Don’t rush and risk all
BORIS Johnson has a lot riding on his much-touted “roadmap” out of the lockdown.
The PM will go on TV tomorrow knowing that the country is sick to the back teeth with the restrictions.
Deaths and infections are falling quickly and we want our normal lives back as soon as possible.
We want our children back at school; we’d love to go on holiday; we want to cuddle loved ones; and we could murder a drink down the pub...
And looking around our friends and colleagues at online meetings, most could really do with a haircut!
Bozo and his Cabinet have not covered themselves in glory during this pandemic – apart from betting big on the vaccines and getting lucky.
There will be a temptation to make sweeping gestures and Johnson is often guilty of playing to the gallery.
He must listen to his best advisers and resist the urge to rush.
The return to school is a case in point. It is claimed that Johnson wants all schools to go back from March 8.
Unions say it would be safer to phase in the return class by class. This is supported, allegedly, by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty.
As much as we’d all love our kids at their desks soon, it makes sense.
Try it out bit by bit, see if it works, then let more children back after that.
Just a couple of weeks will not make much difference in the grand scheme of things.
Why take a gamble with our health right now?
ACTRESS Sunetra Sarker says it took her until she was in her 40s to be proud of her Asian roots.
The ex-Casualty star, 47, was born to Indian parents and felt years of “shame” about her heritage.
She said: “I am a proud Scouser, first and foremost, because that’s where I was born. Liverpool is home.
“Truthfully, if I could have got away with it when I was 15, I would have just said I was English.
“But now, I’m so proud to talk about my past.”
She credits her turn on Who Do You Think You Are? for helping her learn to love her family history.
She added: “The defensiveness, the shame I felt at being of Asian origin just went when I realised how incredible my history was.”
Sunetra will be a keynote speaker at RootsTech Connect family history conference, which starts on Friday. Sign up to watch at rootstech.org.
TOWER of London bosses have spent £350,000 keeping their ravens happy.
The birds are put to bed in their own plush quarters every night.
Food and vet’s bills for the famous birds came in at just under £200,000 for the last five years.
And in 2015 the charity splashed out £157,000 on a cosy new sleeping area.
Vanessa Hodge from Historic Royal Palaces said: “The ravens are one of the prime attractions for visitors and this work was carried out to be better able to interpret the ravens’ history to the general public.
“Whilst the ravens roam the Tower by day, they are put to bed at night and the new night accommodation provides greater space for the ravens whilst visually blending with the historic environment of the Tower.”
Legend has it that “if the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it”.