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These Arty Postcards Reveal People’s Lockdown Secrets

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If you haven’t worn a bra in months or you enjoy really long baths to escape from your family, you’re in good company.

People have been anonymously sharing their lockdown secrets on postcards as part of an arts project launched by Eleanor Tattersfield, the founder of Marby and Elm print workshop and stationery store in London’s Exmouth Market.

The concept is simple: order a free postcard online and Tattersfield will send you a stamped and addressed postcard “for you to unburden yourself of your lockdown secret”.

She’s sent out 500 postcards to date, and has received 275 replies, ranging from the oh-so-relatable to the fantastically eyebrow-raising.

“I hide bars of chocolate in an old Oxo tin,” one postcard reads. “I am having passionate secret sex with another man’s wife and I love it,” another adds.

Tattersfield shares the postcards on Instagram and says the most prominent themes are food, sex, masturbation, loneliness, breaking the rules, love and the love of lockdown.

“I cannot express the joy and excitement I feel opening my shop in the morning and seeing the pile of previously undisclosed secrets on the doormat,” she says. “To think I get to be the first to read these little pieces of someone’s soul is an immeasurable privilege.

“Their wit, sincerity, creativity and diversity are completely compelling.”

Tattersfield came up with the idea after listening to The Apology Line podcast, which tells the story of an answer machine confession line from the 1980s, where people left weird and bizarre messages.

Her shop has been closed in lockdown and the project enabled her to connect with customers, new and old. The collection presents “a portrait of our extraordinary times”, and she hopes to turn the postcards into a book.

“Many people have said they felt a sense of relief writing out their secret and sending it off, out in the ether,” she says.

“Ultimately, this project shows that age old adage that we’re not alone in our secrets/fears/dilemmas/loneliness and seeing and hearing others are going through the same binds us, and helps us through this period of uncertainty.”

Check out some of the postcards below or follow Marby and Elm on Instagram to see more of the project.

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No Evidence AstraZeneca Vaccine Causes Blood Clots, Says UK Regulator

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There is no proven link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clotting, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said.

Following a “rigorous scientific review” of all the available data, the regulator said the available evidence does not suggest that blood clots in veins are caused by the jab and it has urged people to take it when invited to do so.

It follows a detailed review of cases as well as data from hospital admissions and GP records. Experts from the government’s independent advisory group, the Commission on Human Medicines, also reviewed the data.

It comes after more than a dozen countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain suspended its use.

Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive, said: “Our thorough and careful review, alongside the critical assessment of leading, independent scientists, shows that there is no evidence that that blood clots in veins is occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine.”

The regulator said it has received five reports of a rare blood clot after five men aged between 19 and 59 received the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

The clot – cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) – prevents blood from draining out of the brain.

One of these cases was fatal, experts from the regulator told a press briefing.

“We have received a very small number of reports of an extremely rare form of blood clot in the cerebral veins (sinus vein thrombosis, or CSVT) occurring together with lowered platelets soon after vaccination,” said Dr Raine. “This type of blood clot can occur naturally in people who have not been vaccinated, as well as in those suffering from Covid-19.”

A further, detailed review into the five cases is ongoing. This has been reported in less than 1 in a million people vaccinated so far in the UK, and can also occur naturally – a causal association with the vaccine has not been established.

Phil Bryan, MHRA vaccine safety lead, said: “We take every single report of a suspected side effect seriously.

“We have received five reports of what is a very unique, specific form of blood clot … and this is similar to some of the cases that have been reported in Europe in the past week or so.

“What we don’t know is whether these cases have been caused by the vaccine.

“We are working closely with our experts and haematologists to try to gather more information to determine this.”

He added that these clots do happen very rarely naturally.

Bryan added: “Where we are now is that no proven causal association with what is still an extremely rare medical event has been proven for the AZ vaccine.

“But we do know that these are highly effective vaccines. We still have a huge burden of Covid disease in the population.

“So, right now, the balance of benefits and known risks of the vaccine are favourable.”

Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, chair of the Commission on Human Medicines, said: “Having reviewed all the data that was available to us, as well as reports, what we concluded was that there was no increased risk of peripheral venous thromboembolism based on all the data that’s available to us at the moment.

“We will still recommend that the vaccine is taken when you’re offered the vaccine.”

The World Health Organisation has also stated that the benefits of the vaccine “far outweigh the risks”. 

Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said it was “routine to signal adverse events” but reiterated that people should “have confidence” in the protection given by vaccines.

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Government Defeated Again Over Cladding Scandal In Lords Vote

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The government has been defeated again over the cladding scandal as peers backed a fresh bid to ensure flat owners do not have to pay for fire safety work.

The House of Lords passed an amendment to the fire safety bill proposed by the Lord Bishop of St Albans, Alan Smith, by 326 votes to 248, to ensure leaseholders do not have to pay for the removal of unsafe cladding from homes.

It sets up a fresh headache for Boris Johnson in the Commons, where Tory MPs are threatening to rebel over what they see as unfair costs being passed to homeowners to fix historic fire safety defects identified after the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Thousands of people living in flats cased in combustible cladding face huge bills after the Grenfell fire revealed major flaws in medium- and high-rise buildings’ fire-safety.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick last month attempted to defuse the row by promising £3.5bn of cash to help homeowners.

But he was accused of “betrayal” of leaseholders as it was revealed the plans would force some leaseholders into taking out loans.

The money will only pay for the removal of cladding in buildings over 18 metres high. 

People living in buildings below that height will have to take out loans, wiping thousands of pounds off the value of their homes.

Leading Tory rebel MP Stephen McPartland said the government defeat was “brilliant news”.

He told HuffPost UK: “The amendment protects leaseholders from paying for historic fire safety costs and retains the status quo in the Fire Safety Reform Order 2005.

“Leaseholders, action groups and supporters of the amendment do not want the taxpayer to pay – we want those responsible to pay, and only the government has the power to provide the funds up front and then levy those responsible to pay them back.

“The focus is now on to persuade the government to work with us and leaseholders to find a compromise that protects leaseholders from paying for historic fire safety costs.”

Smith told the Lords that ministers had not addressed the “severe adverse financial consequences that this bill will create for leaseholders”, and that ministers were “morally wrong in their treatment of leaseholders in this crisis”.

He said freeholders would be able to force leaseholders to reimburse “staggering” costs for fire safety work that need to be carried out through no fault of their own. 

The bishop told the Lords: “Far from the government’s estimated remedial costs of around £9,000 per leaseholder depending on the terms of the lease and the work involved, a leaseholder could very easily be handed a bill of £50,000 payable within weeks.”

Citing a survey by Inside Housing, he said many of those affected are already seeking bankruptcy options.

“How can this be fair? How can this be just?” he said.

“It’s not the leaseholders who sold defective cladding.

“It was not leaseholders who fitted defective cladding.

“Leaseholders are the innocent party – they purchased their properties in good faith, believing them to be safe.

“And if this bill passes unamended, it is they who will pay.

“Not the cladding providers, not the developers, but hardworking ordinary people, forced to pay for defects that were deemed safe when they purchased their apartments.”

He added: “By not including sufficient provision to protect leaseholders, a conscious decision would be made to impose poverty, possibly bankruptcy, and certainly misery on thousands of ordinary people – people whose only crime was being aspirational.

“Those responsible should be the ones who pay.”

Labour housing spokesperson Lord Kennedy of Southwark, who backed the amendment, said: “The leaseholders are victims and have done nothing wrong.

“They deserve to be treated much better than they have been by the government.

“They have done everything right, they have bought their property and are paying their mortgage and are being penalised for the failure of others.

“Surely that cannot be right.

“The fact that their building has been covered in dangerous cladding has made their flats worthless – they cannot sell them but they are still expected to pay their mortgage and other charges.”

The bill will now return to the Commons for further consideration in another round of parliamentary ping-pong.

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Patsy Palmer Takes On Her Critics With Sweary Statement After Shutting Down Good Morning Britain Interview

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ITV

Patsy Palmer cut short an interview on Wednesday’s GMB

Revealing she was appearing to discuss her company, Good and Proper Hair, Patsy wrote under a previous Insta post: “My apologies to anyone that wants to hear good news as I have great faith that considering what is going on in the world right now there are still some people that do.

“I keep seeing people saying ‘get over yourself’, I have gotten over my old self years ago and no longer wish to discuss it when I only have 5 minutes air time

“I have been a people pleaser my whole life. I am not going to waste those precious 5 minutes talking about things that are 20 years old or about Meghan and Harry.

“If I do post things on social media in reaction to a TV show or an article I’ve read about something that’s my platform.

“I have always been very open and honest at certain times in my life as many people are forced to be in the public eye…

“I was supposed to be on there to talk about a new business that I created that couldn’t be more opposite to that headline.”

ITV

Patsy took offence to the strap line that appeared on screen

The former Bianca Jackson actor then hit out at “trolls and haters” who had criticised her actions.

“Go fuck yourselves,” she wrote. “I’ve worked hard on myself to remove negativity from my life and the lives of my children so if anyone has a problem with that you need to go and take a look at your lives and wonder what drives you to jump on here to attack me for standing my ground.

“If you are parents doing that then shame on you. I hope you find some joy amidst all the madness.”

Patsy had been speaking on GMB from her home in Malibu via video link, with Susanna asking about her life out in the US as her opening question.  

After noticing the offending strap line, she said: “You know what, actually, I don’t even want to do this interview because I don’t even want to look at what it says at the bottom of the screen,” she said. 

“So I’m going to switch off, do a real Piers Morgan, and just say that it’s not okay to have ‘addict to wellness guru’ at the bottom of the screen.

“My issues I had years ago, that were talked about by me many, many years ago and it’s over so I’m not going to talk about it.

“I don’t really want to talk to you,” she said, as she pulled down the lid of her laptop. 

Susanna and Ben tried to apologise, before throwing to a weather forecast. 

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV. 

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RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Final: Who Should Win The Series 2 Crown?

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For many of us around the country, the weekend officially started at 7pm on Thursday nights these last nine weeks, as that’s when we’ve been treated to new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Series two of the hit reality show arrived a little bit later than many of us would have liked, but it more than made up for it with a season jam-packed with surprises, stunts and total serves.

This series has gifted us some incredible moments, from the early exits of initial favourites Joe Black and Asttina Mandella, Ginny Lemon’s walk-off and Rats: The Rusical, to the debut of UK Hun and a glorious Snatch Game.

Now, just four queens remain in the running, and the question remains…who is going to take home the season two crown?

Here we weigh up the four finalists’ chances of following in series one champion The Vivienne’s footsteps…

Bimini Bon Boulash 

Ray BurmistonBBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston

Release the beast! It’s definitely not an understatement to say that as the Drag Race UK finale approaches, Bimini Bon Boulash is the favourite for the crown by some way.

Since the queens returned from their enforced seven-month break due to the pandemic, Bimini has been picking up challenge wins left, right and centre. She’s now ahead of all of her competitors with four Ru-Peter Badges to her name, including wins for her United Kingdolls verse and her scene-stealing Snatch Game performance, which even got the seal of approval from Katie Price herself.

Not only is she ahead in wins, Bimini is trouncing the rest of the queens when it comes to fan support on social media, and has won praise for candid conversations around gender and her own non-binary identity.

The only real criticism we could have for Bimini is that it did take her a little while to find her footing in the competition (if she does win, she’ll be the only non-All Stars winner to be crowned after lip syncing in week one), but there’s no denying she’s definitely come into her own since those early weeks. The incredible performer and self-professed “cis-tem offender” would unquestionably be a great representative of UK drag on the world stage.

High-point: Returning after a seven-month break with her immediately-iconic UK Hun verse

Low moment: Winding up in the bottom two in the first week of the competition 

Serve of the season: 

Tayce

Ray BurmistonBBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston

On paper, Tayce might not be as far ahead as some of her competitors, with four challenge losses over the course of the competition. That being said, she’s kept her composure and come back fighting every single time… and let’s be honest, of those four lip syncs, how many times did she actually deserve to be in the bottom?

Exactly.

Since Drag Race launched over a decade ago, RuPaul has stuck with his “charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent” mantra as a way of determining who the next drag superstar will be, and those are four boxes Tayce definitely ticks.

Charisma? Her quick wit and unique way with words in the confessionals regularly has us howling, and she’s probably responsible for more quotes and memes than most of her competitors.

Uniqueness? Absolutely, who else in the competition is serving the levels of glamour and quirky sense of humour like Tayce?

Nerve? Did we mention those four lip syncs, and the fact she barely batted her perfect eyelashes despite her place in the competition being on the line every single time?

And as for talent, that’s something she’s showcased throughout her time in the workroom. Her efforts might not always have translated into individual challenge wins, but Tayce is a queen we won’t forget in a hurry.

High-point: Every time she walked the runway, to be honest.

Low moment: Making an outfit out of scouring pads, despite being advised not to by RuPaul.

Serve of the season:   

Lawrence Chaney

Ray BurmistonBBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston

Lawrence Chaney was a frontrunner from the time she first stepped foot in the workroom and declared she was “like the Loch Ness monster… a legend”.

From the word go, Lawrence was clearly a favourite of RuPaul’s, picking up three successive wins, including for her performances in the daytime TV and design challenges. Her sense of humour also set her apart with viewers, but she was no one-trick pony, as her looks were also almost always on point.

If you’d asked anyone – including the remaining queens – in the early stages of the competition, they’d have probably said Lawrence had it in the bag. It’s been something of a different story in the post-lockdown half of the series, with Lawrence struggling more than we’d seen before, even winding up in the bottom when her Miriam Margolyes impression failed to impress the judges in the Snatch Game.

It has to be said, though, that even when Lawrence is slightly off her game or gets in her head – as she did in the lead-up to both the Ruruvision Song Contest and BeastEnders challenges – she’s always managed to deliver when it counts.

Since Drag Race has become a global phenomenon, RuPaul has frequently described the show as being about the “tenacity of the human spirit”, and tenacity is one thing Lawrence has in abundance, as evidenced when she’s discussed her struggles with bullying or how she’s personally been hit hard by the pandemic.

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve seen her winning a Ru-Peter badge, but she does have three of them to her name, so no one should be writing her off just yet.

High-point: Winning three challenges in a row

Low moment: The Snatch Game routine that landed her in the bottom two

Serve of the season:

Ellie Diamond 

Ray BurmistonBBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston

Ellie Diamond

No challenge wins and coming into the final straight off the back of her first lip sync might put Ellie Diamond as something of an underdog in this last stage of the competition. But what is Drag Race, if not a celebration of underdogs?

Ellie entered the competition as a queen primarily known for her incredible make-up abilities, but don’t count out her other talents, too. Her Snatch Game performance impersonation of Vicky Pollard earned the praise of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, and she kept up with renowned dancer Tayce not just in their semi-final lip sync but also Rats: The Rusical.

And even though past Drag Race queens who specialise in makeup have perhaps taken the look side of the contest a little too seriously, Ellie has never been afraid to lean into the silly side of things, whether she’s channelling Dennis The Menace for her hometown look or walking the runway dressed as a giant bikini-clad seagull.

Admittedly, of the four contestants still in the running, Ellie would be the one we’d be most shocked to see take home the crown, but there’s a reason the 21-year-old has lasted as long as she has in the race.

High-point: Serving physical comedy with “Mickaaaay” in BeastEnders

Low moment: Dirty Diamond in her stand-up comedy challenge

Serve of the season: 

The final of RuPaul’s Drag Race series 2 will be available to stream on BBC Three from 7pm on Thursday.

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Elliot Page Opens Up About Coming Out As Transgender As He Covers Time Magazine

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More than three months after his coming out captured global attention, Elliot Page has opened up further about his journey to embracing his authentic self. 

The Oscar-nominated star of Juno and Umbrella Academy sat down with Time magazine for an emotional interview and photo essay unveiled this week, making him the magazine’s first transgender male cover star.

In the interview, Elliot said that while reactions to his announcement have been widely mixed, “letting myself fully become who I am” has been worth the scrutiny he has had to endure. 

“What I was anticipating was a lot of support and love and a massive amount of hatred and transphobia,” Elliot explained. “That’s essentially what happened.”

Still, at a time when hate crimes against transgender people and transphobic rhetoric are on the rise, the 34-year-old felt a deep responsibility to serve as a visible advocate for that community. 

“My privilege has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today, and of course I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can,” he added.

“Extremely influential people are spreading these myths and damaging rhetoric — every day you’re seeing our existence debated. Transgender people are so very real.”

Rich Polk via Getty Images for IMDbRich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb

Elliot Page

Elsewhere in the interview, Elliot touched on his recent divorce from his ex-wife Emma Portner ― the couple actually separated last summer but only formalised the split in January ― as well as how his mother, the daughter of a minister, reacted to her son’s gender identity. 

He also said his time spent in isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic had affected his decision to come out. 

“I had a lot of time on my own to really focus on things that I think, in so many ways, unconsciously, I was avoiding,” he said, naming Janet Mock and Laverne Cox as two of his personal inspirations. 

One thing Elliot said he needn’t have been concerned about was the impact that living his truth would have on his career.

The actor’s team has seen a renewal of interest in his work, including offers to direct and produce, as well as some “dude roles,” presumably referring to opportunities to play cisgender men. 

“I’m really excited to act, now that I’m fully who I am, in this body,” he said. “No matter the challenges and difficult moments of this, nothing amounts to getting to feel how I feel now.”

This article originally appeared on the US edition of HuffPost.

Useful websites and helplines:

  • The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
  • Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
  • LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
  • Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
  • Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK
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Struggling With Fitness Motivation At Home? Try Tackling Household Chores

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Making time to work out while remaining on top of all-important household jobs can be difficult, but have you ever thought about combining the two?

Johnny, from Lytham St Annes, is one of the many Brits who wants to get fitter but lacks the motivation to hit the gym.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to work out without leaving the house. You don’t necessarily need a YouTube tutorial or instructor-led Zoom class either, as many household chores involve getting your body moving and muscles working.

In the video above, Meerkat Mindset expert Russell Kane sets Johnny a challenge that will get his pulse rate up and make sure key jobs are completed.

“I’m going to get you motivated, pumped and you’re going to get chores done,” Russell explains. “Everything going to be sparkling – even your six pack. Let’s get this gym dodger into gear.”

Johnny has just one hour to clean the car, rid the hot tub of dirty water, rake the garden leaves, mop the kitchen and move a stack of boxes from the house to the garage.

The average gym membership costs £500 a year, so completing the physically demanding chores will save Johnny money as well as time, giving him more cash and precious hours to spend doing the stuff he loves.

How does he get on with the chores? And does completing them feel like a proper workout? Watch the video above to find out.

Meerkat Your Bills, Meerkat Your Life with Compare the Market’s online comparison tools

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No.10 Awkwardly Dodges Questions About Whether Boris Johnson Wanted To ‘Ignore’ Covid

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Prime minister Boris Johnson

Downing Street has awkwardly dodged a string of questions about claims that Boris Johnson said ignoring Covid would be “the best thing” early in the pandemic.

The prime minister’s spokesperson ignored every opportunity to contradict the claims made in a bombshell BBC report, which also says cabinet ministers felt the PM should have installed a tougher lockdown last autumn to save more lives.

The documentary further claimed Johnson’s aides explicitly advised him to tell the public to stop shaking hands – despite which he boasted about shaking hands with hospital staff during an early press conference.

The PM’s spokesperson was asked four times on Tuesday about the central claim that Johnson was overheard saying at the start of the pandemic that “the best thing would be to ignore it”.

The BBC says he repeatedly warned that an overreaction could do more harm than good.

The spokesperson refused to deny the words had been said. “I would point back to what the prime minister said and set out at the time. It has always been our focus to reduce the cases of transmission, to protect the NHS and to ultimately protect lives.

“That’s what we did when we first locked down the country last year and that’s what we have sought to do throughout the pandemic.”

Put to him that he was not denying the allegation, the spokesperson said: “I’m pointing out that throughout the pandemic what we have done is do what we think was the best course of action in terms of protecting lives and in terms of protecting the NHS. That has been our focus throughout the pandemic.”

One source told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg there was a “lack of concern and energy” in No.10 as the virus began to hit the UK. “The general view was it is just hysteria. It was just like a flu.”

The BBC also quoted an unnamed cabinet minister’s frustration with the PM’s unwillingness to tighten restrictions in September as a second wave of infections began to appear.

“We knew there was going to be a second wave and there was a row about whether people should work from home or not – it was totally ridiculous,” they said.

No.10 also tried to dodge questions about a Daily Telegraph report saying the role of the Sage advisory committee of scientists would be “reviewed” after the pandemic, because they hold “too much sway” over ministerial decisions.

“We’ve said previously, there will be a time in the future to look back and analyse and reflect on all aspects of the pandemic,” the spokesperson said.

“But Sage continues and will continue to provide scientific evidence and information to the prime minister, the health secretary, and to the wider government as we move through implementing the roadmap.”

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Yorkshire Police Sergeant Charged With Rape And Sexual Assault

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shank_ali

Stock image of a police car

A West Yorkshire police officer has been charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault.

Ben Lister, a police sergeant based in Bradford, is due to appear at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on March 24.

West Yorkshire Police confirmed he has been suspended from the force.

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Tories Get Polling Boost From Over-55s Who Have Had Covid Jab

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Boris Johnson’s “vaccine bounce” is being driven by the over-55s who have so far been given the Covid jab, according to new polling analysis.

A study of Savanta/ComRes surveys by polling expert Lord Hayward found that the Tories’ opening up of a seven-point lead over Labour almost exactly mirrors the age-related rollout of the vaccination programme.

And crucially, the older generations are more likely to vote in the coming set of “super Thursday” local elections on May 6.

The Conservatives are hoping that the vaccine effect, together with Johnson’s personal popularity in the north and midlands, could combine to protect them from heavy losses in key councils in Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Keir Starmer is pushing the government’s planned 1% pay cap for NHS nurses as a key theme of Labour’s local election campaign.

The UK has one of its largest ever sets of elections in May, with polls postponed last year by the pandemic combining with planned contests to allow the first nationwide verdict on the main parties since the 2019 general election.

As well as county, district and city elections, there will be votes for eight London and metro mayors, and for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

Hayward said that the age differential of those switching support to the Tories was notable, given how the party had been neck and neck with Labour in early December but is now up to seven points behind across several polls.

“It is the older generations who have moved most markedly to the Conservatives. Basically the cohort from [the age of] 54 upwards.

“Now the significant thing is, they are the people who vote in local elections. So not only has that group moved towards the Conservatives, or has the population moved towards the Conservatives, but the people who’ve moved most towards the Conservatives are actually the people who vote generally.”

He went on: “It is quite noticeable. It was first of all the age group from 64 upwards that moved. There’s some sign now that the 55-year-old and upwards are also moving.

“And interestingly enough, they are the people who have received their vaccinations. So there’s clearly an element of ‘vaccine bounce’. I think it goes hand in hand. I don’t think it’s chance.”

More than 90% of pensioners have had their first dose of the Covid vaccine. Everyone aged 55 and over has already been notified they are eligible for vaccination, with some projections suggesting that everyone over 50 could be jabbed by the end of this month. It could take until the end of June to give a first dose to every adult over 18.

Hayward, the pollster who first coined the phrase “shy Tories” to explain John Major’s surprise 1992 victory, said the prime minister could be further assisted by each stage of the exit from lockdown restrictions in the weeks before the May polling day.

But he cautioned that other polling evidence showed concerns about Covid were receding notably since January and it was possible that its salience overall as an electoral issue could diminish in coming weeks as a result.

In a normal year, Labour would be expected to make substantial gains in the local elections, not least as the Tories had impressive seat holds or gains in 2016 and 2017, the baseline for this year’s contests.

Yet in key “red wall” areas that Boris Johnson won at Westminster level in 2019, there are signs that his personal popularity has increased. There are marked regional differences, with the PM’s popularity still very low in London but actually healthy in the north, the new analysis said.

The Tories will be heartened by another poll on Monday, with an IpsosMORI/Evening Standard survey finding a surge in economic optimism. For the first time since 2015, slightly more people think things will improve over the coming year than think they will get worse.

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