It’s the last day of the tax year, which means that, as of tomorrow, you can start getting ready to complete your 2019/20 Self Assessment tax return – if you’ve got one to fill in, of course…

2 big stories

Are you more likely to catch the Coronavirus if you’re a woman, but more likely to die from it if you’re male? The Washington Post reports on the evidence from the United States;

The disproportionate toll of the virus appears to have deep biological roots. An emerging body of research has revealed that women’s bodies are better at fighting off infection, thanks to the hormones in their systems and the genes on their two X chromosomes.


Scientists say these differences may partly explain why men have been hit hardest by the covid-19 pandemic. And they may provide a vital clue in the search for a cure.

I don’t apologise for returning to the Labour Party’s leadership contest – a credible Opposition is necessary, especially when the competence of the Johnson administration is being seriously questioned.

Here’s an American perspective on the new Leader;

He is not as flashy nor as funny as Johnson can be, nor as bombastic. But he is a well-briefed inquisitor. Starmer — whose mother was a nurse and father a toolmaker — is less known for withering put-downs, but more dogged in his pursuit of answers.

2 blog posts

Alasdair Gibbs-Barton runs a retail business in Blyth, in the North East of England. Here, he reflects on the impact of the lockdown so far;

It has been difficult for me to change my habits, but so far I have managed. The shop has been closed for about a fortnight, but we are still doing mail order and internet sales so the business is ticking over a little bit. I am limiting my visit to the shop to a couple of times per week, to check it, check for ‘phone messages and collect stock.

Staying in the North East of England, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Medomsley Road, Consett, Owen Temple, has returned to his blog after some time away. He offers some good advice on some of the various Coronavirus related scams that have flourished in recent days, and how to avoid them;

‘Good cause’ scams. This is where investment is sought for good causes such as the production of sanitiser, manufacture of personal protection equipment (PPE) or new drugs to treat coronavirus – with scammers using the promise of high returns to entice consumers.