thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Is Boris Johnson Losing Control Of Coronavirus, Again?

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Illegally blond
For some, the big news at Westminster today was cabinet minister Brandon Lewis’s candid words on new government legislation drafted in the event of a no-deal Brexit. “This does break international law – in a very specific and limited way,” the Northern Ireland secretary admitted to MPs.
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That outburst of honesty swiftly smashed the careful comms that No.10 and other ministers had tried to deploy as they sidestepped the question of legality and instead suggested this was all about technicalities. “We are committed to implementing the Withdrawal Agreement,” George Eustice and the PM’s spokesman had trilled. Lewis put paid to that particular line-to-take.
Add in the resignation of Jonathan Jones, head of the government’s legal service (another excellent FT scoop) over this apparent threat to the rule of law, and it was easy to see why several senior Tories felt obliged to speak out. Theresa May suggested the UK wouldn’t be “trusted”, Bob Neill, Tom Tugendhat, Tobias Ellwood, Roger Gale, Simon Hoare and George Freeman all piled in too.
What was striking however was the way Keir Starmer didn’t really go for the PM over the Lewis remarks. As I wrote last night, the Labour leader’s whole strategy is to avoid feeding Tory attack lines. Even though he knew Jones professionally when they were both lawyers, his main message on Brexit was that Johnson was in danger of breaking his word to the public.
Instead of falling into the trap of being painted as a ‘Remoaner’, Starmer tried a political judo throw, using the weight of the PM’s “Get Brexit Done” mantra against him (“Get on, negotiate, get the deal that was promised,” he told ITV News). As part of his long-term game plan, the criticism centred on competence, keeping promises and trust.
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Starmer was also wise to focus on the more pressing emergency of Covid, saying the sooner Brexit was sorted the sooner the whole government could devote its energies to fighting the virus. And in perhaps his most critical words to date on the pandemic, he said the test and trace system was “on the verge of collapse”.
Some in government are furious at what they see as Starmer’s opportunistic hyperbole (irony alert: isn’t that the PM’s own political style?) on testing. Yet NHS Test and Trace’s Sarah Jane Marsh apologised publicly for a problem with laboratory bottlenecks and Matt Hancock admitted the problem could last two more weeks. Those are two weeks the country can ill afford.
But it was the local council leader in Bolton, which was today subject to fresh lockdown curbs, who had the most chilling words of all. David Greenhalgh said that the virus was now “moving round uncontrolled”. Johnson is set to address the nation on Wednesday, and given that he hasn’t fronted a No.10 press conference since July, that sense of national duty and accountability feels well overdue.
Cutting the legal number of people in a gathering from 30 to 6 is a start. A much stronger message would come however if the PM set out a clear national roadmap for re-entering national lockdown, just as he set one out for exiting it. In Bolton, pubs are reduced to takeaways and separate households are banned from mixing (beyond a support ‘bubble’). If those were the next steps for the whole country, at least there would be certainty.
Government insiders know that many of the PM’s core voters are more likely to sit up and take notice of legal restrictions on going to the pub than they are to worry about claims that the UK is breaching international laws and treaties.
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As it is, we have no sense of the hierarchy of national lockdown restrictions, beyond knowing that schools will be the last to close. If the number of cases (today well above 2,000) and deaths (at 30 the highest for months) continues to rise nationally, wouldn’t it be better to let the public know what freedoms are at risk and in what order, so they can “plan for the worst” (copyright B Johnson), having hoped for the best?
Everyone will hope that the surge in deaths is a blip and that healthy young carriers avoid spreading the virus to older people. But for a PM who made his name on “taking back control”, the spectre of an out-of-control coronavirus and, more importantly, the lack of a clear strategy for reining it in, would be very damaging indeed.
Quote Of The Day
“Tearing up treaties is what rogue states do. I can’t recall our ever doing so.”
Lord Kerr, former UK ambassador to Brussels and Washington
Tuesday Cheat Sheet
Matt Hancock told the Commons that a “sharp rise” in coronavirus cases in recent days in the UK is “concerning”. There were 2,420 more coronavirus cases in Britain over the past 24 hours.
Downing Street is looking at cutting the maximum permitted size for social gatherings in England.
Sir Jonathan Jones, permanent secretary to the Government Legal Department, quit in protest at the government’s Internal Market Bill, due to be published on Wednesday. Shadow Attorney General Lord Falconer said “it suggests something pretty rotten is happening in government”.
Theatre impresario and composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber told MPs that the arts are at the “point of no return” following damage from the coronavirus pandemic.
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Housing ministry minister Simon Clarke resigned from the government for personal reasons, including “balancing my own life against the demands of office”. He was replaced by Luke Hall. In a mini-reshuffle, Kelly Tolhurst moved from transport to MHCLG and Robert Courts joined transport.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Legal Limit On Social Gatherings Cut To Six, Indoors And Outside, Amid Spike In Covid Cases

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Social gatherings of more than six people in England will be banned from Monday as Boris Johnson moves to stem the “concerning” rise in cases of Covid-19.
The PM will set out the new rules at a press conference on Wednesday, warning police can hand out fines of £100 to anyone who flouts them.
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Cutting the legal limit on gatherings from 30 to six signals growing unease among ministers and government scientists about the possibility of a second wave taking hold in the UK.
The cap will apply both indoors and outdoors – including in private homes, parks, pubs and restaurants.
But gatherings of more than six people will be allowed where the household or support bubble is larger than six, or where the gathering is for work or education purposes.
Weddings, funerals and some organised team sports will also be exempt.
The crackdown follows the biggest jump in infections in more than three months on Sunday, when new cases hit almost 3,000.
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Chief Scientific Officer Patrick Vallance, left, and Chief Medical Adviser Chris Whitty agreed urgent action was needed after rise in cases ASSOCIATED PRESS
The UK also reported 30 new coronavirus deaths over a 24-hour period on Tuesday, the highest since July 29.
Health secretary Matt Hancock, who ordered new local lockdown measures for Bolton on Tuesday, has urged people to be vigilant.
He also said young people had been driving much of the latest spike, though ministers feared infection could quickly spread to the vulnerable and elderly without curbs.
Johnson is expected to tell the press conference: “We need to act now to stop the virus spreading. So we are simplifying and strengthening the rules on social contact – making them easier to understand and for the police to enforce.
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“It is absolutely critical that people now abide by these rules and remember the basics – washing your hands, covering your face, keeping space from others, and getting a test if you have symptoms.”
The move follows schools reopening last week.
Chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Chris Whitty agreed that urgent action was needed after the jump in cases, Downing Street has said.
As lockdown measures were eased in July, Whitty had cautioned that the country had “probably reached near the limit of what we can do”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Boris Johnson Facing Tory Backlash Over Law-Breaking Brexit Plan

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Boris Johnson is facing a rebellion from senior Tories amid growing signs of a civil service walkout over his plans to break the law over Brexit.
The prime minister is trying to unpick parts of the withdrawal agreement (WA) he negotiated last year to give UK ministers key powers to decide when EU rules apply to Northern Ireland.
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Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis was forced to admit the proposals “break international law”, triggering a backlash from Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May and Tory chairs of three Commons select committees.
May said the plans would leave the UK less “trusted” around the world while foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat said the country’s “entire economy” depends on UK adherence to international law.
"How can the government reassure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?" asks ex-PM Theresa May
No 10 is introducing law which could change part of the Withdrawal Agreementhttps://t.co/HyuB1SWSbB pic.twitter.com/fhdNAdBAnr — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 8, 2020
The PM was also rocked by the resignations of civil servants in key government legal positions.
The head of the government’s legal department Sir Jonathan Jones quit, reportedly over the Brexit plan which will come to the Commons in the Internal Market Bill on Wednesday.
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He was followed by Rowena Collins Rice, director general at the Attorney General’s Office, although sources stressed that her departure was long planned and she is set to take up a new public role on Friday.
There were also reports that Lord Keene, advocate general for Scotland, was also on resignation watch in Whitehall.
The PM meanwhile was facing pressure on his other flank as the Tory hardline Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) warned that “Brexit is not done” unless the PM follows through on the controversial plans.
That was despite Johnson renegotiating the Brexit deal put together by his predecessor May to appease the ERG.
And it was May who led the starkest criticism on Tuesday.
“The United Kingdom government signed the withdrawal agreement with the Northern Ireland protocol,” she told the Commons.
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“This parliament voted that withdrawal agreement into UK legislation.
“The government is now changing the operation of that agreement.
“Given that, how can the government reassure future international partners that the UK could be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?”
IN DEPTH Is Boris Johnson Really About To Blow Up The Brexit Negotiations?
Tugendhat echoed her concerns, telling a British Foreign Policy Group Event: “Traditionally, the UK has been the chief exporter of the rule of law, we have been the single pillar of dependability in international negotiations that has allowed others to prosper and indeed allowed us to prosper.
“On it we have built the goods and services that have enriched our people... from finance to accountancy to pharmaceutical standards to everything else.
“It’s not just about the law, our entire economy is based on the perception that people have of the UK’s adherence to the rule of law.”
Defence committee chair Tobias Ellwood backed the pair and warned that breaking the law would undermine the UK’s attempts to hold increasingly aggressive countries like China, Russia and Iran to account.
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Britain’s soft power & respected voice on the int’l stage comes from our duty & resolve to defend & uphold int’l laws.
This cannot change as we secure Brexit -otherwise our stance in holding China/Russia/ Iran etc to account & upgrading the rules based order is severely weakened. pic.twitter.com/jprMEur3i8 — Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) September 8, 2020
Former minister Geroge Freeman meanwhile warned the government may once again be overruled by the Supreme Court, which struck down its attempt to prorogue parliament last year to force through Brexit.
“Yes this does break the law, but only in a very specific and limited way”?!
Oh dear.
That sound you hear? It’s the sound of the Supreme Court preparing to remind Ministers that intentionally breaking the law - even in a very specific and limited way - is, well, unlawful. https://t.co/0l63k8TeAz — George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) September 8, 2020
Northern Ireland secretary Simon Hoare said there was still a lack of certainty in the province over what happens after Brexit.
He told the Commons: “There appears to be no certainty for businesses, for the long-term future of the Good Friday Agreement as clearly any transporting of goods from north to south will need to be checked somewhere and somehow and in echoing the remarks of [May], the continuity of our country as a country that keeps its word and abides by the rule of law and international obligations.
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“What certainty can my right honourable friend give me that the government understands the seriousness of these issues?”
Veteran Tory Sir Roger Gale meanwhile warned that the UK’s “honour is not for sale or barter” and that breaking international law would be regarded as “an act of bad faith”.
Seeking to re-negotiate the Northern Ireland Protocol will be regarded world-wide as an act of bad faith. 1/3 — Sir Roger Gale MP (@SirRogerGale) September 8, 2020
Those of us who supported the Withdrawal Agreement did not expect that the Clause 38 “Get Out Of Jail” provision would be used to try to re-write an international agreement signed up to by the Prime Minister. 2/3 — Sir Roger Gale MP (@SirRogerGale) September 8, 2020
I want to see a deal with the EU but that is a matter for largely M.Barnier and if we reach 31st Dec without one then so be it. What we must not do though is to undermine our international credibility. Britain is an honourable Country and that honour is not for sale or barter 3/3 — Sir Roger Gale MP (@SirRogerGale) September 8, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Keir Starmer Urges Johnson To 'Get A Deal' Done On Brexit And Focus On Covid

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Keir Starmer has urged Boris Johnson to “get a deal” done on Brexit and focus all his energy on fighting coronavirus.
The Labour leader warned the prime minister not to “reopen old wounds” and to get a trade deal with the European Union secured in good time before the end of the year.
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Starmer said getting a deal was “in the national interest” and “what the public want”, having been promised one by Johnson in the 2019 general election.
He also attacked as “wrong” any moves by the government to break its word on the Brexit agreement signed with Brussels earlier this year, after a cabinet minister admitted the UK would break international law.
During a series of broadcast interviews, Starmer told ITV News that Johnson should “concentrate” on achieving a deal and said it would be a “failure” if a free trade agreement wasn’t reached.
“Get on, negotiate, get the deal that was promised,” he said, adding: “If this ends up without a deal that will be a failure on the part of the government.”
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Tory MPs have accused Starmer of being silent on Brexit because of his record in supporting a second referendum, with Labour seats falling to the Tories at the last election in the so-called “Red Wall” in the north and midlands.
But in his latest intervention, the Labour leader tried to use the PM’s “Get Brexit Done” promise against him, pointing out he needed to fulfil his pledge to the public.
He insisted negotiators have enough time to iron out any outstanding issues and come to a deal before the PM’s October 15 deadline, and stressed that coronavirus should be the priority.
“What we need to do is focus on what’s in the national interest, and what’s in the national interest is getting a deal, the prime minister promised he would get a deal, he needs to deliver on that promise.
“I don’t think the issues that are outstanding can’t be resolved, so let’s get a deal, move on, and focus on what the public are concerned about which is defeating this pandemic.”
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'Get a deal, move on, focus on the job in hand'
Labour leader @Keir_Starmer says any plan to override the Withdrawal Agreement is 'wrong' and urges @BorisJohnson to focus on getting a #Brexit deal so the UK can get back to fighting #coronavirus https://t.co/8QW4IQHtXS pic.twitter.com/b9SOgAQpuq — ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) September 8, 2020
He also ruled out any question of Labour backing an extension of the current negotiation deadline with Brussels.
“I don’t think there’s any need to extend the trade talks, there’s no talks of extending them,” he said, adding: “We’ve left the EU, there’s no question of a second referendum...the Leave/Remain argument is over.”
Starmer also told Channel 5 News: “What I would say to the government is don’t reopen old wounds, get a deal, move on and concentrate on defeating this virus.”
He criticised the plan to introduce new legislation overriding elements of the Withdrawal Agreement and suggested Johnson could be using the proposal as a distraction.
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He told Sky News: “What the government is proposing is wrong, I think that’s plain for everybody to see. But we need to step back here and focus on getting a deal.
“There’s certainly a case to be made that this is all just being used as leverage in the negotiations and that’s wrong in principle.
“Getting a deal is in the national interest, that’s what the public want, that’s what they were promised. The outstanding issues are not difficult, they can be resolved.
“A deal can be struck in the next few weeks, the issues outstanding are not unsurmountable. To have no deal would be a failure of negotiation, a failure that has to be owned by the prime minister.”
He said he was not working with Conservative MPs riled by the proposal in order to table an amendment and block the move in a parliamentary manoeuvre.
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He told Sky News: “I’ve not been talking cross-party on this issue because I’m very focused on the national interest which is getting a deal.”
His message came on a day Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis admitted the Government’s plan to over-ride elements of Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement with Brussels would breach international law.
The head of the Government Legal Department, Sir Jonathan Jones, resigned amid reports he was “very unhappy” with the proposal.
Starmer said he knew Sir Jonathan during his career as a lawyer, vouched for him as a professional and said he would not have resigned “lightly”.
He told Sky: “Jonathan is a first-class lawyer who has given excellent advice over the years and I’m absolutely sure he wouldn’t have done this lightly.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--UK Records Highest Covid-19 Death Count In Six Weeks

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The UK has reported 32 new coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, government figures reveal.
It is the highest number of deaths recorded since July 29 and brings the UK’s Covid-19 death toll to 41,586 – the fifth highest in the world.
News of the deaths comes amid a continuing surge in coronavirus cases in the UK, with 2,460 new infections recorded on Tuesday for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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It comes after 2,988 cases were reported on Sunday – the biggest jump in new infections in more than three months – and 2,948 on Monday.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has branded the increase in cases “concerning”, saying that young people – particularly those aged 17 to 21 – were among the biggest drivers of the recent surge in infections.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Bolton Lockdown: Matt Hancock Announces Tougher Measures

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Hospitality venues are being restricted to take away only in Bolton as part of new measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the town, Matt Hancock has announced.
Under the new rules all venues, including pubs, will be required to close from 10pm until 5am.
With 120 cases per 100,000, Bolton has seen the highest case rate in the country.
“The rise in cases in Bolton is partly due to socialising by people in their 20s and 30s, we know this from contact tracing,” Hancock told MPs on Tuesday.
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Visitor restrictions will also be put in place in Bolton care homes.
The health secretary took the decision as the number of coronavirus cases spiked across the UK.
Hancock warned that “just because we’ve come through one peak, it does not mean we cannot see another one coming”.
There were a further 2,948 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Monday, following the 2,988 reported on Sunday, which was the largest daily figure since May.
It has been reported that officials are considering reducing the number of people who can gather indoors in England. The current limit is 30 but it could be cut as a result of the current rise in cases.
Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer, has warned the public to take the pandemic seriously again or face “a bumpy ride over the next few months”.
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“People have relaxed too much,” he said on Monday evening. “Now is the time for us to re-engage and realise that this is a continuing threat to us.”
David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy for the global Covid-19 response, told Sky News on Tuesday a second wave “is coming” for the UK.
“It’s just been lurking. We’ve been very good at holding it back,” he said. “But now, as life gets going again, as young people go to university and there’s some movement around with holidays and work, I’m afraid it does mean the virus is going to come back.”
On Tuesday morning Hancock admitted will take “weeks” to fix problems with the UK’s coronavirus testing capacity.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Alan Sugar Clashes With Phillip Schofield In This Morning Coronavirus Debate

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Alan Sugar has come under fire following an interview on This Morning in which he discussed the coronavirus pandemic, suggesting people working from home had become “complacent”.
The businessman and reality star spoke to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield during Tuesday’s show, in an interview which started as a discussion about his latest protegée, The Apprentice winner Carina Lepore, but quickly saw him sharing his views on people returning to offices.
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“Today is about putting your suits on, putting your dresses on and getting out there,” he stated. “We have got to get back to some sort of normality.
“We all know what to do, the right things to do, the social distancing, the masks, the washing the hands, we’ve put all that in place now and if people act sensibly we can get back to normality again.”
Alan went on to say he “sympathises with” the government, claiming they “can’t be seen to do anything right with anybody”.
Carina Lepore and Alan Sugar spoke from her shop on Tuesday's This Morning ITV
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He continued: “They’ve been given an unprecedented situation and we’re learning as we go along. We have been told what to do… Let’s get on a bus, just don’t touch your face.
“Those people who like working from home have become a bit complacent, I think, quite honestly. My businesses have all come back…”
When the presenters then pointed out that many were concerned about returning to work, Alan hit back: “There’s a fine line of fearful and enjoying it, to be honest with you. It’s as simple as that.
“What are they fearful of? I’ve got a factory down the road from here that has 300 people that have been working all throughout the pandemic. We have got proper processes in place…”
Alan Sugar has come under fire over his comments about people working from home ITV
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Alan was similarly dismissive when Phillip pointed out the World Health Organisation’s recent comments about a potential second wave, with the entrepreneur interrupting: “Excuse me, excuse me. I am sick and tired of watching CNN, Sky, Bloomberg, BBC, the lot, because all they do is cause panic amongst people.
“I’m not interested in any of this stuff because you can switch the television on anytime of day and the first thing you see is some more bad news.
“If you go down Whitehall it’s like a ghost town and that’s because all of the Civil Servants, they only need half an excuse not to go to work, we’re paying for them by the way.
“The banks are really annoying. They’re telling people not to come back to work until January… they’re starting to use the pandemic for an excuse for making mass redundancies.”
Shortly after the interview, Alan Sugar’s name began trending on Twitter, with many taking issue with what he had to say…
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Just seen Alan Sugar on #thismorning - all I got from him was that he doesn't care about the health & wellbeing of anyone around him. Also people working from home, are still working 🤔 I'd rather work from home than commute to work using crowded public transport, saves money too — Avishek Choudhury (@Avishek_music) September 8, 2020
I just cannot imagine why Alan Sugar, owner of a billion-pound property portfolio focused on commercial developments, wants people to get back to the office. pic.twitter.com/mu1yU2qoPX — Caroline Dodds Pennock (@carolinepennock) September 8, 2020
What sort of business sense is Alan Sugar promoting? He's saying that businesses should keep their city centre offices and make employees go back in even though they've realised employees can work equally well from home and they could save money on office space #ThisMorning — Tina Teapot (@realTinaTeapot) September 8, 2020
Thanks to Alan Sugar, I now understand that we shouldn't work from home in order to stay alive, we should instead return to the office in order save his empire. I can't believe I have been wrong all this time — Lucy (@iamlucyrobinson) September 8, 2020
Alan Sugar being a prime example of the rich, famous and elite really not giving a damn about the people beneath them. He might as well have just said he doesn't care if the plebeians beneath him live or die, as long as he's making money. #ThisMorning — J.J. Larsen (@JoshuaJaceWorld) September 8, 2020
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Alan Sugar has a large property portfolio and is worried about the value of his office blocks falling, that is why he wants people to risk going back to work. It’s all about him, his millions and his private jet. #ThisMorning — Helen the Zen 🏴 (@helenmallam) September 8, 2020
Alan Sugar showing his contempt for anything other than business and money. Because he’s “not interested” in what the World Health Organisation has to say, he has “declared lockdown over”. A truly awful person. #ThisMorning — Jon Wallis (@Astraea1974) September 8, 2020
"Let's get back to work", says Alan Sugar, "we know all the right things to do, like social distancing and wearing masks". Said whilst not social distancing or wearing a mask. 🤦 #ThisMorning — Nick Kelly (@Nikkel71) September 8, 2020
I certainly do not agree that working from home has make people complacent. Working at a university, if anything, we're probably working harder.
People really need to be quiet and keep their opinions to themselves, especially him. — 🐱📚📖🎼Zoe Bright 💬✍🎶 (@zbright94) September 8, 2020
Incredible: @Lord_Sugar on @thismorning calls anyone working from home ‘complacent’
This is a health emergency.
Business unlike your own Lord Sugar are thinking about the health of employers, not their own pockets.
Disgraceful — Daniel Laycock 🏳🌈 #Dan4CampaignsCoordinator (@Daniel_Laycock1) September 8, 2020
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Alan Sugar railing against working from home today, saying people that do wfh have become too complacent. Most people that are wfh have had 90-120 minutes a day returned to them, which they would’ve otherwise had spent on their commute. — Daniel Bestwick (@bestwick123) September 8, 2020
Just got a new job doing Alan Sugar's PR.
Wish me well. — Ian Hyland (@HylandIan) September 8, 2020
This isn’t the first time during the pandemic that Alan Sugar has ruffled feathers, though.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-08--Boris Johnson's Brexit Deal Plan Breaks The Law, Minister Admits

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A cabinet minister has admitted Boris Johnson’s plan to change his own Brexit deal breaks international law.
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said the proposals to change the operation of his own withdrawal agreement (WA), which smoothed the UK’s departure from the EU in January, breaks the law in a “very specific and limited way”.
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The plan threatens to collapse Brexit negotiations on a trade deal and have left the prime minister’s predecessor Theresa May questioning whether the UK can be “trusted” internationally.
Here it is. A British cabinet minister telling the House of Commons that the UK will break international law. pic.twitter.com/MtCTk1ro7F — Joe Miller (@JoeMillerJr) September 8, 2020
Johnson is trying to unpick key sections of the WA on trade in Northern Ireland, despite negotiating the provisions himself to make the deal initially negotiated by his predecessor May more palatable to the Conservative Party.
The prime minister’s plan would give UK ministers key powers to decide when EU rules apply to Northern Ireland, in apparent defiance of his own deal.
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During an urgent question on the plan, veteran Tory Sir Bob Neill, who chairs the Commons justice committee, told Lewis that “adherence to the rule of law is not negotiable”.
He went on: “Against that background, will he assure us that nothing that is proposed in this legislation does or potentially might breach international legal obligations or international legal arrangements that we have entered into?”
Lewis replied: “Yes this does break international law in a very specific and limited way.”
The exchange came after the head of the government’s legal department Jonathan Jones quit, reportedly over Johnson’s plans for the WA.
Lewis refused to comment on the reasons for Jones’ resignation.
In a message to staff, Jones reportedly did not address directly address the issue but thanks the legal department for wrestling with the “unique legal and constitutional complexities of leaving the EU”.
IN DEPTH Is Boris Johnson Really About To Blow Up The Brexit Negotiations?
In the Commons, Lewis went on: “We are taking the power to disapply the EU law concept of direct effect, required by Article 4 in certain, very tightly defined circumstances.
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“There are precedents for the UK and indeed other countries needing to consider their international obligations as circumstances change.”
Lewis said the Finance Act 2013 “contains the example of treaty override, it contains provisions that expressly disapply international tax treaties to the extent that these conflict with the general anti-abuse rule.”
The proposals drew sharp criticism from May, who has long found Johnson a thorn in her side.
Johnson quit May’s cabinet over Brexit and eventually usurped her as Tory leader and PM.
Then-PM Theresa May and her foreign secretary Boris Johnson attend a high level meeting at United Nations headquarters in 2017. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In the Commons, May said: “The United Kingdom government signed the withdrawal agreement with the Northern Ireland protocol.
“This parliament voted that withdrawal agreement into UK legislation.
“The government is now changing the operation of that agreement.
“Given that, how can the government reassure future international partners that the UK could be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?”
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Northern Ireland was supposed to follow EU rules on certain aspects of trade but UK rules on others, to ensure it keeps an invisible border with the Republic.
But the government now wants to give UK ministers the power to decide what goods are “at risk” of being sold into the EU via Northern Ireland, and must therefore comply with Brussels tariffs.
Ministers would also have the power to decide when state aid – government support for businesses – should be notified to Brussels because it affects Northern Ireland, and by extension the EU.
It has been seen as potentially reneging on the WA’s Northern Ireland protocol.
Lewis insisted the provisions were simply a “safety net” to ensure there is no legal confusion if the UK and EU, through the so-called “joint committee” that monitors the implementation of the WA, cannot agree on Northern Ireland.
Responding to May, he said: “We have worked with the EU in the spirit of good faith and I know we continue to do that, both sides working in a spirit of good faith, to ensure we do implement arrangements which uphold the fundamental principles that lie behind the protocol.
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“Our first priority continues to be to secure agreement on the protocol through the joint committee and the wider free trade agreement.
“But the withdrawal agreement protocol is not like any other treaty. It was written on the assumption that subsequent agreements could be reached between us and the EU on the detail.
“That is the entire purpose of the specialised joint committee.
“We continue to believe that that is possible but as a responsible government we cannot allow businesses to not have certainty for January.”
Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Louise Haigh, who asked the urgent question, said Lewis’s admission was “astonishing”
Absolutely astonishing that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has confirmed the government WILL be in breach of international law by undermining the Northern Ireland Protocol.
This seriously undermines our authority on the international stage. — Louise Haigh (@LouHaigh) September 8, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Government Shovels 3,000 People Into Horse-Racing Festival Hours After Banning Gatherings

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Health officials on Wednesday ordered a four-day horse racing festival in Doncaster to be held behind closed doors – but not before more than 3,000 spectators had attended the first day of the event which was being held as a government trial.
According to the Doncaster Free Press, more than 3,600 spectators were set descend on the St Leger Festival on Wednesday, with that number rising to more than 6,000 over the following three days of the four-day event.
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But a last-minute intervention from local health officials means that the races from Thursday to Saturday will be held without any spectators in the stands.
“On the grounds of public health and public safety I have instructed the course to hold the St Leger Festival behind closed doors from tomorrow,” said Dr Rupert Suckling, director of public health for Doncaster.
The races were being used by the government as a pilot event to investigate how large sporting events could return during the Covid-19 crisis, but thousands of people had signalled their concern that the races could undo months of hard work to control the virus. Even the town’s mayor opposed the plan and described it as an “imposition”.
The gates opened for the festival just hours after the government released a late-night announcement on Tuesday stating that from next week it would be illegal to meet up in groups of more than six people.
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Almost 6,000 people had signed a petition calling for the four-day festival to be called off, citing fears that the work the Doncaster public has put in to minimise the impact of the virus will be undone by the influx of visitors.
In a statement on the petition page, entitled “Stop the St Leger, Protect OUR Town”, Chris Brodhurst-Brown – a district councillor for the Armthorpe area of Docaster, wrote: “Doncaster people have worked tremendously hard and made many sacrifices to keep Covid-19 levels in the town comparatively low. Our health and caring services have worked tirelessly to protect us.
“We feel that to hold the St Leger in 2020 will create large amounts of unnecessary risk and could undo the amazing efforts of people in our community.
“To put 6,000 people together in one place, over several days, with alcohol in play, is an insult to those who have gone without seeing family for a very long time, those who have assiduously shielded for many months, those key workers who have worked their socks off whilst literally risking their lives, and to all of us who have played the game and followed the advice.”
The petition calls on Doncaster’s mayor, Ros Jones, to work with the police to stop the event from going ahead at all.
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On Tuesday, Jones published an updated statement. that slammed the “government imposed” festival as a “major risk”.
She wrote: “My personal opinion remains that the festival is a major risk for the borough that I would rather not see happen but there are no current grounds that can be escalated for it to be held behind closed doors.
“This event, I reiterate, has been imposed upon the borough by government as part of a national pilot for spectators to return to sporting events.
“I fully recognise the need to get back to some sort of normality and appreciate the economic benefits that the St Leger Festival brings to Doncaster but I believe the risk is too great as we are seeing rising infection rates nationally.”
Health experts at Doncaster Council initially gave the event the go ahead after determining that it had surpassed the requirements set in 10 different tests, which include no significant increase in Doncaster’s Covid rate prior to the event, and ensuring that no one from areas with Covid-19 restrictions can enter.
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According to ticketing information published ahead of the races, half of racegoers are from Doncaster, 25% from South Yorkshire, 20% from Yorkshire and 5%from elsewhere.
Nearby West Yorkshire is already subject to enhanced Covid-19 restrictions following identified outbreaks – with fears that the races could increase the prevalence of outbreaks across other parts of the region.
No more than 6 people together from Monday, yet over the next few days, thousands will be meeting at Doncaster races.
So fed up of this shit now. This government doesn’t know its arse from its elbow. https://t.co/WOkK6sURJS — Jules Swain (@julesbuddle) September 9, 2020
Did I hear this right, Doncaster races is to go ahead despite new restrictions coming in on Monday? Is COVID19 avoiding Doncaster for the next few days?#BBCBreakfast — Clive Hallam 🇪🇺🇬🇧Proud European (@challam19) September 9, 2020
Meanwhile, criticising the government’s decision to press ahead with the Doncaster races, some have pointed to Matt Hancock’s close links with the racing industry.
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As highlighted by the Guardian in a June article, the health secretary is the MP for Newmarket – a major centre for horse racing – and “receives tens of thousands of pounds in donations from wealthy racehorse owners, trainers and other members of the sport’s establishment”.
Dido Harding, who runs the government’s Test, Track and Trace effort, also holds a board position with the influential Jockey Club, which runs a number of major racing events including the Cheltenham Festival.
Approached on Wednesday morning for comment about what the announcement of new restrictions meant for large events, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) directed HuffPost UK to a comment Hancock made on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning.
"We'll set out what that means for some of these events"
On #BBCBreakfast we asked Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, what impact the new social gathering rule in England will have on planned trial crowd events like Doncaster Races. This was his response ⤵https://t.co/LaFa686pb1 pic.twitter.com/I7Try2tAUN — BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 9, 2020
The event has been compared to the Cheltenham Festival, which ended days before the UK went into full lockdown and was attended by around 250,000 people.
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While senior council figures warned against the validity of comparisons, The Guardian reported in April that Gloucestershire hospitals NHS trust, which covers Cheltenham, had recorded 125 deaths – more than double the total at two trusts in Bristol which had 58 deaths each and Bath, which had 46 deaths.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Lindsay Hoyle Threatens To Run Matt Hancock 'Ragged' For Not Telling MPs About Covid Law Change

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Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has threatened to run Matt Hancock “ragged” after the health secretary failed to tell MPs about major change to Covid-19 lockdown rules.
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The government released news via the media that the legal limit on social gatherings in England would be cut from 30 to six in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.
But Hoyle has blasted Hancock for his “total disregard” of parliamentary rules, saying he should apologise for not telling MPs on Tuesday when he announced fresh lockdown measures for Bolton.
The Speaker went on to warn the Cabinet minister he would agree to urgent questions every day, meaning Hancock would be forced to regularly appear at the despatch box to explain policy.
Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Hoyle said he accepted decisions are taken in a fast-moving way, but added: “It’s really not good enough for the government to make decisions of this kind in a way which shows insufficient regard for the importance of major policy announcements being made first to this House and members of this House wherever possible.”
Hoyle said he had written to Hancock criticising his behaviour and said: “I expect the secretary of state to apologise to members and make sure that this chamber knows first of when he was fully aware of what was going to be said later.
Britain's Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock attends a Cabinet meeting ASSOCIATED PRESS
“And let me say, if this minister wants to run this chamber ragged I can assure you now I’m sure a UQ (urgent question) every day might just begin to run him ragged.”
Cutting the legal limit on gatherings from 30 to six was agreed on Tuesday, with chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance and chief medical officer Chris Whitty agreeing urgent action was needed.
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It signals growing unease about the possibility of a second wave taking hold in the UK.
The cap will apply both indoors and outdoors – including in private homes, parks, pubs and restaurants.
But gatherings of more than six people will be allowed where the household or support bubble is larger than six, or where the gathering is for work or education purposes.
Weddings, funerals and some organised team sports will also be exempt.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Diversity's Jordan Banjo Speaks Out Over 'Horrible' Online Abuse Following Powerful BGT Performance

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Diversity stars Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely have spoken out after the dance troupe’s powerful performance on Britain’s Got Talent led to them being the targets of online abuse.
Over the weekend, the pair and their fellow Diversity dancers performed a routine inspired by Black Lives Matter during the first BGT semi-final, including moments echoing the killing of George Floyd and the global protests that followed.
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Although the performance received widespread praise, it was later reported that media regulator Ofcom had received more than 1000 complaints, a figure which has since more than doubled, according to The Sun.
During Wednesday’s edition of the Kiss Breakfast Show, hosts Jordan and Perri spoke of the overwhelming positive response they received following the performance, but revealed they had also been “bombarded with.. horrible stuff about us”.
Jordan and Perri on stage with Diversity leader Ashley Banjo Dymond/Thames/Syco/Shutterstock
Perri said: “On Saturday we performed with Diversity on Britain’s Got Talent. Our performance covered the events of this year and the appalling messages that need to be spoken about.
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“It’s something close to our hearts. We’ve never ever had a response like this.”
Jordan then continued: “Of course you get some critiques but normally it’s focused on the dance. But this one was different, it was really important, it was special to us.
“We are all about positivity and love and we got so much positivity and love back from this one. But we also got bombarded with messages and articles of horrible stuff about us, about our families… I can’t speak for anyone else it’s sad, it’s sad, genuinely.”
Becoming audibly emotional, Jordan added: “I feel really anxious and worried saying something like Black lives matter when that’s all we want, man. Love and positivity.
“No one is saying only Black lives matter, as a son and as a dad, I look at Perri and I just... it’s all positivity and love. Let’s keep it moving.”
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Earlier in the week, troupe leader – and Jordan’s brother – Ashley Banjo addressed the complaints on Instagram, writing: “I’m so grateful and overwhelmed by all of the love and support but also by the amount of conversation this performance has thrown up.
“2020 has been such a historical year. One day we will look back and realise it was the start of real change... Sending out nothing but love and positivity to everyone reading this post.”
Since then, he shared a second post, featuring a screenshot of a comment aimed at himself, boxer Anthony Joshua and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, urging them not to “say anything about racism”.
Ashley wrote: “For the people sending this: 1. You do not represent or speak for the Great British public. 2. Silence was never and will never be an option.”
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He added: “Change is inevitable... Get used to it.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Boris Johnson Says ‘Everybody Should Obey The Law’ Despite His Plan To Break The Law

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Boris Johnson has said “everybody” should obey the law, despite his plan to break the law.
The government has admitted new legislation to change the Withdrawal Agreement signed with the EU would would go against international law in a “very specific and limited way”.
The prime minster is facing a growing backlash from his own MPs, as well as opposition parties, over the proposal.
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Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson asked Johnson: “If ministers think it’s acceptable for this government to not obey the law, how on Earth can the prime minister expect the public at home to do so?”
The prime minister replied: “We expect everybody in this country to obey the law.”
The government has argued its Brexit legislation is necessary to ensure “damaging” tariffs are not imposed by “default” on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement fail.
But a series of senior Conservatives have expressed dismay, warning the move risks undermining Britain’s standing and reputation as an upholder of international law.
Barcroft Media via Getty Images
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Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Commons defence committee, said that if the government went through with the changes to the agreement – which secured the UK’s departure from the EU in January – it would “lose the moral high ground”.
“This is about the rule of law and our resolve and commitment to uphold it,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
“To unilaterally ignore any treaty in its obligations which we’ve signed and submitted to the United Nations would actually go against everything we believe in.”
“How can we look at countries such as China in the eye and complain about them breaching international obligations over Hong Kong, or indeed Russia over ballistic missiles, or indeed Iran over the nuclear deal if we go down this road?”
His comments echoed Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, who said Britain had traditionally been the “chief exporter” of the rule of law around the world.
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“It’s not just about the law. Our entire economy is based on the perception that people have of the UK’s adherence to the rule of law,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--The UK's Drinking Problem Got Worse Under Lockdown. Here Are The Facts

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When Adam Winstock, founder of the Global Drug Survey, was reading through the most common reasons UK respondents gave for drinking more in lockdown, one stood out to him: “I’m rewarding myself for getting through Covid.”
The annual survey, conducted this year during April and May to take a snapshot of lockdown, revealed what we probably already know: that more than half of people have been drinking more – but also that excessive drinking left many of us feeling worse, exacerbating underlying mental and physical health issues.
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Of the 2,136 Brits surveyed, 53% of those who drank reported an increase in the frequency of their drinking during the pandemic – and 46% reported they wanted to drink less within the next 30 days.
Among participants who declared mental health conditions, 49% reported they were drinking more due to stresses associated with Covid-19. Of those recording mental health conditions as well as increased drinking, 38% reported significantly poorer mental health and 56% significantly poorer physical health since increasing their alcohol intake.
“There’s never been a worse time to drink more,” Professor Winstock, consultant psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, tells HuffPost UK.
“We surveyed 50,000 drinkers [worldwide] and it was the same story. People who drank more reported poorer physical health and mental health – it’s not a good coping strategy.”
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nixki via Getty Images Drinking has made our mental and physical health ailments worse, says new study
Prof Winstock suggests the culture of binge drinking in the UK is partly to blame for the situation – a culture he sees to be born out of avoidance of the facts about the detrimental effects excessive drinking has on our health.
“Lots of people don’t properly recognise just how much they’re drinking,” he says. “The thing that shocked me most of all was how quickly increased drinking had led to worse physical and mental health. You think it takes months and years of regular heavy drinking to make a difference to how you feel – these findings go, no, this is not many months and years, this is like a month or two.”
Much of this excessive drinking is enabled by drinking at home with partners, says Prof Winstock – in the domestic environment, as opposed to in a pub or bar, it can be harder to measure how much alcohol is being drunk.
“People started off going, ‘Oh it’s lockdown, a couple of weeks, why not?' But as the months go by, that becomes your new normal.”
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“If people are at home drinking with their partners, they kind of become partners-in-crime,” he suggests. “People started off going, ‘Oh it’s lockdown, a couple of weeks, why not, sod this,’ but as the weeks and months go by, that becomes your new normal.”
Also concerning to Professor Winstock is the culture of rewarding ourselves with alcohol – in the good times and the bad. On a recent episode of HuffPost UK’s Am I Making You Uncomfortable? podcast, social scientist Anjula Mutanda, explained why we’ve all been conditioned to see it as a “treat”. “Whatever it is, we’ve got, ‘Hey, let’s get the alcohol out,’ because it feels like it’s something that brings people together. It’s a celebration, isn’t it?” she said. “A couple of units, and it’s a celebration because we get a little bit warmed up, feel a little bit looser, the heart races a little bit, the blood vessels open. We feel that warm glow, get a little bit more chatty. So we feel a little bit more sociable.”
VadimZakirov via Getty Images
The Global Drug Survey’s results mirror the findings of research conducted by The Loop, a harm reduction and drugs support organisation. In its survey of 796 Brits, 55% revealed they drank alcohol more often during lockdown than usual.
″Lockdown was quite a polarising experience in terms of alcohol consumption,” says Fiona Measham, director at The Loop. While removing constraints such as the commute from daily life enabled some people to drink more, others cut their alcohol consumption when the opportunity to socialise in bars or pubs became impossible. Even so, only 25% of those surveyed said they were drinking less – and Measham is not surprised.
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“People could drink later on weekday nights without an early start or commute the next day, knowing they could sleep it off and not have to look into the whites of their boss’s eyes or have ethanol seeping out of their pores in a staff meeting,” she notes. “Many of our picnics were alcohol-fuelled. Social media advised drinking wine out of a mug with a herbal teabag string hanging down the outside edge as ‘cover’.”
With the pandemic showing few signs of easing up soon, the challenge now is helping those drinking to excess to cut back, say experts. “Four or five months down the line, if people haven’t changed their behaviour, that’s a real problem,” says Professor Winstock, who urges that a personalised approach is best.
BrianAJackson via Getty Images
The conversation around drinking comes into focus in autumn thanks to the ‘Sober October’ campaign, an initiative from Macmillan Cancer that encourages people to commit to a month of no drinking, raising sponsorship as they do. This year, in a change of messaging, the charity is suggesting a ‘Sober-ish October’ instead.
In a statement to HuffPost UK, the charity said: “We know lockdown has been really tough. The good thing about Sober October is that you can do the full month, 21 days or 14 days – you have the flexibility to decide how to be a Sober Hero in a way that works for you (hence, Sober-ish October). Plus, the much-needed funds raised will help Macmillan continue to provide emotional, practical and financial support to people living with cancer.”
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Prof Winstock is struck by the change in messaging. “I get where they’re coming from, but I’m surprised,” he says. “Having a month break is a pretty good thing. People who would normally stop [entirely] in October might now be going ‘Ooh!’” However, he does acknowledge that when it comes to alcohol reduction, “there’s no one message that has universal appeal to everyone”.
“You need different buttons to nudge people’s behaviour,” he says. “For some people it’s weight, for others mental health, physical health, or work performance. It’s about giving people a range of nudges that make them go, ‘maybe I want to stop drinking on a Monday and Tuesday’.”
The goal isn’t to stop people drinking entirely, but to help them “pull back a bit”, he adds. Give yourself three non-drinking days a week, and on drinking days, have a beer or two, say, rather than four or five. “For most people it isn’t that difficult,” he says. “People get waylaid by the idea of ‘I can’t stop drinking.’”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Trump Slammed After Firing Off Outrageous New Insults At Kamala Harris

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Donald Trump is coming under criticism for hurling a series of insults at Kamala Harris during a campaign rally in North Carolina on Tuesday.
“People don’t like her,” Trump said of former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate. “Nobody likes her.”
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Trump also dismissed Harris as “further left than crazy Bernie,” referring to Bernie Sanders, and mispronounced her first name three times in a row, with great exaggeration, as his audience jeered:
Trump mispronounces Kamala Harris's name, which he repeats numerous times like it's an incantation or something pic.twitter.com/CUtgyKe8QW — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 8, 2020
Although Trump said Harris’ name correctly at other points in the event, mispronouncing her first name has become something of a trend in right-wing circles, from Fox News host Tucker Carlson to the president himself.
Harris’ presence on the ticket marks a number of historic firsts. She is the first Black candidate in the VP slot for a major party as well as the first Caribbean-American and Asian-American woman in the role (her father was from Jamaica and her mother was from India).
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But Trump said Harris should forget higher aspirations:
Trump on Kamala Harris: Nobody likes her. She could never be the first woman president. That would be an insult to our country pic.twitter.com/x08kESAjoY — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) September 8, 2020
Harris apparently got under Trump’s skin this week for warning that he may try to rush approval of a vaccine ahead of Election Day, a timeline most health experts say is not possible.
“I will say that I would not trust Donald Trump,” Harris told CNN, then added that she would trust a vaccine if a “credible” source determined it to be safe.
Trump said Harris’ comments were “bad for this country.”
“I don’t want the achievement for myself,” he said Monday. “I want something that will make people better.”
Trump’s critics called him out for his unseemly attacks, which many noted came with more than a tinge of racism:
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Pure racism. Shame on anyone who supports him. That is a vote for hate. https://t.co/WF6Px7XFan — Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) September 8, 2020
BREAKING: Birther who called Nazis "very fine people" declares a woman of color to be an "insult" to the office of President.
Q: Who could have seen that comin'?
A: Everybodyhttps://t.co/FsMplQoiKd — Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) September 8, 2020
The greatest insult to our country is Donald trump. It will be a gift to America one day to have Kamala Harris as president of USA but for now ,we are excited about her being Vice President 🇺🇸🇺🇸✊🏿✌🏼💙💙Biden Harris 2020 — ✌🏼rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) September 9, 2020
Trump saying that "no one likes" Kamala Harris, and that she'd "be a insult to the country," isn't even subtle or hidden racism.
It is the stupid childish demagogic racism of an imbecile with the brain of a second grader. — Larry Middleton (@l78lancer) September 9, 2020
"Trump: Would Be 'Insult to Our Country’ If Kamala Harris Became the First Woman President" Trump going full White supremacy attack Kamala Harris https://t.co/x5yfDPSSJE via @mediaite — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) September 8, 2020
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So why is Trump attacking Kamala now? She was named weeks ago. And just in the last few days he's been raging against her. Why?
I think it's because Biden/Harris brought in a record money haul in August.He knows people are excited about the ticket.Her star appeal drives him crazy — Neera -Vote Early- Tanden (@neeratanden) September 9, 2020
THIS JUST IN: There’s no bottom. https://t.co/3NNQqk8EY3 — David Corn (@DavidCornDC) September 9, 2020
He really is a nasty white supremacist. https://t.co/lDESIrFPV6 — Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) September 9, 2020
@realDonaldTrump
Kamala Harris is a person head and shoulders above you in every respect.
Your racism and misogyny are evident!
Yup, and jealousy. You’d like to be that capable but can’t be.
The number of people not “liking” you are growing! — Dolores Ponce (@LolaOnThePath) September 9, 2020
I’m pretty sure the advice Trump got here was “say her name as racistly as possible.” https://t.co/Xqi6oWbHCz — Chris (@ChrisXSC) September 9, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Far-Right Norwegian Politician Nominates Trump For Nobel Peace Prize – Again

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A far-right Norwegian lawmaker has again nominated US president Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize – this time for his efforts in a deal to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Christian Tybring-Gjedde announced the 2021 nomination on Wednesday on the “Fox News Rundown” podcast, saying he believed Trump’s actions met the criteria set by Alfred Nobel for the prize: fellowship among nations, reduction of standing armies and promotion of peace congresses.
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Tybring-Gjedde is a member of Norway’s right-wing, populist Progress Party. He has repeatedly expressed Islamophobic and anti-immigration views over the years. He claimed that Muslims were driving “cultural Norwegians” out of Oslo neighbourhoods and that Muslims should take a vow to “our” Christian state.
Tybring-Gjedde, with party colleague Per-Willy Amundsen, nominated Trump for the 2019 Peace Prize for his talks with North Korea.
On the podcast, Tybring-Gjedde said Trump was a peacemaker and that other people received Nobel prizes without scrutiny of their personal records. “You don’t ask for the personality of the people – you ask for the performance of the people,” he said. “And Donald J Trump has performed very well internationally.”
Host Jon Decker asked if Tybring-Gjedde if he was a fan of the president. The politician defended Trump’s domestic record, saying he was doing well at creating jobs for “minorities and women”, but had been hit by Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.
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“Every morning in Norway we wake up to something negative about President Trump,” he said. He added he thought it might be helpful to potential voters in the US to know that there were some people in Europe who thought Trump was doing a good job.
Many people can nominate someone for a peace prize, including any member of a national assembly. The final decision is made by the five-person Norwegian Nobel Committee. There were 318 candidates for the 2020 Peace Prize, whose winner will be announced on October 9.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Oscars Bosses Announce How New Guidelines To Increase Diversity Will Work

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The Film Academy has outlined how their new guidelines, aiming to make sure that future Oscars ceremonies award a more diverse range of talent, are going to work.
In the last few years, the Academy Awards have come under fire for awarding predominantly white talent in both acting and technical categories, with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite being used to sum up the situation.
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Back in June, it was announced that the Oscars would be introducing “representation and inclusion standards”, details of which have now been shared.
From 2024, for films to be considered in the Best Picture category, they must meet at least two of their four new standards related to:
Standard A – On-screen representation, themes and narratives Standard B – Creative leadership and project team Standard C – Industry access and opportunities Standard D – Audience development
To meet Standard A, and be eligible for Best Picture, films must either have at least one “lead or significant support actor” from an “underrepresented racial or ethnic group”, feature 30% of all actors in secondary and more minor roles to be from two “underrepresented groups” or have the main storyline be “centred on an underrepresented group”.
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The Academy’s definition of an “underrepresented group” includes women, racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ people or people with disabilities
Standard B requires a film’s behind-the-scenes team to be made up of at least 30% of people from “underrepresented groups”, while Standard C relates to improving diversity when it comes to apprentices and interns.
Finally, Standard D relates to the actual studios behind major films, requiring their teams to also be more diverse.
The Film Academy is taking steps to increase diversity at the Oscars Andrew H Walker/Shutterstock
Academy president David Rubin and Academy chief executive Dawn Hudson said in a statement: “The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them. The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality.
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“We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”
It was recently announced that next year’s Oscars had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on the film industry, and will take place in late April rather than February.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Exclusive: Whistleblower Exposes ‘Pathetic’ Coronavirus Test And Trace System

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A whistleblower working at a coronavirus testing centre has described a litany of problems with the supposedly “world beating” system and accused health secretary Matt Hancock of “lying through his teeth”.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, the worker – who wished to remain anonymous – said the site at which they work is running at a fraction of capacity and has been doing so for at least two weeks in what amounts to a “planned slowdown of testing in all but name”.
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“It turns out what they’re doing is limiting the number of tests that we can do per hour at each centre,” they claimed. “We might be as low as 10 or 15 an hour. We only did 150 yesterday and we’re supposed to have capacity to do 1,500.
“We’re supposed to turn people around and say we’re too busy, but we’re not busy.”
It is believed these artificial limits are being imposed to free up lab space for tests where there are higher infection rates. A government spokesperson admitted the service was “targeting testing capacity at the areas that need it most, including those where there is an outbreak”.
The whistleblower told HuffPost UK this targeting of testing is “very worrying”, adding: “The government is saying you’re limiting tests based on outbreaks but there’s no point in waiting until you have an outbreak until you start testing people.
“You need to get on top of it before rather than after.”
The worker also suspects this is behind a supposed “computer problem” that has seen staff told by management to register people as though they are in Scotland – even though the testing site is actually in the south of England.
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“They were saying there’s a problem with the computers and they can’t register people to the new site. Two weeks later and we’re still not sorted – and this is going on across all the sites.
“We were registering people to Inverness yesterday, and Aberdeen, which has its own problems. If they do test positive, they’re going to be skewing the numbers for the whole country.”
In recent days, there have been multiple reports of people being told there are no appointments available at test centres in England and there are no home tests kits available to send out.
The whistleblower was compelled to speak out after Hancock insisted on Thursday that the government’s coronavirus testing system was working “well” and said there were only “operational challenges from time to time”.
“This whole thing is ridiculous. Watching Matt Hancock lying through his teeth was too much,” they said.
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On Tuesday morning, a senior official at NHS Test and Trace issued an apology to people unable to get a Covid-19 test, saying there is capacity at testing sites but laboratories processing the tests are at a “critical pinch-point”.
Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a COVID test at present. All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don’t look overcrowded, its our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly. — Sarah-Jane Marsh 🌈 (@BWCHBoss) September 8, 2020
But according to the whistleblower, testing sites are running out of the plastic vials used to collect test samples.
“At the actual centres where they process the tests, they don’t have capacity and they’re running out of the vials,” they said.
“They swab your nose and your mouth and they put this swab in a fluid, snap the end off and it goes in a little vial and that gets sent off.
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“They’re running out of vials. This isn’t some hi-tech thing – it’s just a little vial.”
When the claims were put to the Department for Health and Social Care, a spokesperson did not dispute them but insisted the Test and Trace system “is working” and that “our capacity is the highest it has ever been and our laboratories are processing more than a million tests a week”.
The spokesperson added: “We are targeting testing capacity at the areas that need it most, including those where there is an outbreak, as well as prioritising at-risk groups, and we recently announced new laboratory facilities and new technology to process results even faster.”
Meanwhile, health secretary Matt Hancock has said it will take “weeks” to fix problems with lab capacity.
Asked by the health and social care select committee about Sarah-Jane Marsh’s tweet (above), Hancock said: “We are working incredibly hard.
“We are doing everything we can. We have had these operational issues that I have talked about. We have had a problem with a couple of contracts and we discussed some of that in the House of Commons.
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“But it’s a matter of a couple of weeks until we can get all of that sorted in the short term.”
Further problems with the testing system came as a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said the latest increase in coronavirus cases is “very worrying”.
Professor Andrew Hayward told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Generally, it is local outbreaks, but there is also very worrying increases in cases, particularly over the last few days.
“That is what we are really keeping a close eye on – the extent to which it moves away from these local outbreaks to broader community transmission.
“What we saw in the last few days from this surveillance data was this worrying increase in cases which, as we know from the first wave of the pandemic, can potentially get out of hand if we don’t be very serious about the control measures.”
England’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said on Monday that the public had “relaxed too much” over the summer and described the rising number of cases as of “great concern”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--The New Covid Rules Are So ‘Super Simple’ That 5 Key Things Remain Unexplained

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Social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England from Monday as the government seeks to curb the rise in coronavirus cases.
Prime minister Boris Johnson will use a press conference on Wednesday to announce the change in the law after the number of daily positive Covid-19 cases in the UK rose to almost 3,000.
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The legal limit on social gatherings will be reduced from 30 people to six. It will apply to gatherings indoors and outdoors – private homes, parks, pubs and restaurants.
Those who breach these rules could face a £100 fine, doubling after each further repeat offence up to £3,200.
When asked if the new rules would mean that Christmas is cancelled, health secretary Matt Hancock told LBC radio on Wednesday morning: “I hope not, but we clearly need to act. This is a really simple rule which says you cannot socialise with more than six people.”
With that said, the announcement has been met with some confusion from the public who question why people are actively being encouraged to visit pubs and restaurants, and go to work, school and university – yet having social contact reduced in very specific ways.
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Here are five more things the government hasn’t explained about the new coronavirus regulations.
Why Some Gatherings Are Illegal – But Not Others
ASSOCIATED PRESS
There are several exceptions to the new ban on gatherings of more than six people.
You’re still allowed to go to church, according to the Church of England.
Gatherings for work or education purposes – such as schools and universities, where hundreds or even thousands of people could be under one roof – are allowed. On Monday, thousands of pupils across England were sent home because of local coronavirus infections just a week into the new school year.
Hancock said the reason work and education were exempt was because “we need to get through this coronavirus with the minimal impact”.
But it has not been explained what measures will be implemented to mitigate risks in these “exceptional” cases.
Nor has it been explained why pubs and restaurants – some of which are still funding their own extension to the government’s “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme – are unaffected. Although you cannot meet in groups of more than six at a pub, you can still share the space with other groups (so long as you’re a certain distance apart), which in practice... might not look that different. Government insiders trailed the idea of 10pm curfews in places with high infection rates, as has been done in Bolton, but the virus is active before 10pm too.
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The Dos And Don’ts In Full
nurdanst via Getty Images
Weddings, funerals and some organised team sports will also be exempt from the rules – but it is not yet known what the new rules will mean for venues such as cinemas where people are allowed in but have to social distance.
Not even the Church of England knows the full details, writing on its website on Wednesday: “We understand the new regulations will not apply to public worship or individual prayer in church buildings. We await the full details of any proposed changes to regulations to ascertain whether they could affect places of worship or other venues in other ways.”
The government is expected to publish a full list of exemptions before Monday... at some point.
The Timing
Why does the ban come into effect on Monday and not straightaway? There’s no time like the present – particularly amid a global pandemic. If new infections continue at the current rate, there could be another 12,000 cases by then.
Asked about the five-day wait on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, Hancock said only: “We want to give people a few days where we can absolutely communicate to everybody in England the total clarity around these rules.”
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To recap, the government needs five days to explain the new rules to everyone. Hancock went on to say the rules were “really simple”.
How The Guidance Is ‘Simple’
In a Zoom meeting with the PM last week, police forces said they would like rules on social contact to be simplified.
Johnson told the public on Wednesday: “We are simplifying and strengthening the rules on social contact – making them easier to understand and for the police to enforce.”
However, there is still widespread confusion around the regulations.
It isn’t helped by Hancock’s attempts to demonstrate the simplicity of the guidance.
“The rule is that – except in schools and in workplaces – and in certain life events, like weddings and funerals – then you can’t gather with more than six people,” he told Today’s Mishal Husain.
Moments later he tried again with only marginally more success: “The rules are really simple, you know. I can say them in a sentence, which is: you can’t gather in groups of more than six, except for schools, work, those exceptional life events, er, and, um, that’s – it’s super simple.”
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Why Can Six Households Now Meet Indoors?
The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted that – where previously a maximum of two households could meet indoors – the rules as explained by the PM now state simply that no more than six people can meet.
The government guidance states: “This single measure [the rule of six] replaces both the existing ban on gatherings of more than 30 and the current guidance on allowing two households to meet indoors. Now you only need to remember the rule of six.”
It's being overlooked that the 'two households' rule is being dropped. Six workers can now have a drink together after work. Six golfers can now go in the clubhouse for a drink together. Before they had to sit outside. This is a big relaxation of the rules. — Derek (@derek500) September 9, 2020
This means individual people from up to six households can now go to the pub together or meet in a private house – a threefold increase on the previous limit of two households.
Johnson insisted that the rules were changing partly because they were too confusing to the public and police forces. Or perhaps the problem was the perceived difficulty in getting people to prove in the event of any enforcement how many households they actually came from. (Police will now have powers to break up house parties of more than six.)
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Anti-Racist Mural In London Is Latest To Be Targeted Following Black Lives Matter Protests

Lionel Stanhope's artwork in Lewisham, based on a photo taken by Reuters photographer Dylan Martinez of a Black Lives Matter protester Patrick Hutchinson carrying Bryn Male outside the Southbank Centre. It was painted over with the words: "We don't rescue racists in Lewisham we run the out". SOPA Images via Getty Images
An anti-racist mural depicting the moment a Black Lives Matter supporter rescued a far-right protester has been removed just days after it appeared in south London.
The artwork in Lewisham becomes the latest with an anti-racism message to be targeted after similar incidents in Manchester, Dundee and Glasgow.
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It featured the image of Patrick Hutchinson carrying ex-British Transport Police officer Bryn Male over his shoulder, with the message: “We don’t rescue racists in Lewisham, we run them out” written over the top.
It was a nod to the 1977 Battle of Lewisham where hundreds of violent National Front activists were literally run out of town by anti-racism campaigners.
However, on Monday a white man not from the borough was seen covering it with blue paint.
In a video posted to his Twitter account, anti-racism campaigner and former Met officer Adam Pugh – who added the wording to the original mural – approaches the man and says: “Didn’t like what was there before, no?”
The man, who calls himself “Butch”, replies: “Wasn’t me. Anything that goes up on here if it gets bombed or tagged out then it needs to be cleaned.”
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When pressed on why he was painting over the mural, he stated he was doing it “off his own back”.
The mural, painted on the hoardings surrounding the £375 million Lewisham Gateway development, was created by local artist Lionel Stanhope on Monday last week after he sought permission from developer Balfour Beatty to transform the site into a public gallery with the help of ten other local artists.
The wording, however, was added on Saturday by Pugh after a conversation with Stanhope regarding a backlash over the original painting.
The original artwork was painted by local street artist Lionel Stanhope. Supplied
Critics say the frequent mainstream use of the image shows an obsession with Black respectability – an implication that victims of racism should meet bigotry with kindness even when faced with the threat of violence.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Pugh, who is white and a life-long Lewisham resident, revealed why he added the wording.
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“It was a tribute to the Battle of Lewisham but it was also a case of saying that this is not a safe space for people to be racist, we’re not going to meet you with kindness, that’s not going to be welcome here,” he said. “It’s not promoting violence at all.”
He added: “Balfour Beatty is building these luxury apartments that no one in the local community can afford. Gentrification is violent and – to me – is racism; it is displacing the local community which is predominantly Black. To me it was ironic that this particular image went up in that particular location. It symbolises a lot – plus it was a white guy who did it.
“This is not an attack on the artist – he was trying to create a space for local artists to paint and also get paid. It’s just he missed the mark with this particular piece.”
It’s the “So what does that mean then?” for me.
Someone fetch Miles a Kleenex, two paracetamol and a local history book pronto. Bless him. 🤣💀 pic.twitter.com/1IrkOZ1cXK — Adam Pugh (@AdamPugh) September 7, 2020
However, there was then some backlash to Pugh’s choice of words.
One upset man filmed a video in front of the mural and said the wording is encouraging a race war.
He said: “It’s [the artwork] a tender moment of redemption for people who are ignorant. They can have their redemption. But, for some reason unbeknownst to me, they decided to deface it with this [the message].”
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Pugh told HuffPost UK: ″Everybody that’s local to the Lewisham area, especially Black people, have been very supportive. When you go online and see the comments, it’s such a Black and white divide [in terms of ethnicity of those for and against for wording on the mural].
“When I first tweeted the photo of the original mural, it left a bitter taste in my mouth because of the way the image is being used. It’s the new symbol of gentrification in Lewisham; it popped up in Peckham Rye last month and I’m seeing the way that white people are latching onto that image as a means of promoting respectable Blackness.”
Spotted in Queens road Peckham.
God help us. pic.twitter.com/0cVGCMWdke — Kimberly McIntosh (@mcintosh_kim) August 21, 2020
Sallie Foyeh, 28, is one of the many Lewisham residents who appreciated the wording on the mural.
She told HuffPost UK: “We should all be decent human beings to each other but if someone’s going to hate us because of the colour of our skin, why can’t we run them out? It’s not violent. I don’t think we should tolerate racism.
”Why does the burden always have to fall on the Black person to be the kind and compassion ones when facing racism? It’s exhausting. The whole rhetoric behind the protest [when Hutchinson was photographed] was Black Lives Matter being demonised while far-right protesters were getting away with what they’re doing.”
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Campaigner Adam Pugh added the wording to the original art. Supplied
Foyeh described the mural’s recent erasure as “annoying”.
“A lot of people have been having conversations about street art starting important conversations, what the picture meant and why some Black people were offended,” she added. “That man painting over it completely, with a random geometric shape, silenced that discussion.”
For Pugh, allyship is important and should be underpinned by actions as opposed to empty words.
“Allyship has to come from an action. It can’t just be words or sitting on Twitter,” he said.
“So many people were outraged about the original mural, didn’t like it and were offended. I live five minutes away, it’s nothing for me to go and do it – and it’s a simple way to actually cheer people up and restore some balance in the community.
“Now the majority of people in Lewisham are happy about it. It’s new, white, middle-class residents who have come into the community and feel a sense of entitlement who are upset about it.”
Now that the mural is no more, local residents are lobbying for painting of Kevin Clarke, a Black man who was killed in 2018 by police in Lewisham, to be drawn in his memory opposite Lewisham police station.
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The man, who calls himself "Butch", seen painting over the mural. Adam Pugh
While debate around his photograph’s symbolism ensues, Hutchinson’s intentions were honourable and he has rightly been lauded for that.
Speaking in numerous press interviews, the father-of-four has always maintained his philosophy behind his actions on 13 June: “It’s not Black versus white, it’s everyone versus the racists.”
A Balfour Beatty spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “Working alongside a number of local artists, we have transformed the hoardings surrounding our Lewisham Gateway development project.
“One of the boards featured a mural of Patrick Hutchinson; however, a slogan was painted over the mural after its completion.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Matt Hancock Blames British Public For Coronavirus Testing Problems

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Matt Hancock has said people without coronavirus symptoms inappropriately getting tested are to blame for the system not being able to deliver for those who need it.
The health secretary said there had been “a sharp rise” in the number of people who were “not eligible” applying for and getting a test.
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“If you don’t have symptoms and you haven’t been told to get a test by a clinician or a local authority then you are not eligible and you shouldn’t be coming forward,” he told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Wednesday.
“This increase in demand for people who are not eligible is a problem and it restricts the availability of tests.”
In a separate interview with Sky News, Hancock said “about 25% of people” who were coming forward for a test were ineligible.
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It comes after a surge in coronavirus infections across the UK led the government to impose stricter nationwide lockdown measures.
From Monday social gatherings of more than six people will be made illegal. Under current rules the legal limit s 30.
It will apply to gatherings indoors and outdoors – including private homes, as well as parks, pubs and restaurants.
Hancock said the new restrictions, which will be set out by Boris Johnson in a press conference later on Wednesday, would likely remain in place for the “foreseeable future”.
Gatherings of more than six people will be allowed where the household or support bubble is larger than six, or where the gathering is for work or education purposes.
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Hancock said the reason work and education were exempt was because “we need to get through this coronavirus with the minimal impact”.
He added: “But it does mean that when it comes to socialising, we are unfortunately having to put in place these rules because our contact tracing system – which is now excellent – shows that the majority of the transmission of this disease is in social circumstances.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Who Is JJ Chalmers? Former Royal Marine And TV Presenter Joins Strictly Come Dancing 2020

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All of the stars taking part in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing have now been announced, which means it’s time to take a closer look at some of the celebrity contestants.
The new Strictly line-up has names from all walks of life and backgrounds, but one of the most intriguing and inspiring back stories is that of JJ Chalmers.
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John James “JJ’” Chalmers is a 33-year-old TV presenter and Invictus Games competitor, who grew up in Renton, Scotland.
JJ Chalmers is one of 12 celebrities heading for the Strictly dance floor this year. Chris Jackson via Getty Images
He was previously part of the Royal Marines and later went on to have a sporting career, before breaking into broadcasting (seriously, is there anything this man can’t do?).
Ahead of his dancefloor debut, now’s your chance to get to know JJ a little better...
Long before he was on our screens, JJ was a member of the Royal Marines
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JJ was deployed to Afghanistan while serving as a Royal Marine Commando. However his military career was cut short after he sustained life-changing injuries following an IED explosion in 2011.
His whole body was affected in the blast leading him to undergo at least 30 surgeries. JJ lost two of his fingers, sustained holes in his legs, suffered scars on his face and chest and at one point even had one arm temporarily grafted to his body.
JJ says it’s his wife who pulled him through the dark times
He often credits his wife, Kornelia Chitsurko, for supporting him through his rehabilitation process.
Speaking to Joe.co.uk as part of their Boy’s Don’t Cry feature, he said: “It was my girlfriend, when I woke up in a hospital bed, who dragged me through all this nonsense. I wouldn’t be here without her.”
Kornelia and JJ married in 2015, and have a daughter together called Hayley.
Oh, and no big deal, but he’s apparently besties with Prince Harry
Prince Harry and JJ Chalmers behind the scenes at the Invictus Games in 2016 Chris Jackson via Getty Images
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JJ is a close friend of Prince Harry and was even among the guests at his 2018 royal wedding to Meghan Markle.
Talking about his pals wedding to The Mirror, JJ said: “I’m just happy my friend is settling down with somebody. So many of our other friends are all settled down and have kids, so he needs to catch up.”
It was actually Prince Harry who persuaded him to take part in the Invictus Games in the first place, where he later won three medals.
JJ Chalmers in 2014, ahead of his performance in the Invictus Games Shutterstock
What’s that about the Invictus Games?
After rehabilitating, JJ went on to compete in a cycling event in the 2014 Invictus Games in the Netherlands, bringing home three medals.
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Following his involvement in the Invictus Games, JJ began a successful television career, bagging some impressive presenting gigs.
From covering the Rio Paralympics to anchoring the Invictus Games since 2017, and presenting highlights for BBC Sports during The Commonwealth Games and The London Marathon, JJ has shown he can handle just about anything.
He now faces his next life challenge by taking on the Strictly dancefloor
JJ’s entry into the Strictly line up was announced on Lorraine where he talked about his love of the glitz and glamour of the show, admitting he was planning to fully “immerse myself in this process” and was ready to “go the whole hog with costumes and glitter”.
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“My whole life is defined by facing challenges,” he later said. “Whether it’s becoming a Royal Marine Commando, recovering from my injuries sustained in Afghanistan to competing in The Invictus Games.”
We look forward to seeing him swap his boots for dance shoes and overcoming any dance challenge that comes his way!


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Lily Allen And David Harbour Obtain Marriage Licence

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Lily Allen and David Harbour could be one step closer to walking down the aisle, as they’ve applied for a marriage licence in Las Vegas.
According to public reports seen by TMZ, Lily and David acquired the document over the weekend, which is valid for one year.
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This means they have a one-year window to get married in before the licence expires.
TMZ also pointed out that there’s no record of a marriage certificate yet, meaning the pair are yet to actually tie the knot.
David Harbour and Lily Allen at the SAG Awards Rich Fury via Getty Images
A spokesperson for Lily Allen declined to comment when contacted by HuffPost UK.
The chart-topping singer and Stranger Things actor were first rumoured to have been dating in October last year, when they were photographed kissing in New York.
Days later, she seemingly confirmed the relationship on her Instagram Story, sharing a photo of the actor’s bicep with the caption: “Mine.”
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During lockdown, Lily has been self-isolating at home in London with David and her two children, Ethel and Marnie, from her previous marriage to ex-husband Sam Cooper.
Back in May, she fuelled rumours that she and David were set to marry when she posed for a mirror selfie while sporting a not-so-subtle ring on her engagement finger, and posted a cryptic message when questioned about it by a fan.
Lily separated from husband Sam Cooper in 2015 after almost four years of marriage, eventually divorcing in 2018.
Following this, she dated grime MC Meridian Dan, but they split in January 2019 after three years together.
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Meanwhile, David previously dated Fantastic Beasts star Alison Sudol, but the couple split in 2019 following a long-term romance.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-09--Donald Trump Won't Like What Joe Biden Said About His Physical Fitness

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Joe Biden really ramped up the insults toward Donald Trump on Labor Day ― with the emphasis on ramps.
It happened while the Democratic presidential nominee was being interviewed by Harrisburg ABC affiliate WHTM and was asked his response to a suggestion by the Trump campaign and the president’s supporters that Biden has lost a step.
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Biden seemed prepared for the question and immediately turned the tables on the president.
“Look at how he steps and look at how I step,” Biden replied.
Biden then noted Trump has had some challenging physical encounters with ramps such as when he gave a graduation speech at West Point military academy earlier this year and walked down the ramp awkwardly.
He then asked voters to notice the difference between how he and the president handle slightly inverted surfaces.
“Watch how I run up ramps and he stumbles down ramps. OK? Come on,” Biden said.
Biden to @abc27News on Trump and his campaign's suggestion he's "lost a step"
"Look at how [Trump] steps and look at how I step. Watch how I run up ramps and how he stumbles down ramps, okay?" pic.twitter.com/7eJdXm0DKn — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) September 7, 2020
The former vice president then said the health of a presidential candidate is a “legitimate question.”
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Biden went to say that it's a "legitimate question" to ask both candidates about their health
"I'm a great respecter of fate, I realize anything can happen to anybody at any age, any time. But I promise you I would not be running unless I was in very good health." pic.twitter.com/Qjjgl4BN68 — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) September 7, 2020
As of Tuesday afternoon, Trump hadn’t tweeted a response.
However, Twitter users had their own thoughts.
The audacity of slopes https://t.co/RNsTph2y2S — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) September 7, 2020
theyre gonna arm wrestle eventually https://t.co/oubuiP5fku — Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) September 7, 2020
how soon before this campaign devolves into two septuagenarians competing in American Ninja Warrior https://t.co/OxcNPwlDHm — Will Steakin (@wsteaks) September 7, 2020
This is good because I know I'll be voting base on who can most skillfully navigate a ramp https://t.co/iRCstvHGDW — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 8, 2020