Patrick Hurley

Merseyrail's coming home🚂 The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will take back public control when the current contract expires in 2028. This is a momentous decision - something I used to dream about when I was working nights at Lime Street. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Where do I possibly begin? First of all congratulations to Ryan Fox. An incredible way to finish and so happy for you, Anneke and the family and team. This week has given me and my family moments and memories that will last forever. I am forever grateful for the support everyone has given me and the love that you all showed and I’m so proud of my hometown for @theopen that you delivered! What an honour and a privilege to have played in that atmosphere in front of you all, thank you! I hope we get to do it again!

The Falkland Islands issue is a great litmus test for whether someone is actually anti-imperialist or just anti-West

The test of any Prime Minister is: do you leave your country in a better place than you found it? I’m proud that the answer is yes.

Exclusive:: Andy Burnham is considering a radical overhaul of England’s water industry that would transfer ownership from shareholders to customers as he prepares for an early showdown over the future of Thames Water. The incoming PM is understood to have expressed interest in a policy drawn up by the @GoodGrowthFdn alongside Labour and Co-operative MP @helenadollimore which recommends mutualisation as a way to bring the water industry under greater public control without the potentially high taxpayer cost of full nationalisation. If the proposal was applied to Thames Water, it could provide a blueprint for the wider sector, with other companies able to voluntarily transition to customer-owned co-operatives through a share exchange model. @BloombergUK reported last week that Burnham is likely to place Thames Water into a Special Administration Regime (SAR) - a process that would allow Britain’s largest water company to continue operating under government supervision while its long-term future is decided. Under the GGF proposals, the threshold for triggering SAR would be lowered, making it easier for ministers and regulators to intervene in failing companies. A new “bail-in” mechanism, modelled on powers used in the banking sector after the 2008 financial crisis, would require shareholders and creditors to absorb losses before taxpayers are asked to contribute public money. Companies emerging from a reformed SAR process would be required to become not-for-profit, customer-owned cooperatives rather than returning to shareholder ownership. The GGF also proposes tougher rules for the rest of the sector. Water companies would face closer monitoring, limits on executive pay and a ban on dividends unless they meet strict financial, environmental and customer service targets. The proposal would extend dividend restrictions already recommended for companies in financial difficulty across the entire industry. Companies could choose to mutualise voluntarily, selling at a fair price and transferring ownership to customers through a share exchange scheme, with support from the National Wealth Fund available to help the transition. Those that fail to meet the new standards would face a lower threshold for being placed into SAR. The think-tank proposes that the changes would be delivered through primary legislation. The proposals are backed by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, and Joe Fortune, General Secretary of the Co-operative Party, of which Burnham is also a member. Read more in @theipaper 👇 liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/46558…

This is the first Open at Birkdale we've seen with the drone camera. I'm obsessed.

Andy Burnham has a plan to rewire Britain so it works better for ordinary people with more power in the hands of local areas to shape their futures, and more public control over life’s essentials. My latest for @MirrorPolitics mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…

Join the Labour Party. Change comes from all of us. That starts with you. Add your voice, energy and experience to the broadest coalition of people working to lift Britain back up. Join the Labour Party today, and let’s do this together. join.labour.org.uk/join

Lots of people have joined @UKLabour since @andyburnham became Leader yesterday. If you aren’t a member yet, we would love to have you. join.labour.org.uk

Bursting with optimism and jangling guitars, "Fine Time" announced Cast as one of Britpop's brightest new bands. Featured on their 1995 debut album All Change, the song helped establish John Power's gift for timeless melodies and became an early fan favourite. Their appearance on Top of the Pops captured the Liverpool group at the start of a remarkable rise that would make All Change one of the era's defining albums.

@robwmedia @andyburnham Hi Rob, it’s just a link to the “join the Labour Party” page.

@patrick_hurley This is shameful @patrick_hurley. How long was @andyburnham plotting? Who are his backers? What are his policies? Who voted for him, other than the PLP who have lost their marbles! Keir Starmer did win a leadership election, and did win a General Election as leader.

Even AI slop has its place at times. #NewOrder

All Reform interventions require being against something or someone. Burnham’s speech today was for something, threadbare on posing an enemy to be against other than an economy that doesn’t work. That positivism has been sorely missed.

RMT suspends Merseyrail strike action RMT has suspended three days of strike action on Merseyrail planned for July 18 to 20 after the company made an improved offer. This offer will now be considered within union structures and with RMT representatives. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey congratulated Merseyrail members for their resolve to win an improved offer and this will now be discussed among the membership.

This afternoon, the Liverpool City Region Board unanimously endorsed proposal to take Merseyrail into public ownership in 2028, when the current contract ends.

@Coast1079 @merseyrail @MetroMayorSteve x.com/merseyrail/sta…

@patrick_hurley @merseyrail @MetroMayorSteve Thank you….

⚠️ Potential industrial action could impact Merseyrail services during The Open Championship Customers are advised that services could be affected between 18–20 July following notification of strike action by the RMT union. Find out more here: merseyrail.org/news/station-a…

🚆 RMT strike action has been suspended while union members review an improved pay offer. ✅ Merseyrail services will operate as originally planned during The Open on 18, 19 and 20 July. For the latest travel updates, visit merseyrail.org/journey-planni…

🗣️ "There was a time when metro mayors were looked at as a bit of an experiment. Today, one of them is about to become Prime Minister." Steve has responded to the election of Andy Burnham as leader of the Labour Party and presumptive next Prime Minister.👇

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