Gender training will not cure sick children, says James Whale

I couldn’t be more grateful to the NHS for keeping me alive (Image: Getty) Suffering from stage four kidney cancer as I am, I couldn’t be more grateful to the NHS for keeping me alive. I absolutely adore the doctors, nurses, clinicians and everyone else from the receptionists to the cleaners who have helped keep the James Whale show on the road during some challenging recent times. However, I am very sorry to say that the management and governance of the NHS is simply not fit for purpose. Take the latest revelations from Great Ormond Street Hospital where staff have been told there are 150-plus ways to express gender, according to leaked documents. Guides provided by Global Butterflies, a controversial trans campaign group hired to speak to staff, told them how people can now self-identify in ‘over 150 ways and increasing’. A guide also recommended the ‘great UK charity Mermaids’ – currently under investigation by the Charity Commission over ‘serious systemic failing’ in its governance and management – and staff were told they should know about the ‘fake issues’ of de-transition and puberty blockers. What the heck is the management of a hospital that looks after very sick children thinking of? I’d like to speak to the person responsible. I’d like to speak to the person responsible. If they think it’s such a good idea to be bogging their staff down in this gender identity rubbish, surely they’re prepared to come and debate it with me. Or perhaps not. Every time we seem to be moving into more common sense times, something like this happens that just makes me throw my hands up in despair. Great Ormond Street should be about saving the lives of vulnerable children. End of. Filling the heads of staff with this sort of thing, in my opinion, is not even a little bit conducive to that. Cycle fan Jeremy Vine is starting to grate on my nerves (Image: Getty) Time pedestrians started snapping cyclists Cycle fan Jeremy Vine is starting to grate on my nerves with his smug videos telling off drivers. Yes, ideally we’d all be able to cycle more. But we don’t live in an ideal world. Shaming drivers on social media only inflames the situation. And it’s not always the motorists’ fault either. I’ve been nearly knocked over several times crossing roads as cyclists brazenly zoom through red lights, go the wrong way up one-way streets and scoot along pavements. Many have helmet cameras for use against motorists. Maybe we pedestrians should start carrying cameras too to shame rogue cyclists. I worry for Harry’s mental health (Image: Getty) Hands off our hoodies, Romford! Earlier this year there was a hue and cry when Romford banned hoodies. Specifically, anyone from putting up their hoods in the town’s shopping areas. It’s an idea that seems to have resurfaced on social media in recent days. Blaming people’s clothing is exactly the sort of waffly smokescreen that lets the police cop out of doing their jobs properly. Anyone who thinks banning hoodies is going to make the streets safer needs their head examined. We need proper policing, stricter laws and more prison places, not ridiculous initiatives that are never going to be upheld anyway. I think it’s perfectly reasonable for a shop or business owner to ask customers to take their hoodies down, or remove a ski mask or motorcycle helmet, as they always have, but adding official rules is a waste of time. And where do you stop? Sunglasses, hats, Covid masks… burkas? I’d like to see someone try that. I love my hoodie and I’m certainly not going to stop expressing my personal choice to dress as I see fit. Nor should anyone else. Grant Shapps with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Image: Getty) Karma for Kitty Killer Brighton cat killer Stephen Bouquet died of Covid on his 55th birthday after being jailed for five years for stabbing nine pets to death during a seven-month spree. That’s what I call purrfect karmic retribution. Harry’s in need of a hero With a few exceptions, I have tried not to get heavily involved in the war currently raging. No, not Ukraine (happy to get stuck into that one), but the ongoing hostilities between Harry and Meghan and, well, pretty much everyone else. I fear for Harry’s mental health, frankly. In his ongoing campaign to remain relevant, seemingly the only way he can do that is by carrying on his attacks on his family. And he nowseems to be contradicting himself. While there’s no doubt he’s still suffering over the tragic death of his mother, can this constant soulbaring really be helping? Somebody needs to go to his rescue. Shapps is a nice guy, but I’m struggling to see him in charge of the military So Grant Shapps is our new Secretary of State for Defence. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve met him a few times and he’s a charming guy, good for a laugh, and speaks from the heart. But Ben Wallace is a hard act to follow, especially after calling it right time and again on Ukraine , and fighting so hard on behalf of our Armed Forces. So I’m struggling to see Mr Shapps in charge of the military. The way things are going, we could easily be fighting another conflict before the end of the decade. Let’s hope he surprises all of us.