A need to live more healthily

The Covid pandemic has really brought home just how important good health is to everyone. Without good health, what else matters? You can have all the riches in the world but without health it counts for little. One of the constant calls over the period of the pandemic has concerned the need to protect the NHS. This has been to ensure the NHS will not be over run and can continue to serve the people. But how much more capacity would there be in the NHS to meet the need, if funding had not been cut for the past 10 years? The government did not take the threat of Covid seriously until it was too late. Then, there was the lack of Personal Protective Equipment, leading to unecessary deaths. The frankly criminal decision to send Covid patients into care homes. The test and trace debacle, with the work handed out to private sector 'connections' of those in government. They failed to deliver - still today we do not have the quality of data necessary to deal with Covid hotspots, This in turn leads to the incredibly damaging blanket lockdowns, so readily applied across the country. A system truly unfit for purpose. Coming out of Covid, never again must the NHS be starved of funding - it must be our first priority always. The overall health of the population also needs addressing. It has been pointed out that inequality and general low health and welfare have made the UK population particularly vulnerable to Covid. We all need to live better, eating healthy diets and getting more exercise. One of the few pluses of lockdown was people reconnecting with nature, getting their daily exercise. Also, people began to cook and eat healthier foods - there was the beginning of a something new. These developments need to be extended. We are living in a more sedentary world, with life increasingly revolving around phones and computer screens - this is not a healthy way to live. Not surprisingly there is an obesity epidemic. The Covid pandemic has taught us all many lessons but perhaps the most important is to live healthier lives and invest in those who can best help us when we are sick.

West Ham 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

West Ham will feel that this was another two points that got away, not that Brighton deserved to lose a match of very much two halves. The visitors dominated the first half against a lack lustre West Ham side, who once again took a long time to get going. Many were surprised at the defensive approach adopted by West Ham manager David Moyes, who started retaining captain Mark Noble in midfield and returning to playing five at the back. The result a formation decidedly lacking in ideas. Brighton dominated the first half, though failed to convert that pressure into goals, going in at half time just one goal to the good. The goal was a scrappy affair, with Neal Maupay turning to fire home after having his first effort blocked, only for Declan Rice to return the ball for the striker to have a second go. The chance was set up by an excellent interchange down the left by Solly March and Dan Burn. Moyes shook things up at half time replacing Noble and the out of sorts Jarrod Bowen with Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko. Lanzini made an immediate impact, upping the tempo and providing some much needed inventiveness to the play. The half was just four minutes old when a Yarmolenko cross fell to Lanzini, who saw his effort blocked but managed to scoop the ball back to the incoming Ben Johnson. The young left back finished in the far corner to register his first Premiership goal. The most controversial moment came in the 68th minute, when the incoming Lewis Dunk appeared to use his arm in controlling the ball, before driving it into the roof of the West Ham net. However, VAR ruled that the goal should stand. West Ham were not though to be denied with Tomas Soucek heading home an Aaron Cresswell corner. Moyes was unhappy with the Dunk goal, declaring that there had clearly been use of the arm. He was frustrated at the inconsistency and lack of clarity being shown by the Premier League at the moment in making such decisions. “I’d like to see people accept when they have got something wrong, “ said Moyes. “We need clarity and we are not getting clarity on these decisions.” The manager admitted his team hadn’t played particularly well and that he was relieved to be able to make changes at half time. Moyes was pleased with the creative contribution that Lanzini added to the play. Certainly the little Argentinian and Yarmolenko made a big difference when they came on at half time. If there is a criticism of this West Ham team it is its predictability, continually working the ball to the flanks for crosses, which - without Antonio playing - there really isn’t anyone in the middle to finish off. Lanzini brought different options through the middle which need to be developed.

The war against the BBC - how an unprecedented combination of hostile forces is destroying Britain's greatest cultural institution ...and why you should care

by Patrick Barwise & Peter York Prior to reading this book I have to admit to not being the BBCs biggest fan. Long having regarded the Corporation as hostile to the Left, with a notable recent chapter in this process being some of the appalling treatment of Jeremy Corbyn. However, having read this book, the importance of defending the BBC against an unholy coalition ranging from the likes of Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, Rupert Murdoch and a number of spurious right wing think tanks becomes all the more apparent. The authors meticulously examine all of these forces set on destroying the BBC, from those like Cummings, set on creating a US media type landscape dominated by right wing commercial operations to the Murdochs whose opposition - whilst dressed up in neo-liberal idealogy clothes - is more about removing a powerful commercial opponent. The biggest threat to the BBC over the past 10 years has been the Tory government, which has tried to destroy the Corporation by stealth. First, there has been the freezing of the licence fee, then the decision in 2015 to make the Corporation pick up the bill (of £750 million) for the free licence fee for over 75s. The effect has been a 30% cut in. funding of the Corporation - £1.4 billion, if funding had kept pace with inflation. The unfairness of it all is underlined by the fact that the Corporation saved the government £2.34 billion by the way in which it handled the digital switchover from analogue. None of that saving was given to the BBC. These cuts all come at a time when the Corporation faces growing competition from the likes of Netflix and Amazon, as well as the social media giants like Facebook and Twitter. The Tory opposition seems mostly grounded in a fundamentalist antagonism to the BBC on market economic grounds. Many Tories just seem to see the BBC as another nationalised industry in need of removal. The authors destroy the classic Tory argument that the BBC is left leaning and biased against them They find that the BBC usually bends toward the government of the day but more so when it is Conservative. Given the electoral success of the Tories over the years, it is difficult to see what that parties problem is with the BBC. One illuminating bit of data concerns where the public go for impartial news, with the BBC way out in front on 44%. Next comes ITN on 10%, Sky News on 6% and Channel 4 News on 5%. The papers hardly register, with the Guardian highest on 3%. Yet there has been this unruly coalition of the right, made up of the likes of the Daily Mail, Sun, Telegraph, Times and Express continuallly attacking the BBC. Much of the ammunition has been supplied by right wing think tanks such as the Institute of Economic Affairs, Newswatch, New Culture Forum - all situated around Tufton Street in central London. One of the central accusations is that the BBC is anti-Brexit and pro-EU, despite the lack of evidence to support the accusation. This detailed study is essentially a call to arms to defend the BBC and Public Service Broadcasting (PSB). The ongoing assault of the BBC's myriad opponents seems determined to inflict a death of a thousand cuts. Make it impossible to compete in the ever more competitive world of media market place, then let it die away. In reality the BBC has battled valliantly despite this onslaught. It is efficient and continues to provide a comprehensivr service. The BBC remains popular with the public, a survey in 2015, showing 99% use at least one of its services in a single week. In the days of fake news, the need for PSB has never been more important. The period of the pandemic should be one of value for the BBC, with ever greater numbers turning to its news services for reliable information. Moving forward, the Tory government needs to be persuaded to call off its dogs. The BBC needs to be valued for what it provides in this country and beyond. A proper funding settlement is required that can provide certainty and adequate resourcing for this public service going forward. The BBC needs supporting so it can prosper, not demolition at the hands of a bunch of baying market fundamentalist fanatics. This book makes that argument comprehensively. Published by Penguin - price - £10.99

City of London Corporation needs to step up to fund Wanstead Park Plan - after latest setback

Wanstead Park has been a popular destination for many during the pandemic. The numbers out enjoying this fantastic place over lockdowns has been particularly striking. The City of London Corporation (COLC) reported a 122% increase in visitors. Given the numbers who visited during the most recent lockdown, this estimation may now well be on the low side. One highlight of the period was the trial of cattle grazing for a month from mid-September. The three long horn cows made headlines locally and nationally. A stream of adults and children came to see and be seen with these good natured animals. The trial seemed to go well, so hopefully more longhorns will be coming to graze for a longer period next year. One concern expressed over the summer months was the increasingly low levels of water in the lakes. The recent rain has helped to some degree. Indeed, the River Roding recently broke its banks coming over into the park. Nothing like the flooding of last December but the levels are high. There have, though, been growing concerns over the flood risk around the river and the park over recent years. The Environment Agency were concerned about the danger af a cascade of water building up in the lakes, going into the river causing flooding. A flood prevention plan was devised that would improve the lakes infrastructure and prevent flooding. In association with this project were other works around the Parkland Plan. It would enable match funding to be obtained from other sources, relating to the non-statutory parts of the work. It looked signed and sealed with the City of London Corporation set to stump up £10 million plus required. However, now all has changed, with the work required being drastically reduced - the new cost is reportedly £500,000. Good news for the coffers of the COLC but not necessarily the park. The reduced project will severely reduce potental funding for other parts of the Park Plan, The lakes system, which was the reason the park was put on English Heritage's at risk register in 2009, will continue to deteriorate. Those who have been trying to improve the park for years are alarmed at the latest setback. A lot of people volunteer, litter picking and raising funds for seating, signage and all sorts of other things. There is a huge amount of goodwill toward this much loved space. But increasing numbers are growing exasperated at what they see as a failure to act. It is high time the COLC recognised that Wanstead Park and Flats are the jewel in the crown of Epping Forest, not the poor relation. The park must be treated with the respect it deserves. Sort out the lakes and put the money in to fully fund the Parkland Plan, thereby ensuring that this fantastic space can be enjoyed by present and future generations.

Covid proves that the money is there to be spent in a crisis

The response of those who govern, whether nationally or locally, to something they don't like is to say that it cannot be afforded. It is instructive to recall, a year on, some of the hysteria that greeted the Labour Party' s. transformative election manifesto, costed at £80 billion.The critics claimed it could not be afforded. Yet, less than a year later, the Bank of England pumped £150 billion into propping up the British economy. The government has so far put £291 billion into supporting the British economy during the Covid crisis - it is all relative. The same Conservative government recently announced that it could no longer fund the previous commitment of 0.7 % of GDP to support the poorest in the world via the overseas aid budget. The cut will see the aid budget reduced from £15 billion (0.7%) to £10 billion (0.5%). This is another tokenistic gesture from the Conservative Government toward the UKIP agenda of chauvinstic nationalism that has taken over the national psyche and will damage us all in the long term. What the Covid crisis proves is that spending is all a matter of priority. The real trick is to spend the money before crisis hits. As previously discussed in this column our present way of living invites crisis after crisis. Covid emerged from destruction of the ecosystem. The vaccines may deal with Covid but if we go on destroying the ecosystem, another virus will be along soon causing equal if not more devastation. If future problems are to be avoided, action needs to be taken now. There are some encouraging signs, like the government's efforts to roll out Low Traffic Neighourhoods. Also, the commitment to eliminate petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. The desire to phase out fossil fuel dependency. Plans for mass tree planting and rewilding. These are all good signs but more needs to be done and quickly. We need to convert to a totally green economy, majoring on the likes of renewable technologies. At local level there needs to be greater boldness in engaging with the challenge of creating real green economies. It is no good talking the talk but failng to walk the walk. Some might see it all as a cynical exercise in avoiding what really needs to be done to secure the future for our children and children's children. Action needs to be taken now not when political priorities regard it as appropriate or affordable.

Redbridge wants to improve score on healthy streets scorecard

The number of deaths due to Covid (53,000) recently overtook the annual rate for deaths caused by air pollution annually (50,000). Initially, under the first lockdown, there were fewer vehicles on the road and planes in the sky, resulting in a drop in pollution levels. However, this has now changed, with people encouraged to stay off public transport to avoid Covid, whilst the roads have filled with cars. The cycling/walking infrastructures have failed to materialise, which when combined with spiralling pollution levels is hardly going to encourage anyone to get out of their car. The situation was nicely illustrated recently, walking along Cambridge Park and Blake Hall Roads in Wanstead - both gridlocked with cars and 90% empty buses belching fumes. This is no way to live. The London Mayor's Transport Strategy points the way forward, with a modal shift from the car to cycling, walking and public transport as modes of travel. The aim is to get 80% of travel on these active forms of transport by 2041. The recently published Healthy Streets Scorecard gave an indication as to how London boroughs are doing in their efforts to reach these goals. The scorecard looks at improving air quality and road safety, active travel and cutting CO2 emissions. The five indicators as to what councils are doing is most instructive. These look at the implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN), 20 MPH speed limits, Controlled Parking Zones, Physically Protected Cycle Lanes and School Provisions (like school streets). All of these measures help encourage active travel, thereby making for a healthier population. The performance of the boroughs is varied, from the City of London and Camden at the top with scores of 8 .29 and 7.3 respectively out of 10 to Havering and Redbridge at the bottom with scres of 1.4 and 1.55. (Newham scored 5.24 and Waltham Forest 5.11). So there is much to be done in Redbridge. A number of the measures, such as Controlled Parking Zones, School Streets and 20 mph speed limits are rolling out slowly. The Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and Physically Protected Cycle Lanes are on the way. But what we really need is an acceleration of the work in all these areas. The money needs to provided, often from central government, and there needs to be buy in from local communities.Then maybe at last we can start to live in a cleaner, greener borough. Failure to act here and nationally will see those air pollution death levels continue to orbit upward, long after Covid is a distant memory. * Full report at - www.healthystreetsscorecard.london/indicators../

Black footballers fighting racism

Plymouth Argyle’s Jack Leslie was selected to play for the England football team against Northern Ireland on 25 October 1925, then he was inexplicably dropped – the reason being, he was black. The story of Leslie is one of the many fascinating accounts contained in the book Football’s Black Pioneers by Bill Hern and David Gleave. The writers track down the first black player to turn out for all of the 92 league clubs. There are accounts of players, like Orient's Laurie Cunningham (first black player for England Under -21s), Viv Anderson (first black player for Nottingham Forest and England) and Brendon Batson (first black player at Arsenal, though later as part of the famous West Brom trio together with Cunningham and Cyrille Regis). A particularly interesting chapter for West Ham supporters is the one featuring Clyde Best, who was not the first black player to play for the club but a real pioneer. The year was 1968, when Clyde came over at the age of 17 from Bermuda to play for West Ham. Clyde was playing for the first team a year later. I remember seeing Clyde, who played for the club until the mid-1970s, scoring lots of goals and becoming a firm fans’ favourite. He did also have to endure some horrendous racism. There was one occasion, when Clyde received a letter, with a threat that acid would be thrown at him, as he came out of the tunnel onto the pitch. The police took the threat seriously, creating a cordon between players and fans, as they emerged. Other black players turning out for West Ham over those years included John and Clive Charles plus Ade Coker. West Ham were the first team to field three black players, when Clyde Best, Ade Coker and Clive Charles played against Spurs in 1972. The litany of racism chronicled in the book is sickening, from Chelsea’s Paul Canoville receiving racist abuse from his own fans to the experiences of Chris Kamara (now football pundit), who was abused as both a player and manager. The black players, though, have been defiant in the face of adversity. There was Orient’s Bobby Fisher and Laurie Cunningham, giving the black power salute to baying Millwall fans and Howard Gayle (Liverpool, Newcastle and Blackburn) turning down the MBE in 2016. Gayle did not feel he could accept the honour after what the empire did to his family and ancestors. Among other highlights, are Roland Butcher who played for Stevenage, before making his name as the first black cricketer to represent England in a test match in 1981. The authors provide a real insight into the struggle of so many black players over the years to make their way in the game. Racism is still ofcourse rife in football, though not as bad, as in the days of the likes of Clyde Best, Laurie Cunningham and Paul Canoville. This is testimony to the bravery and resilience of so many players down the years. There is though still much to be done if racism is to be truly expunged from football. * Football's Black Pioneers by Bill Hern and David Gleave Published by Conker Editions Ltd. Price -£16 Published Wanstead and Woodford Guardian - 6//11/2020