Category Archives: Uncategorized

Could Boris Johnson Really Ride To The Tories’ Rescue By Making A Dramatic Return To Politics?

Posted on by
Reply

Few political utterances have been as over-analysed as Boris Johnson’s final words as prime minister in the House of Commons.

“Mission largely accomplished – for now,” the then Tory leader told MPs on the day he left Downing Street, before adding: “Hasta la vista, baby.”

The literal translation of that Spanish phrase, which was made famous by Arnold Shwarzenegger in ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, is “see you later”.

What did Johnson mean, numerous political commentators have pondered. Was it a typically flamboyant farewell, or was he giving notice that he would one day return to No.10?

The latter question seemed to be answered in the negative when, in 2023, he dramatically resigned as a Tory MP after the Commons privileges committee found him guilty of lying to parliament over the partygate scandal.

However, he did hint at a future return to the green benches by saying: “It is very sad to be leaving parliament, at least for now…”

With the Tories now fourth in the opinion polls, and Kemi Badenoch’s struggles as Conservative leader continuing, rumours are once again swirling at Westminster that Johnson is eyeing a comeback so he can revive his party’s fortunes.

The former PM did nothing to dampen such speculation by making a headline-grabbing intervention on Monday condemning Keir Starmer’s deal with the EU.

Starmer was, Johnson opined, merely “the orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels”.

His remarks were lapped up by the Tory-supporting press, who found less space to report on Badenoch’s own, more muted, reaction to the PM’s deal.

Tim Montgomerie, the former Tory who defected to Reform UK last year, then set more hares running when he told Times Radio that Johnson was very much on manoeuvres.

He said: “A big beast of the jungle, namely Boris Johnson, is definitely on the march. He’s always wanted to come back, but it’s in more advanced stages than most of us have realised up until now.”

Johnson, his supporters believe, is the only man who can take on and defeat Nigel Farage’s Reform, thereby allowing the party to then turn its fire on Keir Starmer and Labour.

HuffPost UK has been taking the temperature of senior Tory figures to gauge whether there is any appetite for Johnson’s return.

One veteran MP said: “He had his go. He blew it. Unlike Churchill, he won’t be back.

“Even his videos now look passe. Boris is the past not the future, whatever his lieutenants hope for or might want to spin.”

Johnson supporters were buoyed by recent polling by the More in Common think-tank which suggested the Tories would be leading in the polls if Johnson was leader again.

Speculation is also rife in Westminster that some Conservative MPs would even be willing to give up their seats to allow Johnson to run for parliament again.

A friend of Johnson told HuffPost UK that the main stumbling block to his return is his fraught relationship with his former colleagues.

“There’s obviously a Boris-shaped hole at the heart of British politics – we need someone with his energy, his passion and his true belief in the future of Britain,” the friend said.

“If we had a presidential system in this country it would be much easier to see him coming back, but the only way back for him is via the Conservative Party, and it was a really bad relationship at the end.”

“He had his go. He blew it. Unlike Churchill, he won’t be back.”

It is easy to forget the circumstances in which Johnson found himself having to vacate No.10 less than three years after leading the Tories to an 80-seat Commons majority.

Dogged by partygate, the final straw came with his handling of the scandal surrounding Chris Pincher, the former Tory deputy chief whip who was accused of sexual harassment.

Dozens of Johnson’s own ministers resigned in protest, forcing him to fall on his sword.

“They took him down and as that’s the only route back for him I don’t think there’s any prospect of him doing it,” said the Johnson ally. “It was a very bruising experience for him.”

He added: “Could Boris come back? Yes, definitely. Plenty of Tory MPs would offer their seat to him if he let it be known he wants to come back, but if he thinks it through, he’d realise that it would mean having to lead the parliamentary party that took him out, and I’m not sure he has the appetite for that.”

But another senior Tory was dismissive of the prospect of a Johnson return.

“In a crowded field of irrelevant former MPs he has to be pretty much at the top,” she said. “The country has changed and moved on and anyone who thinks they have a safe seat these days needs to give themselves a shake.”

Polling released by Ipsos this week contained good and bad news for Johnson.

Johnson has the second-highest favourability rating of any UK politician, with 26%. He is only beaten by Nigel Farage, who is on 31%.

However, more than half the public – 52% – have an unfavourable view of him, demonstrating just how divisive he remains with voters.

Keiran Pedley, director of UK politics at Ipsos, told HuffPost UK: “While Boris Johnson still has his fans, there are signs he might not be the election-winning weapon he once was.

“Also, in practical terms, any comeback would need him to deal with the legacy of partygate and immigration numbers under his watch.

“That said, if the Conservative Party continues to struggle, you would not be surprised if some Tory MPs took a good look at him anyway.”

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that if Boris Johnson really is the answer to the Tories’ problems, the party is in an even worse position than anyone possibly imagined.

Share Button

Guests Who Witnessed Wedding-Day Walkouts Are Sharing Their Stories, And Wow

Posted on by
Reply

It’s officially wedding season, which means hen and stag parties, dress shopping, and delicious cakes galore.

But depending on the happy (or not-so-happy) couple, it can spell some serious drama too.

Writing to Reddit’s r/AskReddit, site user u/pimpyocean seemed to want to delve much more into the latter.

“People who left their partner the day of the wedding, what happened?” they asked.

Here are some of the most-upvoted replies (though most of them ended up being from the guests’ perspectives, not the would-be bride or groom’s):

1) “My brother went to this engagement party, everything was great, nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Wedding comes around three months later, he shows up – and it’s a totally different bride.

Same groom, same date, same invite, just… new bride. No explanation.”

Credit: u/zzibhai

2) “My friend did this like 20-odd years ago.”

“She was engaged to a guy from a very well-off family. The wedding was in California, but they were living in Seattle. Very posh, very expensive.

“But the mother-in-law (MIL) was always horrible to her. Right at the beginning of the reception, the MIL came up and said some nasty things to her in a whisper, thinking she would just take it again.

“She lost it, families got involved, and she ended up on a plane back home that night. Her family had already started moving her things out of the apartment that evening.

“Never spoke to him again.”

Credit: u/sail_juice_plz

3) “Six years ago in March, my fiancé and I decided to postpone our wedding.”

“The weekend the wedding would have been, he left me home alone to spend the weekend with his parents.

“His parents posted all over Facebook that they were celebrating him not getting married to me and were celebrating his ‘new girlfriend’, a friend of ours whom he constantly told me not to worry about.

“My mum screenshot all the posts, drove an hour out to where I was and said, ‘What are we going to do here?’

“I took a HOT shower and cried, then we packed all of my stuff up and left a letter to him on the dining room table with the ring.”

Credit: u/Clean_Awareness

4) “We called it the ‘non-wedding.’”

“It was a very small, backyard ’do. when we showed up, a relative of the groom ushered us out back and whispered that the wedding was off, but they had all this food and to help ourselves.

“Apparently, just that morning, the groom found out that the bride had cheated, but his family said they’d already spent all the money on the party, so they figured they’d just tell people when they arrived.

“It was one of the most awkward experiences of my life because the groom just sat dejectedly in a chair while people tried to cheer him up. We ate a little out of obligation and then got the hell out of there.”

Credit: u/Empkat

5) “My cousin’s backyard shotgun wedding.”

“She changed her mind because they got in a fight that morning. My uncle still made BBQ, and it just turned into a typical family hangout.

“They got married the next weekend anyway. Not a very exciting story.

“They are still married 22 years and three kids later, though, so that’s something.”

Credit: u/Suitable_cataclysm

Do you have anything to add? Let us know!

Share Button

Moisture Masterclass: From Dolphin To Glass And Cloud Skin, How Hydrated Skin Went Viral And How To Get It

Posted on by
Reply

From dolphin, to glass and cloud skin, the biggest viral skincare trends of the moment have one thing in common: supreme hydration. But how do you deliver moisture in a way that enhances your skin’s appearance and health?

Here we deep dive into these three looks and how you can create them with the Kiehl’s skincare range. A beautifully dewy complexion for 2025? It may be easier than you think.

While each trend is subtly different, they all require maximum moisture. For Dolphin Skin, think super glossy makeup looks that start with a well-hydrated skincare base. The glow comes from the skin’s natural radiance enhanced with soft makeup such as liquid blush and an illuminator.

Glass Skin is all about super dewy, hydrated skin that’s lit from within with radiance. It does take some dedication routine-wise, requiring cleansing, exfoliating, and deep hydration with a serum and moisturiser.

The newest trend, Cloud Skin, is a softer take on the glass look. The same principles of well-maintained, ultra hydrated skin prevail, but the end result is slightly more matte and velvety. This can be achieved with a light moisturiser and soft makeup such as a mattifying BB cream or foundation. Dust shinier areas with translucent powder, while maintaining an element of dewiness.

Creating a super-hydrated skincare routine

So how can you create these beautifully dewy looks in real life? To find out, we spoke to Gerwyn Slater-Powell, Education Manager at Kiehl’s, and Elena Brayda-Bruno, Brand Business Director at Kiehl’s.

Step one: Cleanse away impurities

“To create glass, dolphin or cloud skin you need a strong, layered, skincare routine,” says Elena. For a cleanser, opt for something gentle yet effective at removing impurities. “If you strip your skin too aggressively, products you use afterwards will not work as they should,” Elena explains. This can compromise the skin barrier, leaving it susceptible to dryness, irritation, and sensitivity.

Step two: Exfoliate gently

“For glass skin you want supreme hydration, a healthy skin barrier and improved texture,” says Gerwyn. “Exfoliation is key. Depending on your skin type and condition, you could use a traditional scrub. My preference, however, is a gentle chemical peel like the Kiehl’s Milk Peel Toner.” This dual-action product contains Lipo Hydroxy Acid, almond milk, and 23 per cent emollients to lightly exfoliate the skin, remove dead skin cells and dissolve impurities. Vitally, it also replenishes moisture to keep the skin barrier strong. “Alternatively, you could use our Triple Acid Peel which is gentle enough to use daily.”

Step 3: Apply a hydrating serum

Once the skin is prepped and primed, start supercharging hydration. “At Kiehl’s, our serums help give skin a plumper look and feel, improve the appearance of texture instantly and quench your skin’s thirst,” says Gerwyn.
Kiehl’s Hydro-Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate is an efficacious hydrating serum that helps visibly plump skin to smooth the appearance of fine lines and uneven skin texture. “It’s filled with Epidermal Hydration Filler to give it a plump appearance,” says Gerwyn. “The formula visibly improves the appearance of dehydrated skin brought on by a decline in skin’s natural Hyaluronic Acid levels while helping improve elasticity. It acts like your natural hyaluronic acid within the epidermis – what we refer to as ‘plumping up the pillow’ – whilst hydrating, for a long-term, cumulative effect.”

Kiehl’s Ultra Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum is suitable for dry and sensitive skin types. Formulated with a concentrated 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid and with just seven ingredients to help your skin bounce back with replenishing moisture and intensive hydration. “Applying this in concentrated amounts twice daily can help improve texture and give a plump look and feel while strengthening the skin barrier.”

Step 4: Lock in hydration with a moisturiser

While serums deliver hydrating, radiance-boosting ingredients to the epidermal layers of the skin, a cream adds moisture to the surface. The key is picking the right one for your skin type.

“Dry skin needs a cream packed with nourishing ingredients,” Gerwyn says.

“Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream strengthens the skin barrier and keeps it supremely hydrated, via a concentration of squalane, a humectant that nourishes and conditions the skin barrier.” Squalane is naturally present within our skin but when applied topically within our formula, it helps lock moisture in.”

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream strengthens the skin barrier and keeps it supremely hydrated
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream strengthens the skin barrier and keeps it supremely hydrated

“Then there is Glacial Glycoprotein, which we ferment in our labs. Found naturally on glaciers in Greenland, it can cope in frozen, arid and dry environments while locking in water, providing skin with a natural defence to seasonal weather shifts. Our formula, containing all these key ingredients, combines to give up to 72hr hydration.”

For oilier skin types, moisturiser is still essential for keeping the skin barrier healthy, but the formula should be lightweight and oil-free, such as Kiehl’s Ultra-Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream. “If you struggle with blemishes, this is a great option,” Gerwyn says. As well as Glacial Glycoprotein, this contains Micronised Amino Acid. The formula reduces the appearance of sebum to help minimise pores.

For men, Gerwyn recommends Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Moisturiser, which contains Vitamin C, caffeine and chestnut extract. “In general, men’s skin is thicker, oilier and perspires more,” he explains. “Facial Fuel has been carefully formulated to create a lightweight product that’s easily absorbed, won’t irritate after shaving, and leaves skin with a hydrated, energised feel.”

Ultra-Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains Vitamin C, caffeine and chestnut extract
Ultra-Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains Vitamin C, caffeine and chestnut extract

Step five: Finish with eye cream and SPF

If the skin around your eyes is prone to dryness, it’s best to use a targeted treatment such as Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream. “This is like Ultra Facial Cream for your eyes,” says Gerwyn. “This formula with caffeine helps to minimise the appearance of dark circles and tiredness of eyes with a pop of energy,” he explains. “The key callout in our formula is the avocado oil that strengthens the skin barrier whilst hydrating this delicate area. It also works incredibly under-make-up”. Gerwyn advises taking a rice-grain sized amount, and emulsifying the formula between your fingertips to transform it to a lightweight water-like texture. Gently press around the orbital bone, avoiding the eyelid.

It’s best to use a targeted treatment such as Kiehl's Avocado Eye Cream if the skin around your eyes is prone to dryness
It’s best to use a targeted treatment such as Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream if the skin around your eyes is prone to dryness

The final step in any morning skincare routine? A generous-sized amount of broad-spectrum sunscreen to the face, neck and decolletage to protect the skin against cumulative UV exposure. “My recommendation is SPF 50,” says Gerwyn.

As with any new routine, don’t forget that the secret is in consistency and using products suited to your skin type. Dewy, radiant skin? It’s just a few steps away…

Discover the full hydrating skin and body care range at Kiehl’s

Share Button

‘We Need To Move The Conversation On From Bathrooms,’ Trans Advocacy Group Says

Posted on by
Reply

This April, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman within the Equality Act of 2010 is a person who was born biologically female.

At the time, The Good Law Project said the move “sets a dangerous precedent and erases trans women from protections” and “puts trans rights back 20 years.”

Though Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said that trans “rights must be respected” after the ruling, some see the actions that have taken place since as going against that message.

Falkener has also suggested that trans rights groups should push for a separate “third space” when seeking a bathroom or changing room.

As a result, trans advocacy organisation TransActual UK has revealed an installation outside the UK Supreme Court called a “Third Toilet,” created by BBH London.

The Third Toilet

Rhiannon Adam / TransActual / BBH

The Third Toilet

The government promised “clarity,” but TransActual feels it hasn’t delivered

In a press release, Hafsa Qureshi, a director of TransActual UK, said: “The Supreme Court claimed it brought clarity to an area of difficulty” with its April ruling.

“However, it did the exact opposite while also diminishing the rights or status of trans people in the UK.”

They continue, “This campaign is a powerful statement about being forced to exist without safety, privacy, and rights, in full view of a society that refuses to see us; a demand for legal clarity, human dignity, and real, lived safety for all trans people; and an attempt to put pressure on public policy makers to ensure they are answering questions and, ultimately, are held to account.”

Meanwhile, Olivia Campbell Cavendish, a founder and executive director of the Trans Legal Clinic, says that we “need to move the conversation on from ridiculous things like bathrooms and onto the things that matter.”

Our focus, the founder said, should be on “the safety of trans people everywhere.”

The aim of the installation is to reclaim the conversation and inspire solidarity

Camila Gurgel and Ieva Paulina, associate creative directors at agency BBH, which made the “third toilet” installation, say that the aim was to gain back control of the conversation.

“The trans community was left out of a decision that directly impacted their lives,” they said (The Good Law Project, among others, says that the Supreme Court did not listen to trans voices in the lead-up to their ruling).

“So we set out to create something that will help their voices be heard and their demands recognised.”

Their hope, they say, is that the third Toilet installation “sparks awareness, conversation, solidarity and inspires more people to stand with the trans community.”

Share Button

Kemi Badenoch’s Popularity Hits New Low As Tory Crisis Deepens

Posted on by
Reply

Kemi Badenoch’s popularity has hit a new low as she struggles to turn around the Tories’ fortunes, according to a new poll.

The Ipsos survey shows that just 17% of the public have a favourable view towards her.

That is the lowest ever recorded for her by the pollster, and a worse rating than both Boris Johnson (26%) and Rishi Sunak (21%).

Meanwhile, 49% of voters have an unfavourable view of her, giving her a net score of minus 32.

The most popular politician in the country, according to the poll, is Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who has a favourability rating of 31%.

Boris Johnson is second, followed by Lib Dem leader Ed Davey on 25% and Keir Starmer on 23%.

Robert Jenrick, who Badenoch beat to the Tory leadership last year, has a favourability rating of just 16%, the same as chancellor Rachel Reeves.

In a further blow for Badenoch, just 20% of the public have a favourable view of the Conservative Party, putting them behind Reform, the Greens, the Lib Dems and Labour.

The Tories’ unfavourability rating of 56% is also far worse than any of their rival’s.

The findings come after a YouGov poll earlier this week put the Tories in fourth place behind Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK Politics at Ipsos, said: “While Labour has seen a slight bump in favourability, most people still think the country is heading in the wrong direction and are critical of the prime minister and chancellor.

“In contrast, Nigel Farage and his party continue to be buoyed by very high approval ratings among their own base, even though they are more divisive among Labour, Lib Dem and Green supporters.

“The Conservatives, though, face perhaps the toughest picture, with Kemi Badenoch’s rating dipping to its lowest level as Conservative leader and the party’s overall favourability continuing to be the lowest of any party polled.

“The Conservatives are finding it particularly difficult to rebuild after their losses in the 2024 election, but both the main two parties are struggling with public disillusionment with the established political order, and a potential appetite for alternative voices in British politics from both sides of the spectrum.”

Share Button

Doctors Threaten Fresh Strike Action Over ‘Woefully Inadequate’ Government Pay Offer

Posted on by
Reply

Doctors have warned they are prepared to strike again after accusing the government of making a “woefully inadequate” pay offer.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents junior doctors, hit out after ministers said their salaries will increase by 4% this year.

Teachers’ leaders also reacted angrily after schools were told they would have to find savings to help fund their own 4% pay award.

Junior doctors staged a series of walkouts over pay under the last Tory government, but called them off after Labour awarded them pay rises following last year’s general election.

Professor Philip Banfield, chair of the BMA council, warned health secretary Wes Streeting that his members were willing to strike again unless he came up with more money.

He said: “The health secretary can avert strike action by negotiating with us and agreeing a route to full pay restoration.

“As it stands, resident doctors are vindicated for their decision to announce a ballot for industrial action opening later this month, because Mr Streeting is not, so far, committing to meaningfully restoring their pay.

“The BMA’s resident doctors committee’s response to this is clear: the only path that will avoid strike action is the one that leads doctors to full pay restoration.”

Other NHS workers in England, including nurses, midwives and physiotherapists, will receive a 3.6% pay uplift, effective from April 1, Streeting said.

Those who are represented by the GMB union and the Royal College of Nursing are to vote on whether to accept the award.

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, warned the government there would be “cuts in service provision to children and young people, job losses, and additional workloads for an already overstretched profession”.

He added: “Unless the government commit to fully funding the pay rise then it is likely that the NEU will register a dispute with the government on the issue of funding, and campaign to ensure every parent understands the impact of a cut in the money available to schools, and that every politician understands this too.”

Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: “Unions want to work with the government to address the recruitment and retention crisis gripping our public services – a crisis caused by 14 years of Conservative mismanagement and deliberate underinvestment.

“That means getting around the table to develop workforce plans for every area of the public sector.

“Ministers need to talk directly to unions to address the root causes behind dedicated and experienced public servants quitting their professions.

“And we need a clear, jointly agreed long-term strategy to improve public sector pay, alongside other crucial issues such as better working hours, more manageable workloads, and enhanced flexible working options.”

Share Button

Ambika Mod Highlights Double Standard When Comparing Her Career To One Day Co-Star Leo Woodall’s

Posted on by
Reply

Ambika Mod is reflecting on how she and her One Day co-star Leo Woodall have been treated differently within the acting industry since the show’s debut.

The two stars played Emma and Dexter in Netflix’s TV adaptation of the classic David Nicholls novel One Day last year.

Since then, Leo, who had already played a supporting role in the second season of The White Lotus when One Day premiered, has starred opposite Renée Zellweger in the fourth Bridget Jones movie, took the lead in Apple TV+’s action series Citadel and currently has three film roles in the works.

Speaking to GQ, Ambika said she feels she’s had less opportunities come her way despite them having equal billing in the hit Netflix series, pointing out that she and Leo “just don’t get treated the same at all”.

“It’s mad because we wouldn’t be going for the same roles at all, and we’re very different people,” she said. “I think we’re going to have very different careers.”

Ambika Mod at the Newport Beach Film Festival earlier this year
Ambika Mod at the Newport Beach Film Festival earlier this year

via Associated Press

Ambika continued: “If I compare myself to someone like Leo, I’m always going to come up short, because there’s a privilege there that I don’t have access to.”

She lamented: “Being brown is not particularly easy in this industry. You don’t get the same opportunities. You don’t get the same ascension.

“I’ve been the lead of two very successful, critically-acclaimed TV shows [One Day and the medical drama This Is Going To Hurt, which aired two years earlier] and I still feel like I have to keep on proving myself. A lot of my white peers don’t really have to tackle that.”

Ambika also acknowledged that “at the same time, I’m so lucky to be here”, describing her situation as a “double-edged sword”, and expressing her hopes that “my being here makes it easier for a girl 10 or 20 years younger than me”.

In January, Ambika made her big-screen debut in Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag.

She’ll next be seen in Sacrifice, a new action adventure featuring Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Evans, Salma Hayek and Charli XCX.

Ambika also appeared in the miniseries The Stolen Girl, which premiered last month and included stars like Holliday Grainger and Jim Burgess, who played Dexter in the original film adaptation of One Day.

Share Button

Elon Musk Loses It With Mishal Husain Over DOGE Question: ‘Like Talking To A Computer’

Posted on by
Reply

Elon Musk flipped out at a journalist who dared to question the billionaire’s success as President Donald Trump’s federal spending hatchet man.

The tech billionaire told Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain, a respected former BBC broadcaster, that “it’s like talking to a computer” when she suggested his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) risked falling short of its $2 trillion savings target.

On Tuesday, Musk was interviewed by Husain via video at an economic forum in Qatar, and was asked about DOGE not meeting the goal.

She reminded Musk of his pledge — at a high-profile rally for Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York on October — that he’d cut “at least $2 trillion” from the federal government budget.

Experts had dismissed the $2 trillion aim as extremely unrealistic since it would equate to almost all discretionary funding, including programs for transportation, education and housing, so well beyond the fraud and waste Musk has said repeatedly would make up the bulk of the cuts.

DOGE has itself said it has only slashed $160 billion to date.

“You’ve talked about $4 billion a day being saved,” Husain said. “And I think everyone can agree that combating waste and inefficiency in government is a very good thing, but if you add that up, it’s not gonna get to $2 trillion over the lifetime of DOGE.”

Musk appeared not to understand or hear the question, so Husain repeated herself.

“I mean, I feel you’re somewhat trapped in the NPC dialogue tree of a traditional journalist,” Musk snapped. The term NPC derives from video games and refers to a “non-playable character.”

“So it’s difficult when I’m conversing with someone who’s trapped in the dialogue tree of a conventional journalist because it’s like talking to a computer.”

In a defense of DOGE’s work, Musk went on to stress the organisation “is an advisory group” and “we’re doing the best we can.”

He conceded the three branches of government “are to some degree opposed to that level of cost savings.”

The defensive response is the latest sign that the world’s richest man’s dream of transforming Washington, DC, has turned into a nightmare.

Almost ever-present at the president’s side in the early days of the second Trump administration, the Tesla CEO has since scaled back his day-to-day involvement with DOGE following political and consumer backlash that was threatening his business interests.

Trump signalled their relationship was changing when he effectively said farewell to the tech billionaire at a Cabinet meeting last month.

“He wants to get back home to his cars,” the president said.

In the same interview with Husain, Musk revealed he plans to significantly cut his political spending, saying he has “done enough.”

The GOP donor spent at least $250 million to get Trump elected last year.

Share Button

‘Tradwife’ Lifestyles Are A Fantasy – I Know. I Cleaned Their Houses

Posted on by
Reply

When it comes to work, mums are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

Those who work in the home (and yes, childcare and housework are very much “real” labour) often feel judged for being “spoiled,” while mums who work for a company can face professional prejudice alongside exhausting hours.

Whether they work in the home or outside of it, mothers are far more likely than fathers to shoulder the bulk of the emotional and cognitive load.

But the term “tradwife” is often used to refer to a woman who “embraces traditional gender roles” as a part of an online, “ultraconservative” performance, Merriam-Webster explains; not a regular stay-at-home mother.

A “tradwife” will often create content or speak about her role as a homemaker online, sharing the joys of not working while pocketing thousands in brand deals.

An example is Ballerina Farm, the full-scale production team behind which is overseen by Hannah Neeleman, wife of a billionaire’s son.

The cosy, “cottagecore” aesthetic of her supposedly “rustic” life is more reminiscent of Marie Antoinette’s pirouetting around her toy hamlet than it is of real-life stay-at-home-mother chaos – I know. I have cleaned for women playing into a similar fantasy.

The brand of “not working” is simply too much work for many “tradwives” to sustain

Speaking on BBC Woman’s Hour, “traditional housewife” and influencer Charlie Gray admits that she relied on au pairs – “we had three children under the age of two, and it was crazy,” she says.

I sympathise. My own mother had two sets of twins with 18 months between us – but though she did not have a job, I don’t think she’d quite qualify for “tradwife status” now, not least because paying for an au pair was out of the question.

“Tradwives” don’t just raise kids at home. Theirs is a highly stylised, highly performative (Gray confesses she doesn’t smile as much while cutting onions in real life as she does for the camera) show that relies on a level of labour most women cannot achieve alone.

When I was a cleaner (slash housekeeper, slash au-pair), I worked for women who fed into a proto-tradwife myth. I

They put on a Bree Van De Kamp-level display of homemaking skills, proving to everyone that not only did they not have to go to (paid) work, but that they were the best, the most efficient, the most perfect at not working.

Behind the scenes, I was scrubbing long past my stated hours, polishing doorknobs, cleaning up their botched attempt at focaccia (they would later buy one and fob it off as their own), deep-cleaning grout, and vacuuming sofas.

This was not always enough. Those obsessed with projecting a “picture-perfect” housewife image would encourage a more humiliating routine, using the job I needed to survive to enhance the performance of their optional work.

Once, I was tasked with laying out pre-weighed, pre-chopped ingredients so they could “make” their dinner in front of their friends, hair and clothes still immaculate (which would be fine if it was my job, but it wasn’t).

Dolly Parton says it costs a lot to look cheap. I learned it takes a lot of uncredited labour to look breezily, effortlessly “into” homemaking – work only well-off women could afford.

None of this is to insult stay-at-home parents or housewives

This is not to say these “tradwife” women didn’t work hard, or that this agonised display was not the result of internalised misogyny or double standards.

But I always think – what about the women who clean their houses? What about when they get home to a less-than-picture-perfect house and an exhausting “second shift”?

My own mum, who was on benefits, did not feel the urge to put on the show of rustic contentment that most “tradwives” do: she complained about her housework a lot, because it was hard and exhausting.

I don’t think her experience would have fit into “tradwife” content, despite technically being a homemaker first of all, because the lives of those without stacks of cash are necessarily filled with compromises, shortcuts, and stress.

Having been a part of creating even quite a low-level, pre-virality “tradwife” fantasy for others, I can assure you most of us simply cannot afford to live the preened, painstakingly “curated” lives shown to us online.

They are either a complete myth or a cleverly-positioned gawk at a very rich woman’s hobby.

The sooner we remember that, the better.

Share Button

Nigel Farage Dubbed A ‘Part-Time Leader’ After Missing EU Debate To Go On Holiday

Posted on by
Reply

Nigel Farage has been dubbed a “part-time leader” after he missed a crunch Commons debate because he is on holiday.

The Reform UK leader confirmed he was taking his “first overseas break for three years” while Keir Starmer faced questions on the deal he has struck with the EU.

The leading Brexiteer has been notable by his absence since the PM finalised the agreement with Brussels bosses at a summit on Monday.

And the mystery deepened when he failed to turn up to quiz the PM in parliament today.

In a statement issued afterwards, Farage said: “There seems to be great consternation in the press that they have not seen me for 48 hours. Well, they will have to wait some time.

“After months of touring the UK in the run up to our hugely successful local election campaign I will resume travelling the country next week as Reform moves to the next stage.

“Meanwhile I am having my first overseas break for three years, the jungle excepted. Well I say break.. plenty of articles and fundraising calls!”

Ironically, parliament is in recess next week, meaning Farage would have been free to go on holiday then without missing any Commons debates.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The part-time leader of Reform UK is sunning himself in Europe while parliament is sitting. He clearly doesn’t have the stamina to stand up to Starmer.

“Only the Conservatives are providing proper opposition to this disastrous Labour government.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage clearly cares so passionately about this issue he’s decided he can’t get up from his sunbed to represent his constituents or his party.

“He’s not a leader – he’s an opportunist who just talks Britain down whenever it suits him.”

Share Button