Saeed Atcha MBE DL

If you’d have told 15 year old me that Prince William would be giving me an MBE on behalf of the Queen, I’d have told you where to go! I feel so proud and my journey has not been without its challenges — some of them huge where I question my entire existence...

A lovely day at Bolton Town Hall at three citizenship ceremonies welcoming over 50 new citizens to the United Kingdom on behalf of the Lord-Lieutenant and HM The King. A proud moment for all with people from 🇮🇷 🇮🇳 🇵🇰 🇸🇴 🇪🇹 🇸🇾 🇨🇬 🇳🇬 🇹🇷 🇸🇩 🇰🇪 🇮🇶. Great to be joined by the Mayor.

Always remember. Never forget. Forever Manchester. Thinking of our amazing city today ❤️ 🐝

I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election. I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics. Ten years ago, I decided to leave Westminster. Why? Because, after 16 years, I came to the conclusion that our national political system does not work for areas like ours. I learnt this fighting its failure to invest in the Wigan borough, for justice for the Hillsborough families and against its treatment of Greater Manchester during the pandemic. Over the last decade, I have been challenging this failure from the outside and building a new and better way of doing politics. We have built Greater Manchester into the fastest-growing city-region in the UK and put buses back under public control, introducing a £2 fare cap to help people with cost-of-living pressures. However, there is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to Parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people. Millions are struggling and they need the Labour Government to succeed. It has already made changes to make life better for them in its first two years. After this week, we owe it to people to come back together as a Labour movement, giving the Prime Minister and the Government the space and stability they need as the by-election takes place. I want to recognise the difficult decision taken by Josh Simons and the sacrifice he and his family are making. I have worked closely with him as Mayor on issues like flooding and illegal waste dumping and have seen first-hand how effective he has been. He has put the communities of Makerfield first, made a real difference for them and should take great pride in that. Finally, I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times. We will change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again. ENDS

Proud to represent the Lord-Lieutenant and lay a wreath on behalf of The King at the VE Day 81 commemoration in Wigan today. Joined by the Armed Forces community, @lisanandy , @joshsimonsmp and local residents, we observed the silence and remembered the fallen. @WiganCouncil

@TransportFocus The annual @BeeWellUK survey of our teenagers finds levels of wellbeing, hope and optimism have risen significantly. 3/6 aboutmanchester.co.uk/young-peoples-…

@AvantiWestCoast Please look after the driver and crew in relation to this. They are doing their wonderful best. 18:14 MAN-EUS.

# Qatar The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Qatar. Register your presence if you're in Qatar (Warnings and insurance). ow.ly/u71e50YnAHa

# United Arab Emirates. The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates. Register your presence if you're in the United Arab Emirates (Warnings and insurance). ow.ly/rF1O50YnAHJ

أعلنت السلطات المختصة في دبي أنه قد تم اعتراض طائرة مسيّرة تسببت شظاياها في وقوع حريق محدود في الواجهة الخارجية من فندق برج العرب، وقد تمكنت فرق الدفاع المدني من السيطرة على الحادث دون وقوع أي إصابات.

Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained. Emergency response teams were immediately deployed and are managing the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities. Four staff sustained injuries and received prompt medical attention. Due to contingency plans already in place, most of the terminals were previously cleared of passengers. Further updates will be provided as they become available.

Outdated videos and images of past fire incidents in Dubai are circulating on social media. This content is misleading and does not reflect the current situation. The public and media are urged to rely solely on official sources for accurate information and refrain from sharing unverified material. Legal action will be taken against those who publish or republish such content in violation of UAE law.

Dubai authorities confirm that an incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately and the site has been secured. Dubai Civil Defence has confirmed that the resulting fire is now under control. Four individuals sustained injuries and have been transferred to medical facilities. The safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain the highest priority. Authorities continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the public. The public is urged to remain calm, rely solely on verified information from official sources, and refrain from circulating videos or images on social media. Further updates will be provided as they become available.

Dear citizens and residents, If you hear an explosion or a siren while driving, please follow these instructions: Adhere to the designated speed limits and drive carefully. Clear the left lane to avoid accidents.

Due to reported missile attacks, British nationals in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates should immediately shelter in place. Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities.

Last night I spoke on Newsnight about my £90k student loan. But what I wanted to highlight was the generational inequality young people have faced. Over the last decade my generation has experienced falling living standards, housing that feels completely out of reach, and a student finance system where maintenance grants were scrapped meaning graduates from backgrounds like mine leave university with the highest levels of debt. 🧵

This report spotlights why. Disadvantage shows up in recruitment decisions, progression and pay, access to networks and power, who gets heard, and who is filtered out. Much of this is left to goodwill rather than accountability. Need more action. 2/2 @AndyBurnhamGM @nazirafzal

Socio-economic background remains one of the biggest predictors of life chances in the UK - yet it sits outside our equalities framework. When I was Social Mobility Commissioner, I pushed for socio-economic background to be part of the Equality Act - 1/2

The selections for Labour candidates needs to be more democratic and we should end NEC impositions of candidates. Local Party members should select their candidates for every election.

Merry Christmas! 🎄 Wishing you lots of love, joy, and special moments with those who matter most. Thinking of those spending this time alone and our public services working tirelessly over the holidays.

Young people leaving care face tough challenges in life, often without the support they need. We're changing that with free prescriptions, dental treatment and eyecare until the age of 25, plus NHS job opportunities. Find out more: gov.uk/government/new…