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Here is today's Liverpool Daily Post:
Hello,
We’re starting the week with a look back on a vibrant weekend of events in Liverpool as the city looks to find its summer groove following years of pandemic disruption. We’ve also got the latest on Government intervention and news of political support for those involved in industrial action from tomorrow.
'Merseyvision'
It can sometimes feel like Liverpool gets overlooked when it comes to hosting the biggest events. The city has provided the backdrop for its fair share of showpiece occasions over the years, but there is a sense that more tend to gravitate towards Manchester - 30 miles up the road. It’s often one or the other between the two heavyweight cities when events swing by the north west. More often than not its people this side of the M62 that are forced to travel.
But when Liverpool does get to host the showpiece occasions, it’s difficult to see why the city doesn’t get its chance more often. When the Giants returned in 2018, near enough the entire region poured out onto the streets. And just compare the pictures of when Liverpool FC paraded their two ‘lesser’ trophies and Manchester City's open-top-bus parade.
Liverpool doesn't do half measures and always looks to do things in its own way, and it's safe to say that appeal is continuing to grow. Even the Tories are said to be considering a long Scouse weekend for a future party conference. And that’s saying a lot. So with the news that Liverpool will be among the city’s bidding to host the next Eurovision song contest, its credentials more than stack up.
The road towards this eventuality is clearly a tragic one. Despite winning this year’s contest, beating the UK’s entrant Sam Ryder, Ukraine will unlikely be able to carry out its hosting duties next year - as is the general custom. Vladimir Putin’s bloody war and bid to destabilise Ukraine is yet to slow down.
Therefore, on Friday, the European Broadcast Union (EBU) said it had carried out a study with Ukrainian state broadcaster UA:PBC and external specialists, amid the conflict, confirming that the "security and operational guarantees" required to host the event cannot be fulfilled in the war-torn country. The statement added: "As a result of this decision, in accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now begin discussions with the BBC, as this year's runner-up, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the United Kingdom."
Ukraine has asked for the decision to be reconsidered in the hopes of hosting the event, but the news has clicked a number of UK cities into gear, Liverpool being one of them. Within a few hours of the EBU’s announcement, Liverpool city council had formally expressed its desire to host the event. According to Eurovision, the host city has to have a 10,000 capacity arena, links to an international airport and an adequate hotel bed capacity across the city. Liverpool would already tick these boxes even before its strong cultural acumen is brought into play. Other northern cities such as Manchester and Leeds are keen on hosting the event.
The council has said it has put itself forward on the back of being the only UNESCO City of Music in England, and would promise to pay tribute to the war-torn country if it is selected to host the prestigious event. The council pointed towards the pivotal role Liverpool played in getting the events industry back on track when it hosted a number of pilot test events across Sefton Park, Bramley Moore and at the Exhibition centre last spring. The strong cultural fabric of the city is also being flaunted, with many across the world in tune with Liverpool music thanks to a certain band that - rightly or wrongly - still dominate aspects of the city centre iconography.
“We are an events city and no one can stage a party like us," said Mayor Joanne Anderson when stating the city’s intentions to host the event. She added: “Culture is synonymous with Liverpool and we tick all the boxes to be next year’s host – great venues, enviable experience, a world-renowned music heritage, UNESCO City of Music status and of course the warm Scouse welcome that just can’t be beaten. The event would become a beacon of hope around the world and we hope that Liverpool as an unrivalled music brand is given serious consideration by the decision-makers.”
Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan CBE, said: “The joy, colour and exuberance of Eurovision is intrinsically Liverpool. It's a perfect match. This city knows how to stage an event, and more importantly how to stage it appropriately given the circumstances in which it has come to the UK. Liverpool is committed to doing all it can to mark, honour and promote Ukraine during the event and in doing so, ensure the global platform is used to celebrate national identity, creativity and extraordinary resolve.”
Africa Oye lights up Sefton Park
Speaking of Liverpool’s knack for getting the showpiece occasions right, Africa Oye made its long overdue return to Sefton Park this weekend for a two day celebration of music and community.
With Liverpool International Festival moved into the city centre for the foreseeable, Oye is one of the last large-scale events to take place at the south Liverpool green space. Having taken two years out as a result of the pandemic, the event returned with a bang and even had a blessing from above as the ominous weather forecasts never came to fruition. The event saw a range of UK based and international artists take to the main stage in what is one of the largest and longest running celebrations of African culture in the county. Now into its 30th year, the event can alway be relied on to bring a helping of sunshine to the city, even when clouds and rain linger.
You can view a full gallery of photos from Saturday and Sunday.
'The road to recovery will be hard'
Just over a year ago Liverpool council was the unwilling subject of the one of the worst Government inspection reports in recent history. It was thought that things couldn’t sink any lower when Max Caller handed his expose to then Communities secretary Robert Jenrick, who proceeded to drag the city over white hot coals when addressing Parliament on the scale of the issue here in Liverpool. But it seems key figures within the council are bracing for more bad news.
After a leaked memo, seen by the ECHO, appeared to suggest that more Government intervention was a matter of weeks away, Mayor Joanne Anderson has been forthright in her words about the council’s need to get its act together. This came after more scrutiny was applied to the authority's contacts with a number up for immediate renewal - a process which arguably has been clouded by May’s energy bill disaster.
Responding to the council's recent problems, Mayor Anderson said the authority is trying to weed out problems and expects further issues to come to light in the process. She said: "The road to recovery will be hard, as it is inevitable that more bad things will emerge through the process." These were the words of Max Caller in his damning report into Liverpool City Council, published in March last year.
"His watershed investigation prompted me to stand to become Mayor of Liverpool. My background if working with community organisations and local businesses meant I had a clear understanding of how important it is that our council delivers excellent services. Over the last few weeks, we have seen his prediction become reality, in relation to the procurement of council contracts.
"Make no mistake: we are absolutely determined to get our house in order – and the reason all of this is now coming to light is precisely because we are shining a spotlight on the issue. It is inevitable that uncomfortable failings will be identified as we go through the process of starting to put things right. Our administration are driving improvements and that also means being transparent about failures."
The city leader said she wants to reassure people that her administration have and are continuing to learn lessons, so mistakes are avoided in the future. With today the final day residents of Liverpool can have their say on its future Governance model, we may find ourselves in a reality where no mayor at all will oversee the final years of the council’s recovery journey.
Support for striking staff
The first day of train strike action will get under way tomorrow with much of the country’s services grinding to a halt.
As we reported last week, Merseyrail staff will not be part of the strikes, but with Network rail employees taking action as part of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, local services will not be able to operate. So on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, no Merseyrail trains will be in action across the city region - with services from Lime Street also hit.
Union bosses say that they have continued dialogue with the Government in a bid to avert the strikes. However no breakthrough has been made, with the RMT asking for worker’s wages to be protected against the cost of living crisis, among other other requests to improve working conditions.
A number of Liverpool MPs, city councillors and other prominent figures have today come out in support for the RMT strike action, saying it is 'entirely justified.' A large number of people have signed a supportive statement including Liverpool MPs Ian Byrne, Dan Carden, Kim Johnson and Paula Barker as well as Birkenhead MP Mick Whitley.
The statement reads: "We the undersigned wholeheartedly support the RMT union in their fight for a decent pay settlement, and to oppose any and all redundancies on the railways. Whilst Boris Johnson and his friends at ‘No 10’ partied and toasted one another’s wealth, RMT members worked through the pandemic maintaining basic services and rail-safety. They are being repaid with a pay freeze and attacks on employment conditions. 2,500 jobs are also at risk across the regional networks."
You can read the full statement here.
In focus
The view
“The joy, colour and exuberance of Eurovision is intrinsically Liverpool. It's a perfect match”
Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan CBE
Farewell Yellow Breck Road
Walton Breck Road is often a frantic scene a few hours before kick off at Anfield. On matchdays, thousands of people dart to and from the pubs that line the tight knit terraces in the area.
With the football season over, live music has instead picked up the batton and brought the liveliness back Walton Breck Road, with the Rolling Stones among those to recently play to an adoring Kop. But it’s not often the stars of the show are among the hoards of people fizzing around the front of the stadium - or so many thought on Friday afternoon.
At around 5pm, with Elton John taking the stage that night, what appeared to be Rocket man singer was seen wandering up the corner of Oakfield Road towards a petrol garage. Decked out in full Elton John regalia and with security in tow, it was a surreal sight - in more ways than one. It turns out that an eerie doppelganger was part of an elaborate hoax.
Inside the perimeter of the stadium, the actual Elton John was warming up for what was going to be a special night for both the singer and crowd. The ECHO’s Amy Browne was in attendance to capture what is likely to be the last time Elton is in town. She noted how he told the crowd: “I’ve had the best life. After next year this is it for me. How can I ever forget this night? I wish you love, life, happiness and a European f***ing cup.”
ECHO Chamber
Bacon butties and topless dancers: Lee Grimsditch reports on the lost 'eyesore' city centre pub that terrified out of towners |
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