Then They Can't Really Be Called 'Families', Can They?

It is hard to put an exact number on it, but more than 60 families rely on us.

And what did your organisation do, then?

Eighty percent of the families and young people attending Homegrown in Tottenham are Black. Most of them come from working-class, migrant and refugee backgrounds, and face challenges around access to affordable housing and being pushed out of areas they live in due to rising costs. Our community space was a home for all of us. Before the closure, we would cook and share meals together, while young people would learn English, maths, science, and African and Caribbean history, and use films to discuss topics not always brought up in school. People would often stay all afternoon, cooking and talking.

Well, maybe that's the problem. Maybe instead, they should have been working to support their families..? 

In Haringey today, many Black-led community groups are losing space and struggling to access funding. At the same time, some parts of Tottenham have changed so quickly that they feel unfamiliar and inaccessible to young people who were born here, who end up feeling like strangers.

Yeah, funny that, I often feel like a stranger. In certain parts of London. 

But I'm called a racist for noticing. Never mind what I'm called for actively complaining about it. How is it you get a free pass? 

At the moment we have no funding, because we don’t have time to fundraise. I try to buy families their groceries when they need it out of my own pocket, but my own family’s budget is tight as well. Every two weeks, I have to report to the job centre to claim my universal credit.

Well, clearly they should put a stop to it. If you're giving it away to others, you're claiming it under false pretences, aren't you?  

What happened to Elianne Andam in Croydon is a reminder of just how vulnerable our young people are: the victims whose lives are so brutally taken, but the perpetrators too – how did they get here? And their families. No one should have their child taken from them. And no one raises a child to be a killer.

It appears in the 'community' you're writing about, no-one raises a child full-stop! 

We are not talking about an incurable disease. It is a social problem that could be improved if the government stopped removing essential funding for youth centres, youth organisations, schools and existing community spaces.

Why shouldn't it? It's clearly not essential at all.  

Doesn't Talent Go Where It Will Be Fulfilled Then..?

Annilese Miskimmon is concerned:

...nobody knows where ENO will be in a year’s time. In November, Arts Council England (ACE) announced it was axing ENO’s £12.6m annual grant unless the company moved wholesale out of London, throwing in the idea of Manchester as a possible destination, but without backing this up with any sort of plan or research. January brought a temporary reprieve, but a move out of London by 2026 is still demanded.

So..? 

“There is fear in the whole UK opera world when you look at that 30% loss of funding and the effect on talent, innovation, accessibility and the future of the art form.

They've suggested Manchester, not Mars.  

“It’s bigger than ENO. The reason why you have internationally renowned UK talent is because they have come through an ecosystem that supports artists at every stage. Taking ENO out of that ecosystem is devastating. I fear we are losing a whole generation of talent who cannot be sustained in this country.”

If they are really talented, they'll go to you. You don't need to go to them. Isn't that what talent does? 

Don't They Have Google In Canada..?

Ms White, who originates from Canada but has lived in east London for the past ten years added: 'I'm Jewish and the swastika is racist and anti-Semitic. I don't understand why the hotel have got it there and their explanation is offensive.'

 Unfortunately for you, snowflake, it's also completely accurate: 

After contacting the hotel on her behalf, she was told by Booking.com that the swastika in the Plough Inn bathroom is the one associated with Indian culture and not Nazism.

Despite its links with Hitler's regime, the swastika is originally a sacred symbol in Hinduism and a common sight in homes and temples around India.

Good job you never took a Tube out to Upminster, you'd be too horrified to get off!

But Ms White insisted: 'I appreciate the cultural significance of the swastika but regardless of this, we are not in India. This is in a hotel in Norfolk where it has completely different connotations.

'The hotel's reasons for having a swastika are just nonsense. They can't claim ignorance-everybody knows what it stands for. It should be removed immediately but they are so unapologetic about it. For me, this is active racism.'

But they aren't claiming ignorance at all. You, however, are showing plenty of it.

How Dare You Have Your Own Opinions!

And how dare you be right!

Kemi Badenoch was at the centre of a colonialism row today after WhatsApp messages in which she said she didn't 'care' about its impact on Africa were leaked.

The Equalities Minister said that those who lost out most when European states controlled Africa were 'old elites' rather than the regular people, in messages handed to Vice News.

She added that the Europeans who went in 'just made a different bunch of winners and losers', adding 'there was never any concept of ''rights'''.

Imagine a white Tory minister saying that? In fact, the usual suspects can, which is why they are making so much of this...

Ms Badenoch's messages were handed to Vice by Funmi Adebayo,a former associate of the minister.

She said she acted after Ms Badenoch was promoted in last week's reshuffle to a role involving the Foreign Office.

Ah, that famed unity of outlook of the 'black community', eh? What upsets the usual suspects so much about Ms Badenoch? 

Ms Badenoch has previously been vocal in her concerns about the the 'woke-ification' of British education.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, she has two degrees and worked in McDonald's to support herself through her studies.

She used a Commons speech to highlight the duty of schools to avoid political partisanship. She does not want white children being taught about 'white privilege and their inherited racial guilt'.

'Any school which teaches these elements of political race theory as fact, or which promotes partisan political views — such as defunding the police — without offering a balanced treatment of opposing views, is breaking the law,' she said, adding that schools should not openly support 'the anti-capitalist Black Lives Matter group'.

Yup, that'll do it! 

How Are You Enjoying Reaping That Whirlwind, Universities..?

An academic who was sacked after calling a Right-wing commentator a 'house n***o' is suing the university which cut ties with her for...

Breach of contract? Unfair dismissal?

...discrimination against her belief in critical race theory and black radicalism.

Hahahahahaha! 

The case could see black radicalism - an academic movement which argues race is a social construct used to oppress minorities - made into a protected belief system, like religious belief.

Well, they can't say they never saw this coming, can they?  

Ms Khanom is being supported by Professor Kehinde Andrews, who branded Churchill a 'white supremacist', arguing the term 'house n***o' is not a 'racial slur' but a 'concept that come out (sic) of struggles for racial justice'.

Is there some grift involved, because there usually is? 

On an online fundraising page created to raise £5,000 to cover her legal costs, Ms Khanom claimed she was the victim of a 'network of alt-Right activists'.

Ah. There it is! 

She wrote: 'LBU's conduct towards me suggests that academics should be looking over their shoulder before they make statements about Israel and Palestine, or about critical race theory. That is why this case and LBU's role in it is not just about me and my reputation as an anti-racist.

'Fundamentally, this is an important issue of freedom of speech.'

Oh, you're not wrong there. But not the way you think.... 

Ms Khanom said the tweets were not sent by her, adding: 'No academic should find their contract terminated so publicly in the absence of a fair and thorough investigation.'

I don't recall you being so supportive of Maya Forstater or Dr Binoy Sobnack or Bo Winegard...maybe I missed the press releases? 

The Pace Of Change...

The death knell has been sounded for the traditional landline telephone. From 2025, all households and businesses will need the internet to make calls under a major digital shake-up.

It means millions of customers will be pushed online for the first time or forced to rely on a mobile phone instead.

Can you still call them 'customers' when they've not got a choice? 

Strangly, this isn't being pushed by the Tory government's relentless 'change everything' policies, for once:

Those without internet may need an engineer to visit their home to get them set up and those with older phones could need to buy a new handset.

Industry insiders compared the move to the switch to digital TV in 2012, when broadcasters stopped transmitting traditional analogue signals to household rooftop or indoor aerials. But while that change was led by the Government, the switch to 'digital' calls is being driven by the telecoms industry.

And while it's not going to affect me much, since my landline merely serves to generate spam calls and 'Microsoft engineers' who want me to go online to fix things on my computer (I just laugh and hang up) there are real fears for a lot of customers:

...experts have raised concerns that millions of older and vulnerable households which are not online, do not use a mobile phone or live in a rural area with poor connectivity are at risk of being left behind.

One thing's for sure - this is to benefit the providers of the service, not the consumers of it. 

Digging In...

The Metropolitan police want go to the high court to insist it was correct in its decision to sack a decorated black officer after she was found with a child abuse video, sent to her on WhatsApp, on her phone.

In June, the police appeals tribunal (PAT) overturned the Met decision, saying it had acted unfairly and Williams was able to return to work.

And instead of giving in...they doubled down: 

In a statement the Met said it wanted to seek a judicial review of the decision to quash William’s sacking by the PAT. Britain’s largest force said it also wanted to challenge the reinstatement of another officer ordered by the PAT after a criminal conviction, but details of that case are not being made public.

They must want rid of these two very badly. I wonder why? 

Explaining its actions and decision to spends tens of thousands of pounds in the legal challenges, the Met said public confidence could be at stake and added: “The PAT has made findings in two separate cases that overturned carefully considered decisions to dismiss officers from the Metropolitan police, which had been made in special case hearings following criminal convictions.

“The special case hearings had deemed that the convictions amount to gross misconduct, and that the officers should be dismissed. In both cases the PAT did not agree with these findings and replaced the officers’ dismissals with a final written warning.

“In both cases the Met believes there was a failure by the PAT to make a proper assessment of the seriousness of the convictions. The Met also finds the duty to reinstate, as a result of the decisions of the PAT, is also in potential conflict with vetting processes.”

It's interesting to see who the Met decides to protect, and who they don't... 

"But..But We're The Special People!"

New visa rules for British artists, actors and theatre workers who want to work in Europe after Brexit are a “towering hurdle” that must be urgently addressed, according to an open letter signed by stars including Sir Ian McKellen, Julie Walters and Patrick Stewart.

Oh dear, the luvvies are upset! 

The letter states that creative practitioners are desperate to work in Europe once pandemic restrictions lift but “the current Brexit deal is a towering hurdle to that”.

“Before, we were able to travel to Europe visa-free. Now we have to pay hundreds of pounds, fill in form after form, and spend weeks waiting for approval – just so we can do our jobs,” it says.

Yes, just like other people wanting a job abroad. But your average plumber and IT technician doesn't have an agent. Why not get them to do it? 

Equity’s general secretary, Paul Fleming, said art and entertainment are worth more to our economy than banking but “government intransigence” threatens a “cornerstone of our international soft power” and a key export.

Maybe it's because they don't agree that you're worth it? Just a thought... 

“More than that, the language of art and entertainment knows no boundaries; freedom of movement for our members as artists and working people is achievable, desirable and essential,” he added.

Yes, OK, we'll get right on that... 

A UK Government Spokesperson said: “We want our cultural and creative professionals to be able to work easily across Europe, in the same way EU creatives are able to work flexibly in the UK. Though the EU rejected proposals that would have allowed this, we hope Member States will act on these calls by changing the rules they apply to UK creatives. We’re working urgently with our cultural sectors to resolve any new barriers they face, so that touring can resume as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Translation: "It's the EU's doing. Go yell at them."