This is Northumberland Calling 17.11.23
The Stop the World, the Tories can't want another leadership election edition
Hello America (especially Central Ohio), this is Northumberland Calling
NB At 12 pm GMT, the appeal court is supposed to announce its decision re the Section 35 notice the UK government served on the Scottish parliament to prevent the implementation of self id. I will a link when it happens in the comments.
Wednesday saw a barn storming performance from Kemi Badenoch who took few prisoners when she appeared to make a statement about the UK’s review of other countries Gender Recognition Certificates. It is the first time it has been updated since 209 and countries which now have far more lax laws regarding self-id have been removed and some surprising countries who include enforced sterilization have been included on compassionate grounds. Badenoch also stated her belief that gender affirming care which includes enforced sterilization etc is a new form of conversion therapy for your gays aka the whole ‘transing the gay away’. The education guidelines remain unpublished. The former Labour education minister (now a Labour peer) Estelle Morris has backed Kemi’s plans. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/12/06/epidemic-gay-children-told-they-are-trans-kemi-badenoch/ or https://archive.is/H4so5
If you want to hear her — these are the highlights she chose: Kemi Badenoch on X: "Self-ID and social transition add up to a very dangerous ideology that can have terrible effects on young LGB children, who are being put on a medical pathway to irreversible physical changes. We are not going to run away from this issue. We will sort it. https://t.co/bYYoSAwySy" / X (twitter.com)
Liz Truss (remember her? The PM of very few days) has tabled a private members bill regarding gender identity. Badenoch congratulated her on finally coming to Badenoch’s point of view. The chances of the bill passing are slim to none.
https://twitter.com/trussliz/status/1732797644903161938
A formal NHS consultation paper published on Thursday night states that children will only be able to be referred to gender clinic if their parents agree. Previously GPs, social workers, teachers and others could bypass parents. However the NHS still allows the minimum age of referral to be 7. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/07/children-trans-referrals-parents-new-nhs-rules/ or https://archive.is/LAekf
Suella Braverman (remember her – the former Home Secretary?) has signed a letter to the FA along with 70 other members of Parliament from both houses requesting due to fairness and safety for trans identified men to be forced to play the sport with their biological sex and accusing the FA of turning a blind eye to the problem. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/12/08/mps-demand-fa-ban-transgender-footballers/ or https://archive.is/mfEI4
Another week, another resignation – this time Robert Jenrick, the Immigration Minister could not longer stomach the tripe and resigned. Sunak still motors ahead with his plans for deportation of illegal immigrants to Rwanda. This is an article about the four factions of the Conservative party and the danger they pose to Sunak. Surely the Conservatives will not try to change the PM again before the next General Election. The mood in the country tends to be the Conservatives must go as they have made such a mess of things. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-sunak-tory-party-leader-groups-factions-g7psn7z75 or https://archive.is/TzXuX
The horror which is education in Scotland was revealed in the latest Pisa stats. Scotland just recently re-joined. It is not a pretty picture. Yousaf has refused to apologise for the results. England also suffered due to COVID disruption. Some countries suffered far less. Education does matter for the future of the country. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/humza-yousaf-refuses-to-apologise-for-snp-destroying-scottish-education-system/ar-AA1l9OnP?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=dde9f6d3a8054e159702dcd172beeade&ei=7
If you are in London, try to avoid the Elizabeth Line as it appears plagued with breakdowns. Yesterday, passengers were trapped for four hours – some missing flights. Several celebrities including James Blunt the singer were caught up. No record if he gave an impromptu concert. He did run out of peanuts and wine. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/07/elizabeth-line-power-outage-leaves-passengers-trapped/ or https://archive.is/a2XU1
The Royal family have been out and about. The King went to a west London Centre and visited Father Christmas in a surprise visit. He also visited the Ealing Broadway Market. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/12/07/king-charles-at-the-top-of-father-christmas-good-list/ or https://archive.is/MPfCC And the Prince of Wales surprised a woman who was doing a walk towing a life sized horse to raise awareness of mental health issues. The woman has raised over £30k so far in memory of her daughter who committed suicide. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/07/prince-william-surprises-bereaved-mother-mid-charity-walk/ or https://archive.is/MvRcn In short they have been out and about doing what they are supposed to do.
This is the first year that the king’s head has been on the UK Christmas stamps. https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/christmas-2023?iid=SC1023_CHS_DD_01
It was so cold last week, the gun dog class was called off. Apparently though, he will be able to meet Santa Paws on the 17th. I only hope that he will behave himself because he doesn’t seem to get the concept of the naughty and nice list.
My editor let me know that my latest has been titled – Tempted by Her Forbidden Warrior which works for the story.
Wishing all my readers who celebrate a Happy Chanukah — full of light in a dark world.
ANd the breaking news:
Scotland lost its challenge. The UK government acted lawfully when it blocked Scotland's gender reforms. https://twitter.com/BBCJamesCook/status/1733094327365079501?s=20
Badenoch was excellent in her response! And yes, I do believe she is correct in that people have been trying to trans away the gay. I’m surprised no one heard my applause from across the pond.
At last people are saying truth!
Paddy is adorable! Have fun with Santa Paws.
For me, my 5 year old, Abbey, a rescue from TiJuana, her Christmas gift will hopefully be cataract surgery as she has early genetic induced fast growing cataracts and she has lost most of her vision in just the past 6 months. It is imperative to have the surgery done before the retina atrophies. As with everything else there is a shortage of good ophthalmologist veterinarians and there is a waiting list. We will travel this weekend 6 hours to another state to see if she qualifies (good retinas) and will have surgery in January. She went from catching frisbees to not being able to see it on the ground. The things we do for our beloved pups.
Congrats on the new title!