Dear readers — tributes have been made to Ricky Hatton over the weekend, after the former world champion boxer was found dead at his home in Gee Cross on Saturday. During the Manchester derby huge cheers rang out after the minute’s applause for Hatton, who was born in Stockport and grew up in a pub on a council estate in Hyde.
Manny Pacquiao, who beat Hatton for only the second time in his career in 2009, said this: “Ricky fought bravely, not just in the ring, but in his journey through life. He truly had a good fight and we are all blessed to have been part of his wonderful journey.” Amir Khan, who was born and raised in Bolton, called Hatton “a friend, a mentor, a warrior”.
Today’s edition features the tributes to Hatton, as well as yet more news of Andy Burnham’s rumoured Westminster return, the state of play ahead of the Woodhouse Park by-election, the big news from the annual black pudding throwing contest and a whole lot more.
Meet the team: Manchester Building Society comes to King Street
From today’s sponsor: proud Rochdalian Mohammed Ali has been appointed as one of a new team of customer advisers at Manchester Building Society’s flagship branch, opening this autumn. With years of financial experience, valuable knowledge and a passion for Greater Manchester, the team are thrilled to have him onboard. Ahead of the King Street branch opening, he is already getting involved in voluntary work and meeting the community he’ll be serving.
When asked what drew him to the role, Mohammed said: “What I love about growing up and living in Rochdale is the sense of community, the family values and a drive for a better financial future. It’s this attitude that really attracted me to Manchester Building Society”.
Catch up
- Throughout the week we continued our reporting on Andy Burnham’s ever-more-transparent Labour leadership ambitions, with the Labour Party deputy leadership race between education secretary Bridget Phillipson and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell described by one source as a “proxy war” between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Burnham (a source close to Powell dismissed this idea as “frankly sexist”). If you’ve got any information regarding the race, don’t hesitate to contact jack@manchestermill.co.uk.
- Friday’s story was about a new bar opening in the northern quarter, Bar 26, which had been the subject of a lot of unfortunate online attention: suspicions had been raised that the bar was being run by people connected to the previous establishment based on the site, the now-infamous Sammy’s Bar (our reporting earlier in the year revealed that the owner of Sammy’s Bar had secretly filmed himself having sex with a customer on the CCTV). The bar has been adamant the rumours were unfair, but as Mollie revealed there was a connection: the owner of Sammy’s and the owner of Bar 26 are related…
- Then at the weekend Ophira paid a visit to a tram depot in Ardwick, where a group of artists are taking a new approach to art education, and attempting to put Manchester on the art map in the process. Thanks for the lovely comments, in particular this one: “What an inspirational piece, Ophira. Heartening to read about an art school devoted to expression rather than fashionable theory”.
🌦️ This week’s weather
Tuesday 🌦️ Breezy with a few showers predominantly during the morning. Max 15°C.
Wednesday 🌦️ Wet with heavy rain early on, followed by bright spells and showers. Milder but breezy. Max 18°C.
Thursday 🌥️ Mostly dry and breezy with a few bright spells. Max 18°C.
Friday 🌥️ Warm and muggy with large amounts of cloud cover. Max 21°C.
Weekend 🌦️ Muggy and quite warm on Saturday but with outbreaks of rain. Much fresher on Sunday with showery rain.
Your briefing: Burnham rumours rumble on
🗞️ The weekend papers were full of speculation surrounding Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster, and his possible route to No.10 (Mills passim). Burnham is apparently considering stepping down early to contest a to-be-decided by-election. He has been described as “setting out his stall” for a leadership bid, as a politician with “experience and everyman appeal” and an “excellent mayor” that Greater Manchester would be sad to lose — and all that was just in the Times. Meanwhile, onlookers have wondered quite how Burnham could do it. The most feasible route is via Gorton and Denton once disgraced MP Andrew Gwynne vacates the seat. That might not be so soon, however. We’re told Gwynne, previously thought to be waiting to line up a job to fall into once he’s out of parliament, is actually waiting to see when he can claim his pension before packing things in. Given Gwynne is only 51, that might mean a wait until the next general election.
Although one well-connected source says there is “certainly credence” in Gwynne possibly stepping down, it may actually be in the government’s interest to keep him in position. He is currently under parliamentary investigation for his role in the “trigger me timbers” scandal. There is a theory the government — eager to protect Starmer from Burnham — could try to keep him where he is to ward him off. Some papers have reported Labour insiders saying there is an existing MP “who is in ill health” and is ready to stand down, and that could open a door for Burnham. It had local councillors and politicians guessing who it could be. Many landed on Graham Stringer, the veteran MP for Blackley, but he’s been fielding questions from MPs about whether he is ill curtly: “no”.
Amongst all the conjecture, some Mill sources are getting tired of our texts about it: “I’m almost bored of it,” one replies. “The theories are so ill-informed.” While the director of Burnham’s office has been dropping in at local MP’s offices, apparently purring as they tell him Burnham belongs in Parliament, and Burnham himself has been appearing at fundraising events in Tameside — in Gwynne’s constituency — the whole idea of him going from mayor to MP to PM is so spangled with risk many find it difficult to imagine happening. Calling the Gorton and Denton seat a shoo-in for Labour is “naive” one says “the people of Denton are not at home thinking ‘my life would be better if Andy Burnham was my MP’”. Reform leader Nigel Farage has promised to throw everything at it if Burnham does run there, and that it could leave him “humiliated”. As Patrick Maguire, the Times’s chief political commentator, told us a few weeks ago: “If he resigns the mayoral seat and loses to Reform, you’re completely screwed forever.”
Quick hits
🗳️ Outside of the 4D chess match going on in the minds of politicoes over how Burnham could get into No.10, normal local politics continues. There is a by-election in Woodhouse Park — in Manchester — next week. Currently, the Green Party hold all three seats there, and the by-election was set to be a taster for how deeply Reform has penetrated leafier parts of the city. However we’re hearing that, despite some early campaigning, the Reform candidate’s team hasn’t been out and about much, giving rise to rumours over whether it is still fielding a candidate at all. We have contacted Reform but are still awaiting a reply. We’ll be updating as we find out more this week, so watch this space, and if you have anything to contribute, email Jack.
🏅 It was the annual black pudding throwing championship in Ramsbottom, Bury, yesterday. Contenders from as far as Japan came to test their blood-sausage-tossing mettle, throwing them at a set of Yorkshire puddings sat atop a 20 ft high ledge, with the winner knocking the most down. Yesterday’s winner was a 55-year-old Salfordian named Ged Flan. "I've been coming here seven years,” he said. “I've done it and achieved everything I wanted to do.”
🏆 The MOBO awards have announced that it will host its 30th award ceremony in Manchester, at the Co-op Live. It’s the second big awards show coming to the city to celebrate a big birthday, with the Brits also set to be hosted at Co-op Live next year and again in 2027, marking its 50th anniversary.
💸 Ashton-under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner is facing a £56,500 bill after failing to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on a seafront flat, reports the Times. It’s the total cost of the unpaid tax, plus interest and a penalty for “careless behavior”.
⬛ And finally, tributes to Stockport-born boxer Ricky Hatton have poured in since the news of his death yesterday. A world champion across two weight divisions, Hatton is remembered for his frankness and humour outside of the ring, and someone who spoke openly about his struggles with alcohol and mental health. In his MEN obituary, he is described as a “symbol of resilience, loyalty, and Northern grit.”
Home of the week
Want a bedroom with a city centre view? This third floor flat on Princess Street is going for £225,000.
Our favourite reads
This is the single funniest thing we’ve ever read, and we don’t speak Dutch. A Netherlands-based newsletter has done a profile on our very own Mill editor Jack Walton, and his tumultuous relationship with known flag-raiser and people-smuggler Lee Twamley. The article quotes the voice-note Twamley sent Jack at length, which is somehow even funnier in Dutch. “Ja, ik zeg je dit, Jack, van Mills Publications in Londen,” goes the translation. “Schrijf wat je wil, you big, daft, fat, leftie c***.”
The crumbling seaside palaces at the centre of Britain’s asylum crisis — Financial Times
And in this fantastic Financial Times piece, Jennifer Williams tries to track down the reclusive octogenarian owner of Britannia Hotels — many of which are now used to house asylum seekers. Alexander Langsam’s family fled Austria for Salford during the war, “on the last train out of Vienna,” and much of his story is based in and around Manchester, with his first ever venture being the infamous Portland Street hotel.
Can Keir survive? Inside the plot to bring down the prime minister — The Guardian
And the Andy Burnham takeover plot thickens in the Guardian’s latest Saturday read. If you can make it past the tedious political humour you can read all about the GM Mayor’s soaring popularity for PM: “A third of the UK sees him favourably which is the political equivalent of a rave review.”
Our to do list
Tuesday
🍪 Adam Farrer is coming to Chorlton Library to discuss his book Broken Biscuits and other male failures, as part of Chorlton Book Festival.
🦇 And if you can make it to Blackleach Country Park in Worsley, join the Salford Rangers in their evening search for bats. Bring a torch.
Wednesday
💏 Two Greater Manchester based choreographers are bringing their new work to the Lowry — including the love and longing filled dance The Joy of Kissing.
🍷And head to Fazenda for a four course dinner paired with wines from renowned Argentinian winery Terrazas de los Andes.
Thursday
🔥 This one looks great — iconic Manchester rapper Black Josh is performing live at Stage & Radio, alongside Lee Scott and Bill Shakes. There’ll be a merch desk and the dress code is pro-hats pro-trainers.
🎤 And over at Portico Library there will be a storytelling event around the theme Reframing Resilience, as part of Voice ESEA celebrating East and South East Asian heritage month.
Got a To-Do that you’d like us to list? Tell us about it here.
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