mostly david ephgrave

I'm feeling tense about the Government's proposed lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions in ten days. While I accept how difficult it is to find the sweet spot between balancing case numbers, the percentage of people already vaccinated, seasonal advantage and the economy, to choose now seems tenuous, particularly when not everyone's had their second dose. And to remove mandatory mask-wearing at the same time is just reckless. Surely keeping them a little longer is the perfect bridge between total lockdown and normality? People who take issue with wearing masks except for the medically exempt should grow up, frankly. I mean, seriously, what's the problem? It's an act of kindness to anyone with a compromised immune system. Imagine taking a packed bus ride to a chemotherapy appointment in fear of the highly transmissible delta variant. Wouldn't you feel safer if nearly everyone around you wore a mask? Catching the virus is still a matter of life or death. Should avo...

Today, the DWP rescinded the PIP I'd been "awarded" for two years - that gave me a semblance of financial assistance and a sense that my health conditions of severe chronic depression, anxiety & vestibular migraine/vertigo were real - despite my providing more evidence than ever. For starters, they decided the detailed reports they'd received from the mental health team I've been under for seven years (including my psychiatrist, therapist & GP) and information on my prescribed medication & ENT analysis of my vertigo was no longer enough and I now required a PIP assessment. Despite expecting my evidence WITHOUT FAIL by a given date and absolute assurance I would attend my interview, they gave me under two weeks notice that I had to get to an appointment in Borehamwood (I don't drive). If I missed it/wasn't available, I had one more strike or my PIP would end. This morning, a letter arrived, telling me "I've looked into your claim ...

There’s been a lot of mockery of the festival Labour Live in the media lately, but imagine what the Tory equivalent would be like, with music from James Blunt, comedy from Jim Davidson - and lectures on keeping your hair as soft as goose-down from Boris Johnson, how to form all opinions from a point of utter ignorance from Katie Hopkins and how not to change a nappy from Jacob Rees-Mogg. Not everything has to be an instant landslide success to be valid; at least the Labour Party are trying to connect with younger supporters, and while it’s not had the massive interest they might have hoped, even the most lackadaisical Labour arts event would cack all over a Conservative one; and if the Tories need a social gathering, wasn’t Thatcher’s funeral enough? I just find the Tories so out-of-step. Take my local MP Bim Afolami for example, who’s on Twitter and Facebook, but practically in a broadcast only sense. He also manages to smile identically in every ...

I attempted a little subliminal messaging on Twitter this morning to influence my small collection of followers, but I don’t know if it worked. "If you build it, he will come." It would be bloody lovely if it did, as I’d like Theresa May’s smug ‘calling a General Election at a time when she think she’s impervious’ plan to fall flat on its face. I, for one, wouldn’t be voting for a party that’s so detrimental to the NHS; not for all the shiny shoes in the PM’s Imelda Marcos-style shoe cabinet. I’ll be particularly annoyed if the Tories hold their seat in my local constituency when our candidate - who’s replaced the truly odious Peter Lilley - apparently lives in Kettering, which is over an hour’s drive away; not only this, but his Twitter biog has listed three different addresses in so many weeks (something he hasn’t acknowledged when pressed on the social media site by a number of people, including me). How well will he represent Hitch...

As soon as I saw a picture of David Cameron wearing a jumper, I knew he spoke for me. Until yesterday, I’d only seen him in a suit; save that time he wore a wetsuit, which is best forgotten. Don’t Google it. Even that was a suit of sorts. Look at its name. Got it? Good.   The fact that he’s so meticulously turned out made me assume he represented a different social strata (that was until I caught myself using the word ‘strata’ and realised I’m pompous and aspirational myself). Everything about him – the privileged background, the time at Eton and Oxford, the long waxy face – suggested he could never work for me. Then he went casual. He slipped his sweater on and his tie off. He did speeches with people behind him. He proved he could lead the way. Who cares that Dave's a Tory. Who cares about the fivehead. He owns a jumper: give him a break.  (Don't vote for him though.)