simon smith

@AndyBurnhamGM ‘Backbone of a jellyfish’

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

TP. Gone with the greats 🫡 #RIP

Happy St George’s Day

@SkyNews Looks like using booster seat too.

England cricketer Ben Duckett fined for speeding after being caught driving at 93mph news.sky.com/story/england-…

@Stotty67 @amittalwalkar It’s Old Trafford 👍

@amittalwalkar Bonus points for naming the ground 😉

BBC Radio Special Commentary Team ✅ Do you recognise these famous gentlemen 🤔

@90sfootball This isn’t the Ronaldo hat trick match . It’s from 99/00.

Remember when David Beckham scored this beauty against Real Madrid? 👏

@RoversXtra #PaulCalf

Brad Friedel recalls the time he got hit with a bag of faeces vs Burnley. #BRFC | #Rovers | #BurnleyFC

@Ewood_Blue_ Can you hear the mural sing ? 💪

Shearer & Newell away at Arsenal September 92 🟡🔵

Francis is gone. Francis is gone forever. RIP

@Rovers Pasha and Gestede are patently not up to the job. The schism with the fans will only get worse until they are cleared away. Ismael should never have been appointed.

📰 Valérien Ismaël has today left his position as Blackburn Rovers’ Head Coach by mutual consent. Ismaël joined the club in February 2025, however it has been mutually agreed that he will step away from his role with immediate effect, along with Assistant Head Coach Dean Whitehead. Blackburn Rovers would like to thank Valérien and Dean for their efforts during their time at the club and wish them both the very best for the future. The club will now begin the process of appointing a new Head Coach and will make no further comment until an appointment is confirmed. #Rovers 🔵⚪️

@TransWorldSport Respec ‘ 👊

After 38 years, Trans World Sport signs off for the final time at the end of 2025. Thank you for every story, every athlete, every viewer. It’s been an honour to share the world of sport with you. 🌍❤️ #TransWorldSport #EndOfAnEra

@_ajn74 And still got promoted !

failure to win at home at Saturday will officially be the worst start to a home season, ever… In the 1979/80 season it took until the seventh home game of the season to pick up a win, however of the preceding six games, three were drawn and they also won their home leg of the League Cup 1st Round 😐 #rovers ⚽️⚪️🔵🌹

@TheStingisBack Avid Fan

Manhunter (1986) Brian Cox was first to play everyone's favourite cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Lecktor in Manhunter). Some critics and fans have argued that Cox's understated psychopath is more realistic and unnerving than Anthony Hopkins' more flamboyant performance.

@RoversXtra He is better than RBs above him in the pecking order. Good move for him but mistake for Rovers. Again.

🚨 San Diego FC are set to sign Leo Duru on loan from Blackburn Rovers. Highly-rated right-back spent time on loan at Barrow last season, has now agreed to MLS - Dan Marsh #BRFC | #Rovers

@robertmdaws @shrewsburytown Derek Smalls front row - 2nd from left ?

SHREWSBURY TOWN FC @shrewsburytown

Have a good time, all the time. RIP Viv Savage Role Model

@ThierryJaspart Hell yeah 👊

No one is free until Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe is free.

Labour has shelved what limited inquiries it was prepared to mount into the industrial scale child abuse by Pakistani-heritage rape gangs over several decades. It is fitting that this shameful surrender was made by vacuous ministerial show pony Jess Phillips, who announced it as Parliament was heading for Easter recess and the media’s eyes were on Trump tariffs. A good day to bury bad news if ever there was one. Why this abject abandoning of a Labour government’s responsibilities? Simple. Pure party self-interest. First, any investigation would merely confirm that Labour local authorities looked the other way for years and failed to prevent the most heinous abuse. Phillips admitted the change of course was in response to local authority lobbying. Second, it is too toxic for Labour. Any investigation would confirm that the evil perpetrators in the rape/grooming gangs were overwhelmingly Muslims of Asian origin, a vital part of Labour’s electoral base with which it is already in trouble for not being sufficiently robust over Gaza. So best draw a veil over it all, even at the expense of vulnerable, abused young women never getting proper justice or closure. Unforgivable.

@SkyFootball Work experience appointment. One goal and 3 assists from January signings so far. Panic last minute signings.

Blackburn's Head of Football Operations, Rudy Gestede, says "it hurts" being asked to stay away by the fans 🗣️

@BBCLancsSport Terminal 0.00 win percentage.

🔵 ⚪ "Big disappointment, especially with how we approached the first half. We expected much, much more." #Blackburn #Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael #bbcfootball