This is Northumberland Calling 17.05.24
The Danger UXB for Labour edition
Hello American (Particularly Central Ohio) this is Northumberland Calling
The Conservatives in the form of the new statutory guidance for RSHE (currently out for consultation) lobbed a great big bomb at Labour. The new guidance has many of the protections parents have been asking for – age appropriate bands for sex ed instead of no age limits, embracing the Cass recommendations, transparency of materials aka parents can examine the materials and decide to withdraw their children from those lessons etc. It however have many activists, particularly trans activists wringing their hands. Labour depends on the activists to get their message out. I suspect this might be part of the thinking behind releasing this now.
This is the draft guidance (if you are in the UK, then please fill in the consultation): https://consult.education.gov.uk/rshe-team/review-of-the-rshe-statutory-guidance/supporting_documents/Draft%20RSE%20and%20Health%20Education%20statutory%20guidance.pdf
This is the government’s press release in case people missed it: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/age-limits-introduced-to-protect-children-in-rshe
Labour ‘s response has been to say they will ‘study’ the draft guidance and that in principle they are committed to age appropriate teaching of sex ed and transparency for parents. They are trying to fence sit this one about following the Cass recommendations and indeed teaching gender ideology as a contest belief rather than a fact. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/16/labour-wont-commit-to-new-sex-education-guidance/ or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/16/labour-wont-commit-to-new-sex-education-guidance/
The guidance is also hugely important for children’s publishing as the bulk of the books sold go to school libraries. There are rumours of activist school librarians who have deliberately stocked trans activist books or indeed inappropriate for the marketed age group books. However, the statutory guidance would alter the equation as schools would be require to follow the guidance and publishers do like to make a profit. It is not about ‘banning a book’ but ensuring age-appropriate content for school libraries.
The Scottish Greens a party which used to say ‘follow the science’ with regards to climate change has expelled anyone who declares that sex is biological reality. Such a belief is a apparently a threat to trans and non-binary members. Sometimes the Greens are a gift that keeps on giving… They are also proving to be a place where disaffected Labour activists whether it is on trans issues or Palestine are turning. https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,scottish-greens-expel-gender-rebels-deemed-threat-to-trans-members
A recent paper purports to show that rather than decreasing suicide risk, gender affirmation surgery actually increases it. I am not a scientist and have no idea if the methodology is sound. However, it does accord with the large Swedish study which basically found the same thing. NB one of the rationales for puberty blockers was that it would make it easier for people to ‘pass’ as the opposite sex because the dissatisfaction with gender affirming surgery was so great. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11063965/
Telling someone if they are Japanese that you like sushi isn’t racist, UK tribunal rules. It is a question of reasonableness and intent, and thus this academic was not discriminated against and the claim failed. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/15/sushi-racist-japanese-employment-tribunal-london-soas/ or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/15/sushi-racist-japanese-employment-tribunal-london-soas/
As I know Channa Goanna enjoys the British Royal family, there is a new photographic exhibition at the Royal Collection looking at royal portraits for the last 100 years, including some previously unseen photos of the late Queen Elizabeth II. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/unseen-royal-photos-include-new-mothers-and-a-young-charles-c3r2pz7d6 or https://archive.ph/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/unseen-royal-photos-include-new-mothers-and-a-young-charles-c3r2pz7d6
The king has been reissuing the royal warrants. Waitrose and Fortnam and Mason’s along with Lock & Co (hats) and Ede &Ravenscroft (wigs & robes) all received one. Barbour (waxed jackets) has one as well. You can see the full list here: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/all-of-the-royal-warrant-holders-selected-by-the-king-queen-so-far/ar-BB1mnb4T?ocid=BingNewsSerp
The complete third series of Clarkson’s Farm has dropped on Amazon Prime. It is very amusing with some foul language and sexual content (pigs). Clarkson does make a point about how hard it is, and what a gamble farming is. It is worth watching to understand why prices are high etc or you can just enjoy Clarkson making an arse of himself several times over. There are a number of heart warming moments. It is worth watching series 1 &2 if you haven’t already, but series 3 could be just stand alone. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2024/05/10/clarksons-farm-amazon-video-review-series-3-part-2-gerald/ or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2024/05/10/clarksons-farm-amazon-video-review-series-3-part-2-gerald/
Next week will bring Paula Vannellis, the former CEO of the Post Office and one of the main people responsible for hounding the sub postmasters to the witness stand. It should be interesting. Paula has already relinquished her honours over the scandal.
There is new scandal of sorts involving NHS whistle blowers and the way they have been hounded. The process is often the punishment. Instead of fixing the problem, the bosses went to protecting the reputation and basically put targets on the whistleblowers back, many of whom complained about patient safety, including the use of unauthorized and suspect treatment. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/15/nhs-bosses-destroy-careers-whistleblowers-avoidable-deaths/ or https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/15/nhs-bosses-destroy-careers-whistleblowers-avoidable-deaths/
A Palestinian student whose visa has been revoked after her comments on 7 October which praised Hamas intends to appeal. I suspect the Home Office have it correct on this one. https://archive.ph/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/17/palestinian-student-visa-rejected-hamas-israel-war-comments/
Cambridge University may have to move its graduation because of the encampment on King’s College. Apparently ‘negotiations are taking place’. I hope the administration doesn’t cave but suspect they will. The Senate House where the ceremony is traditionally held is quite something. Most of the ceremony is in Latin and people graduate according to when their college was founded. Each college has slightly different traditions about where they can walk etc. (My eldest did his MPhil and DPhil at Corpus Christi Cambridge) So I can understand the administration’s temptation but I suspect it would be a mistake as the maximalist demands will remain. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/protest-camps-may-force-cambridge-graduations-ceremonies-to-move-ft8ldxtnd or https://archive.ph/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/protest-camps-may-force-cambridge-graduations-ceremonies-to-move-ft8ldxtnd
Here—the first draft of the manuscript is complete and I am now working off screen, trying to make it better. The real magic of writing happens in the editing and revising stages. It is easier to fix a bad page (there are many) than a blank one. The main thing is ensuring a good read once it is finally published. The contracted deadline is 31 May but I would like it to my editor next week.
Paddy had an okay week. We are really working on him no pulling (my youngest told me off for being lax). Spring has finally sprung in the garden and the horse chestnut is full of ‘candles’.
If you like what you read on here, why not subscribe? It’s free and I don’t have any plans to put in a paywall.
Thanks for the shout-out! And you’re right; I am most intrigued by the portrait collection. I wish I could see it in person, as I am fascinated by portraits, whether painted or photographic. But the ones included in the article gave a nice taste of the collection.
And I will look for Clarkson’s Farm on Prime. My fantasy is to have a small farm or homestead—but I know in reality I’m much too lazy.
Paddy is such a handsome boy! Is he good with his toys? I can trust my malinois with them but my Doberman (not quite a year old yet) guts them and will start eating the stuffing if I don’t get it away from him in time.
Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for keeping us up to date!
Good morning Northumberland! Good to "hear" from Ya. For a minute, I forgot this was a Friday. Fridays are good.
Another wonderful roundup of articles. You're so lucky, over there, to have the guidance on RSHE. I don't foresee anything like that over here. But I was sorry to hear about the whistleblowers in the NHS. It seems so typical, tho, for people to do so much harm in order to protect their turf. The PO scandal revisited, only worse. And I was amazed how hypersensitive the Japanese professor was about the innocent sushi comment. Glad the judge got that right.
I'm overjoyed You've got the manuscript done. Good luck on the editing. And hafta comment that Paddy is looking well, per usual.
TY, as always, Michelle. Appreciate it.