Luke Beardsworth

Plans for UK police to reveal suspects’ ethnicity a recipe for ‘dog-whistle politics’, say campaigners Guidelines for high-profile cases aim to counter misinformation but critics warn of unintended consequences

I’ve seen this be very effective in calming people down when the corners of WhatsApp/FB are doing what they do after an incident.

The clear problem is that whenever the information is not released, people will very rapidly assume things about suspects.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

I think this image from the Metropole in Blackpool at the weekend is quite powerful. Refugee toddler watches on as a flag with “send them home” waves outside.

📷 Rob Gomm

Refugees living in Metropole Hotel to be reminded they could always go home PLUS: Fallout from Blackpool Council's adult social care services being rated as inadequate

Tired of living in the worst rated hotel chain in the country, unable to work, while over a year is taken to make a decision your claim?

You could always just go home.

blackpool.thelead.uk/p/metropole-...

It’s a beautiful morning to be battered awake by my dog at 5.30am.

A landlord should never be the homelessness minister Plus: Our summer reads in a bumper The Lead Digest, ReformWatch including the Reform UK Board election and latest from The Lead North.

Roses are red
This looks pretty sinister:

national.thelead.uk/p/rushanara-...

The Metropole: Closer to a prison than a holiday for asylum seekers PLUS: Whistleblower shares why she is telling her story

EXCLUSIVE: Whistleblower shares the horrifying reality of living in Blackpool's OnlyFans asylum hotel

✍️ @lukebeardsworth.bsky.social for The Blackpool Lead

blackpool.thelead.uk/p/the-metrop...

The Metropole: Closer to a prison than a holiday for asylum seekers PLUS: Whistleblower shares why she is telling her story

While tough questions need to be asked of the continued housing of asylum seekers in hotels, I don’t believe that demonising the vulnerable has to be part of it.

blackpool.thelead.uk/p/the-metrop...

Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton are just unreal.

The Metropole: Closer to a prison than a holiday for asylum seekers PLUS: Whistleblower shares why she is telling her story

While tough questions need to be asked of the continued housing of asylum seekers in hotels, I don’t believe that demonising the vulnerable has to be part of it.

blackpool.thelead.uk/p/the-metrop...

Could’ve been. Although their victory was pretty comprehensive and county-wide.

To be fair, no journalist repeated the claims without giving them the proper level of scrutiny. Everyone did a good job from what I can see.

No conversation, ever, about care home being used for asylum seekers PLUS: SEND provision improvement welcomed by Reform and opposition at County Hall

Which does beg the question: why has the original post not been removed - and as it’s such an important issue, which did he not update people publicly?

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/no-convers...

No conversation, ever, about care home being used for asylum seekers PLUS: SEND provision improvement welcomed by Reform and opposition at County Hall

I asked the now elected Cllr if he wanted to share what info he had given what we were about to report. He declined and Reform told me that he has been aware it wouldn’t be used for that purpose for some time.

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/no-convers...

No conversation, ever, about care home being used for asylum seekers PLUS: SEND provision improvement welcomed by Reform and opposition at County Hall

But today we report that, to little surprise, it’s to be reopened as a care home. We were also told quite definitively there has never been a conversation about using the facility to house asylum seekers. At least, aside from the one started by Reform.

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/no-convers...

In April, a Reform election candidate posted that a closing care facility was to be used to house asylum seekers. This is how it was worded. There was no evidence and the time and it was criticised.

Inside the first Reform UK-led full council meeting at County Hall PLUS: The Lancashire Lead's take from the viewing gallery at County Hall

Common sense politics has arrived in Lancashire. Right?

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/lancashire...

I agree with everything you said but would argue it applies to people of any age.

No - but it is the earliest age most will feel they are entering society independently (with lots of caveats about further education and other things).

Agree that it doesn’t need that argument in that way to show its merits.

There’s no coherent argument for why 16-year-olds shouldn’t be able to vote. Well overdue.

Good news!📣

We’re delighted to tell you the in-depth local journalism we publish twice-a-week across the North of England is up for an award.

Press Gazette’s Future of Media Awards has seen The Lead North project shortlisted in the Best Journalism-Based Newsletters of 2025 (Specialist/Regional).

Nurseries will be at risk of closure due to proposed Reform UK cuts PLUS: The second full council meeting since Reform UK's resounding Lancashire election victory is unlikely to be a quiet one

“The first thing that is going to hit is the staffing. They’re talking about not being able to increase staff pay, not being able to fill vacancies and the stark reality is that some are talking about closing and you can't get away from that.”

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/reform-uk-...

🐕

I took a fantastic picture of Atreus on the evening walk.

4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment In the past two years, without much notice, solar power has begun to truly transform the world’s energy system.

Globally, roughly a third more power is being generated from the sun this spring than last. If this exponential rate of growth can continue, we will soon live in a very different world, @billmckibben.bsky.social writes.

Future of Media Awards shortlist highlights best of digital journalism in 2025 Press Gazette is proud to announce the Future of Media Awards 2025 shortlist covering digital excellence across news publishers big and small.

Delighted that The Lead North has been nominated in the @pressgazette.co.uk Future of Media Awards, alongside some real heavyweights of journalism.

pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...

The only surprising thing about Jake Berry joining Reform is that we haven’t seen more Tory former MPs do the same. Yet. He’s the fifth to do so.

Over 60 Reform candidates in the local elections were former Tories. The leader of Lancashire County Council is a former Tory.

More will follow.

Diogo Jota death teaches us valuable lessons Live every day as if it’s a cup final, says John Nicholson.

Essential reading: www.football365.com/news/diogo-j...

Prime Minister told to reflect and listen to backbench MPs PLUS: A referendum appears to be off the cards already when it comes to local government reorganisation

A polite telling off for the Prime Minister, then.

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/prime-mini...

From plasterer to pasta: Preston’s affordable new restaurant with the highest standards Saucier in Preston. Credit: Ewan Gerraty A new restaurant serving fresh pasta made inhouse every day in Preston is aiming to set a very high standard for wh

Just one bloke risking quite a lot for his crystal clear vision. Preston is all the better for it.

www.blogpreston.co.uk/2025/07/from...

Reform UK's attempts to organise p*** up at brewery fall short PLUS: The prison so bad they call it The Airport

Reform tries to organise piss up at brewery. Fails.

lancashire.thelead.uk/p/reform-lan...