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Local LibDems reject Government claim that 85% support Brexit

Government responds to Parliamentary petition demanding they hold referendum on the final Brexit deal.

In their statement they Government claim: “In the 2017 General Election more than 85% of people voted for parties committed to respecting that result,” and use this claim to reject the possibility of a democratic referendum on the facts of their proposals after the negotiations are complete.

Local LibDems claim this comes as a surprise to the people of Brighton and Hove over 68% of whom voted Remain in the referendum.

The Government statement goes on to say that Parliament will have a meaningful vote on the result of the negotiations but with the only choice being “to either accept the final agreement or leave the EU with no agreement.”

Local LibDems say we have a minority Government that cannot agree within its own cabinet on how the future should look. But, they refuse to allow the electorate to pass judgement on their efforts to negotiate with the EU. Even Parliament will only be offered a ‘take it or leave it’ choice between accepting the result or plunging out of the EU with no deal.

Carrie Hynds
Carrie Hynds

Carrie Hynds, LibDem Candidate for Hove at the 2017 election, said: “I challenge Peter Kyle, MP for Hove to join us in rejecting this arrogance from the Government. Mr Kyle will know that many thousands of LibDem and Green voters lent him their vote to campaign against Brexit. Indeed he specifically sought tactical votes using campaign literature that quoted LibDem and Green Party members urging their fellow party supporters to lend Peter their vote.”

“He must honour his covenant with those tactical voters and support, alongside his colleague Sadiq Khan – the Mayor of London, the LibDem call for a Referendum of the People on the final deal with an option to remain in the EU.”

Peter Kyle MP
Peter Kyle MP

Peter Kyle MP, responded saying: “This is a bonkers statement even by Lib Deb standards. I’ve been ‘rejecting the arrogance of this government’ since the day I became an MP, not only for Brexit but on issues local Lib Dem’s are mute, like crime, national security, and domestic violence. 

“The Lib Dem’s need to keep up. I’ve been publicly saying that we need to keep all options open on Brexit, including a referendum, since June last year. I acted in the interests of my whole community, not just those who voted tactically for me, when I voted against Article 50 being triggered in March. I noticed then that almost half of Lib Dem MPs failed to join me in the ‘no’ voting lobby, so will take no lectures on my own leadership on this issue. 
“When it comes to protecting the community that elected me from a bad Brexit, and fighting for a better way forward for our country, I’m working openheartedly with people from all parties. A little more humility, and a lot less piety, from people who issue foolish statements like this would go a long way to helping our community reconcile after the referendum and stand up to the dangerous policies of a government hellbent on ripping all that is great from our economy through its Brexit shambles.”

How’s Your Mental Health?

Whenever I think about that night. The strongest memory isn’t the shame or the sadness I felt. It isn’t fear of what would have happened had things gone to plan.

It’s the outfit. The spot-on replica outfit of Olivia Newton-John in her Physical video – circa 1981 – and I can’t help but grin before being over taken by the grim reality of what so very nearly happened.

Let’s backtrack a bit. I’m Davey. I’m a 34-year-old gay man who suffers from severe anxiety and depression. It’s recently been suggested that I have Borderline Personality Disorder, otherwise known as Emotional Intensity Disorder. And for the best part of the year I’ve been banging on about mental health to anyone who will listen. Last year, dressed as Olivia Newton-John I finally convinced myself that my suicide was the best thing for everyone. I left the party, one I had actually allowed myself to enjoy, strangely calm. I marched through the streets of Brighton in pink leggings and leotard with more confidence than I had in months. There were practical elements to consider, my outfit being one of them, and I solved each problem that presented itself with precision and efficiency that had ever presented itself in my regular life.

Davey Shields
Davey Shields

I arrived home. This was it. But one thing I didn’t prepare for was to find my housemate, making gravy for chips he made me. He was meant to be elsewhere but he had realised he had forgotten his wallet, so came home. And like that, it was over. My suicide plans went out the window. The next day I finally reached out to my GP and friends and finally started getting real help. It took 33 years to get that point. And yet I was diagnosed with depression years ago with no guidance.

There is a lot more to my story, and if you’ve met me or heard my podcast you’ll be sick of hearing about it, so lets shift gears a bit. Why am I regaling you with such a story? It’s because, that’s what I do. I talk and talk, about myself, about mental heath.

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. I know, I know it’s also National Handbag Day. Don’t want to take away from that, but it will be one year since I was inspired to fully come out about my mental health and set up MenTalkHealth in Brighton thanks to statements that flooded my social media feed that day.

Set up with my amazing MenTalk family, Damian Friel and Eli Beaton, we have been embraced by the community.

We started as a podcast. The most millennial of all art forms. Just a couple of inebriated friends talking openly and honestly about mental health and laughing all the way.

We had no idea that so many people would find it as entertaining as they did. That we would have episode after episode released to a growing number of listeners. Nor did we imagine that thanks to Brighton’s LGBTQ+ communities we would be marching in Brighton Pride 2017, talking at The National Theatre, and raising funds to become an official charity. We’ve been given an opportunity to be a voice ourselves and give a voice to everyone who has ever recognised that mental health is something we all have.

This article is, in a way, a thank you to you. Only here could something as dark as what nearly happened to me be used for good. The biggest thing I’ve learnt, the one thing that even though I knew; I was completely unprepared for it. Is that this isn’t just happening to me. Or Damian. Or the guests on our show.

The last year has led to me talking with so many of you. Learning your stories and experiences. Over a pint at Bar Broadway, in the street on the way to the bank, at the gym or at Piano Bingo on Sunday at the Bedford Tavern. So many of you have your own stories and I am touched that so many of you want to share with me. Which, finally, gets me to my point.

Talking. Talking about myself is the only thing I’m good at and now I’m making it my job. I’ve talked about my mental health so much now that I bore myself. And that’s brilliant! Imagine not hiding how you feel? Imagine telling someone how you feel before it gets too much. Imagine if talking about how we feel was *whisper* normal. I know that’s what many of you want you’ve told me so. Now tell others. Those you trust, those you care about. Make it be part of your chat. A simple “How are you?”.

I’m not saying talking will fix everything, but it certainly won’t make things worse.

And maybe it isn’t as easy as all that, but maybe just see what happens on October 10.  When you’re on Facebook or Twitter and you see those annoying posts of people proclaiming the virture of World Mental Health Day or you see someone embarrassingly over share their own mental health status, maybe embrace it?

Maybe message that friend and ask how they are? They’ve started the conversation, they have put it out there and it’s up to you to continue it. And maybe, just maybe it’ll help you. them, or someone you don’t even know. Olivia Newton-John started talking and that why she’s still here.

Episode 7 is available NOW at all SoundCloud, iTunes and all good podcast apps. Head to our website for links.

MenTalkHealth can be downloaded on Soundcloud, iTunes and all good podcasts apps or at www.MenTalkHealth.uk

Follow us on twitter @MenTalkHealthUK

Join us at our MenTalkHealth’s Musical Therapy fundraiser at Bar Broadway on Sunday, October 22.

For information about MindOut, the LGBT Mental Health Service, view: www.mindout.org.uk

If you need to speak to someone urgently, telephone Samaritans on 116 123 (calls are free)

PRODUCT REVIEW: ‘ONE’: Condoms and Personal Lubricant

‘ONE’

Condoms & Personal Lubricant

Product Review

These fun circular new condoms, called ‘One’ are easy to use, can  be opened with ease and there’s a selection of different options, ultra-thin, sensitive, larger etc,  then some slightly daft glow in the dark ones, and lively flavours and various forms of ribbing which may be of more interest to our Hetro friends. The glow-in-the-dark ones were a laugh, radioactive StarWars pork sword fighting…..

Bf and I gave most of them a good hard test run over the week and they performed to our exacting standards.  I gave the carton called ‘Mixed Pleasures’ of ribbed and flavoured ones to a lady friend and her feedback was that they were cool, fun and neat, although she (like us) prefers the fresh taste of cock to that of a bubble-gum dick, she said the favours worked fine.  It’s all about the options with ‘Ones’.

There’s two good lube options, a water based and a hybrid silicon/water one, both concentrated and in neat little dispensers. They worked well under a range of our hot and sweaty test conditions, lasted the duration and refreshed easily although opening the damn bottle proved a little difficult until we snapped the lid off.

It’s  all styled very well:  coloured metallic glossy aluminium carrying tubs and cool compact lube boxes, highly styled for everyday usage, but some folk want their bang supplies to be bang on trend. The lube is just the right size for a weekend away or holiday (100ml), unless you’re heading to Folsom in which case keep with the shipping containers of grease.  ONE condom wrappers are as diverse as the people using them. Using art and creativity, they say they aim to minimize awkwardness and spark conversations around safer sex.

They certainly look good in your erotic parlour or just next to the bed, are well packaged for travelling and the main container packaging works as storage that you can refill.

Check out their Tom of Finland condoms, very cool!

This is a fun brand, with the emphasis on ‘fun’, and all the condoms have colourful logo’s and pictures on them, but at the end of the day a dick is a dick and no matter where you stuff it & if you’re gonna wrap it in rubber then it’s worth checking out these new(ish) kids on the block.  The website gives you endless choice and they are produced by the world’s leading condom manufacturer, so no need to worry about quality.

They also happen to be a local firm, based in Shoreham and already produce lot of condoms and lube that you’ve been using for years.  ONE condoms also work to provide free information for those who need it most through outreach programs financed by proceeds from each sale and you can apply into their fund if you have an event you think would benefit from stylish and fun sexual health materials.

You can even submit your own condom wrapper design if you like, and join the illustrious list of people who have contributed to the lively branding.

For more info or to buy some ‘Ones’ see their website here or you can pop down to your local Superdrug and buy them over the counter, easy.

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