This is Northumberland Calling 6.10.23

The Just Stop Getting in Touch with the Inner Puritan... edition

Hello America! This is Northumberland calling.

What profit a man if he gains a cover of Time magazine but loses the parliamentary constituency of Rutherglen? In spectacularly poor timing, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf appeared this week on the front cover of Time as one of the 100 most influential politicians, only to lose a parliamentary seat by one of the largest swings ever away from his party, the SNP to Labour. 20%. The seat became vacant because the SNP MP blatantly broke lockdown rules.  Are Labour back in their former heartland? Time will tell (not the magazine). The reasons for the swing include the SNP’s adherence to gender self id. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/10/06/rutherglen-hamilton-west-by-election-results-labour-snp/ or https://archive.is/9sS9c

This is an op-ed on the subject and the deep trouble Yousaf now faces: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/10/06/the-snp-is-exhausted-and-divided-humza-yousaf-is-in-deep/ or https://archive.is/r5ZJ1

The Conservatives were on TERF-mode for their conference and signalled some long needed (and hard worked for, quietly behind the scenes – all kudos to Conservatives for Women and LGB Alliance among other groups) reform. Starting with closing the loophole which allowed people convicted of sexual offences to hide them by changing their name and gender. And continuing with a complete review of the data wrongly collected as gender with Prof Alice Sullivan, a prominent statistician as well as being GC in charge of the review. And an announcement by the Secretary for Health that wards would be single sex (not gender) and all non-gender language would be reverted to gendered in order to be as clear as possible. Finally Rishi Sunak stated his belief that a man is a man and a woman is a woman and people should not be bullied into believing that  other people can be any sex they claim.  The Tories clearly believe that social conservatism is a vote winner.  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/10/04/rishi-sunak-conservative-party-conference-speech/ or https://archive.is/ebHE2 for Sunak’s speech

About how female only will mean female only on NHS hospital wards https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/10/02/trans-women-to-be-banned-from-female-hospital-wards/ or https://archive.is/jQzOk

And this one about Kemi Badenoch and why she is being tipped to be the next leader. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/10/04/kemi-badenoch-leader-tory-party-conference-frank-luntz/ or https://archive.is/x7COO

Just Stop musicals? – Not content with art galleries, plays, operas and weddings, Just Stop Oil decided to prevent a performance of Les Mis. What is so joyless about Just Stop Oil that they want to prevent the arts? Have they become in touch with their inner Puritan?  Hint there are other ways to audition for a part in the show. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/just-stop-oil-halts-les-mis-by-occupying-the-stage-lrtm9dxrs or https://archive.is/M66CV

A small raising of the eyebrows when my old high school was mentioned in the Times. Yes, it is private and now horrendously expensive. And I was enormously privileged to go there – having obtained a scholarship to it as the education provided an excellent foundation.  But no, contrary to Sam Bankman-Fried’s assertion, it does not now nor ever has done have cobblestones. Also as some of the teachers who taught Bankman-Fried, also taught me  — I suspect he used the word ‘dopey’ in same sense that Voldemort used similar words about Dumbledore. In other words, they did not share the same opinion as him of his self-worth. My humanities teachers instilled in me a deep love of language, freedom of expression and the freedom to read among other things.   Having read the piece, it struck me that Bankman-Fried rather than like Elizabeth Holmes was a fantasist who ensnared people. It is a pity that the journalist did not do some basic research including whether or not the high school in question had cobblestones.  If a person is prepared to lie about the little things, what bigger lie are they hiding? (NB Not trusting my memory and wondering if for some reason known only to God, someone had put in cobblestones,  I went and asked alums and teachers from the school on FB – all of whom confirmed – no cobblestones, simply smooth pavement)  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-collapse-crypto-michael-lewis-bd90l2t2s or https://archive.is/b4FWk

Finally, Paddy decided to steal a pen off my desk. He is a great thief. Should have named him Bilbo Baggins.  I thought he had a chew and was working away on my manuscript (nearly ready to go to my editor). The next thing I knew he’d turned his paws and tail blue as well as a carpet in the hall. Luckily the ink was water soluble. Unfortunately, I did not have the presence of mind to take a photo but…allow your imagination to run riot. The carpet has now been moved and is far cleaner

Might look innocent, but contemplating mischief

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