Podcasts about health secretary matt hancock

On today's show, Geza Tarjanyi discusses his notorious confrontation with former Health Secretary Matt Hancock on the Tube and the ongoing court proceedings related to it. This topic is particularly relevant given the recent news that MPs are going to receive bodyguards paid for by taxpayers. GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Geza Tarjyani is an activist and campaigner. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Darren Denslow is a TNT presenter, chemist, teacher, and social media commentator.

Did former Health Secretary Matt Hancock think the best person to decide who should live and die during the pandemic was... Matt Hancock? That was the accusation levelled by former NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens in the Covid inquiry. Luckily, the hypothetical situation never materialised but how happy do we feel about politicians playing god? And… as the deputy cabinet secretary describes a Downing Street in which not a day went by without rules being breached, we ask whether it's time for an amnesty on all those citizens still facing fines and trials?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Producers: Rory Symon & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby is joined by Daily Mirror political editor John Stevens to analyse the week's big stories. From former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's appearance at the Covid Inquiry, the Court of Appeal ruling the government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful and more fallout from the privileges committee report into Boris Johnson and partygate. Plus, Beth interviews Trainspotting author, Irvine Welsh. Email Beth Rigby with your thoughts at bethrigbypodcast@sky.uk.

In the UK, the former health secretary says the UK's pandemic planning was "completely wrong". Matt Hancock, the secretary during the pandemic, has told that country's coronavirus inquiry the attitude was to plan for the consequences of a disaster. He claimed medicines for intensive care were within hours of running out. UK and Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby Hancock says he's "profoundly sorry" for the response. He says Hancock told the inquiry they should've been looking at how to slow down or stop the spread of Covid-19. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of London Calling, Toby and James start by talking about James' health (he has a cold), then segue into discussing what James says is the best hunting experience of his life. Toby then tells James about his week (hangover and all), which included appearing on Jacob Rees-Mogg's debut show on GBNews and attending the third anniversary party of the Free Speech Union. They then get on to the past week's big story - the Lockdown Files - the more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages belonging to former Health Secretary Matt Hancock that were leaked to the Telegraph by the journalist Isabel Oakeshott. It inevitably leads to a heated argument about whether they prove Toby right that the past three years have just been one almighty cock-up, or corroborate James' suspicions that the lockdowns and the vaccine rollout are part of some diabolical conspiracy. In Culture Corner, they discuss the season 3 opener of The Mandalorian (Disney+), Drive to Survive, Fleischman is in Trouble (Disney+ in the UK, Hulu in the US) and The Playlist (Netflix) which James highly recommends. Opening sound this week is Andrew Pierce of The Daily Mail and Kevin Maguire of The Daily Mirror discussing the Lockdown Files on Good Morning Britain (ITV). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former government adviser Leon Emirali kicks off todays show to discuss another day of Lockdown Files as we find out MPs who criticised lockdowns were placed on secret red list, and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock hoped to offer Emmanuel Macron ‘spare' intensive care beds in Britain, despite increasing levels of the virus. As Rishi Sunak announces his plans to set an annual cap on the number of refugees entering the UK, we speak to Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis live from College Green to get his thoughts on the Prime Minister's initiative and how the government has handled the migrant crisis until now. Laura Dodsworth returns to The Independent Republic for her weekly lowdown on the top headlines from clown world and former police officer Norman Brennan closes the show to discuss the sentencing of Wayne Couzens who has bee sentenced to 19 months in prison for exposing himself on three occasions - one of those was just days before he killed Sarah Everard, we also get Normans thoughts on the parole hearing for notorious criminal Charles Bronson. All that and so much more, so tune in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's 'News Roundtable' episode, host Chris Wright is joined by Jean Monnet, Chair in European Integration at Maynooth University, political commentator John O'Brennan, Times Radio Presenter, Rosie Wright, political journalist, David Osland, and political commentator, Lee Harris.The conversation kicks off with the panel discussing “The Lockdown Files,” revealing former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's private messages with other government ministers regarding important COVID decisions. Why were they leaked to the Telegraph by political journalist Isabel Oakeshott? Is Matt Hancock right to feel betrayed? The scandal resurfaces questions within the panel on the government's handling of the pandemic. Together, they discuss the significance of the leak for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. The panel highlight the possible motives for releasing the messages. Was it an anti-lockdown agenda? To taint Sunak's Northern Ireland success? Or just cut-throat journalism? The discussion moves on to Rishi Sunak's Windsor Framework for trade between the UK, EU and Northern Ireland, debating who benefits most from this significant post-Brexit breakthrough. —------------------'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coCreated & produced by Podcast Partners: www.podcastpartners.comSign up to receive updates by email when a new episode drops at www.wrightonthenail.FMThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

Leaked messages reveal the ex Health Secretary Matt Hancock ignored the Chief Medical Officers call to test all residents going into English care homes for Covid at the start of the pandemic. More than 200 officers are continuing the search for the baby of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon, who spent more than 50 days on the run with fears the new-born has died. Rishi Sunak has warned the leaders of the DUP he will press ahead with his new Northern Ireland Brexit deal even if they reject it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Text messages from the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock bring the government's handling of Covid-19 in care homes into focus at today's Prime Minister's questions. Keir Starmer grills Rishi Sunak on energy bills, the cost-of-living crisis and economic growth. Bloomberg's Caroline Hepker and Stephen Carroll analyse the exchanges. Plus, our asset management reporter Loukia Gyftopoulou discusses the effect of the Windsor Framework deal on investor confidence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Bridgen is a Conservative Party MP who recently had the whip removed for his remarks about vaccine harms. He is currently suing former Health Secretary Matt Hancock for defamation, over accusations of antisemitism. In this podcast, Bridgen talks to Nick Dixon about his recent suspension, his court case, and his determination to raise awareness about vaccine injuries.  Bridgen also discusses his views on Lockdown, his remarkable achievements in his constituency of North West Leicestershire, and how we can save Britain from a bleak future. This episode is sponsored by Thor Holt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thorholt https://thorholt.substack.com/welcome And Harry Willis: https://www.instagram.com/harry_willis/ https://linktr.ee/WillisCoaching Andrew Bridgen's Twitter: @ABridgen Nick Dixon's Twitter: @nickdixoncomic Nick Dixon's Substack: nickdixon.substack.com  Produced by the legendary Jason Clift. 

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A cold has Toby feeling less than stellar this week, so he and James have an age old discussion about men - and old age. Vitamin regimens, detoxification and general bouts of hypochondria lead off the show before we really get down, as Texans would say, to brass tacks. Namely are the protests happening across Communist China just a blip on the radar or is this real trouble for Xi? And do we have a right to still feel superior about it? Then we tackle the distasteful Balenciaga "BDSM Teddy Bear" ads and the reactions that has provoked, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's performance on I'm a Celebrity... and Jonathan Van-Tam's forthcoming role in Call The Midwife. In Culture Corner Toby reviews Tokyo Vice (HBO Max), James likes Graham Hancock's Ancient Apocalypse (Netflix) and off the bookshelf Toby is taking in Barry Lyndon and James is enjoying Trollope's The Way We Live Now.  Opening sound this week is SkyNews correspondent Helen-Ann Smith eyewitness account of protests in Shanghai via YouTube.

Rishi Sunak is facing another parliamentary rebellion over onshore wind farms, while there's been another kind of hot air around former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's performance on reality TV show I'm a Celebrity. Bloomberg's Yuan Potts and Stephen Carroll are joined by our Opinion columnist Therese Raphael to discuss why the Prime Minister and Keir Starmer might be taking an economics lesson from Joe Biden. Richard Donnell from property website Zoopla tells us about their latest data on the UK's housing market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Jennifer Juan as she takes you through another messy week in UK politics including a series of failings from the Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Tory Peers scamming and stealing our cash, and disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's ever agonising attempts to be a celebrity. Jennifer also discusses The Supreme Court's decision on whether the Scottish Government can hold an Independence Referendum without the consent of Westminster and increasing strikes across the UK. Links The Unearthly Library Get more information on Monkeypox Send in a voice message Join Jennifer on Discord here Support the show by buying Jennifer a coffee on Ko-fi You can also support the show by subscribing to Jennifer's Patreon, for extra content and free merch Visit Jennifer Juan's Website for daily, free content Follow Jennifer On Twitch Get in touch with the show by emailing us on wtafpolitics@outlook.com

Join Jennifer Juan as she takes you through another messy week in UK politics including a series of failings from the Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Tory Peers scamming and stealing our cash, and disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's ever agonising attempts to be a celebrity. Jennifer also discusses The Supreme Court's decision on whether the Scottish Government can hold an Independence Referendum without the consent of Westminster and increasing strikes across the UK. Links The Unearthly Library Get more information on Monkeypox Send in a voice message Join Jennifer on Discord here Support the show by buying Jennifer a coffee on Ko-fi You can also support the show by subscribing to Jennifer's Patreon, for extra content and free merch Visit Jennifer Juan's Website for daily, free content Follow Jennifer On Twitch Get in touch with the show by emailing us on wtafpolitics@outlook.com

Adrian Goldberg reflects on seven days when former Health Secretary Matt Hancock entered the creepy crawly world of the 'I'm A Celebrity' jungle and tarantula loving minister Gavin Williamson found that victims of bullying bite back in the Westminster jungle. It was also the week when the Bank Of England warned that the UK was entering the longest recession this century, and nurses voted to strike. Meanwhile in the US, voters went to the polls for the mid term elections. We hear from Sam Bright, Byline Times investigations editor and author of 'Fortress London - Why We Need To Save The Country From Its Capital' and Heidi Siegmund Cuda from the Radicalized Pod.Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg. Funded by subscriptions to the Byline Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adrian Goldberg reflects on seven days when former Health Secretary Matt Hancock entered the creepy crawly world of the 'I'm A Celebrity' jungle and tarantula loving minister Gavin Williamson found that victims of bullying bite back in the Westminster jungle.    It was also the week when the Bank Of England warned that the UK was entering the longest recession this century, and nurses voted to strike.  Meanwhile in the US, voters went to the polls for the mid term elections.   We hear from Sam Bright, Byline Times investigations editor and author of 'Fortress London - Why We Need To Save The Country From Its Capital' and Heidi Siegmund Cuda from the Radicalized Pod. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg.   Funded by subscriptions to the Byline Times.

Join Jennifer Juan as she takes you through another messy week in UK politics including disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's midlife crisis taking an unexpected and unpleasant turn, the Home Secretary Suella Braverman once again proving her woeful ineptitude and the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following the great tradition of other Tory Prime Ministers by performing a screeching U-Turn. Jennifer also discusses former Prime Minister Boris Johnson bumbling his way into blockchains, Liz Truss getting lit in Kent and a key vote on Scottish Independence. Links The Unearthly Library Book tickets for Scotland's Future, England's Future Get more information on Monkeypox Send in a voice message Join Jennifer on Discord here Support the show by buying Jennifer a coffee on Ko-fi You can also support the show by subscribing to Jennifer's Patreon, for extra content and free merch Visit Jennifer Juan's Website for daily, free content Follow Jennifer On Twitch Get in touch with the show by emailing us on wtafpolitics@outlook.com

Join Jennifer Juan as she takes you through another messy week in UK politics including disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's midlife crisis taking an unexpected and unpleasant turn, the Home Secretary Suella Braverman once again proving her woeful ineptitude and the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following the great tradition of other Tory Prime Ministers by performing a screeching U-Turn. Jennifer also discusses former Prime Minister Boris Johnson bumbling his way into blockchains, Liz Truss getting lit in Kent and a key vote on Scottish Independence. Links The Unearthly Library Book tickets for Scotland's Future, England's Future Get more information on Monkeypox Send in a voice message Join Jennifer on Discord here Support the show by buying Jennifer a coffee on Ko-fi You can also support the show by subscribing to Jennifer's Patreon, for extra content and free merch Visit Jennifer Juan's Website for daily, free content Follow Jennifer On Twitch Get in touch with the show by emailing us on wtafpolitics@outlook.com

PHIL Well, it's Friday, so that can only mean one thing! It's Five in the Eye day! Hello and a very warm welcome to Colourful Radio's news review. In London, I'm Phil Woodford and you're listening to episode 0382. MICHAEL And joining Phil via Zoom this week, it's me - Michael Ohajuru - revealing that our top story is going to be about the stability of Rishi Sunak's new government. Almost immediately the Cabinet was put in place people were commenting on how it involved too many old faces. And Home Secretary Suella Braverman came under immediate pressure to quit. PHIL For story number two, we look in more detail at the immigration debate that has been stirred up by the Home Secretary, who described the 40,000 migrants crossing the Channel on small boats this year as an ‘invasion'. MICHAEL What's story number three? Well, we're relaxing the rules about who can become a spy. If you're a British citizen, you potentially qualify. Even if your parents came from overseas. PHIL For our fourth story, we talk about the Brit found wandering a Thai beach naked and unable to remember anything that had happened in the past 24 hours. MICHAEL And to finish the show, at number five, it's former Health Secretary Matt Hancock's decision to swap the Westminster jungle for… an actual jungle, as a participant on I'm a Celebrity! PHIL Some people would be quite happy for him to stay there, I'm sure! And that's this week's Five in the Eye.

Halloween might be over but the witch hunt has only just begun, as the Home Secretary Suella Braverman is under fire over the ongoing migrant crisis haunting the UK.Allison is appalled at the treatment of the Home Secretary, who she feels has been subject to ‘political parlour games'.Whilst Liam thinks that with the right support from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Home Secretary could push past some difficult decisions that might ultimately, be best for the country.Also hopping aboard the rocket this week is Professor Arif Ahmed, whose decision to book a controversial speaker at his Cambridge college has reignited the free speech at universities debate. He tells our co-pilots he thinks all new students should sign a waiver acknowledging that they might come across shocking material, and explains the damaging effect that cancel culture could have on our society.Also on the podcast, as former Health Secretary Matt Hancock joins a well known reality television show, Allison shares the unlikely story of how she herself nearly ended up in the jungle...Telegraph subscribers can listen to Allison's full uncut interview with Professor Arif Ahmed at the bottom of this article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/03/students-should-sign-free-speech-waiver-attend-university-says/ |Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |Listen to Off Script: www.playpodca.st/offscript|Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gary Gibbbon, Channel 4 Political Editor, outlines the reaction to the announcement that Britain's former Health Secretary Matt Hancock is going to take part in this year's 'I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of Here.'

UK correspondent Matt Dathan joins Kathryn to talk about how new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may have to abandon his flagship Conservative leadership campaign pledges, amid a worsening economic backdrop. He's clashed with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over the asylum system and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock who resigned under a cloud is kicked out of the Tory party for appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

UK Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch tells Bloomberg the OBR has never been quite right. We hear from her interview with Bloomberg's Lizzy Burden. Plus, neither Caroline Hepker nor Yuan Potts have been to the ITV jungle, but Lembit Opik has. The former MP and 'I'm Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' contestant tells us why his friend the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has decided to go on reality TV. Treasury Select Committee member Harriett Baldwin joins for a conversation about the UK economy and her bid for Treasury select committee chair.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Piers reacts to former Health Secretary Matt Hancock signing up for I'm a Celeb with care home boss David Crabtree, Lembit Opik and Ann Widdecombe. As Britain is paralysed by strikes, Piers speaks to General Secretary of the TUC Frances O'Grady. Piers speaks to Republican Senator for Arkansas, Tom Cotton after David DePape has been charged with attempting to kidnap senior US politician Nancy Pelosi and assaulting her husband.Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored at 8 pm on TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 627, Freeview 237 and Freesat 217. Listen on DAB+ and the app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK was the first country in the world to begin its formal vaccine rollout, starting with the 91 year old Margaret Keenan. In the years since, the pandemic has been almost entirely routed in this country (though its impact on the economy, on healthcare, on the criminal justice system, continue to be suffered). But the British vaccine – developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca – was a key part of the global fight against the pandemic. What was it like to be on the inside during those crucial first months? The Spectator has brought together politicians, advisors and scientists who played key roles during that time, to reveal a picture of dealing with unprecedented crisis in smart ways. On this episode: Kate Andrews, The Spectator's economics editor, talks to Nadhim Zahawi (Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who had been the first Vaccines Minister during the pandemic); Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, head of UK Music who was a special advisor to then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock; Professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator for the clinical trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine; and Isabel Hardman, The Spectator's assistant editor. This episode is the first of a mini-series taking a look at Britain in the world, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Join Jennifer Juan as she takes you through another wild week of UK Politics, including Liz Truss's lacklustre plan to address the cost of living crisis, disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock signing up to the army (sort of) and the current Health Secretary going to war with the Oxford Comma. Jennifer also discusses MPs cutting in line to see The Queen and Boris Johnson's big TV debut. - Get more information on Monkeypox: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/monkeypox/ https://www.tht.org.uk/news/monkeypox-uk https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/07/accelerated-monkeypox-vaccination-rollout-in-london-as-ukhsa-secure-more-vaccines/ https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation/vaccines/vaccination-to-help-protect-against-monkeypox - Support women's healthcare in the US: https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ - Support the people of Ukraine: https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal - Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wtafpolitics/message - Join Jennifer on Discord here: https://discord.gg/feYmNudBqn - Support the show by buying Jennifer a coffee on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/missjsquared - You can also support the show by subscribing to Jennifer's Patreon, for extra content and free merch: https://www.patreon.com/missjsquared Get in touch with the show by emailing us on wtafpolitics@outlook.com - Follow the show on Instagram at http://instagram.com/wtafpolitics - Visit our website at http://wtaf.politics.blog - Follow Jennifer On Twitch: https://twitch.tv/missjsquared - Follow Jennifer Juan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missjsquared/ - Follow Jennifer Juan on Rizzle: rizzle.tv/u/missjsquared - Visit Jennifer Juan's Website: https://jenniferjuan.com

Join Jennifer Juan as she takes you through another wild week of UK Politics, including Liz Truss's lacklustre plan to address the cost of living crisis, disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock signing up to the army (sort of) and the current Health Secretary going to war with the Oxford Comma. Jennifer also discusses MPs cutting in line to see The Queen and Boris Johnson's big TV debut. - Get more information on Monkeypox: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/monkeypox/ https://www.tht.org.uk/news/monkeypox-uk https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/07/accelerated-monkeypox-vaccination-rollout-in-london-as-ukhsa-secure-more-vaccines/ https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation/vaccines/vaccination-to-help-protect-against-monkeypox - Support women's healthcare in the US: https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ - Support the people of Ukraine: https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal - Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wtafpolitics/message - Join Jennifer on Discord here: https://discord.gg/feYmNudBqn - Support the show by buying Jennifer a coffee on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/missjsquared - You can also support the show by subscribing to Jennifer's Patreon, for extra content and free merch: https://www.patreon.com/missjsquared Get in touch with the show by emailing us on wtafpolitics@outlook.com - Follow the show on Instagram at http://instagram.com/wtafpolitics - Visit our website at http://wtaf.politics.blog - Follow Jennifer On Twitch: https://twitch.tv/missjsquared - Follow Jennifer Juan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missjsquared/ - Follow Jennifer Juan on Rizzle: rizzle.tv/u/missjsquared - Visit Jennifer Juan's Website: https://jenniferjuan.com

This week City A.M. reporters Lily Russell-Jones and Charlie Conchie sit down with Conservative MP and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock. They chat about his outspoken views on crypto, regulation, and the need for accessibiity when it comes to crypto investing; go through his post-Cabinet ambitions; and unpick his decision-making at the height of the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most influential figures from the early days of Covid and the key architect behind England's lockdown, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, gives evidence in the most important hearing of Dan's Lockdown Inquiry yet. He'll be asking the questions you've wanted answered for two years, questions the MSM never bothered with. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is Toby Sumpter with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, June 29, 2021. Plug: Fight Laugh Feast University is offering two new online classes starting this July! Get the whole family involved and participate in live online classes via Zoom. Hangout with fellow friends of the network, and learn together with the whole family. We have two classes beginning in July: The first class is with Comedian John Branyan called: Life is Hardy Har Hard: A Comedy Workshop for Christians and Jesse Sumpter: Education is Warfare: How to Start a School So go to https://flfnetwork.com/flf-edu/ to find out more and to sign up now. Classes are limited to only 25 spots! Air Force Fighter Pilot Suspended Over Mask Mandate https://lc.org/newsroom/details/062421-fighter-pilot-suspended-over-mask-mandate An Air Force fighter pilot in Mississippi has been disciplined, including suspension from flight status, suspension from access to classified information, and subjection to non-judicial punishment by his commanding officers, after the Air Force revoked initial approval given to his religious accommodation request. The pilot sought the religious accommodation from the requirement to otherwise wear a COVID mask while working on military property.  Liberty Counsel sent a letter on behalf of Captain “John Doe” to Acting Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) John P. Roth at the Pentagon, requesting the religious accommodation and that any disciplinary measures against him be reversed or revoked. Even though the Air Force has invested more than $2,000,000 in Captain “Doe's” training, he has now been relieved of his duties despite seeking a religious accommodation. Multiple Department of Defense, Air Force and base policies explicitly require a “religious exemption” among other exceptions to the COVID mask mandates.  The SECAF memorandum for all Air Force personnel was released on February 16, 2021. The memo states that all personnel performing official duties must wear COVID masks and maintain physical distancing, unless they qualify for one of numerous exceptions. In total, there are eight Department of the Air Force exceptions for not wearing a mask, including one for a religious exemption. Two chaplains verified Captain “Doe's” religious beliefs are sincerely held. Since Captain “Doe's” Christian beliefs do not permit him to wear a mask, he submitted his initial religious accommodation request to his squadron commander on March 14, 2021. His squadron and group commanders both approved the request, and he returned to work without a COVID mask, flying for the squadron. Their decision was overturned by the wing commander and Captain “Doe's” request was denied. Captain “Doe” then used all of his available leave (more than 30 days) as he appealed the wing commander's decision, attempting to prevent a conflict between his orders and his faith. His subsequent appeals were denied, and his last appeal now rests in Acting Secretary Roth's hands.  I'm told this air force pilot is a listener of CrossPolitic.  Democrats Block Bill to Revoke Mask Mandate on Public Transportation https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/559954-democrats-block-gop-bill-lift-mask-mandate-public-transportation Republican Sens. Rick Scott (Fla.) and Mike Lee (Utah) were thwarted by Democrats on Wednesday when they attempted to pass a bill that would revoke the Biden administration's mask requirement on public transportation. The federal mask mandate for interstate transit is set to expire in September. It requires masks on airplanes, in airports, on buses and on rail systems. “We cannot pretend this pandemic is over. This virus is still spreading, it is still mutating, it is still costing lives, and it is still leaving survivors with long-haul symptoms. And, the new delta variant is more contagious, likely to send people to the hospital, and already in our country,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said when she blocked the GOP bill. Scott and Lee cited the nation's vaccination rates in arguing that the mask mandate imposes unnecessary expectations and consequences on families and children. “Now the science is clear that broad mask mandates aren't necessary. Unfortunately, the CDC has decided to buck the science when it comes to travel and it is still requiring face masks on public transportation,” Scott said on the Senate floor. “Why is the CDC signally out airlines and public transportation? It doesn't make any sense,” he added. The federal mask mandate went into effect in February with an expiration date of May 11, which the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has since extended to Sept. 13. President Biden signed an executive order on his first full day in office directing federal agencies to “immediately take action” to mandate the use of masks on trains, intercity buses, ferries and in airports. Scott and Lee introduced their legislation last week, with Rep. Dan Crenshaw(R-Texas) sponsoring a companion measure in the House. Scott said on Wednesday that airlines and other private companies should be able to make their own decisions about mandating masks. Before the mandate expiration date was pushed back to September, airlines and unions lobbied TSA to extend it, arguing that the safety and health of workers and passengers were at risk without the mandate. “If the airline or other company decides it wants to implement a mask policy, so be it. This does not prohibit them from doing so. I've been clear, private companies should be able to make decisions that they feel is appropriate for their employees and their customers,” Scott said. Meanwhile, In Manitoba, Canada, the Pastors are Joining the Government's Vaccine Push https://fb.watch/6pZYHk0zha/ Play Audio Here's Pastor Kyle Penner Grace Mennonite Church threatening Christians in Manitoba that they won't be able to get back to in person worship if they don't get vaccinated.  Plug: Fight Laugh Feast Conference in Lebanon, TN, just outside of Nashville.  Sex is inherently political. What you do in the privacy of the bedroom never stays there. It always impacts the world. A culture is either built on the fruitfulness of a godly union between one man and one woman, or else it dies from self-inflicted fruitlessness and sexual rebellion against God. Fornication and divorce blunt the power of the family and leave legacies of addiction, incarceration, and poverty. Homosexuality and transgenderism cannot produce children and disfigure everyone involved. You cannot have the fruit of a thriving civilization without the tree of sexual obedience to our Maker. Only the gospel of Jesus heals and restores our sexuality for the blessing of the world. Unfortunately, far too many Christians have been taught to trust in an emasculated Jesus who makes genderless disciples who are often just as confused and fruitless as the world. Worldview matters, the nuclear family matters, definitions of male and female matter, godly children matter. Our sexual choices and values are building and cultivating a particular kind of public square. Join us in Lebanon, TN with Pastor Douglas Wilson, Voddie Baucham, Doug TenNapel, David Bahnsen, and then on Saturday will have 9 SWAT talks with over 20 speakers armig you to go out into the world to take dominion with your gifts and abilities. Registration is live now: flfnetwork.com/politics-of-sex/ Seating is limited!  Matt Hacock – UK's Health Chief Resigns After Breaching Covid Rules https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jun/26/matt-hancock-resigns-after-questions-over-relationship-with-aide Play Audio: 0:00-0:23 https://www.npr.org/2021/06/26/1010588807/uk-health-minister-resigns-kissing-coronavirus-rules LONDON (AP) — U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has led the country's response to the coronavirus, resigned Saturday, a day after apologizing for breaching social distancing rules with an aide with whom he was allegedly having an affair. Hancock had been under growing pressure since the tabloid Sun newspaper published images showing him and senior aide Gina Coladangelo kissing in an office at the Department of Health. The Sun said the closed circuit television images were taken May 6 — 11 days before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and other physical contact with people outside one's own household. GOATS AND SODA  Coronavirus FAQ: I've Been Vaccinated. Do I Need To Worry About Variants? In a resignation letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Hancock said the government owed it "to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down." "And those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that's why I've got to resign," he wrote. Johnson said he was sorry to receive Hancock's resignation and that he "should leave office very proud of what you have achieved — not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before COVID-19 struck us." Article continues after sponsor message Johnson had earlier expressed confidence in Hancock despite widespread calls to fire him.  Jonathan Ashworth, health spokesman for the opposition Labour Party, said "it is right that Matt Hancock has resigned. But why didn't Boris Johnson have the guts to sack him and why did he say the matter was closed?" Some lawmakers from the governing Conservatives had also called on Hancock to quit because he wasn't practicing what he has been preaching during the pandemic. CORONAVIRUS UPDATES  The Pandemic Led To The Biggest Drop In U.S. Life Expectancy Since WWII, Study Finds "The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis," Hancock, who is married, said in his letter of resignation. "I want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologize to my family and loved ones for putting them through this," he said. "I also need (to) be with my children at this time." Hancock, 42, is the latest in a string of British officials to be accused of breaching restrictions they imposed on the rest of the population to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The government is also facing questions about the circumstances in which Hancock hired Coladangelo, a university friend who was appointed to his department last year. She was initially employed as an unpaid adviser and this year became a non-executive director at the Department of Health, a role that pays about 15,000 pounds ($21,000) a year. THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS  New COVID-19 Outbreaks Are Driving Some Places Back Under Lockdown And Behind Masks Johnson's Conservative government has been branded a "chumocracy" by critics for hiring special advisers and contractors from outside the civil service without long-customary levels of scrutiny. Hancock's department has been accused of waiving procurement rules to award lucrative contracts for protective equipment and other medical essentials, often to personal contacts. Hancock has said he was driven by the need to secure essential supplies quickly at the height of the outbreak. Hancock has faced weeks of pressure since the prime minister's former top aide, Dominic Cummings, accused him of botching the government's response to the pandemic. Cummings, now a bitter critic of the government he once served, told lawmakers last month that Hancock "should have been fired" for alleged lies and errors. He also published a WhatsApp message in which Johnson branded Hancock "totally (expletive) hopeless." Cummings himself was accused of breaking the rules and undermining the government's "stay home" message when he drove 250 miles (400 kilometers) across England to his parents' home during the spring 2020 lockdown. Johnson resisted pressure to fire him, but Cummings left his job in November amid a power struggle in the prime minister's office. Psalm of the Day: Psalm 104 https://open.spotify.com/track/2LWJjQXMK9XNaOEefEhdb3?si=e03b792761544b20 Play Audio: 0:00-1:01 Trinity Psalter and Book of Psalms for Worship on Spotify This is Toby Sumpter with Crosspolitic News. You can find this and all of our shows at Crosspolitic.com or on our app, which you can download at your favorite app store, just search “Fight Laugh Feast”. A reminder: if you see news stories and links that you think we should cover on the daily news brief, please send them to news @ crosspolitic.com and don't forget to check deft wire dot com where we are constantly posting all our stories.  Support Rowdy Christian media, and share this show or become a Fight Laugh Feast Club Member. You always get a free Fight Laugh Feast t-shirt with a membership and remember if you didn't make it to the Fight Laugh Feast Conference or Rally, club members have access to all the talks and lots more. Join today and have a great day.

In the latest edition of Across the Benches, Co-Director Jennifer Nadel interviews Labour MP Rupa Huq and the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock. They talk about the need for new institutions to encourage cross-party working, their worries about the toxicity of online debate, and their desires to improve the culture of politics.

In the latest edition of Across the Benches, Co-Director Jennifer Nadel interviews Labour MP Rupa Huq and the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock. They talk about the need for new institutions to encourage cross-party working, their worries about the toxicity of online debate, and their desires to improve the culture of politics.

In the news this week Sharon & Jorgie talk about former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, A four day working week, using Covid as an excuse for poor customer service and new laws surrounding social media posts in Norway.Plus hear your questions answered with listeners letters. From,over baring parents to online shopping addictions.Get in touch with Loose Lips: looselips@createproductions.com ---------- A Create Podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Dr. Cordie Williams and KT unpack the hypocrisy of the UK’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Guest Dr. Jason Helfrich explains the impact of forced injections on children and guest Rachel Hamm talks about her upcoming run for CA Secretary of State. This is a DO NOT MISS episodeSupport the show: https://drcordiewilliams.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our political reporter Sophia Sleigh examines the fallout from Labour's narrow victory in the Batley and Spen by-election. The party threw everything it had into holding onto the seat, with rumours Sir Keir Starmer's leadership was at risk. But even he admits they secured the win by just 323 votes because some traditional Conservative supporters switched sides. Is that because of the resignation of former Health Secretary Matt Hancock? Sophia looks at the evidence. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Princes William and Harry came together on what would have been their mother's 60th birthday to unveil a statue honouring her memory. The giant likeness of Princess Diana with three children has been installed in Kensington Palace's sunken garden, with the brothers in the spotlight just as much as the statue given the strain on their relationship in recent months.Pod Save the Queen host Ann Gripper is joined by Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers to discuss the event. They also discuss the Sovereign Grant, the latest on the Platinum Jubilee plans, the Cambridges' big night out at the football, more royal visits to Scotland and the Queen's verdict on (now ex) Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

In one of the most significant twists in the Covid-19 story to date, this week the Health Secretary Matt Hancock was exposed by The Sun newspaper as having an affair with an aide in breach of his own social distancing guidelines. Hancock tried to cling on but eventually resigned and was replaced by Sajid Javid. We look at Matthew 23 and ask what Christ's denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees has to teach us about this sordid state of affairs.Before that we review the more positive stories of the week: England doing in well in football! Cycling being interesting (for Tom)! And, of course, the great freedom march that happened in central London on Saturday June 26th. A wonderful time was had by all!Notices:Thanks to our Patreons! Support us from £1.50 plus VAT per month: https://patreon.com/irreverendIrreverend Weekly Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/IrreverendPodTelegram: https://t.me/irreverendpodEmail: irreverendpod@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMAcRZPstCujEN4p8dF_ClQOdysee: https://odysee.com/@irreverend:5Audio Podcast: https://irreverend.buzzsprout.com

In episode eight "Farewell and an Encore." (The Series Finale) Clint Romero, Theo Jazz and Clifford discuss a multitude of topics including but not limited to new music releases from Megan Thee Station, Migos and Doja Cat, The Beehive vs Trick Daddy, Notting Hill Carnival 2021, Reality TV show Encore, disgraced former Health Secretary - Matt Hancock's scandal, traveling back into work, most memorable moments of the last series/ behind the scenes of 4th member podcast and more. Listen to the last episode in the first series of 4th Member Podcast in full below.

England v Germany.... well that can only mean... THREE LIONS ON THE SHIRT! TWO WORLD WARS! ONE WORLD CUP! EURO 2020's round of 16 contained some absolutely incredible football and even more incredible results! Europe's superstars were on display and JEEZ LOUISE A LOT OF THEM HAVE LEFT EARLY! What's COMING HOME? It might not be football, but it sure is Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Gareth Bale, Manuel Neuer and Mats Hummels... ...Oh, and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock. He got caught cheating on his wife and now the UK has to replace its health secretary in the middle of a pandemic, not because 128,000 people died, but because he technically broke social distancing rules by kissing somebody else's wife... unbelievable Jeff... Wales v Denmark Italy v Austria Netherlands v Czech Republic Portugal v Belgium Croatia v Spain France v Switzerland England v Germany Sweden v Ukraine

Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National party fails to win in French regional elections but President Macron's La Republique En Marche party also struggles to gain a single council. In the UK, Sajid Javid replaces disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and pledges to end all Covid restrictions across the country as a priority. In autos news, Tesla recalls almost 300k vehicles in China due to an online safety issue affecting acceleration. The S&P 500 enjoys its best week in months hitting a new record high. This, as the U.S. Commerce Department's inflation indicator surges at its fastest rate since the early 1990s. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Sun broke the news this morning that Health Secretary Matt Hancock has seemingly been up to some extra-marital exploits with his aide Gina Coladangelo, possibly breaking many of the Covid restrictions that he himself put in place. What will be the consequences of his hypocrisy? Cindy Yu is joined by James Forsyth, Isabel Hardman and another special appearance from Fraser Nelson. 

The UK's latest surge in coronavirus infections gathered pace Thursday with new confirmed cases rising above 10,000 for the first time in nearly four months as a result of the spread of the more contagious Delta variant.Government figures showed another 11,007 cases were reported. That's the highest daily number since February 19, when 12,027 cases were recorded, and cements talk that the country with Europe's highest virus-related death toll is in the midst of a third wave of the pandemic.The government's chief medical adviser, Professor Chris Whitty, said the height of the current surge is "still uncertain" but that it "will definitely translate into further hospital admissions and, unfortunately, it will undoubtedly translate into further deaths".Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (left), Prime Minister Boris Johnson and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.( Photo / Jonathan Buckmaster, AP)Daily cases have risen fairly sharply over the past few weeks after fluctuating around the 2000 mark earlier. The Delta variant, which was first identified in India and is considered by government scientists to be between 40 per cent to 80 per cent more transmissible than the previous dominant strain, accounts for around 95 per cent of all new cases in the UK.Most of the new confirmed cases are among younger age groups which have not yet gotten Covid-19 vaccines. The UK's widely praised rollout of vaccines is being extended to all adults over the age of 18 starting Friday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed.The spread of the variant upended government plans to lift all remaining restrictions on social contact in England starting next week. On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed the move until July 19, saying now was the "time to ease off the accelerator" so more people could get vaccinated and prevent thousands more deaths.Johnson laid out his hope that by July 19, two-thirds of the UK's adult population will have been offered two vaccine shots, including everyone over 50.Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson has delayed the next planned relaxation of coronavirus restrictions. (Photo / AP)The government's figures Thursday showed that another 19 people died after testing positive for the virus, the highest daily death toll reported since May 11. It takes the UK's total deaths in the pandemic to 127,945, the most in Europe.In addition to warning about further deaths in the near-term, Whitty said the country should brace itself for further waves of the virus to come."In terms of the medium-term, my expectation is that we will get a further winter surge, late autumn/winter surge, and that is because we know that winter and autumn favour respiratory viruses, and therefore it'd be very surprising if this particular highly transmissible respiratory virus was not also favoured," he told health professionals.Many blame the Conservative government for the spike in infections, saying it acted too slowly to impose the strictest quarantine requirements on everyone arriving from India, which has endured a catastrophic resurgence of the virus.A man wears a mask reading 'end the lockdown' outside Westminster, to protest against the delay of planned relaxation of lockdown measures. (Photo / Alberto Pezzali, AP)The hope is that the rollout of vaccines will turn the latest spike around and allow the next easing in the lockdown to take place. As of Thursday, around 63 per cent of the British population had received at least one dose of vaccine, while around 46 per cent has received two.An analysis on Monday from Public Health England showed that two doses of the main vaccines the UK is using are highly effective against hospital admission from the delta variant — 96 per cent in the case of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 92 per cent for the AstraZeneca jab. - Pan Pylas of AP

The official number of deaths attributed to Covid 19 around the world in the whole of 2020 is 1.88 million. The global toll this year surpassed this figure on 11th of June. We look at how things are worse worldwide, despite vaccines and lock downs. Does the UK have the worst bathing sites in Europe? That's certainly a claim made by a number of newspapers. We show why this is not the case. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been in the news again with comments regarding care homes during the pandemic. Just how good was the government's ‘ring of protection' around care homes during the first wave - and the second? We speak to Steven Johnson about his book ‘Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer.'

Women's health has long been the poor relation when it comes to medical understanding, funding and research - to say the least. The government says it wants that to change - and earlier this year announced the establishment of England's first Women's Health Strategy which will look at women's health across our lifespans. The priorities of that strategy will be shaped, they say, by the results of a public call for evidence which closes this Sunday. But after centuries of - as the Health Secretary Matt Hancock put it - 'living with a health and care system that is mostly designed by men, for men', what sort of confidence should we have in this strategy bringing about meaningful change? Emma Barnett's joined by among others Nadine Dorries, the health minister - with specific responsibility for women's health Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Anna Lacey

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In the May 2021 edition:The Office for National Statistics released a report that shows there was a 20% increase in alcohol-specific deaths from 2019 to 2020 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵A research study has shown that alcohol adverts are appealing to adolescents and that this is likely to increase their susceptibility to drinkA study by University College London shows that young people who use social media more, also consume alcohol more The Government has announced that it will be holding a consultation on mandatory alcohol labellingThe House of Lords debated the Commission on Alcohol Harm’s 2020 reportThe World Health Organisation has published a new report assessing changes to alcohol consumption between 2010 and 2019The Institute of Alcohol Studies looks at the financial and social impact of the Treasuries decision to once again freeze alcohol duties this yearAnd The Republic of Ireland is set to introduce minimum unit pricing on alcohol. We hope you enjoy our roundup of stories below: please feel free to share. Thank you.20% more deaths directly caused by alcohol in 2020In 2020, England and Wales saw the highest number of alcohol-specific deaths since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began comparing data in 2001. The ONS report, released earlier this month, shows 7,423 deaths were wholly attributable to alcohol last year. This is a 20% increase from 2019 and the highest annual total ever recorded by the ONS. The following graph clearly shows this increase since 2001.Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, told us that “These are the first statistics to really stop me in my tracks in 20 or 30 years; it’s startling and shocking. These data are a warning that the Government would ignore at their peril.” Although the report caveats that it will be some time before we understand the reasons behind these numbers, it does link to Public Health England data that show drinking patterns have changed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Colin Angus, research fellow at the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, recently published a blog on the IAS website in which he mentions these changing patterns. He states that there has been a shift “away from beer and towards wine and particularly spirits” and that it is likely alcohol sales in supermarkets increased significantly. Although it will be a while before we see the health impacts of these changing patterns, concerns have been raised by health groups about the long-term health impacts of increased heavy drinking during lockdown.An important finding in the ONS report is that men living in the most deprived areas were 4.2 times more likely to die from alcohol-specific issues compared to those living in the least deprived areas. The same trend is seen for women, who are 3 times more likely to die in the most deprived areas. The following graph shows this dichotomy (IMD means Indices of Multiple Deprivation):Dr Sadie Boniface, Head of Research at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said “We need to better understand the cause of these deaths by looking at the electronic health records of those who have died. We also need to involve people with lived experience, to understand the what the experience has been of getting appointments and accessing treatment services during the Covid-19 pandemic.”  Alcohol adverts are appealing to adolescents and likely increase susceptibility to drinkA study led by IAS’ Head of Research, Dr Sadie Boniface, and collaborating author’s, has found that adolescents aged 11-17 generally find alcohol adverts appealing and subsequently are more likely to drink.The study is very timely, as it follows a recent piece of research that found that 80% of 11-19 year olds recalled seeing at least one alcohol advert in the past month. Other studies have demonstrated a clear link between under-age people seeing alcohol adverts and increasing their drinking. A report of 277,000 adolescents has shown more restrictive marketing policies were associated with a lower chance of lifetime drinking among adolescents. The research by Boniface et al builds upon this previous research and assesses the relationship between reactions to alcohol adverts and susceptibility to alcohol among adolescents. The study used three alcohol adverts that were not in breach of any marketing codes: a Fosters, Smirnoff and Haig Club advert. It was found that 53% of the 2,582 participants had a positive reaction to the Fosters advert, 52% to Smirnoff, and 34% to Haig Club. Susceptibility to drinking alcohol among those who had never drunk before, but had had a positive reaction to the adverts, increased by 50%. And among the 909 who had consumed alcohol before and had a positive reaction, there was a 40% increase in susceptibility of becoming a higher risk drinker.  Other interesting findings were:Fosters was more popular with men and Smirnoff with women Those of White British ethnicity preferred the Fosters advert whereas other ethnic groups preferred Haig Club’sThe authors of the study highlight their concern about the UK’s complaints-led self-regulation of alcohol marketing, as marketing should not particularly appeal to adolescents. They suggest considering tighter restrictions or bans on certain types of media and marketing, such as product placement and alibi marketing. If not bans, then tighter controls on messaging in alcohol adverts could help limit exposure and appeal; an approach comparable to the loi Évin regulations in France. Does using social media lead to young people drinking more? Young people who use social media more, also consume alcohol more frequently.A study by University College London (UCL) between 2011 and 2016 looked at the social media presence of 6,700 young people aged 10-19 and compared the findings with how often they drank alcohol. Alcohol consumption among young people has decreased globally in recent years. There is still poor understanding as to why it has decreased. Factors such as better legal enforcement, lower affordability, and the rise of new technologies, almost certainly play a part (see 2016 IAS report). With this rise in new technologies and the widespread use of social media platforms, the public sphere and social space amongst young people has somewhat changed. Fewer young people are engaging in activities that are intrinsically linked to alcohol consumption, such as going to nightclubs. Few studies have looked at how social media, and the changing use of social media over time, is related to drinking patterns and changing drinking patterns. UCL’s study is the first in the UK to show a strong correlation between heavier social media use and more frequent alcohol consumption, and that this relationship exists across time. The study found that 18% of 10-15 year olds drank ‘at least monthly’ and that this group used social media more, had more friends and were generally older. Similarly, among young people aged 16-19, those who used social media for less than an hour were less likely to be drinking each month. This age group was also more likely to binge drink three or more times a month if spending more time on social media. Binge drinking was categorised as drinking five or more drinks in one sitting.The researchers concluded that the study was consistent with other studies that show greater use of technology is linked to heavier drinking. Having said that, they do not rule out that the relationship could work the other way: that heavier drinking leads to more frequent use of social media. Professor Yvonne Kelly, who co-authored the study, said “The reasons why time spent online could link to drinking behaviours are not clear but could include having negative experiences in online spaces, as well as exposure to advertising.” They also highlighted that social media may be part of a cultural norm of drinking, for instance posting photos of people drinking. Further, those who use social media may be more sociable already and therefore more likely to be in situations where alcohol is consumed more. Government to hold consultation on alcohol calorie labellingAfter details of an upcoming Government consultation on alcohol labelling were leaked to the media, Dan Carden MP held an adjournment debate on the topic. The proposed consultation was condemned by many representatives of the alcohol industry and in some media outlets. Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association described the proposal as “ludicrous” at a time when pubs are trying to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Following suit, Adam Kilcoyne, deputy director of the neoliberal lobbying group the Adam Smith Institute, said “Ministers thinking up this madness should stop and drop the policy.”The Government responded to these comments by saying that “no decisions have yet been taken”. As Dan Carden pointed out in his debate, recent polling on the subject has found that the public are in favour of such labelling, with 74% of people wanting ingredients on labels and 62% wanting nutritional information, such as calories. Jo Churchill – The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care – responded to Mr Carden by saying that the Government believes that “people have the right to accurate information and clear advice about alcohol and the health risks that may be associated with it, to enable them to make informed choices about their drinking and what they consume.” To show its support for considering alcohol labelling policy, the Alcohol Health Alliance UK sent a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock echoing Mr Carden’s sentiment: that the public is generally unaware of the calorie content in alcohol, that the public support the inclusion of such information, and that more information should also be included – such as the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines. The letter has 93 signatories, including 13 Members of Parliament and 10 members of the House of Lords.  So what next? The consultation will be launched “very shortly” with Jo Churchill stating that it is important that steps are taken in a measured way to create benefit for the most people. Commission on Alcohol Harm report: Lords DebateFollowing the Commission’s September 2020 report ‘It’s Everywhere’ Alcohol’s Public Face and Private Harm, a debate was held in the House of Lords on 22 April 2021 to discuss the findings.The report highlighted the harm that alcohol causes in the UK, including that:80 people die each day in the UK because of alcohol-related causes Almost 40% of violent crime is committed under the influence of alcohol200,000 children live with alcohol-dependent parentsBaroness Finlay of Llandaff, the Commission’s chair, introduced the debate by highlighting the report’s findings and recommendations, including: calling for an alcohol strategy with evidence-based policies, minimum unit pricing (MUP) in England, a review on licensing, and more informative labelling.Many of the present Lords supported the report’s points. Baroness Randerson referenced the success that Scotland has had with MUP and that this should be considered in England too. Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe asked whether emerging technologies could be used to help people better understand product calories – and how alcohol labelling should be included with this. Lord Bishop of Carlisle highlighted the link between domestic violence and alcohol and that the Government must rethink its strategy. Baroness Fox of Buckley was less supportive of the report. She stated that she is concerned with the direction of the report, as she believes it exaggerates health harms and links alcohol and drinking with “reprehensible behaviours such as domestic abuse, family neglect, crime and child suicide”. Fox went on to say that MUP is illiberal and treats everyone as a potential problem drinker.In response to the discussion, Lord Bethell of Romford, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care:Commended the Commission on its excellent reportShared his personal experience: that his mother died from alcoholism when he was very youngStated that:The Government is committed to publishing a UK-wide addiction strategy to consider alcohol, drug and gambling problems People have the right to accurate information on drinks, and that a consultation will be launched this summer to consider alcohol labellingThere is no plan to implement MUP but the Government will monitor evidence from Scotland and WalesWorld Health Organization: new report assesses changes in alcohol consumption 2010-2019 The World Health Organization (WHO) European office has published a report on how countries have implemented their SAFER policy recommendations, showing that Eastern Europe and Central Asia have done better in reducing alcohol consumption compared to Western Europe. The study finds that:34 out of 51 countries saw a decrease in alcohol consumption. 17 saw an increaseOverall there has been a reduction in consumption from 11.2 litres per capita in 2010 to 9.8 litres in 2016Eastern European and central Asian countries saw the most significant reductions due to introducing stricter control policiesEU member states only saw an average reduction of 1.5%, which is not statistically significant enough to be considered a real reduction Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, who has been leading the research, praised the actions of Member States that have followed WHO’s recommendations and implemented alcohol policies. She highlighted Eastern Europe and central Asia’s decreases in alcohol consumption, saying that “These countries currently lead by example in implementing alcohol policies, but they need to maintain and increase their efforts, and other countries of the Region need to follow their lead.”The graph below shows the change in implementation of the five SAFER areas between 2016 and 2019 in the European Region, with the numbers representing the percentage of countries deemed to have implemented the areas sufficiently. It highlights the lack of progress made in Europe and that only drink-driving measures were successfully implemented. However this was already being done before the report and saw no improvement.  The report represents a milestone in assessing alcohol control policies across the region. Moving forward it will provide a barometer with which to assess how these policies are being implemented and the effectiveness of them. IAS Analysis: What does the March budget mean for alcohol duties?Alcohol duties were once again frozen this year, the eighth year out of the last nine that the Government has done so. In this briefing, IAS assesses the impact that the freeze will continue to have on healthcare and the UK’s finances, and what the Government needs to consider. What this means for healthcare?Hospitalisation, deaths, and crime will increaseFreezing of duties between 2012 and 2019 led to:2,223 additional deaths in England and Scotland£341million in additional cost to the NHSAlmost 66,000 additional hospital admissionsWhat this means financially?Government figures (figure 1 below) show that freezing duties will cost the UK £1.7billion from 2020-2026 This amount of money could cover all diagnostic imaging equipment for 2 years or fund 40,000 nurses for a year£14billion lost since 2010: If the Government had stuck to the ‘alcohol duties escalator’ (that kept duties 2% above inflation each year) there would be an additional £14billion in additional revenue since 2010 What should the Government do? In response to the Government’s call for evidence in a review of what it admits is a “highly inconsistent” tax system, IAS recommendsthat:Stronger drinks should be taxed more than weaker ones, instead of taxing by drink typeOn-trade alcohol sellers (bars and restaurants) should have a lower level of duty to off-trade sellers (supermarkets) Duties should be automatically updated based on new evidence, instead of annually during budgetsFigure 1Ireland to introduce minimum unit pricingThe Republic of Ireland is pushing ahead with plans to implement minimum unit pricing (MUP) on alcohol by January 2022, despite Northern Ireland not committing. Ireland had been delaying implementation in order for Northern Ireland to implement it at the same time. This was to avoid cross-border trips to purchase cheaper alcohol. The Republic’s Frank Feighan, Minister of State at the Department of Health, stated that Northern Ireland is now “not bringing it in before the northern elections in May 2022”. Although he conceded that there could be issues with cross-border trips, he believes that the positives “far outweigh the negatives”, highlighting the effectiveness of the policy in Scotland in reducing deaths – despite bordering England which does not have MUP. With Scotland, Wales and now Ireland bringing in MUP, pressure is mounting for England to do the same. Figure shows the reduction in alcohol purchases following minimum unit pricing starting in Scotland (vertical line).  The UK Alcohol Alert is designed and produced by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. Please click the image below to visit our website and find out more about us and what we do, or the ‘Contact us’ button. Thank you.WHO’s SAFER initiativeStrengthen restrictions on alcohol availabilityAdvance and enforce drink driving counter measuresFacilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatmentEnforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotionRaise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit instalcstud.substack.com

Incompetence and chaos at the heart of government is the theme of this week's podcast from the Three Old Hacks.Dominic Cummings' seven hour session in front of a parliamentary committee, pouring bile on the heads of both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock, has given them plenty to talk about.The Three Old Hacks, aka  writer and broadcaster Mihir Bose, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley have worked with both politicians in their long careers as journalists, and for them the Cummings testimony has the distinct ring of truth.Meanwhile Nigel's dog Alfie is getting jealous of all the attention Britain's first dog Dilyn has been attracting.Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@outlook.com, we'd love to hear from you!

Those who fail to comply with the new rules will face a fine of up to £100, the government has announced. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it would "give people more confidence to shop safely and enhance protections for those who work in shops". The move will bring England into line with Scotland and other major European nations like Spain, Italy and Germany. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/angrybritishconservative/message

Hot on the heels of Disney's successful remake of The Jungle Book, Netflix release a live action/motion capture retelling of Kipling stories, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, directed by Andy Serkis and starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Benedict Cumberbatch. Novelist Katherine Rundell reviews. Samira talks to Dana Gioia, who as Poet Laureate of California recently went on a poetry reading odyssey, visiting all 58 counties in the state. He's also spent the last year choosing the poems for The Best American Poetry 2018 anthology. Earlier this month Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that "arts on prescription" is an indispensable tool in tackling loneliness, mental health and other long-term conditions. To discuss arts and healthcare, Samira is joined by Wellcome Research Fellow Daisy Fancourt, Gavin Clayton, head of the Arts and Minds charity and GP Dr Simon Opher. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Timothy Prosser

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that when it comes to managing staff, the NHS could learn a thing or two from McDonald's. Dr Louise Irvine and Professor Sir Robert Lechler discuss this with MG. Also, Leigh-on-Sea in Essex (note: not Sunderland) has been voted the happiest place to live in Britain. Councillor Carole Mulroney tells us what's so special about Leigh-on-Sea. Then later, beekeeper and director of the Northumberland Honey Company Luke Hutchison tells us why young people are drinking more mead than ever before. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.