LFF spoke to Patrick Hurley at Labour conference

A deep dive into the challenges facing Britain’s seaside towns and villages.

On the steps of Downing Street yesterday, we heard a clear call to turn the page on forty years of economic mismanagement. Our country’s reckless experiment in extreme deindustrialisation is at the he...

Southport MP Patrick Hurley has spoken up for the benefits that local pubs bring to communities and the people who live there.  Mr Hurley spoke about the links between the loss of local pubs and the r...

The inaugural Wayfarers Contemporary Art Fair will take place beneath the iconic glass dome of Southport's Wayfarers Arcade 17-18th July 2026, with free public entry between 10am and 5pm each day. A new Biennale for Southport, the art fair will shine a spotlight on contemporary northwest, UK and international artists at different stages of their career. With 100+ contemporary artists exhibiting, plus live entertainment, talks, artist demonstrations, food and drink. The exhibits will tell the story of 'place, play and folk'. Artists include Tony Heaton OBE, Tina Dempsey, Julian Taylor and Geoffrey Robinson. Plus Southport's pioneers Brian Lewis, Peter Owen, Grant Searle and 2026 Sefton Art prize winners Peter Lavell and Jess Woolston. With local emerging talent including Zulay Sayalero and Kerry Koyne. The art fair has teamed up with Bebe's Hive charity. They will receive 10% of all art sold, to support Southport grieving children and families through the arts. Work on exhibition and for sale include fine art painting, print, sculpture, ceramics, photography and textiles. For the full programme see: www.wayfarerscontemporaryartfair.com.

EXCLUSIVE: New proposals to ban the loudest fireworks outside of organised displays have been put forward following years of calls by veterans' and animal rights' groups

Writing for HuffPost UK, Labour MPs Anna Dixon and Patrick Hurley make the case for proportional representation.

First-past-the-post is failing. Representatives are being elected on 20 per cent of the vote and less. That is not a democratic mandate.

New plans are being considered even before the arrival of a devolution-loving PM

The first line of Hartley’s Go Between has become a cliché and an aphorism - the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.

Britain under this Labour government faces a major challenge: how can we deliver economic transformation in left-behind communities at a time when ...

All are welcome at the annual Armed Forces Day celebration in Southport this Sunday (28th June 2026).  This biggest Armed Forces Day event in the North West will take place at various locations in Sou...

The Hobby Post has now opened in Southport town centre, offering a new world for fans of fantasy games and literature such as Warhammer, Dungeons &…

"Keir Starmer leaves office having changed the course of his party and, as a result, the course of his country"

Southport MP Patrick Hurtley has backed the Prime Minister’s announcement that children under-16 will be banned from using social media.  Keir Starmer said today that children will be banned from soci...

A Summer Festival is coming to Wesley Street in Southport town centre this June and everyone is invited!  Wesley Street - famous as ‘The Village In The…

The Atkinson will have a permanent exhibition dedicated to preserving traditional seaside entertainment.

The Bebe's Hive project will provide specialised, creative, child-led healing for bereaved children

<div> <p>The latest robust action includes fines, securing a prosecution, and installing new deterrents in known hotspots.  </p> </div> <div> <p>Over the past month, the Council has issued 11 Fixed Pe...

The MPs say the current first-past-the-post system for general elections is

The rail service is again told to make improvements after the "absolute disgrace"

A Defence of Labour in Power

Jinne Payne from Churchtown Primary School in Southport has been shortlisted for Headteacher of the Year at the TES Schools Awards, widely regarded as the Oscars of the education sector. The TES Schoo...

A car park attendant who saved a much-loved grandad’s life in Southport has been honoured with the Sefton Courage Award sponsored by EFT Group at the 2026 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.  Laim Howard wa...

Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe run the London Marathon together in memory of Alice and Elsie.

Reform UK told the ECHO it was looking into the allegations surrounding Jay Leslie Cooper's online activity

Calls for ‘urgent, sustained action’ over rising number of children who do not have permanent home

The stunning new Warehouse Arts Centre will become home to a wide range of live music, arts and creativity, set across four floors on West Street in…

Discover what was said when social enterprises, councillors, corporates and legal experts met with MPs to discuss why procurement legislation is failing