Christmas Stockings

'The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.'

Extract from The Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore, illustrated  by Robert Ingpen.

So I've got what I wanted in the 1st stocking, and that's the free trade agreement with the EU that was announced today. When I voted for Brexit 4.5 years ago what I wanted was the independence to set our own laws, be nimble in strategy and policy and to trade quickly with the wider world. Thus to also avoid the ever increasing political and monetary union that I disagreed with, in a construct that to me has poor structure and governance. I always saw it as setting up a new and hopefully lasting partnership with our friends and neighbours, with ongoing co-operation in science, medicine, security and so on. I hope the agreement achieves this and is a suitable compromise to both the EU and UK and within the UK to those who voted to remain and those who voted to leave. 

In the 2nd stocking I'm hoping that vaccines get this horrible virus under control in the UK by the Summer, with T&T then ensuring it doesn't get out of control ever again (I think getting the debt back under control needs to be in next year's stocking).

In the 3rd main stocking I'm hoping to find the amazing present of being able to meet up with friends and family as I used to and to get out and about to the talks, events, plays and concerts that I love. 

Please have a look at this performance of the poem released by Clarence House today in support of the Actors Benevolent Fund. A great performance by Prince Charles and the book the Duchess of Cornwall is using is the same one I have and where my photo came from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwM2i4sWnW0

Day 284 / Day 5 of the 4 Tiers (for my record only)
UK deaths up 585 to 69,636 (revised basis), with 39,036 new cases, 21,286 patients in hospital and 1,529 on ventilation. Deaths in Italy have passed 70k and in Mexico 120k. 1 in 85 people had the virus in England in the w/e 18/12 per the ONS, in Wales it's 1 in 60, with Scotland much lower at 1 in 140. 521,594 have now had the vaccine in England, 70% of those being 80 and over.  Then there's 57k in Scotland, 23k in Wales and 16k in NI. The backlog of lorries in Kent might take days to clear. 3 drivers of the 2,367 tested by noon were positive.