out and we need to understand that in any industry discussing rates is very taboo,” says Ajayi – when influencing is your livelihood, she says, keeping quiet can feel easier than potentially compromising how you’re perceived – or being ostracised from the industry altogether.
“There’s a general kind of silence this industry benefits from. Underrepresented influencers know that if they don’t talk about rates they won’t have to demand their worth. It’s easier to demand your worth when you are aware of what everyone else is being paid and you know you’re not asking for too much.”
Since her experience on that photoshoot, Mcdermott wants change: “There needs to be more transparency between Black and white influencers. I think brands need to have more integrity when it comes to working with Black influencers, and we need to stop underpricing ourselves and accepting low paid or free work, especially if you have an engaged and loyal audience. I also think it’s important that we collaborate more and share each other’s work.”
Followers and subscribers also have a role to play. Black influencers essentially operate as Black businesses – and female-owned ones at that – at a time when we should all be supporting these. Content creators such as Patricia Bright and Jackie Aina were able to gain make-up brand deals due to their engagement, reach and their audience’s willingness to pay for products – money that loops back into the community if the system is working properly.
The Influencer Pay Gap page has opened up the conversation. As to what more needs to be done, Ajayi says: “I think on one front, we should move towards unionising and trying to standardise rates. But in terms of practical steps, I think people need to know what their rights are. I also think brands need to be open to consultation, advice and feedback. “
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We still live in a world where Blackness is seen less than whiteness and it’s no longer good enough. Brands need to value the work of Black influencers and these influencers deserve to ask for – and be paid – what they’re truly worth.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Bruno Tonioli Backs Cheryl As Possible Strictly Come Dancing Replacement

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Bruno Tonioli has spoken out over rumours that Cheryl Tweedy could be set to replace him as a judge on this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.
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Earlier this week, it was reported that due to travel restrictions, Bruno might not be able to join his fellow judges on the Strictly panel this year, as he’s currently in LA.
Bookies named Cheryl – who has previously judged The X Factor and the short-lived BBC series The Greatest Dancer – as a replacement, and Bruno has now given his seal of approval.
Cheryl Tweedy at a photocall for The Greatest Dancer zz/KGC-03/STAR MAX/IPx
Speaking to The Sun, he said: “If Cheryl does end up doing it there would be nothing wrong with that. She’s a lovely girl. I like her.”
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“Of course she’s not me, but we’re all different,” he added. “We all have different things to offer but I’ve heard nothing concrete.”
On whether or not he’ll be able to judge, Bruno explained: “For years and years I’ve spent two days of each week on the plane flying between London and LA. I leave America on Wednesday and come back every Sunday but now it’s impossible and, because of the current travel restrictions, it’s beyond my control.
“Under normal circumstances I take a deep breath and do the travel. I love the show and love to do it and normally I’m destroyed by Christmas, but this year is different for everyone. Under the current restrictions they just won’t allow it. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Bruno Tonioli David Fisher/Shutterstock
After much speculation about whether Strictly will be able to go ahead while still adhering to social distancing guidelines, bosses confirmed this week that the show would be airing in 2020, though for a shorter time period than usual.
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A statement said: “The Strictly Come Dancing team are doing everything they can to bring the nation plenty of Strictly magic later this year.
“To ensure we deliver the high standards audiences know and love, and in light of the ongoing considerations around Covid-19, this year’s series of Strictly will have a slightly shorter run than usual.
“The safety of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance to us and further updates will be made in due course.”
It was previously confirmed that bosses are considering isolating the cast of professional dancers and key production staff in a hotel together, so they can film the usual group routines.
It has also been reported that the show will not be adding any new pros to the line up after the departures of Kevin Clifton and AJ Pritchard.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Brian Dowling Shares His Side Of The Story After Davina Claims He Was Asked 'To Be Part Of BB Highli

Brian Dowling Shares His Side Of The Story After Davina Claims He Was Asked 'To Be Part Of BB Highlights Show'

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Former Big Brother host Brian Dowling has explained his reasoning for turning down an offer to film an appearance in the highlights series Best Shows Ever.
Big Brother: Best Shows Ever has seen presenters Davina McCall and Rylan Clark-Neal offering commentary on some of their favourite ever episodes of the hit reality show, from its 10-year stint airing on Channel 4.
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Earlier this week, Brian, who was crowned the show’s ultimate housemate in 2010, accused producers of trying to “rewrite history” by not mentioning his tenure as host on the show.
Davina has insisted this was due to the fact they were focussing purely on the Channel 4 era, while Brian didn’t begin presenting Big Brother until it made the jump to Channel 5, and spoke out once again on Thursday night.
Brian Dowling and Davina McCall during the finale of Ultimate Big Brother in 2010 Ian Gavan via Getty Images
Tweeting after Thursday’s episode, which featured Brian as a housemate, Davina wrote: “Just an FYI . We did ask @brianofficial to be part of the show. He was ultimate housemate!!!! That was a no brainer.”
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Just an FYI . We did ask @brianofficial to be part of the show. He was ultimate housemate!!!! That was a no brainer. — Davina McCall (@ThisisDavina) June 25, 2020
He said no? Shame. He was a great HM and presenter x — Jo Hemmings (@TVpsychologist) June 25, 2020
Yeah x — Davina McCall (@ThisisDavina) June 25, 2020
Brian then wrote an “FYI” of his own to Davina, tweeting: “I found out from The Sun newspaper that I was being fired and replaced, and it took the production company a further four weeks to confirm that, without a single thank you or apology, phone call, text or email or even a bunch of flowers or a single question asking how I was.
“My whole time on the show as a host was tainted by how I was treated and it still affects me today.”
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He added: “The same production company asked me if I wanted to film a 10-second message on my phone saying hello to you and Rylan. Surprisingly, I didn’t really feel like doing that.”
Brian presenting his final series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2013 Stuart C. Wilson via Getty Images
During his time at the helm of Big Brother, Brian presented two series of the regular show and four runs of the celebrity series, during which winners included Denise Welch, Julian Clary and future Bit On The Side host Rylan.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Liverpool Fans Celebrate Premier League Victory Prompting Police Warning Over Street Gatherings

Liverpool fans celebrate outside Anfield, Liverpool. PA
Liverpool secured the Premier League title after a dominant season, with fans gathering around Anfield once the news was confirmed.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were assured of their 19th league title after Chelsea beat Manchester City on Thursday night.
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Jubilations continued into the early hours of the morning and police have condemned the thousands of football fanatic who filled the streets.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Carden said Merseyside had been “disproportionately affected” by the coronavirus pandemic and its residents had a responsibility to prevent further cases.
He said: “The overwhelming majority of fans have recognised the fact that now is not the time to gather together to celebrate, and chose to mark the event safely. They are a credit to this city.
“Unfortunately, as we have seen throughout the lockdown period, not everyone adhered to the regulations in place. Although the vast majority of celebrations were good natured, a large number of people chose to gather outside the stadium.”
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Liverpool fans celebrate outside Anfield, Liverpool. PA
Earlier, about 100 fans gathered outside the Main Stand at Anfield for when the final whistle blew on Thursday’s Chelsea v Manchester City match, securing Liverpool the title with seven games to spare.
Fireworks went off and fans waved flags and sang: “We’ve gone and won the league.”
Within an hour of the result, thousands of fans had gathered outside the stadium, lighting red flares and singing football songs.
People, with children and dogs, continued to make their way across Stanley Park to get to the stadium.
Many fans were seen hugging and one man stood with his arm around a cardboard cut out of manager Jurgen Klopp.
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Others carried flags and scarves while some fans brought crates of beer.
Many fans wore face masks for the gathering and shortly before 11pm, Merseyside Police announced road closures would be put in place.
Liverpool fans celebrate outside Anfield, Liverpool. PA
Police officers could be seen in the area as fans celebrated but no attempts were made to disperse the crowd.
Liverpool City Council told fans to “have a great party” but maintain social distancing as they celebrated.
The Premier League restarted earlier this month after pausing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with games now played behind closed doors.
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Several celebrities posted celebrations online after Thursday night’s result secured the title for Liverpool.
Comedian and Liverpool fan John Bishop tweeted: “Not how any of us would have planned it but thank you to those players and staff who have taken us back to the top.”
Liverpool fans celebrate outside in Liverpool after they are crowned Premier League champions after Manchester City lost 2-1 against Chelsea. PA
Liverpool fan and basketball star LeBron James celebrated the win by tweeting: “Premier League Champions!!! Let’s go!”
The Fault In Our Stars author John Green posted “I am in a puddle of tears” on his dedicated sports Twitter account.
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Merseyside Police’s Carden urged fans mark to occasion safely.
He said: “In the days ahead, we urge supporters to do the right thing and celebrate safely with members of your household and in your social bubble.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Running For Reelection, Trump Talks Like He’s Running For President Of The Confederacy

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Donald Trump is running for a second term as president of the United States, but in recent weeks he’s spoken and written as if he wants to be the next president of the Confederacy.
Amid a national uproar over the recent killing of a Black man by a white Minneapolis police officer and an erosion in his own polling numbers, Trump has made the cornerstone of his response a vow to protect monuments and memorials to the leaders of the treasonous rebellion that cost 750,000 lives for the sole purpose of keeping Blacks enslaved.
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In speeches, Trump has vowed to protect “our heritage” as protesters around the country call for the removal of memorials to Confederate leaders. He has even threatened to veto a major defence bill that includes a provision requiring renaming military bases that now honour Confederate commanders.
“These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage,” Trump wrote in a June 10 statement he posted to Twitter.
Trump has even ordered interior secretary David Bernhardt to restore a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike that had been torn down by protesters in Washington, DC, according to NBC News.
“He obviously thinks it plays with his base,” said David Axelrod, the Democratic consultant who led the campaign of the first African American president, Barack Obama, in 2008.
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In 2017, after neo-Nazis marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a counterprotester was killed when one of them drove his car into a crowd, Trump defended them for wanting to protect a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee and said that there had been “very fine people on both sides” of the violent rally. In 2019, Trump called Lee a “great general.”
White House officials would not respond to HuffPost queries about Trump’s interest in the Confederacy’s heritage.
Rick Wilson, a GOP consultant from Florida who has been making ads for the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, said Trump is misreading the politics of the moment. He said an ad centred on the Confederacy called “Flag of Treason” is one of the most popular his group has made and aired.
He added that former Breitbart News publisher Steve Bannon, who ran Trump’s 2016 campaign in its final months and was a top White House aide in Trump’s first year, was the likely source of Trump’s continued support for all things Confederate.
“Bannon sold him on the ‘whites are 62% of the electorate, and we need to simply top out their numbers to win’ argument very early,” Wilson said of Trump. “Plus, he’s a racist.”
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Bannon did not respond to HuffPost’s queries for this story.
Trump’s Confederate Base
Though the president who freed the slaves during the Civil War was the first nominee of a party created specifically for that purpose, Republicans began courting Southern Democrats angry about legislation designed to help Blacks after the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that led to the integration of public schools. The process accelerated following Lyndon Johnson’s push for the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and then was formalised in Richard Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” in 1968.
Since then, Republicans have successfully relied on the former Confederacy as an electoral base for presidential campaigns, and Trump was no different.
In 2016, while the 11 former Confederate states accounted for 32% of the country’s population, they made up 48% of Trump’s electoral votes, according to a HuffPost analysis of voting and population data.
Trump beat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton 147 to 13 in electoral votes from those states and won the popular vote 52% to 44%. Among the non-Confederate states, Clinton beat Trump 219 to 159 in electoral votes and won the popular vote 50% to 43%.
Overall, Clinton won the popular vote 48% to 46%, winning 3 million more actual ballots, but she lost in the Electoral College 306 to 232.
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Yet Trump’s vocal enthusiasm for monuments to the Confederacy, while it could help maintain support among a segment of his voting base, may well be turning off other groups.
Support for removing Confederate monuments has grown from 27%, according to a Reuters poll in 2017, to 52%, according to a Quinnipiac University poll last week.
The week before that, NASCAR ― long a bastion of fans waving Confederate flags and other iconography ― banned the symbol from its races. And Mississippi, which includes a Confederate battle flag in the upper left quadrant of its state flag, is moving toward changing it.
A Trump "Make America Great Again" flag flies below a Confederate flag at a private campground by the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennesee. NASCAR recently banned Confederate flags from its tracks. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
“When you’re on the wrong side of a cultural war from NASCAR? Dude,” said Stuart Stevens, a seventh-generation Mississippian who worked on the presidential campaign of George W Bush in 2000, when Bush’s refusal to condemn South Carolina’s flying of the Confederate flag from its state Capitol became a divisive issue.
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Stevens said the recent protests sparked by the May 25 police killing of George Floyd have rapidly moved popular opinion on the Confederacy, and Republicans are in danger of being stuck on the wrong side of history.
“We’re discussing the legitimacy of the Confederacy. In 2020. It’s just so depressing,” he said. “There’s no pretence anymore that it’s not about white grievance.”
White Grievance Politics In The White House
White grievance politics, though, has been a feature of the Trump White House from the start. Sebastian Gorka, a far-right activist and Breitbart editor, was hired as an adviser to the president. Bannon became Trump’s “chief strategist,” co-equal to his first chief of staff. And Stephen Miller, who just years earlier as a Senate aide used to collaborate with Breitbart to generate articles attacking immigrants, became Trump’s top policy adviser and speechwriter. And in recent months, Trump brought aboard Kayleigh McEnany, who as a law student eight years ago was among those, including Trump, spreading the “birther” lie that the first Black president was illegitimately elected because he was not born in the United States.
Given that nurturing environment, and given his own background of years of inflaming racial division, that Trump would embrace the history of the Confederacy is hardly a surprise, critics said.
“Racism is his warm, fuzzy blanket. It’s what makes him feel at home,” said Josh Schwerin, senior strategist at the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA.
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Trump’s promise of a veto of the National Defense Authorization Act because of the Confederate names language, nevertheless, may be boxing all Republicans into a corner.
Trump was so adamant about spreading his pro-Confederacy message that he had McEnany distribute printed-out copies of his tweets to reporters at the June 10 briefing and then read aloud from them. She wound up spending a good part of that day’s session defending his stance.
The next day, Trump posted another statement to Twitter, urging Republicans in the Senate to reject the renaming language. “Seriously failed presidential candidate, Senator Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren, just introduced an Amendment on the renaming of many of our legendary Military Bases from which we trained to WIN two World Wars. Hopefully, our great Republican Senators won’t fall for this!”
What Trump apparently did not realise was that the Senate Armed Services Committee had already adopted the amendment from Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat. Removing it from the bill would require a vote on the Senate floor, forcing all 53 Republicans to take a stand on protecting the Confederacy, meaning that the final authorization act is now likely to contain the Confederate names language.
McEnany on June 10 said such a requirement would make the bill “an absolute nonstarter” for Trump and that “the president will not be signing legislation that renames America’s forts.”
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Following through on such a threat would mean vetoing one of the few “must-pass” bills of each year, one which also contains pay raises for service members, possibly in the weeks prior to the election ― thereby putting the issue of the Confederacy front and centre before the voters.
And that could saddle every single Republican with Trump’s position on that issue, Stevens said. “It’s a disaster for these candidates running under Trump,” he said.
One former White House aide said the great irony in Trump’s concern for the Confederacy is that he has such a vague grasp of history that he hardly knows any of the names involved.
“He thought that big statue in Lafayette Park is Lafayette,” the aide said on condition of anonymity. “Don’t get him going.”
That central statue is not, in fact, of Frenchman and Revolutionary War hero Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis of Lafayette, but of Andrew Jackson, the seventh US president and supposedly Trump’s great hero.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--I May Destroy You & Queer Eye | Good Vibes Only: Lockdown

I May Destroy You & Queer Eye | Good Vibes Only: Lockdown
This week in entertainment, HBO’s new comedy-drama series, I May Destroy You. The Politician returns for a second series and Queer Eye is back on Netflix. We look at some of the all-time most ridiculous Big Brother moments with our weekly quiz. Also, do you remember when Girls Aloud dressed up as nurses on Blue Peter?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Queer People Are Preparing To Smash Virtual Pride Celebrations This Weekend

You’re reading our series Summer’s Not Cancelled, where we celebrate summer in this new normal. From rediscovering nature and cherishing time with friends and family, to virtual festivals and unforgettable staycations – summer’s still here, it’s just different.
“I’ve ransacked the dining room,” says queer pop star L Devine, laughing down the phone to HuffPost UK. “It’s in a conservatory, so the light’s really nice in here. My mum hates me at the minute, the whole dining table has got records on it, a printer, all my music equipment, keyboards, so much junk...”
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Welcome to the lockdown version of Pride, as queer artists across the country like L Devine prep their looks, set lists and disco balls ahead of sashaying across laptop screens in a series of digital shows, organised by pubs, cabaret bars and LGBT+ collectives.
Digital Pride shows have taken place throughout the month, but celebrations are culminating this weekend, June 27, with further events the following weekend on July 5.
“I ordered a bunch of stuff online,” explains L Devine, the singer behind queer anthem Daughter. “I’ve got really shit disco lights, and I’ve got a smoke machine and a projector, so I’ve been having fun with them, making cool projection stuff and doing what I can....”
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“It’s not proper high class projection with a mad budget but I guess it’s innovative in a way,” she says of her plans for the Attitude Pride event streaming Saturday at 6.30pm, before pausing and rethinking her statement. “I wouldn’t call it innovative... I’ve got a projector and some disco lights! But it’s fun, it’s a challenge...”
The drag performer Jonny Woo, founder of east London drag pub The Glory is also preparing for the Attitude streamable event, which he’s hosting on Saturday night. “I’m dressing up as Celine Dion and recreating her 1988 Eurovision performance,” he tells HuffPost UK.
“It’s an absolute banger and she wears this terrible outfit,” he continues, “this white kind of office jacket with a knee length white tutu with a low heel and a flesh tight...I had to go and buy the wig and I got my friend to make me the skirt.”
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“It’s a considered choice because it’s a classic Eurovision song, and it’s probably the most singular famous person to enter Eurovision,” says Jonny, who’s also hosting a Eurovision quiz.
“And it’s also a bit trainspottery, because while people who don’t know it will recognise it as being Eurovision, people who know Eurovision will know what the song is, who it’s by and what the controversy of it is...
“If you say, ‘twelve points go to France!’ everybody who is a Eurovision superfan will know what that means,” teases Jonny. Haven’t seen the 1988 finale? Tune into the stream to find out what happened next...
“I’ve done a little bit of filming in the pub, and I’ve got a beautiful flat, so you’ll get to see me wandering around with my mid century modern furniture,” he says of the Attitude stream. “Who wants a glitter ball when you’ve got teak?” Jonny is also putting out his own Pride event for Glory TV, streaming from Facebook also on Saturday night.
Anil Sebastian, creator behind The Big Listen for Pride, is involving members of the London Contemporary Voices choir he fronts in the musical line-up for tonight, and their celebrations will feel defiantly political.
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“As an LGBTIQ++ Person of Colour this last few weeks has been a horror show,” he says, “and so this event is about celebrating and amplifying a truly diverse range of voices in our community including trans poet and activist Reece Lyons and up-coming steel pan player artist Rahmel Lee who will be suppling carnival vibes.”
Anil adds: “In turbulent times like these, joy itself can be an act of rebellion and protest - so I’ll be eating the chips off my shoulders, getting out the glue gun and getting all up in demi-drag. I’ve had a coffin-sized cardboard box of feather bowers arrive which I’ll be using my dark arts to turn into some kind of messy up-do.
“Kindness is sexy right? We’ll be lifting our voices, singing, dancing (even if it’s cry-dancing) - because it’s these things that activate us, keep us seen - keep us connected and alive - and amid the racism and rolling back of trans rights in the UK, flip knows we need to be.”
Harry Gay, campaigner and DJ behind the Queer House Party movement that has welcomed thousands of queers online for dance parties every Friday since lockdown, is running a special Pride-themed Queer House Party tonight.
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“As always we’ll be getting ready as a house,” he says. “We have a tradition of having espresso martinis together to prep us for four hours of dancing! We’ve got to put the shimmer curtains up, unfold Susan and set up our equipment. As for an outfit, a combination of sequins, flesh and mesh!”
Outfits and set lists are primed, but the main obstacle this weekend and next for digital partying may be the intense heat. If it’s draining for audiences watching on laptops statically from home, how must performers feel, some decked out in full faces of drag?
“Get your fans on, open your windows,” advices Jonny Woo. As for performing in the heat himself, he’ll be suffering it like a pro.
“As soon as you put drag make up on you start to get hot before you put your wig on,” he says. “It holds all heat in - drag is not a cool sport temperature wise. It’s like having a hat on your head all day isn’t it. You suffer it!”
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“Once it’s done I’ll be pouring myself a beautiful big glass of white wine and enjoying the sunshine,” he says.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--George Floyd Died A Month Ago. There Have Been Protests Every Day Since

Gianna Floyd, the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd, sat on the shoulders of her father’s close friend earlier this month and declared: “Daddy changed the world!”
Gianna was right.
Thursday marks one month since Floyd, a Black man and 46-year-old father of five, was killed when Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Every day since, people across the country and around the world have marched in the streets to demand justice for him and other Black victims of police violence.
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Tens of thousands of people have protested in over 100 cities in the United States. Protests also erupted around the world, including in Berlin, Paris, London, Toronto and São Paulo, sparking a renewed global reckoning over white supremacy, racism and police brutality. Every single day, people have swarmed the streets to chant “Defund the police!” and “Black lives matter!”
Just this week, organisers in New York City held nine different events in one day throughout four boroughs. At least 100 people camped out in front of City Hall on Tuesday, calling for a $1bn cut in funding to the New York City Police Department; they have vowed to stay outside the building until the city budget meeting on June 30. In Minnesota, organisers have held marches every single day and have planned a vigil for the one-month anniversary of Floyd’s death. Protests are scheduled to continue in Minneapolis through the Fourth of July, according to Facebook.
Protesters and organisers have already made progress in the fight against systemic racism, both within and outside of police departments. These victories are bittersweet ― it took brutal deaths to get them ― and overdue. The fight for reform is also far from over. But the fact that so much changed in one month highlights how historic this moment is.
“We know there are many new people finally listening to what we have been saying all along and now, it’s time for solutions until we are transformed.” - Kailee Scales, managing director of Black Lives Matter Global Network
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“We are heavy with the continued loss of lives like Raymond, Dominique, Tony, Riah, Toyin,” said Kailee Scales, managing director of Black Lives Matter Global Network, naming other Black people who have been killed recently. “Yet this global public outcry for justice leaves us hopeful for change.”
Public opinion has also made a shift: Over the last two weeks, US voters’ support for Black Lives Matter has increased nearly as much as it did over the previous two years, The New York Times reported.
“Many of us recognise this moment as one to push even harder for transformation,” Scales said. “We know there are many new people finally listening to what we have been saying all along and now, it’s time for solutions until we are transformed.”
The most basic sign of justice is that some individual officers have been held accountable for their actions.
In Minneapolis, Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s death have been charged with aiding and abetting. Six police officers in Atlanta were charged after a video went viral showing cops using a stun gun and dragging two Black students from a car during protests. And in Buffalo, New York, two cops were charged with shoving a 75-year-old protester to the ground. The protester’s head hit the ground so hard that he fractured his skull and was in the hospital for two weeks.
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The police department in Louisville, Kentucky, has also held some officers accountable for their actions: The police chief was fired and two officers were placed on administrative leave after David McAtee, a Black chef, was shot and killed when police responded to a large gathering after a curfew. One of the three officers in the city who executed a no-knock search warrant at the home of Breonna Taylor, a Black EMT, was also fired. Taylor was shot at least eight times and died in her hallway after police barged into her home unannounced. The Louisville City Council has since passed Breonna’s Law, which bans no-knock search warrants.
Floyd’s death has also brought renewed attention to police violence against Black women and Black transgender people, and we have seen more attention and urgency paid to past police violence and killings. More than 2 million people have signed a petition urging Colorado lawmakers to reopen an investigation into the killing of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died nearly a year ago when an Aurora cop put him in a chokehold. Even the death of Taylor, the EMT from Louisville, didn’t receive much national attention for two months; it became part of the public discussion about police brutality after Floyd was killed.
The calls to defund the police and invest in communities of colour have also led to some changes across the country. In Los Angeles, the city council introduced a proposal to redirect at least $100m to $150m from the LAPD’s budget to disadvantaged communities. In Minneapolis, a veto-proof majority of city council members pledged to “begin the process of ending” the city’s police department and promised to invest in a “new transformative model for cultivating safety.” And in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a proposal to cut the police department’s budget and shift some of that money to programs that will help communities of colour.
Police reform is now a topic of discussion in Congress, which in itself is a big step forward. However, most Republican lawmakers have not gotten on board with many of the police reform proposals put forward by Black Lives Matter and other groups. Many Democrats, including presumptive nominee Joe Biden, are also shying away from demands to defund the police.
Protesters rallying in Las Vegas on May 30. Protests against police brutality and racism have taken place around the world after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. John Locher/AP
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Some schools are finally cutting ties with police departments, acquiescing to the long-held belief by many organizers that policing schools does not actually keep children safe. The Minneapolis public school board voted earlier this month to end its relationship with the city’s police, and board members for the school district in Oakland, California, unanimously voted this week to eliminate its police department. The superintendent of Portland, Oregon’s public school system also said he was “discontinuing” the use of police officers in schools in the state.
Floyd’s death has also forced many to acknowledge America’s history of slavery and racism. Many have finally learned that policing was first created to return enslaved people to white slave owners.
Others are using this moment to topple monuments of Confederate leaders, of which there are over 1,700 in the U.S. People have ripped down monuments in states including Alabama, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy. Lawmakers in many states and cities — and even Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi — have called for Confederate statues to be removed.
The tech, media and sports industries are all facing a reckoning over racism in their own ranks. NASCAR announced that it would ban the display of the Confederate flag at all its events, and the NFL commissioner admitted the league was wrong for not allowing players to peacefully protest police brutality during the national anthem. Additionally, several TV shows, including “Cops” and “Live PD,” were canceled due to their depictions of police brutality.
Although this progress has been hard-fought and well-earned, there is much more work to be done. Many issues still remain: Chauvin and the other officers involved in Floyd’s death still may get off; none of the Louisville cops who killed Taylor have been charged in her death; we have yet to see if city council members from across the country will actually follow through on their promises to divest from police and invest in communities of color.
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And one major issue lingers: What happens when no one is filming these incidents of police brutality and racism? How many times has there been no video?
This is not the time to rest, Scales said, because communities of color deserve reinvestment.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Trump Administration Files Supreme Court Brief To End Obamacare Amid Covid-19 Crisis

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The Trump administration filed a brief Thursday night calling on the US Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act — which allows millions of Americans to get health insurance coverage — just as the nation smashed a record for new Covid-19 cases in a single day.
Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued in a brief that because Congress in 2017 invalidated the law’s individual coverage mandate — by dropping a tax penalty for those without health insurance — the “entire ACA thus must fall.”
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The court is scheduled to hear arguments later this year, but a decision might not come until 2021. The move threatens health care coverage for more than 20 million Americans.
Democrats were appalled. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed the action to “rip away” health care protections in the “dead of night” and in the “middle of a pandemic.”
In the dead of night, the Trump Administration has once again asked the Supreme Court to rip away the protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. #ProtectOurCare https://t.co/IB0oglIMDV — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 26, 2020
“If President Trump gets his way, 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions will lose the ACA’s lifesaving protections and 23 million Americans will lose their health coverage entirely,” Pelosi said in a statement. “There is no legal justification and no moral excuse for the Trump Administration’s disastrous efforts to take away Americans’ health care.”
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Thousands of more Americans have turned to the ACA for health care coverage after losing their jobs amid the pandemic — and Covid-19 cases are surging. Across the nation, 38,115 new infections were reported by state health departments Wednesday. The previous single-day record of 34,203 was set on April 25.
The Trump administration brief was filed in support of a challenge to the ACA by a coalition of Republican governors.
Trump renewed his pledge last month to jettison Obamacare even amid the Covid-19 crisis and despite warnings from aides about angering voters.
As new Covid-19 cases were breaking records and the American death toll was ticking toward 125,000, Trump boasted in a tweet Thursday night about how well the US was doing.
Coronavirus deaths are way down. Mortality rate is one of the lowest in the World. Our Economy is roaring back and will NOT be shut down. “Embers” or flare ups will be put out, as necessary! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--My Pride Anthems: Billy Porter

My Pride Anthems: Billy Porter

The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, and that includes how we’re all celebrating Pride in 2020.
With huge public gatherings out of the question, we’re asking a range of LGBTQ celebrities and allies for their personal Pride anthems, to help us all get into the Pride spirit from lockdown.
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As we near the end of our My Pride Anthems series, we spoke to the incomparable Billy Porter about some of his must-listen tunes this Pride month.
Billy Porter Billy Porter
In recent times, Billy has become known for his inspiring speeches and iconic red carpet looks, as well as his Emmy-winning role as Praytell in the Ryan Murphy drama Pose.
“It’s not lost on me that I’m a part of the generation that kicked the door down for queer artists, especially queer artists of colour,” he tells HuffPost UK. “And it’s not lost on me that very often the people that kick the door down and the people who are the trailblazers don’t always have the chance to benefit from the trail that’s been blazed and the kicked down doors. And I am blessed to be experiencing both sides.”
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Here are the songs he picked as his ultimate Pride anthems, including hits from Whitney Houston and Sylvester...
Carl Bean – I Was Born This Way
“I went a little way back here. This was a disco anthem in 1977, and the lyric is literally about ‘I was born this way’ and I’m gay, period.
“You know, he was a Black man, and he was singing this song – I actually just learned about it in the last couple of years, but it’s really inspiring that this was happening. Black queer people have always been part of the conversation, even though we have not been as visible as white people.”
Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
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“For a little Black queer boy who grew up Pentecostal in Pittsburgh, Pensylvania in the 70s and 80s, there was nothing, no images reflected back at me that looked like me. So to discover Sylvester…
“And he was mainstream, you know? He crossed over, it was disco. He was on the top of the charts as a Black, queer, gender non-conforming – before we even had that language – man. And I’m excited for the position that I’m in right now in my life in general. My focus is to pick up the mantle where Sylvester left off and step into that space that has not been occupied since Sylvester died of AIDS in 1988.”
MFSB – Love Is The Message
“This song is for voguers, ball children, DJs… this is an inspiration and a symbol of joy for them. And it’s a classic. And Pose brought it back.
“I have to say, I had heard the song before [Pose], but I didn’t know the name of it until my big episode in season one, which was titled Love Is The Message. And that was the episode that was submitted for Emmy consideration for me, and that’s what I made history on.”
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Whitney Houston – I’m Every Woman
“First of all, this was Chaka Khan, but then Whitney Houston re-did it, and it became a gay anthem in the 90s. And this was back when I was being a club kid at the Roxy and Sound Factory and all these places.
“And there was this remix, where in the middle the beat would drop, and it was this sort of ethereal, safe [moment]... and for those of us who were doing our recreational drugs at the time, the lights would dim, and that would be our cue to take our bumps of whatever, and it would come back on and we’d be flying again!
“I have such beautiful memories of that time, because the club was a space for us during the AIDS crisis to come in fellowship with each other and just block out the noise for a few hours. It was a very healing space for us. I do not condone drugs, obviously there was a lot of it that can get and has got out of hand, but in that space, in that time, there was a reason for the party. The party was the antidote to the terror that we were living through.”
The Shapeshifters and Billy Porter – Finally Ready
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“I have to say this is one of my favourite songs that I’ve recorded ever. It really speaks to what it feels like to have your love discounted by society, shunned and ignored, and the journey to what that means to excavate the courage to finally let true love in.
“It’s hard for us, gay men of a certain age. It’s really, really hard. There’s a lot of baggage and a lot of trauma and a lot of grief that is in the way, and blocks that kind of love, that kind of intimacy. And so I wanted to speak to that with this song.
“And I am living that right now, I am happily married, and my husband teaches me every day what true love is and what it really looks like and feels like. And I’m finally ready! I want people to embrace the idea that when you let love in truly, when you can find the space to let it in for real, your life will be forever changed.”
Finally Ready by the Shapeshifters and Billy Porter is out now.
We’ll be adding each celebrity’s song choices to our bumper My Pride Anthems playlist each day. Take a listen below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--Breakfast Pizza Is The Way To Start Your Day. You Heard Us Right

Remove the pizza dough ball from the fridge and let it warm to room temperature.
Preheat a Breville Pizza Oven to the New York style setting – well, this is what Ramsay did. If you don’t have one, warm up the oven to 200C.
Dust plain flour onto a flat surface and put the room temperature pizza dough on it. Sprinkle more flour on the top of the dough. Using a dowel or rolling pin, roll the dough out similar to pie dough, to about ¼ inch thickness. The dough should be about 8-10 inches wide.
To keep the dough from puffing up in the oven, use a fork to poke the dough several times so when it bakes it will be able to release air from inside.
Scoop the pizza dough from the flat surface and place into the oven. It’s probably easier to follow the steps in this recipe – and cook it for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the dough and rotate if necessary so it will cook evenly and not burn. Remove from oven onto plate.
Heat a medium saute pan on medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the sliced shallots and sliced mushrooms. Season well with salt and cracked pepper and stir with a wooden spoon occasionally for 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms start to turn golden brown and the shallots become translucent.
Add the sliced asparagus, olives, chilli flakes and herbs. Cook for two minutes and then turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a cold nonstick saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the egg yolks.
Put the pan onto a low to medium heat and continuously stir for one minute. Add a few cubes of butter, then remove the pot from the heat while still stirring the eggs for 30 seconds.
Put the pan back on the heat and stir again for one minute while adding a few more cubes of butter. Remove from the heat again while stirring the eggs. At this point the eggs should be starting to coagulate.
Keep repeating this one minute on, 30 seconds off routine while slowly adding butter until the butter runs out and the eggs seem thickened. When you are able to take a scoop of eggs and hold the spoon up to eye view and the eggs have height to them add creme fraiche and salt and pepper to taste.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-26--How Cabbage Became Lockdown's Most Popular Vegetable

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This article was originally published on HuffPost US.
Early in coronavirus isolation, around the middle of March, The New Yorker food writer Helen Rosner turned away from a Zoom call to grab the chicken she had roasting. “It was like the golden light of heaven shining out of my oven,” she told HuffPost. But the gasps heard through the ether weren’t for the bird: they were about the schmaltzy cabbage underneath.
This year, Google Trends shows that people were looking for cabbage recipes through the end of March, into April, and even now.
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But the vegetable of the moment lacks the usual eye-catching colours or over-the-top calorie count of most Instagram darlings. It cooks to the colour of a dirty napkin and supplies health benefits galore. Packed with fibre and nutrients, cabbage climbed to the top of lockdown cooking popularity for the most utterly mundane reason: practicality. Cabbage lasts basically forever in the fridge, costs almost nothing and works just as well as a star centre-piece of a main dish or shredded and cooked down to near invisibility.
Eater writer Jaya Saxena saw the writing on the wall even before the pandemic, predicting in December that “cabbage is your next great vegetable crush.” Watching where it intersects with comfort, wellness and cuisines from around the world that so many Americans love to appropriate, along with a forecast economic recession, she warned: “Get ready to be sick of it by 2021.”
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Rosner’s “cabbage epiphany” about the vegetable’s versatility and usefulness hit just a little earlier, during the romaine recalls, when an airport salad replaced the lettuce with thinly sliced cabbage. “That was the moment for me, when I switched it into my regular rotation,” she said.
Though Rosner has been cooking through a cabbage or two each week lately, one of the advantages of cabbage is that there is no need to do so. In “The Book of Greens,” chef Jenn Louis says that properly stored wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator, cabbage can last at least a month — far longer than most greens.
Cabbage shows up in Louis’s book brined in okonomiyaki (a Japanese savoury pancake), rolled around arborio rice and pork, in a salad with carrot leaves and dates, in Irish-style colcannon, and ultra-sweet, charred with miso and lime. “I love how versatile it is,” she said, but she favours the deep flavours of roasting it. In summer, she recommends throwing it whole onto a campfire for an hour, then peeling away the outer leaves to eat the sweet inside.
“It’s such an underutilised ingredient,” said Maneet Chauhan, the Nashville-based chef and owner of Chauhan Ale & Masala House and others. At home, she shreds and sautés cabbage with curry leaf, turmeric and mustard seed. “It’s really typical,” she said of how she uses it in Indian cooking. A recent dish of cabbage kofta was a big hit with her kids ― chopped, fried in a spiced chickpea batter, and served in a basic curry sauce. She always adds a cabbage and onion slaw to her flatbread rolls, includes it in her fried rice, and stuffs it into parathas, pancakes and omelettes.
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“You can really celebrate the texture,” Chauhan said of what she loves about cabbage ― as long as you take care not to overcook it. “It should be just enough to get that crunch.” But she’s also drawn to what she describes as the slightly fruity, sulphur, oniony flavour. “It goes so well with Indian spices.”
Those flavours haven’t always been in favour. “Of course, if you prepare it by boiling it in the most boring possible way” Rosner said, “that’s when you get this farty, limp green garbage that merits being a punchline.” Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and so many other vegetables that have had bad reputations in American popular culture, she noted, “if you cook it deliciously, it ends up being delicious.”