Pubs will be allowed to stay open until 5am on Monday after a late U-turn by the Prime Minister.

Football fans in England and Wales will get hours of extra drinking as England take on Mexico in a last-16 match kicking off at 1am UK time.

Ministers initially refused to relax the licensing laws yesterday, but in a rare popular U-turn, Keir Starmer said pubs could stay open until after the final whistle.

The Home Office will initiate an emergency law change this morning. Sir Keir said: ‘Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to. 

‘Pubs staying open until the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together.’

The Home Office had already relaxed licensing laws ahead of the World Cup due to the erratic kick-off times, but had failed to make any provision for 1am fixtures such as England’s make-or-break showdown against Mexico in the co-host’s capital.

Instead, individual pubs were forced to apply to local councils for a Temporary Event Notice, but many were told they had already missed the deadline following Wednesday’s win against DR Congo.

The Daily Mail understands the Home Office initially resisted calls from inside government to amend licensing hours on Sunday night over concerns about the impact on already struggling police forces.

This means supporters will be able to watch every minute of the match on a big screen with a drink in their hands

Sir Keir Starmer pushed through the move to force a popular U-turn – a rarity under his leadership

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But the football-loving PM pushed the change through in an attempt to secure a legacy before leaving No 10. 

One government source confessed: ‘We probably clocked this a little bit late in the day to be honest – getting anything done in half a day in government is basically impossible.’ 

Amid accusations the Home Office was behaving like the ‘fun police’, the department finally relented and allowed Downing Street to get the ball over the line.

But fears remain about whether the police will be able to put plans in place in such a short amount of time, with one source admitting there hadn’t been a ‘huge amount of engagement’ with forces ahead of the last-minute licensing change.

Political pressure for the change was piled on from parties across the spectrum, including Labour backbenchers. 

York Outer MP Luke Charter said: ‘Labour can show we’re the party that backs the places that bring people together. Let’s get this one right ahead of a huge moment!’

Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick branded yesterday’s confusion ‘ridiculous’, demanding: ‘Just issue a decree that any pub in the land can stay open late on Monday.

‘It’s been done before. Stop being pettifogging killjoys and get behind England.’

Tory MP Louie French said the announcement was ‘the least’ Downing Street could do for pubs ‘after two years of hammering [them] with Labour’s tax rises’.

Fans out in North America will have to make the journey to Mexico to see England take on the hallowed Azteca Stadium

They will be hoping that Harry Kane can repeat his heroics and shepherd England into the quarter finals

While England fans may face the prospect of heading to work on Monday with just a couple of hours’ sleep, Downing Street told parents to ignore manager Thomas Tuchel’s rebellious advice to children.

At a press conference after the nail-biting 2-1 win against DR Congo, Tuchel said parents should ‘write an excuse for school and let them watch football’.

‘They have so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch… and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children.’ But Sir Keir’s spokesman slapped down the suggestion, saying: ‘Kids should be at school on Monday.’

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson added: ‘Children should be in school the next day.’

For adult fans, the Government is recommending a ‘disco nap on Sunday’ to ensure they can be ‘back at work next day’.

Downing Street added that Sir Keir was ‘facing the same dilemma as everyone else on whether to stay up’.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: ‘This tournament is hugely important for our sector, so we’re delighted the Government listened to our concerns and acted so quickly.’

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, added: ‘This pragmatic approach allows venues to focus on what matters most – bringing communities together to support the national team.’

It comes as English businesses brace for a ‘mass sickie event’ on Monday morning as bleary-eyed workers sleep in.

The AA said: ‘If supporters are staying up until nearly 3am to watch the game, or even 4am… they need to think carefully about how they’ll get through Monday morning safely.’

Cristiano Ronaldo finally scored a World Cup knockout goal at the grand old age of 41 – but deputy Goncalo Ramos stole his thunder for Portugal.

Boss Roberto Martinez has been hounded all tournament for his reluctance to drop or substitute veteran Ronaldo but he got his in-game moves spot on as his team overcame a gutsy and spirited Croatia side in Toronto.

Ronaldo was not one of four substitutions in the 63rd minute and he repaid his manager’s faith five minutes later to score a penalty which cancelled out Ivan Perisic’s 53rd-minute opener.

Then when Ronaldo was finally hooked, the man who took over the No 9 position in new AC Milan signing Ramos scored a 94th-minute winner with a fine header after Rafael Leao’s cross.

Croatia thought they had equalised in the 13th minute of stoppage time through Josko Gvardiol but Mario Pasalic was deemed to be offside in a highly contentious VAR call.

It means Portugal set up a tantalising last-16 clash against Spain in Dallas on Monday night.

Martinez gets Ronaldo calls bang on

Ronaldo was a millisecond away from bouncing into his iconic ‘siu’ celebration when he glanced to his right to see the offside flag raised.

When he looked to the other direction, he would have seen four Portugal players limbering up to come on as substitutes.

With two forwards among them, it felt inevitable that Ronaldo’s international career might be over. All those great moments ending with a marginal offside call.

But these lot write their own scripts, just like his great rival Lionel Messi did in 2022 in Qatar.

Within minutes, Ronaldo was wheeling away again and unfurling the celebration after confidently dispatching a penalty straight down the middle.

Manager Martinez had resisted the nagging temptation to hook Ronaldo and he was repaid.

Other than scoring the penalty, though, the 41-year-old did nothing to warrant his selection. He was missing in action most of the game.

Ramos, who this week joined AC Milan for around £63.5million, occupied space and put himself about in a way that Ronaldo did not and his last-gasp header was a memorable moment.

Did VAR get it right?

It was a VAR call that will be the talk of Croatia for decades to come.

Did Igor Matanovic touch the ball? As the long ball came into the penalty area, there was no doubt Pasalic was offside.

But from the angles shown on TV, there was no conclusive evidence – either way – to suggest whether Matanovic had headed on the cross and not just defender Renato Veiga.

With such fine margins, it feels like another moment that VAR has ruined our beautiful game. Given how well Croatia played and how they deserved something from the match, it is hard not to feel sorry for them.

It’s hard not to feel sorry for Croatia after they has a last-minute equalised stolen from them

Kovacic masterclass counts for nothing

Mateo Kovacic had perhaps the game of his career in midfield and really should have scored at least one goal.

The Manchester City man glided through Portugal with ease and his shot midway through the second half, tipped on to the post by Diogo Costa, deserved to put Croatia ahead.

Likewise his pass from deep to Petar Sucic would have been one of the assists of the tournament had the Inter man not been narrowly offside.

In a game where Paris Saint-Germain’s dynamite duo of Joao Neves and Vitinha were in a trio with Bruno Fernandes, and former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric was on the pitch, Kovacic was by far the best midfielder.

Perisic was another who had a positive night. The former Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Tottenham man, now 37, took his goal well and is maybe overlooked as one of the great veterans at this tournament.

Croatia, like Senegal the night before, looked shellshocked at the end. They did enough to win or at least force extra-time. They were daring, exciting and caused all sorts of problems. But it was not to be.

Leao outshines team-mates

Ronaldo was ineffective, Pedro Neto was barely noticeable. And so it was Rafael Leao who was the brightest spark for Portugal.

In the first minutes, the winger skipped past Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic and put a perfect cut-back in the path of Bruno Fernandes only for the shot to be well blocked.

Not long later, Leao chipped a fancy ball on to the head of Renato Veiga only for it to go over the crossbar.

Croatia started to double up on Leao which meant his evening quietened after an electrifying start – but he was still a bright spark, who seemed to get annoyed at Ronaldo for some negative passes at times.

His 58th-minute curling effort rattled the crossbar and was centimetres away from an equaliser, then he provided an inch-perfect cross for Ramos’s winner. What a fine assist.

AC Milan fans will not like this next sentence, but is it time Leao got a big move? The Italians giants are a huge club but can he do better? Now 27, so maybe the ship has sailed, but it is 80 goals in 291 club games for the winger.

Rafael Leao was the star for Portugal as he was finally given his first start of the tournament

Mendes vs Yamal, anyone?

‘What full back could give Lamine Yamal a game?’ – that was the question posed on BBC as Spain eased past Austria in the earlier kick-off.

Well, Portugal’s Nuno Mendes might give it a good go, or at least as good as any.

He has been the best left back in the game over the last two years at Paris Saint-Germain, twice champions of Europe – and that clash in Dallas looks like a real meeting of heavyweights.

Mendes is better going forward than he is defensively, which could be a concern for Spain and right back Pedro Porro, who sometimes looks isolated.

That clash in Dallas, 8pm on Monday night for UK viewers, looks like an all-time classic in the making.

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A soiree once dubbed America’s royal wedding has quickly become one big money grab.

Indeed Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce – who were labeled as ‘tacky’ for hosting their big day at Madison Square Garden – are seizing the moment to promote podcasts and even make new content for their armies of fans. 

Their closest friends used Thursday’s spectacle to peddle their own brands and grab eyeballs on the shut-down streets of midtown Manhattan.

The groom took to social media to promote his New Heights podcast, teasing that a ‘very special guest’ would be in the studio ‘TOMORROW’.

Reported bridesmaid Selena Gomez, sporting a black feathered ballgown, made sure to tout her Rare Beauty brand as she applied lipstick in the car while enroute to the gathering.

Swift’s longtime friend Lena Dunham was one of the only celebrities to make sure she was seen outside the heavily guarded venue, with the actress rolling down the window her blacked out SUV as she arrived at the party.

And to top to it all off, the bride confiscated phones at the event’s entrance to ensure that her cameras were the only ones rolling.

Swift’s BFF and reported bridesmaid Selena Gomez, sporting a black feathered ballgown, made sure to tout her Rare Beauty brand as she applied lipstick in the car while en-route to the gathering

Swift at the premiere of Toy Story 5 in Los Angeles on June 9 

Swift and Kelce hosted a pre-party at the Infosys Theater inside arena on Thursday night, slated for just 100 guests.

Reports ran wild that the pair may already be legally married. Some sources said they intended to exchange vows in front of 100 of their nearest and dearest on Thursday, before a blowout, festival-style party tomorrow.

Neither they, nor their guests, have confirmed what happened behind the closed doors.

They hung curtains on the arena’s gargantuan windows and erected an arrivals tent which blocked the public’s view of who was there.

A sign at a security checkpoint outside the venue instructed guests to ‘have identification out, have devices ready,’ suggesting attendees were forced to give up their phones before entering.

Press were told to leave the area, with cops heard saying: ‘It’s managed access. That means unless you have a business on the block, you gotta go to the corner.’

‘Either you gotta move or they’ll start arresting people for trespassing,’ an officer told journalists who refused to go to the designated press pen.

K9 units were spotted patrolling the perimeter of the arena, with the National Guard, as well as members of Swift’s own security team, seen in the area earlier this week.

Madison Square Garden was lit up in pink on Thursday night, but a few prized ads remained prominent  

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New Heights announced a surprise podcast to be broadcast the day Travis Kelce marries Taylor Swift

Kelce hosts the podcast along with his brother, Jason. He regularly uses the show to share titbits of gossip about his romance with Swift 

A total of 139 officers have been assigned to oversee the monster bash, including five lieutenants and 14 sergeants, according to the Daily Mail’s sources. Over 1,000 guests are expected to attend on Friday, with celebrations running into the early hours. 

Security posts around MSG were erected earlier this week and special ‘cooling stations’ have been set up to allow cops periods of air-conditioning.

The big day is set to feature a castle being built inside the iconic stadium. Crews were also seen hauling trees and other shrubbery, as well as a box marked ‘golf.’

A full street closure will then go into effect, allowing crews to erect a ‘drive through tent’ next to a separate ‘entrance tent,’ according to a special event permit

Another notice on display outside the arena states that photography and videography will take place in and around the area from June 29 to July 3.

Lena Dunham, another of Swift’s friends, was seen rolling down the window of her SUV while arriving at the venue 

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Swift’s crews have been setting up for her nuptials to Kelce all week, with the new notice suggesting that cameras may have been documenting the entire process.

Exclusive photographs obtained by the Daily Mail captured professional monitors, camera rigs and high-end production equipment being loaded through the arena’s loading bay in the lead up to her big day. 

The singer, who has multiple ties with Disney, is no stranger to turning her life – or her relationships – into a cinematic spectacle.

Swift has also enlisted a professional film crew to document her July 3 wedding with Travis Kelce at New York City’s Madison Square Gardens. Sound and high-end production equipment were spotted being unloaded from trucks on Tuesday

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Crews worked to unload truckloads worth of equipment at the wedding venue ahead of the wedding on Friday

A filming notice was spotted at one of the entrances to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Since all guests were asked to hand in devices, Swift’s crew will be the only cameras in the room 

In 2020, she released her Miss Americana documentary on Netflix which offered fans intimate details of her life on and off the stage.

Then, after her record breaking Eras tour, Swift released a feature-length concert film and sic part docuseries about the tour, highlighting her dubbing romance with Kelce.

She has also debuted multiple self-produced visual albums – each one owned outright by her, released on her timeline, and monetized on her terms.

Sources say Swift turned down offers worth tens of millions of dollars from streaming giants who wanted to broadcast the ceremony live.

The wedding footage, insiders say, will be hers alone to edit, release, and profit from however and whenever she chooses.

Swift and Kelce have faced massive scrutiny over the luxurious event and the disruption it is causing to America’s largest city over the holiday weekend. 

Security at the venue is tight, with more than 130 NYPD officers tapped to work the wedding

The blushing bride, 36, was seen being swept into the back of the iconic New York City venue in a blacked-out silver Suburban with an extended roof and communications antenna

K-9’s walk into Madison Square Garden ahead of Swift and Kelce’s Thursday night party

There was a flourish of good publicity for them when it was announces they had donated $26million to various charities across the country, including many in the city they disrupted.

This is just the beginning. There will no doubt be more glamorous, self-serving selfies and opportunities for brand-pushing tomorrow as they all return to Madison Square Garden for the big event tomorrow.

And with this much grift already on display, one can only imagine what’s still to come.

Manchester United have work to do in the summer transfer window under Michael Carrick and plans are already afoot for new additions next year

Manchester United are reportedly aiming to reshape their defence next summer. The Reds are prioritising midfield in 2026 after the departure of Casemiro and with Manuel Ugarte facing a lengthy spell out injured.

Mateus Fernandes was one player United were keen to sign from West Ham this summer, but the Portuguese has now joined Tottenham Hotspur for £85million. The Reds ultimately opted against rivalling Spurs for his signature due to the finances involved and a lack of clarity over his preferred next club.

It comes after United also missed out on England star Elliot Anderson. News of his switch to rivals Manchester City for £116m from Nottingham Forest was confirmed earlier on Thursday.

The Reds are at least close to signing one new midfielder, having already agreed a deal with Atalanta for Ederson. The Brazilian will join after a £35m initial fee, plus £3.8m in add-ons, was finalised between both clubs.

However, more midfield reinforcements will be needed at Old Trafford before United kick off their Premier League campaign away at newly-promoted Hull City on August 22.

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Left-back is also an area United are look to strengthen, but the Daily Mail claim that further changes in defence are unlikely to come until 2027.

Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez all entered the final year of their contracts at midnight on Tuesday, although United can trigger 12-month extensions for the latter two.

Shaw turns 31 at the end of next week, and a decision over his future is reportedly set to be made before the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, Matthijs De Ligt, under contract until 2029, has not played since the end of November due to a back injury that required surgery.

Reds boss Michael Carrick has already bid farewell to several players this summer as July begins. Jadon Sancho, Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia, Sonny Aljofree, Malachi Sharpe and James Bailey have all now ended their association with United after the expiration of their contracts.

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Marcus Rashford remains on the transfer radar of Barcelona with the Spanish champions considering another move for the Manchester United star

Barcelona could reportedly still test Manchester United’s clear Marcus Rashford stance that another loan will not be sanctioned. The 28-year-old impressed on loan at the La Liga giants last season and looked set to join permanently until Barca chose to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United.

Despite spending £69million to sign Rashford’s England teammate, the Spanish champions remained interested in a move for Rashford. However, their preference was another loan or at a fee below the £26m buy-option included in his initial switch with United not prepared to accept either of those conditions.

Rashford could yet be re-integrated back into the first-team squad but United may well prefer selling him in order to get his £315,000-a-week salary off their books as they look to continue restructuring their wage bill.

United are searching for a new left-sided winger and while Rashford is arguably the perfect fit, the feeling within both parties is that another move is best, according to the Daily Mail.

And that could yet arrive through a return to the Camp Nou with it also claimed that Barcelona may yet test United’s resolve on not wanting another loan deal.

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Rashford does have some transfer interest from United’s Premier League rivals with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Tottenham all keeping tabs on his situation.

The latter have already shown their financial muscle regarding wages having beaten United to the signing of West Ham star Mateus Fernandes.

Alex Scott, Aurelien Tchouameni, Tyler Adams and Felix Nmecha have since been linked as midfield options for United with top target Elliot Anderson joining rivals Manchester City.

Three of those four have been at the World Cup over the last few with Adams and Tchouameni still in the United States after round of 32 wins for USA and France. Germany and Nmecha meanwhile, were shockingly knocked out by Paraguay.

The Borussia Dortmund star has also been linked to Newcastle United as they search for a Sandro Tonali replacement with the Italian set to join Fernandes in north London.

Rashford very nearly joined Nmecha in sealing an early and unexpected World Cup exit but England managed to come from behind to beat DR Congo. He started the knockout clash before being replaced by Gordon, who assisted both of Harry Kane’s goals.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A powerful general who leads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged from hiding as Tehran prepared Friday for the dayslong funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Photos published online by Iranian state media showed Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting about the funeral of Khamenei, 86, then sitting alongside his casket as Iran’s theocracy held a smaller service for him Thursday night near the supreme leader’s former home in downtown Tehran.

Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United States, experts say. He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes that killed his father, the elder Khamenei.

Vahidi himself hasn’t been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the Iran war began.

Video published by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony for Khamenei near the husseiniyah at his compound in Tehran. An Israeli airstrike in the war’s first moments killed Khamenei and some of his family members. State media said Khamenei’s body sat within a coffin on a stage, with red tulips lined up in front of it. What appeared to be paper butterflies hung from the ceiling in front of it.

The black-clad mourners, whom state media identified as coming from families of those who lost loved ones in the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent Iran war, threw scarves and other items for attendants to brush against the coffin, a common practice in Iran.

Later, state media showed images of Khamenei’s casket draped by a red flag with white calligraphy reading “Ya Hussein,” a Shiite expression in remembrance of the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. It had been flying over the Imam Hussein golden-domed shrine in Karbala, Iraq. The flag also traditionally symbolizes both the spilled blood of someone unjustly killed and a call for vengeance.

Beginning Saturday, Iran will hold a dayslong funeral for Khamenei, and his body will be transported to cities in both Iran and neighboring Iraq. The funeral will begin at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, where authorities plan to shut down streets and daily life as mourners commemorate the life of Khamenei, who led Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West.

A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of Noah’s death was drowning.

A coroner’s court is sitting late while the jury in the inquest into the death of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe is continuing its deliberations.

The 14-year-old’s naked body was found in an underground water tunnel in the north of the city after having been missing for six days in June 2020.

An inquest into his death at Belfast Coroner’s Court started in January and has heard evidence from 76 witnesses, statements from a further 42 people, and involved maps, video footage, photographs, police logs and expert reports.

A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of Noah’s death was drowning.

Noah’s mother, Fiona, has been present for every day of the inquest.

Addressing the jury of eight men and two women on Thursday morning, Coroner Mr Justice Rooney reiterated that they must reach their findings based on the evidence they have seen and heard in court.

He reminded jurors that their findings must be unanimously agreed.

He also said there is no pressure of time on their deliberations, and all in court are happy to stay as long as it takes for them to reach their decisions.

The jury is set to be called back into the court room later for an update.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are set to tie the knot this Friday in New York City, with the full wedding schedule now confirmed

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Fresh information, including the timetable, for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding has emerged thanks to a city permit.

The celebrity wedding of the year is scheduled to commence at 5pm local time on Friday and continue into the early hours of Saturday morning, shutting down multiple blocks in central Manhattan during the bustling holiday weekend, reports The Mirror.

The application – for a “Special Event at MSG” – received approval on Wednesday evening from New York City’s permitting office, confirmed a spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

From Friday afternoon onwards, numerous blocks around the venue will be closed to traffic and partially restricted for pedestrians, based on details released by police on Thursday afternoon.

The timetable, according to AP news, is understood to be as follows:.

Thursday July 2

6.30-9.30pm – Pre-party for 100 guests only.

10.30pm – End of day.

Friday July 8.

12.01am-11.59pm – Full street closure: W. 31st St between 7th ave / 8th ave.

12.01am – 12pm – Cabaret tent box trucks arrive and build starts / ends for main (2nd tent) 25ft x 180ft drive through tent.

2pm – Crew call.

3-5pm – Doors open / Guests arrive.

5pm- 12am – Event.

Saturday July 9.

12.01-4am – Event cont.

4am-12pm – Tent strike and load out, full closure still in effect.

12pm-7pm – Load out continues / ends.

It appears Donna Kelce, mum of the Superbowl champion who’s tying the knot this Friday, is being left largely uninformed about many of the arrangements – and she’s perfectly content with that approach.

A source told the Daily Mail: “They actually haven’t told Donna very much, she is just going with the flow. They’re letting her know where she needs to be and when she needs to be there. They have a driver for her.”

The source explained this was standard practice for all their closest family and friends: “That’s how it is with everybody, even the people really close to them. When they get to where they need to be, they’re told where they’re going next.”

They noted that details have been distributed on a strictly limited basis amongst attendees: “So she doesn’t really know a lot about the plans, because she hasn’t been told. I think that’s their way of making sure that things aren’t leaked. Everyone is on a ‘need to know’ basis.

“I think she likes it that way. It’s not a stress. Travis told her what type of clothes she’d need and basically everything is going to be easy for her. She’s very excited to experience it as it happens, with some mystery along the way.”

The pair are taking extensive measures to maintain maximum privacy around their special day.

The victory was emphatic, with Cllr Scoble beating out second-place candidate Wendy Parkinson of Reform by over 500 votes.

The seat had been empty since early May, when the previous councillor – Ryan Bamforth – vacated it.

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

Cllr Scoble said: “We’re very happy – it’s more Horwich.

“It’s good that the seat is going to a resident in Horwich, so we will be able to carry on doing more good work for the people in the area.

“Thanks to my agent – he’s sorted me out a few times – and thanks for everybody.

“For us, this is about Horwich, and Horwich has now got the seat back after it was vacated by someone who abandoned his position.

“So thank you very much.”

Bolton council now has five councillors representing Horwich and Blackrod First Independents.

Reform candidate Wendy Parkinson (Image: Dan Dougherty)

These are Cllrs Peter Wright, Victoria Rigby, Andrea Finney, and leader David Grant.

Ryan Bamforth, who held the Horwich North seat until vacating it in May, was previously a Horwich and Blackrod First independent councillor.

He left the party in June of 2024, continuing the represent Horwich North as an independent candidate until his resignation in May.

Cllr Akhtar Zaman with Labour candidate Graham Dawson (Image: Dan Dougherty)

One story of the night was the battle between Horwich and Blackrod Independents and reform.

Bolton Council Leader Akhtar Zaman said: “This election matters very much in terms of Reform, because if Reform win the seat they will be in a better position in the council.

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

“We’re all very interested now in what impact Andy Burnham is having on the electorate – we hope it will be a positive one.”

Reform candidate Wendy Parkinson said she was ‘disappointed’ by the result, but stated it was to be ‘expected.’

All candidates stressed a commitment to local politics.

“When you solve lots of little things, big things get solved more easily,” said Ms Parkinson.

Peter Brett Hopkinson with his support dog Princess (Image: Dan Dougherty)

This was echoed by Cllr Scoble, when he stressed the importance of the seat going to a ‘resident in Horwich.’

Labour candidate Graham Dawson, Green candidate Nicola Salmon, and independent candidate Peter Brett-Hopkinson all expressed similar sentiments.

There were seven candidates in total:

Graham Dawson – Labour – 343 votes

Peter Brett Hopkinson – Independent – 13 votes

Raymond Ndokwo – Conservative and Union Party – 71 votes

Wendy Parkinson – Reform – 541 votes

Nicola Salmon – Green – 189 votes

John Francis Scoble – Horwich and Blackrod First Independents – 1186 votes

Scott James Turner-Preece – Liberal Democrats – 27 votes