Category Archives: Uncategorized

Sydney Sweeney Appears To Take Swipe At Critics Of Graphic Euphoria Scenes

Posted on by
Reply

While Sydney remained tight-lipped on the debate throughout the season, it seemed she had something to say about it all in a post shared on Instagram before the season finale aired.

Alongside a series of behind-the-scenes snaps from season three – including some of the more racy set-ups involving her character – Sydney said simply: “It’s called… acting.”

In the past, Sydney has repeatedly called out the “double standard” she has noticed around the way male and female actors who have appeared nude on screen are treated.

Back in 2022, she told The Independent: “When a guy has a sex scene or shows his body, he still wins awards and gets praise. But the moment a girl does it, it’s completely different.”

Elsewhere in the same interview, she also made a point of saying: “I’ve never felt like Sam [Levinson, Euphoria’s creator] has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show. When I didn’t want to do it, he didn’t make me.”

He claimed: “In terms of the story that we set out to tell, which is a story about addiction and its consequences, this feels like the end to me.”

Share Button

Critics Hail Russell T Davies’ New Channel 4 Drama As ‘Terrifying’ And ‘Unforgettable’

Posted on by
Reply

Bafta-winning screenwriter Russell T Davies has another critical hit on his hands thanks to his new show Tip Toe.

The unflinching new drama stars Alan Cumming and David Morrissey as two neighbours who find themselves in a feud that quickly spirals out of control with disastrous results, while diving into thorny issues like online radicalisation, prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community, misinformation in the digital age and generational conflict.

During a recent interview with HuffPost UK, Russell called Tip Toe an “urgent” and “necessary” reflection of a world that is “out of control” and “at war with ourselves”, which critics have certainly agreed with so far.

Ahead of episode one’s premiere on Sunday, reviews have near-unanimously praised the series – the latest TV offering from the creator of shows like Queer As Folk, Years And Years and It’s A Sin – which they’ve hailed as “chilling”, “devastating”, “terrifying” and “unforgettable”.

Here’s a snippet of what the critics are saying about Tip Toe…

“This is urgent, state-of-the-nation stuff from one of our shrewdest screenwriters […] Tip Toe isn’t just sobering; it’s visceral and chilling viewing for all queer people and everyone who loves and supports us.”

“At times it feels as subtle as a brick in the face. But when Davies steps down from his pulpit and lets his characters breathe, his storytelling is visionary, devastating, passionate and humane. And we should listen.”

Alan Cumming as Leo in Tip Toe
Alan Cumming as Leo in Tip Toe

James_Stack/Channel 4

“Alan Cumming is extraordinary in this terrifying, landmark queer drama […] While this series is a fiction, and one that makes its arguments with sledgehammer grace, it is sadly not absurd, or abstract.”

“Tip Toe, the latest gut-punching drama from Russell T. Davies – his first since the life-altering It’s A Sin – is an alarming, though not inaccurate, portrayal of what it’s really like to be unapologetically gay in a Britain that hates us […] Tip Toe is Davies at his most impassioned; a wake-up call that this is not a time to be complacent.”

“Television writers will tell you that they never want to come across as preachy, and that good drama should ask teasing questions and then step away. The sense in Tip Toe is that Davies is done with this kind of pussyfooting around, and is up for a scrap.

“It makes for a drama that takes wrong turns but is never less than bold and, in the round, deeply stirring. TV polemic is back, loud and proud.”

David Morrissey plays Clive in Russell T Davies' Tip Toe
David Morrissey plays Clive in Russell T Davies’ Tip Toe

Ben Blackall/Channel 4

“Tip Toe may be an extreme example of how frenzied that intolerance can become. Its dialogue, with long, culturally-charged monologues, can also be a little tiring. But it should be all of these things […] A word of warning, though, from someone who literally watches TV for a living: by the end, this is the most distressing series I’ve ever seen. It’s not rewatchable, but it’s unforgettable.”

“[Tip Toe] lacks the discipline that made his other state of the historical/future nation pieces, Years and Years or It’s a Sin, so powerful and moving, but the strands begin to interweave, momentum builds and if the extremity of the conclusion still doesn’t quite ring true, everyone has worked hard to get it as close to authentic and emotionally credible as possible.”

The first two episodes of Tip Toe are now streaming on Channel 4, with the final three following on Sunday 7 June.

Share Button

Dementia Risk Factors Seem To Have A Sleep Change In Common

Posted on by
Reply

Researchers think heart conditions, chronic stress, and depression may all be linked to a higher risk of developing dementia.

Thankfully, many of these risk factors are “potentially modifiable,” per a standing review from medical journal The Lancet. Treating high cholesterol, staying physically active, and not smoking can all help, for instance.

But a new review published in Science suggested that one thing might link multiple dementia risk factors: how well our brain is able to clear waste while we’re sleeping.

What part of sleep may affect dementia risk factors?

Researcher and neuroscientist Professor Maiken Nedergaard from the University of Rochester Medicine (URM) tried to look at sleep in terms of brain chemicals such as norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.

These “neuromodulators” affect our mood, attention, how awake we feel, and even how well we learn.

Her research noted that “neuromodulators” behave differently during sleep. They run in slow cycles that turn roughly every minute in a manner believed to affect everything from breathing to brain activity.

These sleep changes are also linked to changes in blood vessels called vasomotion, which works independently of our hearts’ pumping motion. One effect of this process is pushing fluid through the brain, helping to clear waste products such as amyloid-beta and tau proteins.

Amyloid plaques come from the buildup of abnormal protein fragments, while tau can turn into stringy proteins that lead to tau tangles. Amyloid plaques and tau tangles have been compared to the “trigger and bullet” of dementia progression.

This paper argued that changes to vasomotion, which happen when we age, face stress, experience some heart conditions, experience poor sleep, or take certain medications, might connect various dementia risk factors.

“Many disorders that increase dementia risk also disrupt the brain’s sleep rhythms”, Prof Nedergaard told URM.

“Our work suggests these may not be separate phenomena. They may be connected through the brain’s ability to clear waste during sleep”.

The researchers hope this will lead to earlier dementia detection

This paper also mentioned heart rate variability, or the variation of time between heartbeats, as a possible sign of sleep-related brain health.

The study authors hope that tracking this might serve as a non-invasive way to monitor the brain’s waste-clearing systems, potentially helping to spot dementia risk earlier.

“Sleep is not a quiet or inactive state,” Prof Nedergaard said.

“During sleep, the brain shifts into a coordinated rhythm that appears to support one of its most important housekeeping functions.”

Share Button

Nicola Sturgeon: ‘I’m Serving A Sentence For A Crime I Did Not Commit’

Posted on by
Reply

Nicola Sturgeon has told the BBC she is “serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit” in relation to her ex-husband’s embezzlement of SNP funds.

Peter Murrell, chief executive of the Scottish National Party between 2001 and 2023, pleaded guilty to taking more than £400,000 from the SNP this week.

He has been charged with embezzling funds from the party between August 2010 and October 2022.

Arrested in 2023 and charged in 2024, Murrell has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced at the end of June.

He made a series of extravagant purchases while he was SNP chief, including a £124,550 campervan for his own personal use.

His then-wife Sturgeon was also arrested in 2024 and questioned by detectives, but was never charged with any offences.

The former first minister of Scotland and ex-SNP leader has faced a barrage of criticism after she claimed she was completely unaware of her then-spouse Peter Murrell’s crimes.

Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Sturgeon said: “A lot of women find themselves blamed for the men of the actions in their lives – I’m not going to contribute to that in a sense that I am responsible for somebody else’s crimes.”

She added: “I believe strongly in that accountability, but I am not responsible for the crimes my former husband committed and I’m not going to apologise for somebody else’s crimes.”

But BBC presenter Kuenssberg pointed out that Sturgeon was still leader of the party when Murrell was taking funds from the party, and asked if she therefore beared responsibility.

“He perpetrated a crime on the SNP,” the ex-first minister said. “By definition, that includes me as party leader.

“He misled, he deceived. He is serving and will be serving a sentence for a crime he committed.

“I’m out here, feeling as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit.”

Asked why she only gave “no comment” responses to the police when she was arrested, Sturgeon said: “I was in a state of near collapse. I was terrified, I was bewildered, I was in a state of high stress and anxiety.”

She said her lawyer told her not to answer questions “in such a state of stress”, and that she prepared a detailed statement afterwards.

Sturgeon also insisted she was unaware that her husband had bought the campervan.

“My mother and father’s house has a driveway in front where we would park our car and then we would go into the house,” she said.

“Where the motorhome was was round the side of the house, which was not immediately visible in the way that we went into the house.”

She said: “I genuinely, genuinely, don’t have any conscious memory of seeing that motorhome.

“If I saw it I probably would have assumed it was a neighbour’s. My mother and father-in-law were in their mid-80s, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that it was theirs and why would it have crossed my mind that it was the SNP’s, that Peter had bought it?”

She said it was “never” discussed, adding: “I genuinely do not recall seeing it in a way that I registered it and thought, ‘oh there’s a motorhome’.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Top Tory Humiliated With Brutal Makerfield Poll Putting Conservatives In Last Place

Posted on by
Reply

A senior Conservative was left red-faced on Sunday when presented with the results of an opinion poll of the Makerfield voters.

Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips showed shadow home secretary Chris Philp the findings from a Survation survey of 369 people set to vote in the crunch by-election.

The graph showed put the Conservatives in last place on 2% in the constituency.

The Green Party were just in front on 3%, the Liberal Democrats on 4%, Restore Britain on 7%, Reform UK on 40% and Labour in the lead on 43%.

Phillips said: “Before 2024, you used to come second between 20 and 30% of the vote.

“Now there are three parties that could describe themselves as being of the right, or centre right, and you – you’re the official opposition – you’re the least popular of the three!

“Reform, Restore, Conservatives.”

Pointing to the graph, he said: “Look, there are the Tories, down there at the bottom. What the heck happened?”

Sky News' graph of the Survation opinion poll
Sky News’ graph of the Survation opinion poll

The Tory MP replied: “By-elections are very strange things. You’ve got this weird dynamic where Andy Burnham is running as a Labour candidate to basically kick out Keir Starmer.

“So this by-election is idiosyncratic, it’s incredibly unusual.”

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to win the Makerfield seat so he can challenge the prime minister’s leadership.

Phillips said: “But people of the right aren’t going to you. They’re going to Reform, they’re going to Restore, which is a party almost nobody has even heard of.

“They are polling better than you are! What has happened to the Tories?”

“Let’s just see what the actual result says,” Philp replied, claiming this was “just one little poll in one constituency in very unusual circumstances”.

He said: “If you take the [national] polls as a whole, we’re often in second place, Kemi is rated as the best leader and you can see that we’re the only party holding the failing Labour Party to account.”

Philp also noted that it takes time to “rebuild trust” with the public following their unpopular 14-year stint in government.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

‘What Is Wrong With Labour?’ Trevor Phillips Scorches Minister Over Glaring Issue Within Party

Posted on by
Reply

Sky News’ Trevor Phillips asked a senior minister what is “wrong” with Labour as he tore into the party’s lack of female leaders.

Labour is currently in turmoil as speculation of a coup mounts.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is campaigning as the party’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election.

If he wins and becomes an MP, he is expected to challenge Keir Starmer’s leadership, sparking a contest which ex-health secretary Wes Streeting has already vowed to join.

Senior female party figures, like former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, are yet to say if they would partake in any leadership race.

Interviewing work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden on Sky News, Phillips said: “There’s a shadow contest going on. The Labour Party’s not going to have a female leader. It’s bizarre.

“This is not something you could say of any self-democratic party, most of the centre-right parties in Europe [have had a female leader] – the Tories have had four!

“Genuinely, what is about the Labour Party that makes it, as far as I can see, incapable of having a serious female contender for leadership?”

McFadden said that was a “good and serious point”, though he rejected claims there was any contest coming on right now as no one has formally challenged the prime minister.

But he added: “If there is a contest, then why should it just be with the people who so far have been mentioned?”

Phillips said: “What’s wrong with the Labour Party?”

“The Labour Party’s not perfect, like any other organisation,” McFadden replied. “There are wonderful women politicians in the Labour Party, many of them are capable of leadership, and if we ever are in a position of a contest, why wouldn’t they put themselves forward?”

Phillips’ question comes after Jess Phillips told the Hay festival this week that her party is sexist for having no permanent female leaders in its history.

The MP for Birmingham Yardley, who resigned as the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls earlier this month, said: “Like all institutions [Labour] is a bit sexist”.

She added that “every institution that every single person in this room works for is led by the patriarchy”.

However, she disputed the idea that just having a woman in power would improve the UK.

“I have to say, the idea that a woman leads and it makes it better for women is not one that I’ve recognised in this country,” she said.

“My mortgage went up by a thousand pounds a month, cheers Liz [Truss]. I shouted at her, every time I saw her, the amount that she now owed me. She has not paid me back.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Share Button

Four Steps A Horticulturist Takes To Hosepipe-Ban-Proof Gardens

Posted on by
Reply

This month, the UK provisionally broke May temperature records two days in a row. That led some lawns to curl and yellow in distress, though you’re best off waiting for the rain instead of hosing your grass down, even when it looks worse for wear.

And even though no hosepipe bans have been announced in the UK, a peek at Google Trends shows that searches are significantly up from last week. It looks like gardeners are prepping, or at least checking, for sanctions.

But are those fears reasonable, and how can we get our gardens ready now for possible bans later on?

Will we have a hosepipe ban in 2026?

We can’t say for sure yet.

Speaking to HuffPost UK, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)′ Chief Horticulturist, Guy Barter, said: “Although we had a wet winter which filled reservoirs and aquifers and there is no indication of temporary use restrictions (as hosepipe bans are officially called), supply and demand problems in the intense recent heat have been reported in the press”.

The BBC, for instance, reports we may be on track to see the same drought conditions we saw last year, which led to a ban; that’s not to mention 2026′s predicted super El Niño.

Professor Emeritus of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London, Prof Bill McGuire, previously told HuffPost UK that this extreme weather event could have “a huge impact on global weather, bringing drought, floods and other extreme weather right across the planet”.

Though what that might mean for the UK specifically is harder to tell in the short term.

How can I start to prepare now for possible hosepipe bans?

Barter told us that “Episodes like this [recent heatwave] remind gardeners why it is wise to have water butts for tiding the garden over dry periods. With luck, they will be refilled by summer rainstorms.”

Water butts divert rainfall from places like your gutter into a large barrel, which often has a tap on the bottom, so it’s smart to place it on a stand.

It’s not just that they’re a smarter use of water, either. Plants much prefer rainwater to the stuff from your taps, because it has a pH and mineral content they love.

What if I don’t have room for a water butt?

In that case, try mulching to keep whatever rain has fallen on your soil. Additionally, putting saucers under plants allows rain to collect in helpful puddles underneath pots.

During water shortages, the RHS added, “grey water” from e.g. your shower or washing-up bowl will do the job for a while.

“Waste water from the kitchen, bathroom basins, baths and showers can also be used in summer gardening. Plants seldom resent this and it ekes out mains water supplies,” Barter said.

Smart planting matters, too.

“Gardeners who have planted drought-tolerant borders and gardens have been rewarded by lovely flowers and plants with no need to water. Where watering has been needed, consider planting more drought-tolerant plants in autumn for next year,” the expert said.

“It is a bit late for planting now, but any containers or baskets that need restocking can be planted with angelonia, pelargoniums and salvia, all of which can get by with less water than most plants.”

Share Button

The Worst Mistake A Psychologist Says Demotivated People Make

Posted on by
Reply

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how feeling “meh” all the time can be a sign of anhedonia or dysthymia.

But according to psychologist Dr Bijal Chheda of Nos Curare, not feeling particularly motivated can be caused by a range of issues and conditions.

She said that demotivation is “one of the brain’s early responses to ongoing stress,” explaining, “As stress builds, the brain shifts into energy-saving mode, making focus and initiating tasks feel difficult, which can drain motivation.”

This can be common among those with ADHD, for instance, she added.

While many of us may try to will ourselves out of these periods, the psychologist said this is a mistake.

What should I do if I feel demotivated?

Sometimes, Dr Chheda said, the stress and self-blame you feel about not being productive can, ironically, take a lot of energy. “Overwhelm and perfectionism” are common culprits.

But believing you’re a failure when you don’t give everything 100% – and thinking you can will yourself back into an A-star performance – is a trap that can sap your motivation, she continued.

“If this sounds familiar, it can help to stop relying on willpower and instead lower the barrier to entry. Start with a messy first version, giving yourself permission to do it badly just to get it moving.”

I’ve seen success with half-assed workouts, which helped to keep me way more consistent than all-or-nothing exercise regimens I inevitably dropped out of. Science says that tiny shifts in our eating, sleep, and exercise routines – we’re talking two minutes more movement and grams more vegetables a day – can help you to live longer, too.

Actively deciding it’s OK to do a less-than-optimal version of whatever task you’re hoping to achieve “makes it easier to re-engage with the task, without feeling pressure to succeed the first time round,” the expert said.

Speak to an expert if demotivation lasts a long time

As we’ve mentioned before, feeling demotivated for a long time can be related to anhedonia or dysthymia.

“If you feel this is a consistent pattern, it may be worth exploring whether ADHD could be a factor with a qualified mental health professional,” Dr Chheda added.

The NHS says that low mood, which can include not enjoying things you used to, not being able to concentrate, and feeling helpless, can be signs of depression, for which you should consider speaking to a professional.

Share Button

A Professor Ranked The 41 Best Fruits And Veg To Fight Disease

Posted on by
Reply

GP Dr Dawn Harper previously told HuffPost UK that she’s sceptical of “superfoods” – “there is no one single silver bullet that will enhance your chances of living a long and healthy life,” she said.

You might think that Dr Jennifer Di Noia, an Associate Professor of Sociology at William Paterson University, whose 2014 paper sought to find the best fruits and veg to reduce our disease risk, was more fond of terms like these.

But she had her own concerns. “Efforts to define… powerhouse fruits and vegetables (PFV), foods most strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk… are lacking,” she wrote at the time.

So, the researcher set out research-backed terms.

What counts as “powerhouse fruits and vegetables” or PFVs?

In her study, “powerhouse” fruits and vegetables had to offer at least 10% more of 17 nutrients per 100 calories than other foods.

These nutrients the study looked at were:

  1. potassium,
  2. fibre,
  3. protein,
  4. calcium,
  5. iron,
  6. thiamin,
  7. riboflavin,
  8. niacin,
  9. folate,
  10. zinc,
  11. vitamin A,
  12. vitamin B,
  13. vitamin B,
  14. vitamin C,
  15. vitamin D,
  16. vitamin E, and
  17. vitamin K.

These nutrients had been deemed of public health importance by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Institute of Medicine, the paper read.

The more of these a plant packed per calorie, the higher the PFV’s nutrient density score was.

However, the paper stressed that these aren’t the only potentially health-boosting components of food; therefore, these metrics could miss some produce that’s great for us.

41 fruits and vegetables, ranked by disease-fighting potential

Of the 47 foods the study author looked at, 41 met her criteria for “PFV”. (The six that missed the mark were raspberries, tangerines, cranberries, garlic, onion, and blueberries).

In order, their nutrient density scores were:

  • Watercress – 100.00
  • Napa cabbage – 91.99
  • Chard – 89.27
  • Beetroot greens – 87.08
  • Spinach – 86.43
  • Chicory – 73.36
  • Leaf lettuce – 70.73
  • Parsley – 65.59
  • Romaine lettuce – 63.48
  • Collard greens – 62.49
  • Turnip greens – 62.12
  • Mustard leaves – 61.39
  • Endive – 60.44
  • Chive – 54.80
  • Kale – 49.07
  • Dandelion leaves – 46.34
  • Red pepper – 41.26
  • Rocket – 37.65
  • Broccoli – 34.89
  • Pumpkin – 33.82
  • Brussels sprouts – 32.23
  • Spring onion – 27.35
  • Kohlrabi – 25.92
  • Cauliflower – 25.13
  • Cabbage – 24.51
  • Carrot – 22.60
  • Tomato – 20.37
  • Lemon – 18.72
  • Iceberg lettuce – 18.28
  • Strawberry – 17.59
  • Radish – 16.91
  • Winter squash (all varieties) – 13.89
  • Orange – 12.91
  • Lime – 12.23
  • Grapefruit (pink and red) – 11.64
  • Swede – 11.58
  • Turnip – 11.43
  • Blackberries – 11.39
  • Leeks – 10.69
  • Sweet potato – 10.51
  • Grapefruit (white) – 10.47.

With that said, the best approach for a healthy diet is eating a balance of healthy foods. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables of all different kinds is liked to better heart health, the British Heart Foundation has said.

Share Button

Exclusive: Reform’s Makerfield Candidate Praises Last Labour Government In Unearthed Comments

Posted on by
Reply

Reform UK’s Makerfield candidate previously praised the last Labour government in unearthed comments seen by HuffPost UK.

Robert Kenyon is standing against Labour candidate and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in the crunch Makerfield by-election.

Kenyon was once pretty positive about Labour’s changes in office – which former minister Burnham had been a part of.

He claimed “god knows where I would have ended up” without the government’s apprenticeship initiatives.

In posts dating back to 2013 on a since-deleted forum for rugby fans, he wrote: “If it weren’t for the last Labour Government god knows where I would have ended up, without their Asset Training Scheme I wouldn’t have been able to complete my apprenticeship which was funded by the Government at the cost of £50 a week payed [sic] to me which they invested well and now I don’t need to rely on them.

“Like I said, the benefits system needs overhauling massively to rid the idle from the taxpayers hard earned but first the opportunity to get into work and training must be implemented but somehow I can’t see the Tories doing that.”

A Reform UK spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “Rob represents the tens of thousands of formerly loyal Labour voters in Makerfield that the party has since abandoned. Labour has completely betrayed its traditional working-class northern base who are now backing Reform UK in their droves.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “It’s good to hear that Robert Kenyon is proud of the work of the last Labour government. So are we.

“From lifting hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty, to introducing the minimum wage, Labour is building on that proud legacy today.

“While Reform focus on spreading toxic division and Robert Kenyon is mired in scandal, Labour’s Andy Burnham is focused on delivering on local people’s priorities and bringing communities together.”

Kenyon has attracted plenty of scrutiny after his internet presence has been unearthed in the days since he was announced as Reform’s Makerfield candidate.

He said women can’t “ref, drive or give directions” on an online rugby fan forum in the 2010s, and claimed women presenting rugby games on TV “aren’t up to the job and only there to tick a box”, adding: “I’m sexist, sorry but I am.”

He also claimed women get abortions for “vanity purposes” so they can “shag anyone they want” and described gay people as “poofs” who “mince about” on TV.

The Wigan councillor also once cast doubt on the Covid vaccine on his now-deleted X account, saying: “It’s not making people sicker, I’ve no booster and had covid last week asymptomatic.”

He suggested he did not vote for Brexit too, writing on social media in 2019: “So anyone who thinks I love Trump, voted Brexit, read the Daily Mail, live in the 1950s, a Tory and 103 is wrong. I’m none of the above.”

In another forum post from 2014, he said: “Russia are well within their rights to do what they have done as we did with the Falklands.”

Anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate also revealed that in 2021 Kenyon interacted with a social media message sent to the Countdown host, which read: “Happy birthday Carol, my God I would love to smell and lick your arsehole.”

Kenyon replied, “he’s only saying what we’re all thinking,” along with a thumbs up and a laughing emoji.

In response to the backlash about Vorderman, Kenyon told Manchester Evening News: “I’m not a polished politician.

“I am rough around the edges. I have made mistakes in my life. I’m not perfect. Nobody is. Not a single person in the world is perfect.

“I think everybody does say things that eventually they regret.”

Touching on the Vorderman backlash, Kenyon said: “It was a crude attempt at a joke to probably about 50 followers.

“No offence was meant, and it’s not something I’d do now.”

Share Button