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Emmanuel Macron Dismisses 'Special' Brexit Deal As 'Hypocrisy' In Blow To Theresa May

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French President Emmanuel Macron flatly ruled out a unique deal on single market access for the UK and warned Theresa May against Brex “hypocrisy”. A joint press conference at Sandhurst was designed to accentuate blossoming Anglo-French relations, with May agreeing more cash to prevent migrants from crossing the channel at Calais and Macron confirming a loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK. But the cordial mood was shattered when journalists raised the spectre of Brexit. Macron was asked why he wanted to exclude financial services from a future UK-EU free trade agreement and appeared exasperated.  The French President pointed out there were two options - the Norway model or a Canada-style free trade deal. A third way which also allowed Britain full access to the single market would “destroy” the integrity of the trading bloc’s rules, he said. Norway has unfettered access to the single market but accepts all EU rules while Canada has negotiated a free trade agreement, eliminating tariffs on most goods, but the agreement does not include financial services. “I am here neither to punish nor to reward,” said Macron. “I want to make sure that the single market is preserved because that is very much the heart of the EU. “The choice is on the British side, not on my side. But there can be no differentiated access for the financial services. “If you want access to the single market - including the financial services - be my guest. But it means that you need to contribute to the budget and acknowledge European jurisdiction. “Such are the rules, and we know the system already in place for Norway.” A free trade agreement would not provide full access to the single market for financial services at the same level as that offered to members, he said. “There must be no hypocrisy in this respect, otherwise it will not work or we would destroy the single market and its coherence,” said Macron. “It’s simple. I do not want to exclude any sector in the trade agreement to come... but it does not mean that the access that it will allow will be equivalent to the access of a member.” His strong words come as France bids to encourage London-based banks to relocate to Paris. May underlined her call for “a deep and special partnership” and comprehensive trade agreement between the UK and EU post-Brexit. “We recognise that as we leave the EU we will no longer be full members of the single market,” she said. “We recognise that. There will be a different relationship in future, a different balance of rights and responsibilities, and we’ve been very clear about that. “But I believe that it is actually in the interest not only of the United Kingdom, but also the European Union as it goes forward, to continue to have a good economic relationship and partnership with the UK and I believe that should cover both goods and services. “I think the City of London will continue to be a major global financial centre. That is an advantage not just for the UK, it’s actually good for Europe and good for the global financial system.” Pro-single market Labour MP Wes Streeting MP, said: “The message from President Macron and Theresa May’s press conference was very clear: if we want to freely trade in both goods and services then we need to be in the Single Market and Customs Union. The hard Brexit alternative being promoted by Theresa May and her ministers will cost Britain jobs, investment and influence. “The cake-and-eat-it fantasists have once more collided with reality. The claim we can leave the Single Market and Customs Union and enjoy ‘the exact same benefits’ has been exposed as a fallacy.”

Boris Johnson's Call To Build A Bridge Across The Channel Faces Instant Mockery

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Boris Johnson reportedly wants to build a bridge across the Channel between the UK and France in an idea that was mocked almost instantly.

Sources close to the Foreign Secretary have told The Telegraph and The Sun the one-time Tory leadership hopeful thinks it is “ridiculous” that the main link between the two countries is an underwater rail line.

The newspapers report the idea was floated during the Anglo-French summit in Sandhurst on Thursday, and echoes previous reports by journalist Tim Shipman that Johnson proposed a “submarine highway” ahead of the Brexit vote.

It isn’t the first time Johnson has floated a symbolic infrastructure project that met with ridicule. 

As Mayor of London, he threw his weight behind plans for the Garden Bridge.

The “garden paradise” stretching over the Thames was backed by Joanna Lumley and George Osborne. As much as £37m of public money was spent trying to get the project off the ground, but many viewed it as an expensive indulgence.

Plans were eventually canned by the new Mayor Sadiq Khan, who said he could not justify the £200m construction. 

Others were quick to highlight Johnson’s questionable record as Foreign Secretary of boosting international relations. 

Many were alarmed when Johnson said the EU could “go whistle” for its Brexit divorce bill.  

Anglo-Spanish relations were put at risk by Johnson saying that the bid to stop bullfighting was “political ­correctness gone mad”.

He recently ‘joked’ that Sirte could be the next Dubai, once the “dead bodies were cleared away”. 

He also once said that the former US President Barack Obama was “part-Kenyan” and had an “ancestral dislike” of the UK. 

Others drew comparisons between the Garden Bridge, ‘Boris Bridge’ and ‘Boris Island’ airport.

Johnson travelled the length and breadth of the country championing the Thames Estuary Airport. Proposals for the brand new four-runway airport at the Isle of Grain in Kent was dumped by the Airports Commission as bids to expand Britain’s airport capacity by Heathrow and Gatwick were considered more credible 

A populist building project? Sounds familiar.

And some just couldn’t quite believe it.

And shipping bosses pointed out some practical problems.

Regardless, Johnson seemed pleased with himself when pictured with French President Emmanuel Macron. 

Boris Johnson's Call To Build A Bridge Across The Channel Faces Instant Mockery

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Boris Johnson reportedly wants to build a bridge across the Channel between the UK and France in an idea that was mocked almost instantly. Sources close to the Foreign Secretary have told The Telegraph and The Sun the one-time Tory leadership hopeful thinks it is “ridiculous” that the main link between the two countries is an underwater rail line. The newspapers report the idea was floated during the Anglo-French summit in Sandhurst on Thursday, and echoes previous reports by journalist Tim Shipman that Johnson proposed a “submarine highway” ahead of the Brexit vote. TELEGRAPH: Boris calls for Bridge across the Channel #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/uzdluUWWZS It isn’t the first time Johnson has floated a symbolic infrastructure project that met with ridicule. As Mayor of London, he threw his weight behind plans for the Garden Bridge. The “garden paradise” stretching over the Thames was backed by Joanna Lumley and George Osborne. As much as £37m of public money was spent trying to get the project off the ground, but many viewed it as an expensive indulgence. Plans were eventually canned by the new Mayor Sadiq Khan, who said he could not justify the £200m construction. Will it have lots of trees on it? Will Joanna Lumley be involved? https://t.co/bZP1r1dBLf Others were quick to highlight Johnson’s questionable record as Foreign Secretary of boosting international relations. Many were alarmed when Johnson said the EU could “go whistle” for its Brexit divorce bill.  Anglo-Spanish relations were put at risk by Johnson saying that the bid to stop bullfighting was “political ­correctness gone mad”. He recently ‘joked’ that Sirte could be the next Dubai, once the “dead bodies were cleared away”. He also once said that the former US President Barack Obama was “part-Kenyan” and had an “ancestral dislike” of the UK. .@BorisJohnson you're literally responsible for blowing the existing one up ... https://t.co/ck0TEks4zQ Foreign Secretary now really running out of ideas to improve international relations... https://t.co/7O4vdPOgb1 Others drew comparisons between the Garden Bridge, ‘Boris Bridge’ and ‘Boris Island’ airport. Johnson travelled the length and breadth of the country championing the Thames Estuary Airport. Proposals for the brand new four-runway airport at the Isle of Grain in Kent was dumped by the Airports Commission as bids to expand Britain’s airport capacity by Heathrow and Gatwick were considered more credible Ah! You thought Boris Island was wacky? Let’s have a BRIDGE TO FRANCE. Yeah. When the tunnel does not even run at capacity. 👏 https://t.co/DSmXd7zrEG Not content with Boris Island (still not been built), he now wants to build a bridge through the busiest sea shipping route in the world - how tall would it have to be!? https://t.co/R24LU6EK2f January 18, 2018 Huge. Beautiful bridge. The biggest you've ever seen. The best. And he's going to make the French pay for it. https://t.co/lgSdMUiCJd Regardless, Johnson seemed pleased with himself when pictured with Macron.  En marche ! Great meetings with French counterparts today pic.twitter.com/D73B1rSkd3

Funding To Stabilise NHS Swallowed By Winter Crisis, Report Reveals

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A government cash boost aimed at helping the NHS get on an even financial keel has been swallowed up by the winter crisis and other day-to-day pressures, a new report has revealed.

The National Audit Office says £1.8 billion, handed to the health service in 2016 to give it breathing space to set itself up to survive on significantly less funding in future years, has been spent almost entirely on dealing with existing problems with increased demand and budget constraints.

While the fund helped the health service improve its financial position from a £1,848 million deficit in 2015/16 to a £111 million surplus in 2016/17, the report reveals it is still struggling to manage increased activity and demand within budget.

Staff in hospitals across the country have reported poor working conditions including long, short-staffed shifts, leading to delays in patient care, while latest performance figures show 100,000 people have been left waiting in the back of ambulances this winter.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the report “confirms the government’s flawed and wholly inadequate approach to the sustainable, long term funding of the NHS”.

He added: “Ministers have failed to increase per head spending in real terms each year, a key election promise, and there are still no details of a long overdue pay rise for NHS staff.

Labour's Jon Ashworth says the NHS is in crisis

“Our NHS is in crisis. Years of under-investment culminated in December 2017 being the worst month on record for A&E performance and elective operations being cancelled until the end of January.

“Targets are being missed and in-year cash injections are not improving the financial performances of trusts.

“Unlike the Tories, Labour outlined a costed long term plan for funding the NHS. Labour will give our NHS an extra £6 billion a year to ensure that our NHS remains a world class service for all.”

The NAO also reveals action taken by trusts to rebalance their finances have restricted the cash available for longer-term transformation to deal with demand and improve the service, leading to many having to request short-term funding boosts in the form of loans from the Department of Health.

Alongside the release of the report, the organisation has made recommendations to the government, NHS England and NHS Improvement on how they can help improve the sustainability of the service. 

Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: “The NHS has received extra funding, but this has mostly been used to cope with current pressures and has not provided the stable platform intended from which to transform services.

“Repeated short-term funding-boosts could turn into the new normal, when the public purse may be better served by a long-term funding settlement that provides a stable platform for sustained improvements.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:  “As this report recognises, the NHS has made significant progress towards balancing the books and returning to a financially stable position – to support this we recently gave it top priority in the budget with an extra £2.8 billion, on top of a planned £10 billion a year increase in its budget by 2020/21.”

11 Times Donald Trump's First Year As President Was Basically 'The Office'

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1. ‘He’s thrown a kettle over a pub. What have you ever done?’

Donald Trump’s then communications director Anthony Scaramucci says he’s been witness to his boss’s impressive feats, much like Gareth Keenan’s boast about Chris Finch’s unique skills on quiz night.

2. ‘One of the cleverest blokes I know’ 

Trump has ‘one of the highest’ IQs, and so does ‘bloody good rep’ Chris Finch.

3. ‘Pffft’

Hat-tip @hrtbps

4. ‘Monkey!’

Brent points to the toy monkey that appeared in adverts with comedian Jonny Vegas for the long forgotten ITV Digital channel. Trump points to the bust of Winston Churchill that has returned to the White House Oval Office. Hat-tip @PoliticalBrent.

5. ‘I’ve been promoted, so ... every cloud.’ 

Just minutes after telling the Slough office some of them will be sacked, David Brent said: “On a more positive note, the good news is, I’ve been promoted, so... every cloud.”

Just hours after sacking Scaramucci, President Trump tweeted:

6. Tim looks to the camera

Trump had a very long handshake with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. and Abe’s glance to the camera at the end was pure Tim Canterbury.

7. ‘Here he is, the fella that nicked my job’

Trump and Obama met at the inauguration in much the same way as Brent returning to Wernham Hogg with Gareth in charge.

8. ‘Put, “David Brent is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility”.’

A source who definitely wasn’t departing White House adviser Steve Bannon speaks in fluent Brent-ese.

9. ‘Will you apologise to Tim?’

Trump’s daughter Ivanka wanted Trump to apologise. Brent’s boss Jennifer wanted Brent to apologise. Both sort of did.

10. ‘Who thinks Neil’s more of a laugh than me?’

Trump solicited the opinion of of 40,000 Boy Scouts at their annual Jamboree. Trump v Obama is effectively Brent v Neil from the Swindon office.

11. ‘People say I’m the best boss.’

Trump convened his first full Cabinet meeting after taking office and asked his new appointees to lavish praise on him, which presumably is precisely what Brent did too.

Funding To Stabilise NHS Swallowed By Winter Crisis, Report Reveals

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A government cash boost aimed at helping the NHS get on an even financial keel has been swallowed up by the winter crisis and other day-to-day pressures, a new report has revealed. The National Audit Office says £1.8 billion, handed to the health service in 2016 to give it breathing space to set itself up to survive on significantly less funding in future years, has been spent almost entirely on dealing with existing problems with increased demand and budget constraints. While the fund helped the health service improve its financial position from a £1,848 million deficit in 2015/16 to a £111 million surplus in 2016/17, the report reveals it is still struggling to manage increased activity and demand within budget. Staff in hospitals across the country have reported poor working conditions including long, short-staffed shifts, leading to delays in patient care, while latest performance figures show 100,000 people have been left waiting in the back of ambulances this winter. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the report “confirms the government’s flawed and wholly inadequate approach to the sustainable, long term funding of the NHS”. He added: “Ministers have failed to increase per head spending in real terms each year, a key election promise, and there are still no details of a long overdue pay rise for NHS staff. “Our NHS is in crisis. Years of under-investment culminated in December 2017 being the worst month on record for A&E performance and elective operations being cancelled until the end of January. “Targets are being missed and in-year cash injections are not improving the financial performances of trusts. “Unlike the Tories, Labour outlined a costed long term plan for funding the NHS. Labour will give our NHS an extra £6 billion a year to ensure that our NHS remains a world class service for all.” The NAO also reveals action taken by trusts to rebalance their finances have restricted the cash available for longer-term transformation to deal with demand and improve the service, leading to many having to request short-term funding boosts in the form of loans from the Department of Health. Alongside the release of the report, the organisation has made recommendations to the government, NHS England and NHS Improvement on how they can help improve the sustainability of the service. Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: “The NHS has received extra funding, but this has mostly been used to cope with current pressures and has not provided the stable platform intended from which to transform services. “Repeated short-term funding-boosts could turn into the new normal, when the public purse may be better served by a long-term funding settlement that provides a stable platform for sustained improvements.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:  “As this report recognises, the NHS has made significant progress towards balancing the books and returning to a financially stable position – to support this we recently gave it top priority in the budget with an extra £2.8 billion, on top of a planned £10 billion a year increase in its budget by 2020/21.”

11 Times Donald Trump's First Year As President Was Basically 'The Office'

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1. ‘He’s thrown a kettle over a pub. What have you ever done?’ Donald Trump’s then communications director Anthony Scaramucci says he’s been witness to his boss’s impressive feats, much like Gareth Keenan’s boast about Chris Finch’s unique skills on quiz night. 2. ‘One of the cleverest blokes I know’ Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure,it's not your fault Trump has ‘one of the highest’ IQs, and so does ‘bloody good rep’ Chris Finch. Brent points to the toy monkey that appeared in adverts with comedian Jonny Vegas for the long forgotten ITV Digital channel. Trump points to the bust of Winston Churchill that has returned to the White House Oval Office. Hat-tip @PoliticalBrent. 5. ‘I’ve been promoted, so ... every cloud.’ Just minutes after telling the Slough office some of them will be sacked, David Brent said: “On a more positive note, the good news is, I’ve been promoted, so... every cloud.” Just hours after sacking Scaramucci, President Trump tweeted: Trump had a very long handshake with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. and Abe’s glance to the camera at the end was pure Tim Canterbury. "Here he is, the fella who nicked me job." "Didn't nick it." "Nah, didn't want it anymore." (Via @timeforjamie) pic.twitter.com/RcjLxyIYts Trump and Obama met at the inauguration in much the same way as Brent returning to Wernham Hogg with Gareth in charge. 8. ‘Put, “David Brent is refreshingly laid back for a man with such responsibility”.’ "Steve is now unchained," source close to Bannon tells me. "Fully unchained." A source who definitely wasn’t departing White House adviser Steve Bannon speaks in fluent Brent-ese. Trump’s daughter Ivanka wanted Trump to apologise. Brent’s boss Jennifer wanted Brent to apologise. Both sort of did. Trump solicited the opinion of of 40,000 Boy Scouts at their annual Jamboree. Trump v Obama is effectively Brent v Neil from the Swindon office. Trump convened his first full Cabinet meeting after taking office and asked his new appointees to lavish praise on him, which presumably is precisely what Brent did too.

BBC Question Time: 'I Am Not A Liar' Says Tory Minister Margot James As Party Accused Of Running Down NHS

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A Conservative minister has made a fierce defence of her Government’s record on the NHS after the party was accused of running down the service.

During a major flashpoint on BBC’s Question Time, James said she was “not a liar” after a clash where an audience member claimed the Tories were under-funding the service to then open it up to privatisation.

The MP was called a “liar” as she pointed to Conservative support for the NHS.

The Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, who also faced a barrage of criticism over the Government’s handling of the Carillion collapse, argued the Government has repeatedly increased spending on health and injected an extra £3.5 billion at the recent Budget.

The exchange centred around the Department of Health replacing bursaries for nurses with loans, which it says will free up £800m a year to create extra nursing roles.

Audience member: “What I do not understand is, there is public support to put more money into the NHS, to pay our nurses more, to support our nurses and reinstall the bursary programme, because if you are going to be a nurse and qualify earning less than £30,000 a year, but you ended up in so much debt, with such high interest rates to pay, why would you do it?

“It does not make any sense. I wonder if the Conservative government we have is ideological making the NHS - underfunding it - so they can make the argument for privatisation.” 

Audience cheers.

James:“I am very sorry there is such enthusiasm for what you have said because it is utterly untrue.”

Audience interrupts.

James: “I am sorry, I have been accused of wanting to set the NHS up to fail so that we can privatise it. Nothing can be further from the truth.”

Audience member:“Liar!” 

James:“I am not a liar. I have spent time volunteering in the NHS over four, five years. I am not a liar. I believe in the NHS. And so does my Government. And we do put more money into it.”

Audience interrupts again.

James:“I am sorry, I am going to carry on answering this question. We have put an extra £3.5 billion in at the last Budget, we have increased the NHS budget every year since we got into office.

“I do accept there is more demographic pressures on it. I do accept that, that is true. But it is not true to say that we do not invest in the NHS and it is an utter lie to say that we don’t believe in it, because we do.”


BBC Question Time: 'I Am Not A Liar' Says Tory Minister Margot James As Party Accused Of Running Down NHS

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A Conservative minister has made a fierce defence of her Government’s record on the NHS after the party was accused of running down the service. During a major flashpoint on BBC’s Question Time, James said she was “not a liar” after a clash where an audience member claimed the Tories were under-funding the service to then open it up to privatisation. The MP was called a “liar” as she pointed to Conservative support for the NHS. The Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, who also faced a barrage of criticism over the Government’s handling of the Carillion collapse, argued the Government has repeatedly increased spending on health and injected an extra £3.5 billion at the recent Budget. The exchange centred around the Department of Health replacing bursaries for nurses with loans, which it says will free up £800m a year to create extra nursing roles. Audience member: “What I do not understand is, there is public support to put more money into the NHS, to pay our nurses more, to support our nurses and reinstall the bursary programme, because if you are going to be a nurse and qualify earning less than £30,000 a year, but you ended up in so much debt, with such high interest rates to pay, why would you do it? “It does not make any sense. I wonder if the Conservative government we have is ideological making the NHS - underfunding it - so they can make the argument for privatisation.”  Audience cheers. James:“I am very sorry there is such enthusiasm for what you have said because it is utterly untrue.” Audience interrupts. James: “I am sorry, I have been accused of wanting to set the NHS up to fail so that we can privatise it. Nothing can be further from the truth.” Audience member:“Liar!”  James:“I am not a liar. I have spent time volunteering in the NHS over four, five years. I am not a liar. I believe in the NHS. And so does my Government. And we do put more money into it.” Audience interrupts again. James:“I am sorry, I am going to carry on answering this question. We have put an extra £3.5 billion in at the last Budget, we have increased the NHS budget every year since we got into office. “I do accept there is more demographic pressures on it. I do accept that, that is true. But it is not true to say that we do not invest in the NHS and it is an utter lie to say that we don’t believe in it, because we do.”

The Most Difficult Part Of Your Fitness Journey Will Be Starting It

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My first run of the year was not unlike many runs that you – if you leave the house – will experience in your life.

Why? Because it nearly didn’t happen.

Knowing how good exercise makes me feel doesn’t stop me sabotaging my own good intentions.

It doesn’t stop the constant weather app checks. Are the clouds getting gloomier? It doesn’t stop the agonising decision of what to wear. Am I in too many layers? Cold enough for gloves? It doesn’t stop the general faffing. Is my watch/phone/iPod charged? And, it certainly doesn’t speed up the pre-exercise fuelling. Have I had enough water? Have I left a long enough gap after eating?

I’m constantly fighting the voice in my head saying, ‘you’ll have way more energy tomorrow’.

And I’ve been doing this for years.

So how do you get started and form a healthy habit when you haven’t yet experienced the extra spring in your step that comes when you shut that door behind you, get out there and give it a go.

How? By taking a few small steps…

 - Make a plan: Start each week by working out what is possible. Then block it out. There’s nothing worse than thinking you can fit in a 30-minute jog when you’re also supposed to be seeing the dentist, reading something for work and making lunch. Make it realistic and it’s more likely to happen, because you don’t have a built-in excuse.

- Celebrate your kit: This is not permission to run towards the nearest sports shop. This is permission to dig out the clothes that give you a reason to smile. If you actually want to wear exercise clothes, it’ll give you one more reason to get started.

- Start small: If your training ground is currently the living room, it’s best not to make your first attempt a hill run or a 10k, otherwise you’ll feel defeated before you’ve even got started. While it feels amazing to unleash your inner Mo Farah, it is important to remember you aren’t a top athlete (and if you are, this post isn’t going to do much for you). Set achievable milestones and you’ll surprise yourself with just how quickly you rack up the miles. And, whatever you do, don’t get excited and double your mileage. Your body will, at best, not thank you or, at worst, remind you who is really in control (I learned the hard way).

- Choose your path: Unless you’re committed to the treadmill (in which case your route is limited), pick a route that excites you, that gives you chance to savour the changing seasons and explore new details in your local area. I often run out of my way to hit to Thames path because I love the feeling that comes with being near water. Build in landmark moments along the way and exercise becomes sightseeing.

- Break it down: Whatever your distance, don’t rush to thinking about the home straight before you’ve even located your keys. I may have run 26.2 miles for my wedding, but I’ve never run a marathon. Just four 10ks (and an extra bit that’s not to be underestimated when your legs have checked out). Count lamp posts, head for that next tree. Making it home is a bonus.

- Find a friend: Knowing others are out exercising always keeps me going. My newly-formed #Milesbetter2018 group on Facebook (and Strava) is like carrying a group of virtual cheerleaders in my pocket. We’re all at different levels, nervous about moving forward. But, we all recognise we are stronger together. Join us – or build your own friendly community to help you stay on track. Public accountability is a wonderful thing.

- Reap those rewards: I should be saying here that exercise is reward enough. No chance! If incentives get those energy levels going, then use them. I once ran 30k just to get a Pret love bar. I appreciate this is extreme (the barista thought so), but it certainly did the trick, even if it did undo the hard work.

- Rest and be thankful: a rest is only a rest if you’ve done something to earn it (try a bath after a rainy day and you’ll see what I mean). We all need a chance to recover. But not too many chances. The key is habit formation. Then you won’t need to fight the voice in your head that says your time would be better spent eating jelly babies while cooking dinner.

The hardest part of your exercise journey won’t be making your first finish line. It will be taking the decision to just start.

I did make it out of my January 1st run. I did feel better. I took a photo of the view I wouldn’t have seen from the sofa. I took time to thank my legs for moving forward and my lungs for keeping up. And, I took a detour on my way home to the path where it all began.

When I first stepped onto that path, I couldn’t run the 109 steps it takes to get to the end. So I walked. Then I walk/jogged. Then I jogged/ran. Then I ran. Then I ran off the path to find a new route and new milestones.

Now, that path is my cool down at the end of a six-mile run – miles that are part of the 100+ miles I’ve done (cycling and running) in a fortnight.

That path is about progress. It reminds me how far I’ve come. And, when I need a boost, I return to it to remind myself how far I can go if I just keep moving.

I hope you find your path this year and, in so doing, find a little bit of yourself along the way.

Now, time to get going…

Donald Trump And The Special, Schmecial Relationship

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Donald Trump may at least – and inadvertently – have liberated Anglo-American relations from the curse of ‘the special relationship’ (SR). For that, if nothing else, those who attach high importance to the friendship, shared cultural hinterland and personal connections that bind the two countries should be grateful. The ‘SR’ is not much more than a monument to the idleness and ignorance of British journalists and their craven dependence on ‘the cuttings’ (or their digital equivalent) for inspiration when stories needs to be written. This cliché has for half a century done duty for serious thought or inquiry about the subject, directing the knee-jerk reflexes of headline-writers and the space-filling ramblings of the hacks. Any British ambassador in Washington can only groan inwardly every time it is recycled by ‘visiting firemen’ anxious to gratify their news editors back in London. It makes most Americans wince, the nice ones politely, others more openly. It constrains British politicians to scrape the diplomatic barrel in search of some new genuflection to this idol. It is a false God. The relationship between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt was literally vital when Britain could well have lost World War II. The sharing of intelligence then and subsequently was indeed a special connection. The US and Royal Navies long had their own unique rapport. Some presidents and prime ministers got on well – Kennedy and Macmillan, Callaghan and Carter, Thatcher and Reagan, Major and Bush Sr, George W. and Blair. Others – Eisenhower and Eden, Johnson and Wilson, Nixon and Heath, Clinton and Blair, Obama and Cameron – did not. The State Department and the Foreign Office have seldom been close, ever since the Dulles brothers tilted to Germany as their preferred partner in Europe and the FO decided that post-Suez Britain needed to join the EU. The Treasuries and the defence/defense departments have had more natural affinity and have often collaborated fruitfully. But that is all, for the moment, in the past. Relations with the Trump, White House are strained, not least because his whole political identity is rebarbative to almost all in Britain, leaders and led. Waiting for four, maybe eight, years holding one’s breath is not much of policy for what has hitherto and for good reasons been Britain’s most important relationship. In normal times it requires close attention, constant nurturing and practical collaboration focused on sustaining the core of the Atlantic partnership that has thrice saved Europe from its own evil genii of aggression and tyranny, in two world wars and in the face of Soviet expansionism in and after the late 1940s. What it has never benefitted from is endlessly repeated incantations of the empty SR slogan, which only gets in the way of hard work on today’s real agenda. The Trump saga has blown all that away. If he set foot in Britain he would be insulted. He may hold Theresa May’s hand in the rose garden; but one must wonder what would happen if she called on the ‘hotline’. Serious issues lie beneath the surface. Callaghan had a valuable agreement with Carter about supplying Britain with the next generation of Britain’s ‘independent’ nuclear missiles. That has broadly survived the next forty years; but whom knows what Trump would decide? Worse still the whole Atlantic alliance is weak, the two sides drifting apart, as I warned in my valedictory despatch from Washington in 1979, chiefly because of ‘Europe’s’ dangerous hankering after great power status separate from the US. This foolish delusion can only be reinforced by Donald Trump’s antics, which create an opportunity for the anti-American euro-nationalists to argue that Athleticism is obsolete and that Europe should ‘go it alone’ – ‘Europe first’, as I warned in my book with Michael Stewart Apocalypse 2000 in 1987. What Britain and Europe need is a strong collaborative relationship with a United States that believes in the post-1945 principles that have given both sides an extraordinary long run of comparative peace and high prosperity. The politics of Donald Trump and the Bonapartists in Europe are ill-suited to that sensible hope. Peter Jay is a former British ambassador to the United States

Government Will Not Appeal High Court Ruling Over Mental Health Discrimination

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The government has announced it will not appeal a High Court judgement which ruled changes to benefits discriminate against people with mental health issues. The case, brought by a women with psychological difficulties, concluded in December and ruled an amendment to the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabled people “could not be objectively justified”. It introduced regulations limiting the amount of support people with psychological distress could receive for making journeys, which the court viewed as “blatantly discriminatory” and in breach of human rights. In a written statement to the House of Commons on Friday, newly-appointed DWP secretary Esther McVey said the government would not seek to appeal the judgement, meaning thousands of people could be entitled to more benefits. She added: “My department will now take all steps necessary to implement the judgment in mental health in the best interests of our claimants, working closely with disabled people and key stakeholders over the coming months. “Although I and my department accept the High Court’s judgment, we do not agree with some of the detail contained therein. Our intention has always been to deliver the policy intent of the original regulations, as approved by Parliament, and to provide the best support to claimants with mental health conditions.” McVey said the DWP would now go through all affected cases to identify people who may be entitled to claim more in benefits - which could be more than 160,000. “We will then write to those individuals affected, and all payments will be backdated to the effective date in each individual claim,” she added. “I hope that by making this statement it is clear that the government is committed to improving the lives of people with mental health conditions.” PIP is gradually replacing Disability Living Allowance, with those in receipt of the benefit required to undertake medical reassessment. Debbie Abrahams, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, said:  “The government was wrong to bring in the PIP regulations last year and it was wrong to ignore time and time again the views of the courts. “Labour supported the initial tribunal judgment and pledged in our manifesto to reverse the PIP regulations. “Serious questions remain, including; how many people have been adversely affected by the government’s reckless decision to oppose the tribunal’s original judgment?  How much public money has been spent on lawyers, trying to defend the indefensible? And how quickly will people with severe mental health conditions receive the support to which they are rightly entitled? “This is yet more evidence of the duplicity and disarray of the Tories’ social security policies.” Campaigners said the High Court’s decision was a “significant victory” for people with mental health problems and have urged the government to offer compensation to those affected.

Why Does My Child Shun Me In Favour Of Their Mum?

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I work with a LOT of parents! At pretty much every single workshop I run, a dad will come up to me at the end and sheepishly say, “can I ask you a question? Why does our child not settle for me?”. They describe hours of trying to soothe a crying baby, trying to get a toddler to sleep, or trying to comfort a hurt or sick preschooler. The scenarios, whatever they are, almost always end the same way; “s/he will only settle for my partner, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong? Does s/he just love me less?” This is understandably upsetting, to both parents. The ‘shunned parent’ often feels as if their attachment to their child, or rather the child’s attachment to them, is somehow poorer than that between child and mother. They worry that things will always be this way. They feel left out and somewhat hopeless, unable to give the mother a true break as they cannot settle the child as she can. My response here is always the same. This is normal, in fact it’s common and it will pass. Dad has done nothing wrong. The primary attachment in the first three years of life is almost always with mum. This isn’t a sexist stereotype. The baby has known mum for nine months longer than anybody else, that’s quite some head start on attachment! To add to this, if the baby is breastfed they will see mum as their world, the provider of food, drink, warmth, safety and security. She is literally their everything. As wonderful and loving as dad is it is totally understandable that the initial relationship won’t be the same. This strong preference for mum absolutely won’t last forever though, as the child grows and the reliance on ‘the boob’ lessens, so their attachment will grow with other people, especially dad. In the years to come it is highly likely that father and child will be ‘as thick as thieves’ and it is mum who will be on the outside looking in. This initial super strong attachment with mum though is totally normal and very, very healthy. it is normal for children to be incredibly upset if the bond is temporarily broken, it is healthy to have separation anxiety, it is healthy for them to be distressed if they are with anybody who isn’t mum, even if that’s dad. What happens if mum needs to go out and dad needs to do nap or bedtime? I think changing the goal posts here is important. Dad’s goal shouldn’t be to stop the crying, it should be to support while crying. It’s OK that your child cries, it’s not OK that they cry alone. It’s a big deal for dads to hold a crying baby, or sobbing toddler who needs their mum. His hold tells them ’it’s OK, you’re not alone, I’m here and I love you too. I know you miss your mum, but I am strong enough to cope with your tears and support you until she is back again. We know that this has a very different physiological effect on the child than crying alone. Until the attachments naturally change, think of ways for dad and child to have their special time and activities. Things that work well, are: Shared breakfasts (especially to give mum a few more minutes in bed) ‘Rough and tumble’ play (dads tend to be more natural at this!) Saturday morning trips to the park, library or a friend’s house This ‘special time’ can help both to bond and, in time, will aid in the shift in attachment in dad’s favour. by Sarah Ockwell-Smith - mother of four More on supported crying HERE Sarah’s Gentle Sleep Book is available internationallyHERE and Why Your Baby’s Sleep Matters Book (for breastfed babies under 12 months) is available internationallyHERE.

Ricky Gervais Claims He Would Have Joked About Hollywood Harassment Scandal As Host Of Golden Globes

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Ricky Gervais has said he would have make jokes about the on-going sexual harassment allegations in Hollywood, had he been asked to host the Golden Globes this year. The 2018 ceremony saw famous faces from across the industry come out in support of the Time’s Up movement by wearing black and delivering empowering speeches, but the British comic has said he wouldn’t have been able to resist making a gag about it. Ricky, who has hosted the Golden Globes four times, added he believed more sensitive subjects make for better gags. “I’m so close to death, I think, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’” he said on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’. “Someone being offended now is nothing. I go, ‘So what? I’m gonna die.’ “The more sensitive [the subject] the better. That’s the fun for me, talking about irreverent and sensitive and taboo subjects.” There’s no subject you shouldn’t joke about. It depends on the actual joke and the target. People get offended when they mistake the subject of a joke with the actual target. - @RickyGervais#LSSCpic.twitter.com/KbWamc2zMK— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) January 18, 2018 He continued: “There’s nothing you shouldn’t joke about, there’s no subject you shouldn’t joke about. It depends on the actual joke and the target. “People get offended when they mistake the subject of a joke for the actual target and they’re not necessarily the same. “Some people are offended, fine. Just ’cos you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right, some people are offended by equality. (Donald Trump), he’s offended by equality.” Ricky’s comments came despite the fact just week’s earlier he claimed he “wouldn’t have been brave enough” to say one of the jokes he’d thought of if he had hosted the awards show. Fellow comedian James Corden previously came under fire when he made a series of Harvey Weinstein jokes while hosting a charity gala back in October. After increasing pressure, he later issued an apology, saying: “To be clear, sexual assault is no laughing matter. “I was not trying to make light of Harvey’s inexcusable behavior but to shame him, the abuser, not the victims. I am truly sorry for anyone offended, that was never my intention.” 

I Am One Of The Six Residents Of The Isle Of Ulva. Please Help Us Retain Control Of Our Home

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Since it was announced in October that residents of the Isle of Ulva, along with those on neighbouring Mull, would be given the opportunity to attempt a community buyout of the island, there has been a great deal of interest from all over the globe. Articles have featured in newspapers and online in the likes of Australia, France, Singapore and the UAE. There has been great support for the project, but also a certain amount of criticism - land reform can be a divisive topic.

For Ulva and our community in particular, community ownership would be a massively positive step for several reasons. It offers the opportunity to reverse the social and economic decline of the island, and to secure the future of our fantastic primary school. It would enable us to provide housing with security of tenure, and to protect the island’s diverse natural environment whilst still ensuring it remains accessible for everyone to enjoy. We would have the ability to shine a light on Ulva’s historical importance, both the island itself and its former residents. We could create new business opportunities for new residents, while offering security to existing ones. And most importantly of all, it would give local people a voice.

One of the most important things community ownership offers residents in the case of Ulva, is a security that does not exist under private ownership. As shown by the population decimation over the past couple of centuries, islanders are at the mercy of the landlord. The sale of Ulva came out of the blue to residents, who had no inkling about the intention of the owner to sell until photographs were taken for the brochure. The current residents’ leases expired in November last year, meaning we are now on a rolling month by month tenancy. Any new owner is under no obligation to let the islanders remain in their homes. Security of tenure would be assured for current and future residents through community ownership, and the importance of this cannot be overstated. If you offer people security, they are more likely to be invested in the island and contribute to its ongoing upkeep and success.

Housing provision is another significant opportunity presented. In a time when the UK is chronically short on housing, it is frustrating to walk around and see homes unoccupied and neglected - the majority of Ulva’s housing stock is not lived in. Community ownership would mean the refurbishment of the built infrastructure on the island - allowing families, couples and individuals to move back to the island, supporting both the local primary school and the local economy.

Ulva contributes to the Mull economy predominantly through tourism and fishing, and this is another aspect to which community ownership is vital. We are committed to the environmental sustainability of Ulva, and making sure access is assured for locals and visitors alike. Ulva has a great deal of historical and environmental importance, which would be protected through community ownership. The sale of the island comes with a small piece of land on Mull which includes the pier and access to the island via the ferry. A private owner would be perfectly entitled to shut down the ferry and prevent access to the island, as well as stopping the use of the pier by the many fishing boats currently reliant on it.

Despite the reasons above, the question for some still remains - why is a community purchase so essential, compared to a philanthropic private purchaser, willing to enact all the hopes and dreams of the islanders without any public cost? It all comes down to certainty. Yes, perhaps we would get lucky and a white knight would ride in and save Ulva. But when the thirty-six page sales catalogue did not feature a single mention of the thousands of tourists who visit every year, and was marketed as a private playground retreat, this seemed highly unlikely. Even so, a private buyer with the best intentions is still the sole owner, with the residents at their mercy of their decisions. Private ownership may have been the norm in Scotland for centuries, but historically this has not ended well for the people.  Ulva, in common with many other areas, has seen its population decimated - in the case of Ulva from more than 600 in the 19th century to only six residents today. 

If a community can put forward a sensible, sustainable and affordable business plan, why shouldn’t they be given the opportunity to own their land? Land reform legislation is available to communities like ours precisely because of this question. It is no longer solely about who has the most money to buy a chunk of Scotland, it is also a judgement call about what owner will act in the best interests of the community. In a lot of cases, it may be private ownership - but in the case of Ulva, a community buyout is the correct solution.  The road ahead will not be easy, we are under no illusions about that; despite the hard work, the inevitable differences of opinion, and the pressures that community ownership will entail, I believe that the people who live and work here are best placed to run the island. All we are asking for is the chance to shape our own future, and provide opportunities for our children and generations to come. Community ownership offers us a say in that future. And that is what makes it essential.


Trump's Attacks On Women Worldwide Mean The Resistance Is Global

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One year ago, on the heels of the largest day of protest in US history and a truly global moment of solidarity on women’s rights, the newly inaugurated president resurrected and radically expanded the harmful global gag rule, a policy that puts politics between a patient and her provider. It’s no coincidence that the first casualties in the administration’s assault on human rights were women. And, as his vile comments on immigration last week make quite clear, it’s no coincidence that many of the women affected by this devastating policy come from countries he has denigrated with racist and offensive rhetoric. Maybe attacking them was precisely his aim, to send a message that regardless of the human costs, it’s America first. Or perhaps he felt that they were a safe target, that nobody would care about a few million Black and Brown women overseas. To add insult to injury, the administration went further than any previous Republican administration by expanding the global gag rule’s application to all global health funding, not just family planning as previous versions had done. This means that a clinic receiving U.S. funding for HIV/AIDS treatment may lose that funding if they provide, counsel on, or even share information about abortion, even if they do so with their own funds. This policy would prove to be the first in several sustained attacks on women around the world by this administration. The FY 2018 budget proposal released by the White House a few months later introduced significant cuts to foreign aid, including eliminating all funding for international family planning programs. The administration has also advanced a baseless, politically driven attack on UNFPA, the United Nations lead agency on family planning and maternal health, banning the agency from receiving any U.S. funding, even in the most dire humanitarian and crisis settings. Most recently, the president withdrew temporary protected status (TPS) for nearly 200,000 people from El Salvador. Just the latest in a long line of countries he has revoked TPS for, this recent move is particularly harmful for women who must return to a country where rates of gender-based violence is high and abortion is not just illegal, but criminalized. The abortion laws in El Salvador are so draconian that even women who have natural miscarriages have been imprisoned. Last year, one woman who had been imprisoned in El Salvador for exactly that was granted asylum in Sweden, the first time such status has been conferred for abortion persecution. The attacks on women have been relentless and global in nature. But so, too, has been the resistance. We made phone calls, we wrote letters, we introduced legislation, we challenged opponents of women’s health, and yes, we marched. Through the #MeToo movement, which Tarana Burke started long before it was a hashtag, women shared their intimate stories of sexual violence. The movement has gone global, with women in China, India, and other countries sharing their own stories. In Latin America, reproductive rights advocates have made some landmark strides in the liberalization of abortion laws, as in the case of Chile, which approved a bill relaxing the abortion ban for the first time in over two decades. In Uganda, our partner Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) is speaking out about the harmful impact the global gag rule is having on vital services that RHU and other organizations provide in the country. Planned Parenthood has been working with our partners in D.C. and around the world as well as with our allies in Congress to successfully resist efforts to codify the global gag rule and cuts to international family planning – but the fight continues. One year ago on Monday, January 23, following the vim and vigor of the Women’s March, the president took a pen and signed a death warrant for millions of women around the world. He tried to silence them, to silence us. We won’t be gagged and we certainly won’t be silent. Latanya Mapp Frett is the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global, the international arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Smearing Your Lipstick Could Help Save Lives

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It’s just a couple of days left until #SmearForSmear, a social media campaign run by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. The campaign encourages people to share the hashtag with lipstick smeared photos of themselves, but so what? It’s just another hashtag, right? What difference does a selfie or a hashtag really make? Well, #SmearForSmear can quite literally save lives. The campaign runs during Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (22-28 January) and over the last three years has reached millions of women. It’s a simple campaign, but it has a serious message. Smear tests provide best protection against cervical cancer, a disease that takes mothers from their children, women from their partners and daughters from their parents. They prevent 75% of cervical cancers from developing, saving thousands of lives each year, yet the number of women attending this potentially life saving test is falling every year across the UK. Over one in four women don’t take up their invitation, and with around 5 million women being invited for a smear test every year in the UK, these are pretty worrying statistics. So how does a hashtag help? There are many reasons women delay or don’t go for their smear test. Embarrassment, fear and not knowing what the test is for are just a few. There are cultural barriers, some women are unable to access an appointment, and for women who have experienced sexual violence the test can be extremely difficult. Others simply forget. A hashtag will not reach every woman who is delaying her smear test and it can’t overcome every barrier. It doesn’t increase availability of appointments and it doesn’t make it a more comfortable experience. But it does increase understanding and awareness of the test, encourages conversation and breaks down some of the shame and stigma surrounding it. Research shows over two thirds of young women don’t think smear tests reduce a woman’s risk of cervical cancer, and #SmearForSmear not only shares the message smear tests prevent the disease, for many women it is the reminder or encouragement they need to take up their invitation: With the number of women attending smear tests at an all time low, how do we know it works? The campaign runs for just one week every year and every year we get feedback from laboratories reporting huge surges in samples around the time of the campaign, GPs telling us they are inundated with appointment requests and countless comments on social media and through our support services from women thanking us for reminding them. Statistics won’t change overnight, but through this simple hashtag we can ensure more women understand what smear tests are for, where they can find information and support, and start conversations about cervical cancer prevention. Every day in the UK nine women are given a cervical cancer diagnosis and two will lose their lives to the disease. Yet it is one of the only cancers that can be prevented and if every woman attended their smear test when invited, these numbers would be greatly reduced. We all know a woman and can all play a part in helping protect them from cervical cancer. A simple reminder, conversation or comment could make all the difference. So put the date in your diary and get your lipstick ready for #SmearForSmear. It’s a hashtag that could literally save a life. So no, it’s not just another hashtag.

Is It Really Possible To Go Off Grid?

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In today’s hyper-connected digital world, where we unlock our phones 80 times a day, living a disconnected life has become a distant dream. Landlines and spare change have been relegated to a simpler, long-forgotten time, when we didn’t live our lives online.

But thanks to the latest series of Channel 4’s Hunted, and following the recent airing of Celebrity Hunted, the challenge and possibility of going off-grid will be on the minds of many. After all, if some of the UK’s most famous faces could disappear for almost two weeks, surely anyone can?

Going on the run isn’t easy, but there are a few things that you can do to successfully evade capture – and returning to this long-forgotten disconnected life plays a large part in this.

Minimise your digital footprint

Social media accounts and search engine history are a rich source of personal data. Planned your escape beforehand? One look at your browser history could reveal all of the possible places that you could be, and will give vital clues about who you know and any places that you are familiar with.

However, it is extremely difficult to get rid of all of your data – even if you deactivate your account, it will disappear from view, but it’s still there.

Wipe and throw away your smartphone

As soon as you go on the run, the first thing that you should do is abandon your smartphone. Even if you think you’ve turned off a GPS signal in your phone settings, often one of your apps will be broadcasting your location and signalling where you are as obviously as a tracking app would. It’s best to wipe it completely first.

You should also be careful not to forget all your backups in the cloud. Having access to a phone backup is almost as good as having the phone itself, as phones and their backups are an immensely rich source of data about you, your contacts, photos, message history and location history.

If you do take your phone with you, even if location services are disabled, any phone with a digital connection, whether it’s 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi, can give away your location. The best thing to do is to get rid of any internet-enabled phone and replace it with an old-school pay as you go phone for emergencies. Such phones can only be used once, and you have to assume that you have given away your location as soon as you use it.

Watch out for CCTV

There are estimated to be around six million CCTV cameras across the UK. The web of cameras, particularly in urban areas, is so extensive that it’s often possible to generate minute-by-minute details of an individual’s movements.

Once your face and name are public, it only takes one camera to be able to track you down. Try to avoid urban areas with plenty of CCTV cameras, and consider a disguise.

Don’t check your email – or any of your online accounts for that matter

Using your email while on the run is a sure-fire way to get caught. If your email account, or any online account, is being monitored, it takes just minutes for specialists to identify where you are by reversing the IP address of the device you’re using. Of course, there are ways to mask this if you know what you are doing, but why run the risk?

The best way to keep out of sight is to avoid contacting your family and friends at all – if they’re being monitored, even a phone call to them can be accessed and traced. 

Use cash for travel

Bank accounts can be monitored, and if a transaction or cash withdrawal takes place, information can go to the police almost instantly. 

Before you go on the run, gather cash – and don’t forget to budget!

Ultimately, our smartphone addictions combined with our love for documenting our every move and relationship on social media means that it’s easy to track anyone down – and that’s without even mentioning the sophisticated policing technologies that are in force.

Our digital habits mean that going fully off-grid is almost impossible – as you will see in the current series of Channel 4’s Hunted

The May-Macron Sandhurst Treaty: Barbed Wire And Empty Promises

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We spent the evening in a car park in Calais, six volunteers and 15 teenagers, waiting to see if there was space for the minors in a night shelter. There aren’t enough spaces ― about 60 for around 100 children ― so we’d already had to leave a large number to sleep outside again. These are kids, remember. Sleeping rough. And we are grassroots, NGO volunteers, not government employees ― but without our support the majority of the kids would not have accessed the accommodation. And the accommodation isn’t even open every night. How can this be right? The night was wet and windy. It often is in Calais. At about three in the morning, it was windy enough to blow open the door of the static caravan I live in ― one can only imagine what it must’ve been like for those teenagers outside. If only there were better resources to help look after them. But where would the money come from? Funds for the “hostile environment” This week we woke to the news that the UK is expected to give the French government an extra £44million to increase border security in the Calais region (bringing the total of British money spent on security and police in Calais to £150m in the past 15 months). This is cold news and it makes you rage. £44m for fences, walls, barbed wire and police, but not a penny to help vulnerable people. No money for the currently inadequate or absent provision of anti-trafficking and child safeguarding services, access to asylum information or processes, accommodation, food, water or sanitation. Not only is there an absence of money to help vulnerable people, the money will be used to strengthen and perpetuate structures that will further degrade and hurt vulnerable people. Mr Macron says he can’t believe the police use excessive force in Calais. He asks for evidence of it (and threatens associations if they can’t produce it), but it is hard to know what evidence he would accept, given the  number  of  reports  that have already been made about police brutality. A fortifying of the French version of a “hostile environment” can only mean more pain, more sleepless, cold, wet nights, more mental health issues. In a place where these exist and basic human rights don’t, people are driven to take more life-threatening risks to escape. Christmas was anything but merry. Two people in intensive care after accidents trying to escape Calais. One, hit by a train, has lost his legs. And three people have died. Three people in three weeks. One was 15 years old. His 13-year-old friend had to call for an ambulance. This can only continue, if not increase, where a hostile environment becomes more hostile. More people will die. Sceptical of improvements to asylum processes Along with millions of pounds for increased security, there has been talk of speeding up asylum application procedures for people currently stuck in Calais. We would welcome this. Please do this! One more day that 10-year-old children are sleeping in the woods, unable to access legal and legitimate channels to their right to be safe with their families, is too long. This isn’t hypothetical. A 10-year-old will be sleeping in the woods tonight. This has already gone on for far too long. Forgive us, though, if we are sceptical about any promises that might be made. In our opinion, the current Conservative government has been obstructive and reprehensible in its duty of care towards people it is supposed to help. The acceleration of processes for legal entry to the UK is welcomed – but it could not get much slower. Five children with legal rights to be in the UK have already died in the past two years. Their families were in the UK, but the process of reunification was so protracted, and the support for the kids while they waited was non-existent (outside of the little volunteers could provide), that the children felt forced to take life-threatening risks to try and get to some form of safety and stability, to try to be with their family. They died because the processes of the Conservative government’s “hostile environment” dragged on. This government’s red tape is red with blood. Mrs May’s spokesperson has said that the Government is “determined” in its drive to find homes for unaccompanied minors. This seems a little rich, considering the lack of effort the Government has so far put into finding homes for unaccompanied minors. Sadly, the Government is already distancing itself from suggestions that Mrs May agreed to accept more migrants. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said that the her government is ready to find homes (but for how long?) for unaccompanied minors “when it is appropriate”. To us, this sounds a little too much like the Government’s “unspecified number” of children who would be taken to the UK under the Dubs amendment. 3,000 places were initially proposed in 2016. The Conservatives have now set a cap of 480. And yet nearly 300 places still remain unfilled. The legal routes already exist, but the UK Government is blocking them, reducing numbers, changing criteria for eligibility. “When it is appropriate” feels like  another get-out clause. And all the while, kids sleep rough. The French and UK governments certainly need to do more to help relieve the situation in Calais, but the millions of pounds spent on security and policing are a misuse of public funds that will exacerbate not solve the problems here, and the talk of speeding up asylum processes feels hollow and too limited. While we wait for real, helpful action to materialise, Help Refugees’ volunteers, and those of our partners, will continue to try to provide the support that two governments are failing to do. And while we wait for real, helpful action, a 10-year-old still sleeps rough, or worse. Help Refugees has co-signed an open letter to President Macron and Prime Minister May. To support Help Refugees’ work in the Calais region, donate here or volunteer. We also encourage you to write to your politicians to advocate for refugees in Calais and further afield.

The Most Difficult Part Of Your Fitness Journey Will Be Starting It

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My first run of the year was not unlike many runs that you – if you leave the house – will experience in your life. Why? Because it nearly didn’t happen. Knowing how good exercise makes me feel doesn’t stop me sabotaging my own good intentions. It doesn’t stop the constant weather app checks. Are the clouds getting gloomier? It doesn’t stop the agonising decision of what to wear. Am I in too many layers? Cold enough for gloves? It doesn’t stop the general faffing. Is my watch/phone/iPod charged? And, it certainly doesn’t speed up the pre-exercise fuelling. Have I had enough water? Have I left a long enough gap after eating? I’m constantly fighting the voice in my head saying, ‘you’ll have way more energy tomorrow’. And I’ve been doing this for years. So how do you get started and form a healthy habit when you haven’t yet experienced the extra spring in your step that comes when you shut that door behind you, get out there and give it a go. How? By taking a few small steps…  - Make a plan: Start each week by working out what is possible. Then block it out. There’s nothing worse than thinking you can fit in a 30-minute jog when you’re also supposed to be seeing the dentist, reading something for work and making lunch. Make it realistic and it’s more likely to happen, because you don’t have a built-in excuse. - Celebrate your kit: This is not permission to run towards the nearest sports shop. This is permission to dig out the clothes that give you a reason to smile. If you actually want to wear exercise clothes, it’ll give you one more reason to get started. - Start small: If your training ground is currently the living room, it’s best not to make your first attempt a hill run or a 10k, otherwise you’ll feel defeated before you’ve even got started. While it feels amazing to unleash your inner Mo Farah, it is important to remember you aren’t a top athlete (and if you are, this post isn’t going to do much for you). Set achievable milestones and you’ll surprise yourself with just how quickly you rack up the miles. And, whatever you do, don’t get excited and double your mileage. Your body will, at best, not thank you or, at worst, remind you who is really in control (I learned the hard way). - Choose your path: Unless you’re committed to the treadmill (in which case your route is limited), pick a route that excites you, that gives you chance to savour the changing seasons and explore new details in your local area. I often run out of my way to hit to Thames path because I love the feeling that comes with being near water. Build in landmark moments along the way and exercise becomes sightseeing. - Break it down: Whatever your distance, don’t rush to thinking about the home straight before you’ve even located your keys. I may have run 26.2 miles for my wedding, but I’ve never run a marathon. Just four 10ks (and an extra bit that’s not to be underestimated when your legs have checked out). Count lamp posts, head for that next tree. Making it home is a bonus. - Find a friend: Knowing others are out exercising always keeps me going. My newly-formed #Milesbetter2018 group on Facebook (and Strava) is like carrying a group of virtual cheerleaders in my pocket. We’re all at different levels, nervous about moving forward. But, we all recognise we are stronger together. Join us – or build your own friendly community to help you stay on track. Public accountability is a wonderful thing. - Reap those rewards: I should be saying here that exercise is reward enough. No chance! If incentives get those energy levels going, then use them. I once ran 30k just to get a Pret love bar. I appreciate this is extreme (the barista thought so), but it certainly did the trick, even if it did undo the hard work. - Rest and be thankful: a rest is only a rest if you’ve done something to earn it (try a bath after a rainy day and you’ll see what I mean). We all need a chance to recover. But not too many chances. The key is habit formation. Then you won’t need to fight the voice in your head that says your time would be better spent eating jelly babies while cooking dinner. The hardest part of your exercise journey won’t be making your first finish line. It will be taking the decision to just start. I did make it out of my January 1st run. I did feel better. I took a photo of the view I wouldn’t have seen from the sofa. I took time to thank my legs for moving forward and my lungs for keeping up. And, I took a detour on my way home to the path where it all began. When I first stepped onto that path, I couldn’t run the 109 steps it takes to get to the end. So I walked. Then I walk/jogged. Then I jogged/ran. Then I ran. Then I ran off the path to find a new route and new milestones. Now, that path is my cool down at the end of a six-mile run – miles that are part of the 100+ miles I’ve done (cycling and running) in a fortnight. That path is about progress. It reminds me how far I’ve come. And, when I need a boost, I return to it to remind myself how far I can go if I just keep moving. I hope you find your path this year and, in so doing, find a little bit of yourself along the way. Now, time to get going…
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