Issue 1190
Rhifyn 1190
Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972
13 March 2023
gair rhydd
13 Mawrth 2023
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Inside: If You Don’t Snooze, You Will Lose: The Importance of Sleep (Page 19)
Francesca Ionescu Politics Editor
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ournalist and ghost-writer Isabel Oakeshott has leaked over 100,00 WhatsApp messages made available to her during her work on Matt Hancock’s book ‘Pandemic Diaries’. Oakeshott broke her non-disclosure agreement (which was using the messages solely as confidential background information for the book), defending the breach by saying it was ‘in the overwhelming public interest’. The journalist’s heavy criticism of lockdown measure implementation has been condemned by Hancock’s spokesperson. While a UK public inquiry has been opened on the government’s handling of the pandemic, she was wary of how long the conclusion could take. She has passed the trove to The Telegraph but has not yet confirmed how much she got paid for it, saying anyone believing she did this for the payment ‘must be utterly insane’. The messages have caused controversy regarding officials’ attitude to the COVID-19 lockdowns and the people affected by it, such as those kept in ‘shoe box’ rooms in hotels. Simon Case, currently Cabinet Secretary, asked Hancock the day after England introduced mandatory quarantine from 33 countries ‘how many people we locked up in hotels yesterday’. Upon being told that ‘149 chose to enter the country and are now in quarantine hotels due to their own free will’, Case replied with a short ‘hilarious’. The Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has reacted to the ministers’ texts regarding pandemic law enforcement, where Hancock referred to the officers as ‘the plod’. Cooper has called out the minister’s ‘arrogance and shameful lack of respect’. The ministers received criticism from Cooper and the public alike, as last year it was revealed
that they were attending ‘lockdown parties’ that were breaking the law. Further messages reveal that Hancock was advised in April 2020 to test all residents going into care homes. However, the mandate passed only required testing for those leaving hospital. The messages claim that care-home testing would “muddy the waters”. Despite this, a spokesperson has claimed the messages to be ‘doctored’. According to the ONS, there were 43,256 deaths between March 2020 and January 2022 in care homes in England alone. Hancock also messaged the Education Secretary at the time, Sir Gavin Williamson: ‘What a bunch of arses the teaching unions are’, to which Williamson replied ‘I know they really do just hate work’. The texts came after A-level exams were delayed by a shorter period of time than the unions asked for. The Education Secretary also asked for help acquiring PPE before schools reopening, then followed up with: ‘some will want to say they can’t [open] so they have an excuse to avoid having to teach’. Messaging to his adviser, Hancock seemed to fear Sadiq Khan’s push for stricter restriction in December 2020, following the same reaction from Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Mayor. Hancock had planned a timeline to “deploy” a new variant of Covid to the media, saying : ‘We frighten the pants of everyone with the new strain’. The conversation took place on December 13, and a new variant that affected primarily south-east England was announced on December 14.
To read Francesca's full article on the imapct of the earthquakes , turn to page 8
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Image:Number 10 (via Flickr)
Matt Hancock's Whatsapp messeges leaked
Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menwyod 2023 ynhelir Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod 2023 ar 8 Mawrth 2023 ac eleni’r thema yw #CofleidioTegwch. Mae’r diwrnod wedi’i ddathlu’n flynyddol dros bedwar ban byd ers 1911 ac yn ddiwrnod sy’n dathlu menywod y gorffennol, presennol a dyfodol gan nodi eu cyflawniadau diwylliannol, gwleidyddol, cym-
deithasol, economaidd a mwy. Mae’r diwrnod hefyd yn gyfle i dynnu sylw at annhegwch sy’n parhau ac i alw am gydraddoldeb llwyr rhwng y rhywiau. Dywed trefnwyr Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod, mai “Cydraddoldeb yw’r nod, a thegwch yw’r ffordd o gyrraedd hynny. Drwy sicrhau tegwch, gallwn gyrraedd cydraddoldeb.” Mae Rhwydwaith Cydraddoldeb Menywod (RhCM) Cymru yn fudiad sy’n cysylltu, ymgyrchu (dros)
Beca Dallis Williams
Gracie Richards
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To read Beca's article on the impact, turn to page 5
To read Gracie's article on the celTo read Jessica's article on the ebrations, turn to page 14 highly-anticipated fight, turn to page 24
Nansi Eccott
Pennaeth Taf-od
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Vegetable shortage National hits supermarkets Science Week News Editor
Contributor
f recently you’ve tried, like me, to compensate for your postnight out McDonalds by trying to make a salad, you’ve likely been disappointed to discover that tomatoes and other vegetables can scarcely be found in UK supermarkets. The UK government has said that there have been limited supplies of vegetables coming to the county from mainland Europe and Africa due to poor weather.
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etween the 10 th and 19 th of March, National Science Week will be celebrated in Britain. After long period of isolation during the Coronavirus Pandemic, it has been decided that the week’s theme this year will be ‘connections’. The week is celebrated annually, with the previous three themes being ‘Growth’, ‘Innovating for the future’ and ‘Our Diverse Planet’.
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a dathlu menywod a’u hawliau. Eu gweledigaeth yw ‘Cymru sy’n rhydd o wahaniaethu… lle mae gan fenywod a dynion awdurdod a chyfle cyfartal i lywio cymdeithas a’u bywydau eu hunain.’ I ddarllen erthygl Nansi am y dathliadau yng Nghymru, trowch i dudalen 10
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Paul v Fury: Serious or Celebrity? Jessica Margetson Contributor
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ommy ‘TNT’ Fury breaks down in tears as he WINS by split decision, despite suffering a knockdown to end the ‘Problem Child’s’ undefeated streak in Saudi Arabia. It’s been a long two-year wait since this rivalry was first announced and with several cancellations and delays. The Paul-Fury fight has been derided by many but drew more interest than a title fight on the same bill.
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