Luke Beardsworth
@lukebeardsworth.bsky.social
Blog Preston co-editor / The Lead’s senior editor (North) posting our best from Blackpool, Lancashire, Southport, Teesside and Calderdale / sometimes lecturer / journalist / consumer of pretentious food
Our exclusive reporting from @lukebeardsworth.bsky.social quite literally set the agenda at Lancashire County Council's recent meeting in a fiery debate about potholes, as the Reform-led administration refused to accept data provided under FOI by their own team
Exclusive: Lancashire County Council’s own data shows miserable winter pothole performance - but it is disputed
Lancashire County Council disputes the accuracy of the full six months of data provided by its own team
lancashire.thelead.uk
It is as much that the data was never published for scrutiny as it is the data itself. Reform at LCC contest the accuracy of the data (their own data) but not all of my questions about why were answered and there are clear patterns. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/exclusive-...
Exclusive: Lancashire County Council’s own data shows miserable winter pothole performance - but it is disputed
Lancashire County Council disputes the accuracy of the full six months of data provided by its own team
lancashire.thelead.uk
Food halls can be great - but Mad Giant was a misunderstanding of why from the very start, writes @lukebeardsworth.bsky.social
Opinion: Mad Giant in Preston was dead on arrival – Blog Preston
<p>An idea that appeared destined for failure from day one – let’s hope the staff are at least looked after. </p>
blogpreston.co.uk
Restoring confidence into a group that's picked up four points from a fairly kind opening eight games will be no easy task, writes George Hodgson
This version of Preston North End simply cannot reappear after the international break – Blog Preston
<p>Restoring confidence will not be an easy task, writes George Hodgson after a two-goal lead was tossed in London. </p>
blogpreston.co.uk
That missing data would sure tell a story right about now. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/potholes-c...
Councillor bursts tyre on road Lancashire County Council failed to repair for months
Cllr Aidy Riggott says his experience is evidence of Reform UK’s failure to resolve Lancashire’s pothole problem in the way it has promised and claimed
lancashire.thelead.uk
After May's local elections, Labour hung onto control of Preston City Council by a thread. With it has come a change in deputy leader (although she's a very familiar face) and a newly elected St Matthew councillor too.
Labour to support city’s most vulnerable as it tries to keep control of Preston City Council in unexpected 2027 elections – Blog Preston
<p>Can Preston Labour keep hold of Preston City Council now that Keir Starmer has been ousted?</p>
blogpreston.co.uk
Remarkable headline and the flag in the fish itself is solid chefs kiss.
Exclusive: A document withheld from the public by Lancashire County Council said there was a risk of judicial review in plans to withdraw from refugee schemes. Some cllrs were told to sign NDAs to prevent them from making it public, despite LCC’s admission the contents were in the public interest.
Exclusive: A document withheld from the public by Lancashire County Council said there was a risk of judicial review in plans to withdraw from refugee schemes. Some cllrs were told to sign NDAs to prevent them from making it public, despite LCC’s admission the contents were in the public interest.
The wait for one normal day in Lancashire politics continues, writes @lukebeardsworth.bsky.social as the fallout from the government's pausing of local government reorganisation continues
Local government reorganisation in Lancashire in disarray after government pauses process
The wait for one normal day in Lancashire politics continues.
lancashire.thelead.uk
Could do to stop sharing Spotify with my partner.
Nigel Swales has become the first politician in the country to defect from Reform UK to Labour. He represents Skelmersdale East. Conversations regarding the defection had been taking place for at least several weeks and Cllr Swales had been in discussions with the regional office of Labour.
Just want one normal day. Never happens.
Luke Beardsworth@lukebeardsworth.bsky.social · 2mo agoBreaking: Plans that would see Lancashire County Council and all other Lancashire unitary and district authorities scrapped have been paused. It comes as the govt is set to announce a review of the plans to ensure 'the process is robust and aligns with the new govt’s plans to rewire the state'.
Breaking: Plans that would see Lancashire County Council and all other Lancashire unitary and district authorities scrapped have been paused. It comes as the govt is set to announce a review of the plans to ensure 'the process is robust and aligns with the new govt’s plans to rewire the state'.
Nigel Swales has become the first politician in the country to defect from Reform UK to Labour. He represents Skelmersdale East. Conversations regarding the defection had been taking place for at least several weeks and Cllr Swales had been in discussions with the regional office of Labour.
In 2021, the first Afghan refugees arrived in Lancashire. In 2026, with barely even an effort to explain the logic behind the decision, Lancashire County Council has said it doesn’t want to manage the schemes anymore. The first UK authority to do so. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/reform-uk-...
Reform UK ‘abandons pretence of delivery for Lancashire’ in refugee funding decision
Every opposition party has decided to “call in” the decision - which removes funding, but not people, from Lancashire
lancashire.thelead.uk
In 2021, the first Afghan refugees arrived in Lancashire. In 2026, with barely even an effort to explain the logic behind the decision, Lancashire County Council has said it doesn’t want to manage the schemes anymore. The first UK authority to do so. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/reform-uk-...
Reform UK ‘abandons pretence of delivery for Lancashire’ in refugee funding decision
Every opposition party has decided to “call in” the decision - which removes funding, but not people, from Lancashire
lancashire.thelead.uk
I wrote today's edition of @theleaduk.bsky.social looking at everything that's happened over the last fortnight in Teesside. Most of my writing over the last couple of years has been straight reporting, but this is a bit of a departure.
The death of seven people in one night has exposed the dark underbelly of life Teessiders have known for years
Extreme child poverty and rampant deprivation, coupled with police funding for a rural area rather than the metropolitan levels of crime being faced have been brought into focus by the A66 death crash
national.thelead.uk
Quite the thing on a wet Thursday. “Undercover footage verified by Channel 4 News reveals a secret plot by senior Reform UK figures to break the law on party donations. A leading legal expert is now calling for a criminal investigation.” channel4news.substack.com/p/exclusive-...
Exclusive: Nigel Farage filmed undercover celebrating secret new foreign donations
Undercover footage verified by Channel 4 News reveals a secret plot by senior Reform UK figures to break the law on party donations. A leading legal expert is now calling for a criminal investigation.
channel4news.substack.com
Brief mention of this on the BBC this morning ahead of cabinet meeting at 9am. But zero mention of the fact that LCC’s own report says it will come at a cost. Just Richard Tice talking it up.
Luke Beardsworth@lukebeardsworth.bsky.social · 2mo agoThe argument for withdrawing from these schemes would be at least coherent if it saved money. It won’t - it’ll do the opposite. The more I’ve read about it in preparation for this piece, the more I think Reform might not actually do it. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/lancashire...
The argument for withdrawing from these schemes would be at least coherent if it saved money. It won’t - it’ll do the opposite. The more I’ve read about it in preparation for this piece, the more I think Reform might not actually do it. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/lancashire...
Withdrawing Lancashire from refugee resettlement schemes would not save a single penny
The plans were announced earlier this year by Reform UK and will now be brought before cabinet
lancashire.thelead.uk
The argument for withdrawing from these schemes would be at least coherent if it saved money. It won’t - it’ll do the opposite. The more I’ve read about it in preparation for this piece, the more I think Reform might not actually do it. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/lancashire...
Withdrawing Lancashire from refugee resettlement schemes would not save a single penny
The plans were announced earlier this year by Reform UK and will now be brought before cabinet
lancashire.thelead.uk
My report on a grim incident last week. There are two things here, one is a woman who was clearly frightened and whose experience shouldn’t be minimised. The other is the steadfast refusal to accept that three ‘black men’ might not have committed a crime. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/coppull-re...
Police repeatedly stress no crime was committed in Coppull incident
What happens when the police say no crime has been committed and local councillors refuse to accept it?
lancashire.thelead.uk
Good evening, our latest editions of The Lead Local dropped this morning. Kicking off with Lancashire where we heard from one of the county's most senior business leaders as he delivered a withering assessment of the Red Rose county's Devolution journey, @edwalker86.bsky.social reports
Senior Lancashire business leader Mo Isap delivers withering assessment of devolution dithering
Lancashire missing out on an estimated £1.4million-a-day in funding due to resistance to the idea of a mayor
lancashire.thelead.uk
Withering AND dithering in a headline? Must be worth reading. @edwalker86.bsky.social interviews Mo Isap on why the issue of a mayor in Lancashire is turning into one of political capital, rather than what actually benefits the county. lancashire.thelead.uk/p/lancashire...
Senior Lancashire business leader Mo Isap delivers withering assessment of devolution dithering
Lancashire missing out on an estimated £1.4million-a-day in funding due to resistance to the idea of a mayor
lancashire.thelead.uk
I know I’m alone in caring more about 53 Degrees than the Guild Hall (and it doesn’t need to be one or the other), but do have a look what’s happening and go to shows. That’s the only way Preston ends up with the bookings you want to see. www.blogpreston.co.uk/2026/08/53-d...
53 Degrees plotting more big names – but success of venue requires backing from Preston public – Blog Preston
<p>There will be more big name bookings in the coming months – but how often they are will depend entirely on if gig goers can prove that the demand is there.</p>
blogpreston.co.uk
Spot on ⬇️ "Reform UK remains almost entirely a party of grievance. Rather than offering a vision of a more prosperous, productive or communitarian Britain, it doubles down on punitive proposals." https://national.thelead.uk/p/nigel-farage-end-of-reform-as-we-know-it
It's the end of Reform as we know it
A bad few months for Nigel Farage's insurgent party has shown their true colours
national.thelead.uk
No sign that Lancashire will be rushing to embrace further devolution or a Mayor any time soon - @lukebeardsworth.bsky.social explores reaction to Andy Burnham's recent announcements
Lancashire 'stuck on hard shoulder' while other regions speed past in fast lane in devolution race
No sign that Lancashire will be rushing to embrace further devolution any time soon
lancashire.thelead.uk
