<![CDATA[The Lead: The Lead North]]>https://national.thelead.uk/s/the-lead-northhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!dKIU!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe97753fb-c3e3-48b3-8ad5-1a9ce097bac8_1080x1080.pngThe Lead: The Lead Northhttps://national.thelead.uk/s/the-lead-northSubstackFri, 21 Aug 2026 21:17:00 GMT<![CDATA[Notes from the North: Broken council tax promises in Lancashire, illegal converted HMOs and punishment for lying]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/notes-from-the-north-broken-councilhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/notes-from-the-north-broken-councilThu, 15 Jan 2026 10:37:27 GMTLancashire was the last Reform UK authority to declare what it is planning with regards to council tax - and it’s something that both sides of the political debate will shout about.

Reform UK will declare victory on the lowest council tax rise in 12 years - but opposition councillors will point out that they didn’t campaign on 3.8% increases. They campai…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Notes from the North: Teesworks dividends go up despite plummeting income and a very bleak New Year's Eve online]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/notes-from-the-north-teesworks-dividendshttps://national.thelead.uk/p/notes-from-the-north-teesworks-dividendsThu, 08 Jan 2026 09:26:21 GMT
Teesworks (Image: Leigh Jones)

It was an early edition of The Teesside Lead this week as Leigh Jones went head-first into the latest accounts for 2024-25.

It showed dividends up to £30m despite revenue for the year dropping to around £6m - numbers which don’t survive even passing-glance scrutiny.

For context, Teesworks Ltd company was set up as a 50-50 jo…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Angela Rayner to set out ‘wholesale total rewiring of government power in England’ at Convention of the North]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/angela-rayner-to-set-out-wholesalehttps://national.thelead.uk/p/angela-rayner-to-set-out-wholesaleFri, 28 Feb 2025 06:02:41 GMT
Angela Rayner. Credit: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

Angela Rayner will aim to reaffirm her vision for a Northern rebirth at a keynote Convention of the North speech in Preston today (28 February).

She will aim to set out that ‘wholesale total rewiring of government power in England’ will ensure the North is able to drive its own growth agenda and s…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Teesworks: £560m of public money spent and issues of 'governance and transparency' remain]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/teesworks-560m-of-public-money-spenthttps://national.thelead.uk/p/teesworks-560m-of-public-money-spentTue, 28 Jan 2025 08:02:05 GMTBecause the Tories lost the election and were forced into opposition last July, it’s reduced the number of Conservative faces we’ve seen on our TVs. More than two-thirds of Tories lost their seats in the election, and many old hands stepped down.

The media’s focus has generally been on the new Labour government, but as the Conservative Party recalibrate …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The government is moving in the right direction - but how can we all fight street homelessness?]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/the-government-is-moving-in-the-righthttps://national.thelead.uk/p/the-government-is-moving-in-the-rightMon, 27 Jan 2025 09:44:35 GMT
Rough sleeping numbers have surged amid a continued housing crisis Pic: Alamy

The government has announced that emergency winter funding to support people rough sleeping has tripled to deal with unprecedented numbers. This welcome increase, from £10 million to £30 million, shows a serious response to a serious crisis - especially as winter puts more pres…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Misidentified and wrongly convicted: Ademola Adejeji can resume law career after finally being cleared in court]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/misidentified-and-wrongly-convictedhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/misidentified-and-wrongly-convictedThu, 16 Jan 2025 19:40:03 GMTThree Manchester men convicted of conspiring violent revenge for the death of their friend in a case where prosecutors used drill music lyrics and social media messages as evidence of their gang membership will be freed after a successful appeal.

But appeals by four others among the so-called Manchester 10 were rejected in a Court of Appeal judgement las…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Life near the 'intensely nauseating' landfill quarry making people flee their homes]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/life-near-the-intensely-nauseatinghttps://national.thelead.uk/p/life-near-the-intensely-nauseatingTue, 14 Jan 2025 11:03:25 GMT
Messages tied to railings opposite Walley Quarry (credit Jan Middleton)

When residents near a controversial North Staffordshire landfill heard the Environment Agency (EA) had issued a closure notice for the site, they hoped their battle against years of foul odours and health concerns might be nearing an end.

However, during Christmas week, families in Si…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[“We are known for this now”: The drawn-out aftermath of the Rotherham and Rochdale child exploitation scandal]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/we-are-known-for-this-now-the-drawnhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/we-are-known-for-this-now-the-drawnThu, 09 Jan 2025 15:37:09 GMT

It is now nearly 13 years since five men were convicted of sexual offences against girls aged between 12 and 16 in Rotherham. These convictions led to the uncovering of a network of child sexual abusers in the town that has resonated ever since - not only in the UK but internationally.

In 2019, the town was rocked by the revelation that the far right gun…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[And they came from the North...]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/and-they-came-from-the-northhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/and-they-came-from-the-northSat, 28 Dec 2024 08:01:41 GMTGood morning,

It’s Saturday. Yes, we’ve reached that point between Christmas and New Year where it’s hard to remember which day it actually is. Hopefully this email helps emerge blinking from between cheese and chocolate comas and gives you some intellectual indulgence for 10 minutes before the festivities resume during this Twixmas weekend.

For our weeke…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Lead is back in print across Blackpool and Lancashire]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-is-back-in-print-acrosshttps://national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-is-back-in-print-acrossWed, 18 Dec 2024 09:50:32 GMT
The latest editions of The Blackpool Lead and The Lancashire Lead

Our commitment to bring our in-depth news and features to the North of England has seen us return to print for a new edition of The Blackpool Lead and The Lancashire Lead.

Going through thousands of doors in Blackpool and available to pick up in supermarkets across Lancashire the latest edi…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The changing face of Blackpool's Grange Park]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/the-changing-face-of-blackpools-grangehttps://national.thelead.uk/p/the-changing-face-of-blackpools-grangeTue, 12 Nov 2024 13:21:36 GMT

By Antonia Charlesworth Stack, first published 05 February 2024

When Helen Bouchami’s mother first stepped into her new home on Convent Crescent, Grange Park, she danced in the living room. 

“There wasn’t a stick of furniture but she was overjoyed to have a house. It was heaven!” 

Bouchami was just two years old when her parents received the keys to their …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The story of Blackpool's South Shore Romany Gypsies]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/the-story-of-blackpools-south-shorehttps://national.thelead.uk/p/the-story-of-blackpools-south-shoreTue, 12 Nov 2024 13:18:56 GMT

By Antonia Charlesworth Stack, first published 22 February 2024

Sarah Petulengro’s booth on Blackpool Pleasure Beach may be the last vestige of Romany Gypsy heritage in South Shore. It’s a history that stretches back to the mid 1800s when her ancestors pitched their tent on sands no one else had deemed habitable. 

“It was a harsh life but it would have be…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Lead North moves to Substack - and launches first Yorkshire-based edition]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-north-moves-to-substackhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-north-moves-to-substackThu, 24 Oct 2024 10:34:32 GMT

The Lead North’s titles have moved to Substack - and confirmed the launch of a brand new edition in Yorkshire. 

The Blackpool Lead has made the move to Substack after reaching 2,000 subscribers since launch in January. It will be joined by relaunched The Teesside Lead and the newly-launched Calderdale Lead in the coming weeks.

Subscribe to The Blackpool Lead

The Teesside Lead will be ed…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[In the frame – Blackpool’s enduring photographic appeal]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/in-the-frame-blackpools-enduringhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/in-the-frame-blackpools-enduringWed, 18 Sep 2024 10:45:02 GMTBy Michael Holmes

"When autumn comes and other seaside towns pull down their shutters, Blackpool shines with coloured twinkling lights reflected in rain-soaked pavements," reads a softly lit sign in Blackpool's new Showtown museum. The quote is from Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, the flamboyant interior designer who is known locally for his part in designing I…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Urgent review at Blackpool Victoria Hospital adds to litany of issues]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/urgent-review-at-blackpool-victoriahttps://national.thelead.uk/p/urgent-review-at-blackpool-victoriaWed, 18 Sep 2024 10:34:38 GMTBy Michael Holmes

Bosses at Blackpool Victoria Hospital have launched an urgent review after a doctor was caught filling in post-op paperwork to say a patient was recovering well - despite her not even having the procedure yet.

The systematic “pre-populating" of medical documents came to light during an inquest into the death of 36-year-old Sabina Wood, w…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The competition for Altrincham’s schools is brutal - as a former student I know nothing has changed]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/the-competition-for-altrinchams-schoolshttps://national.thelead.uk/p/the-competition-for-altrinchams-schoolsWed, 18 Sep 2024 10:25:58 GMTAltrincham Girls Grammar [AGGS] is one of the best schools in the country and competition for places is fierce. At just ten and eleven years old, prospective students have to pass the 11+ and a rigorous entrance exam - but there are many more hoops that families have to jump through to keep themselves in the running, and the strain can be immense. 

As an…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Craft beer and freedom: why Hongkongers settled in Altrincham and Sale]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/craft-beer-and-freedom-why-hongkongershttps://national.thelead.uk/p/craft-beer-and-freedom-why-hongkongersWed, 18 Sep 2024 09:17:07 GMTBy Kevin Gopal

In naming her pub the Harcourt, Priscilla So has neatly summed up the mix of politics and ambition that has brought so many Hongkongers to Altrincham and Sale in the last three years.

Harcourt Road in Hong Kong was the centre of 2014’s Umbrella Movement, when protesters demanded more transparent elections after Beijing demanded to screen ca…

Read more

]]><![CDATA['Mindless hatred': Far-right festival averted in Blackpool]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/mindless-hatred-far-right-festivalhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/mindless-hatred-far-right-festivalWed, 18 Sep 2024 09:02:55 GMT

By Antonia Charlesworth Stack

The owner of a Blackpool club due to host a two-day neo-Nazi gig in Blackpool says he is “let down” by its cancellation following an investigation by campaigners. 

The event dubbed the Real Rebellion was due to be held on 2-3 August, to coincide with the non-political Rebellion Festival, but was cancelled this month after cam…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[“Do I actually have to die?” Blackpool grandmother fears mouldy home will kill her before landlord does anything]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/do-i-actually-have-to-die-blackpoolhttps://national.thelead.uk/p/do-i-actually-have-to-die-blackpoolWed, 18 Sep 2024 08:59:27 GMTBy Tom Dunn

A woman from Blackpool claims she contracted pneumonia over Christmas as a result of her neglectful landlord allowing damp and mould to develop in her privately rented house.

Unlike many people who will have been tucking into their Christmas dinners and enjoying all the festive period has to offer, 47-year-old Michelle Bromley was laid up in B…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Pristine beaches, poisoned water: What water companies did to Blackpool]]>https://national.thelead.uk/p/pristine-beaches-poisoned-water-whathttps://national.thelead.uk/p/pristine-beaches-poisoned-water-whatWed, 18 Sep 2024 08:56:41 GMTBy Louisa Gregson

The Fylde Coast sea water was a bracing seven degrees on Tuesday, but retiree Chris Pogson donned her wetsuit and fluorescent green swimming cap and waded in at Fleetwood all the same. 

Chris joined the Cleveleys Dippers in 2022. A group of likeminded women, many of them of a certain age, came together to reap the health and wellbeing be…

Read more

]]>