The race is on to be the first teenager in a cupboard to hack into a House of Commons debate.
Bolso-Nero
Our occasional exploration of the more adventurous political responses to Covid-19 takes another turn south today – to Brazil. Summoning the spirit of the favelas (no pretentious sports journalist worth their salt got through the whole of 2014 World Cup without at least one patronising article on this. Yes, I mean you Henry Winter) President Jair Bolsonaro has condemned the “climate of terror” over the virus – the impact of which he believes is grossly over stated. He has actively campaigned against the lockdowns being put in place by state governors. And he fired his health secretary Dr Henrique Mandetta for promoting the idea of social distancing.
All of which is pretty much par for the course if we compare it to the worlds of Lopez Obrador and Ortega. But where the Beast of Bolso has taken it to a new level is in getting into a row with the nation’s grave diggers. Which is pretty macabre, but you have to feel they bring compelling primary evidence to the debate…
Odd-ford
Whilst on the subject of slightly offkey issues, I have to report a departure from received behaviour in the sunny Kent village of Otford. Whereas in many towns and cities up and down the country, neighbours have been augmenting their claps for carers on a Thursday night with renditions on musical instruments – with Somewhere Over The Rainbow being the standard – things have gone in a different direction here. In the flat above the village shop there is a man with a trumpet. Last week he was belting out the Last Post. Which is about as morbid as it is bizarre. Still, each to their own.
An industry responds…
You will have seen the press reports of the creation of an industry task force to co-ordinate with government and regulators over ideas such as creating a new public/private pool arrangement to help cover future pandemic claims. This has strong broker representation on it and we will stay close to this work and bring you further detail as it emerges.
Funding of up to £2,500 for insurance sector women available
Women & Leadership International is administering a national initiative to support the development of female leaders across the UK’s insurance sector.
The campaign is providing women with grants of up to £2,500 to enable participation in a range of part-time fully online leadership development programs. Participants will benefit from course content such as Leading Authentically, Engaging with Challenge and Conflict, Developing a Leadership Mindset, Team Dynamics, and Purpose Priorities and Professional Development.
Staff currently on furlough from their firms are still allowed to participate in training and so could be eligible for this scheme.
Find out more and register your interest by completing the Expression of Interest form here prior to 19th June: http://www.womenandleadership.org/finance.html
01/04
To start another occasional series, try this example of articles that would be obvious April Fool’s in normal circumstances but appear actually to be true. It would be pretty sweaty, surely?
Another Tuesday mastered. I am off to put the finishing touches to the oil refinery I have built in my garden. I am charging Texans $50 a barrel to fill it up.