JOANNA LUMLEY
First of all, I got tremendously fat. For the first time in years I ate a big breakfast (yogurt and coffee, and then why not some toast and marmalade, for heaven’s sake, and a nice tangerine).Then came elevenses, and then lunch (just Ryvita and an avocado squished over... and then OH LOOK there’s a chocolate biscuit! and now perhaps some cheese as well, a HUGE slab, with some dates). Drinks: (only one Martini, but actually, as I am doing nothing tomorrow, maybe another?) Wine, of course, at supper: with, if possible, a three-course meal, and as I am vegetarian twice as much of everything or I may FADEAWAY.The phone suddenly rang and I had been booked... for real work.The thrill! But all my clothes had been shrunk by the fools who hide in the wardrobe. Outside in the silent world was spring, and trees and flowers and blue sky and not a soul to see me waddling to work. Just for once to wake up and think, “What shall I do today?” was a revelation and a luxury.
A UNION representing civil servants has launched legal action challenging Boris Johnson’s support for Home Secretary Priti Patel over bullying claims.
The FDA has started a judicial review after the Prime Minister disregarded the findings of his adviser on ministerial standards last year. He refused to sack Ms Patel.
Sir Alex Allan left his role in Downing Street after Mr Johnson contradicted him. The PM said Ms Patel did not breach the rules despite being found to have bullied staff.
Sir Alex found Ms Patel’s conduct “amounted to behaviour that can be described as bullying”, including incidents of “shouting and swearing” at staff. He said the Cabinet minister had breached the code, even if it was done “unintentionally”.
Announcing the judicial review process to overturn the ruling, union general secretary Dave Penman said: “In November the Prime Minister made the extraordinary decision that the Home Secretary did not breach the ministerial code.”
That was “despite clear evidence that she bullied civil servants”. He added: “As the union that represents many of the staff who work day to day with ministers, we cannot simply let this issue rest. Civil servants should expect to work with ministers without fear of being bullied or harassed.” Mr Penman said there was “bewilderment, dismay and anger among our membership”.
Following the publication of Sir Alex’s report, Ms Patel issued an “unreserved, fulsome apology” and said there were “no excuses” for what happened.
Mr Johnson later wrote to ministers and heads of Government departments reminding them that there is “no place for bullying”.
Home Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutnam resigned in February last year, saying he had been the target of a “vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign”. He is claiming constructive dismissal.
DENISEVan Outen has revealed her broken shoulder has yet to heal following her Dancing On Ice exit.
The ITV show is taking a break this weekend after contestants suffered injuries or contracted coronavirus.
Denise, 46, withdrew mid-January after breaking and partially dislocating her shoulder in training. She told BBC’s Morning Live it was “quite a bad fall”, adding: “I’m a bit concerned now that I am getting frozen shoulder because I’ve got very limited movement.
“I feel like I have taken a little bit of a step back.
“I’ve got another scan on
Tuesday. But it’s a weird thing when it’s your shoulder because you can’t really put a cast on it. You can’t keep it in a sling so you’ve just got to try to keep it moving. I keep forgetting I still have fractured bones.”
Reality TV star Billie Shepherd, 31, left early after injuring herself in a fall.And Jason Donovan, 52, injuring his back but should return next week. Judge Jayne Torvill, 63, said: “We have this saying – if you’re not falling, you’re not trying. But we don’t want people to push themselves too far.” Emmerdale’s Joe-Warren Plant, 18, pro partner Vanessa Bauer, 24, and comedian Rufus Hound, 41, all had to pull out with Covid.