Andy Winter

Andy Winter reflects on A-level results and argues that school performance and teachers’ judgments do not determine adult success. Drawing on his own lack of engagement at school and examples including Jilly Cooper, Eric Morecambe, John Lennon, Beryl Bainbridge, Judi Dench and Robert Graves, he contrasts discouraging educational feedback with the achievements of people who went on to excel. Winter praises supportive teachers who nurture imagination and self-belief, while strongly criticizing negative educators who undermine children.

Andy Winter argues that Brighton and Hove Labour’s loss of eight councillors, including Milla Gauge, reflects poor governance and an unwillingness to address concerns about safeguarding, trans-inclusive policies and single-sex services. Gauge said she was blocked from raising residents’ concerns and was dissatisfied with the council’s response to new guidance and an NHS report concerning WellBN. Council leader Bella Sankey rejected the allegations and criticized the relevant guidance. Winter argues that the council lacks a single-sex service for women who have been raped and warns that councillors and officers could face legal and financial consequences if they fail to comply with sex-based service requirements.

Andy Winter humorously argues that, at 66, he has missed his opportunity for a conventional male midlife crisis because he lacks the appetite for risky purchases, drastic appearance changes, substance use or major upheaval. He reflects on his career in homelessness and social care, his retirement as a columnist and his enduringly mixed feelings about Brighton, which he regards as both raffish and vulgar but ultimately wonderful.

Andy Winter welcomes Andy Burnham’s pledge to invest £340 million in 1,200 homes and intensive support to end rough sleeping, alongside Keir Starmer’s broader £3.6 billion homelessness plan. However, he argues that Burnham’s record in Manchester—where rough sleeping fell during the pandemic but later rose—shows that accommodation alone cannot solve the problem. Winter calls for sustained investment in addiction treatment, mental health services, support for veterans and care leavers, and measures addressing domestic violence. He is skeptical that Housing First can work at scale without open-ended funding and stronger responses to anti-social behaviour and drug dealing, warning that politicians must address the underlying causes rather than make ambitious promises.

High temperatures prompted renewed concern over sun safety and the cost of sunscreen, which is taxed as a luxury in the UK. Local services in Brighton expanded support for homeless residents during severe heat, providing water and protective items. Advocacy groups argue that removing VAT on SPF 30+ sunscreen would make it more affordable, prevent thousands of melanoma cases annually and save the NHS significant treatment costs. The commentary urges the government to reclassify sunscreen as an essential healthcare product rather than a cosmetic item.