Last up is Andy Burnham. Mikel Arteta is Everton’s best player, he says, and he can’t get into the Spain team, so “I think it will be Spain”.

Did I ever mention that we are the fastest-growing city-region in the UK? 😂 Tremendous piece by Simon Kelner in the @theipaper.com. 👏🏻

Opinion | The renewal of Manchester should be enough to make you feel optimistic 🖋️ by Simon Kelner Read more: trib.al/WXX8MjK

Andy Burnham says homeless armed forces veterans are to get ‘fast tracked’ to the Bed Every Night progamme in Wigan | Chris Gee

We have always said we will not know the whole truth about Hillsborough until we know the truth about Orgreave. Same police force. Same tactics. Five years earlier. We are grateful to the Government for delivering on its manifesto promise. 🙏🏻

Some good news: we will soon restore a night bus service to all 10 boroughs in GM. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Super to be invited to the GM Good Growth event today. Huge buzz about devolution, the importance of social purpose, and how GM is 'doing things differently' with a blended approach to investment across the city-region. Lots of great speakers incl. @andyburnham.bsky.social @bevcraig.bsky.social.

A major vote of confidence in Ballymena manufacturing. Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed a new order for 55 electric buses from Wrightbus as Greater Manchester accelerates plans for a fully electric fleet. More below!

Tomorrow we lift the 9.30am restriction on bus passes, letting older and disabled people travel whenever they want. It was good to thank the GM Older and Disabled People’s Panels for pushing for it. A positive change powered by the people - exactly how politics should work! 🙌🏻

By this time next week, we will have removed the 9.30am restriction on older and disabled people’s bus passes - for good.

ANDY BURNHAM: 'Gorton and Denton by-election is pivotal - don't let Reform poison in' www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

So good to see this recognition of what’s happening in GM.👇🏻 It’s based on 🐝 setting high, long-term ambitions & sticking to them 🐝 strong partnership between public, private and other sectors 🐝 collaborative ‘place-first’ politics And we’re only getting started! 💪🏻

Andy Burnham, Lucy Powell and Ed Milliband campaigning in Denton today with Labour’s by-election candidate Angeliki Stogia

🚨Don't forget On Tuesday we're publishing a book – combining analysis & policy with in-depth conversations to understand the needs of lower income families – and hosting a major conference on it. With keynotes from Andy Burnham @andyburnham.bsky.social & Ken Murphy. Register➡️ buff.ly/2tG8LsY

🚨Major conference🚨 We're publishing a new book – combining analysis and policy work with in-depth conversations to understand the needs of lower income families – and hosting a major conference to discuss, with keynote speeches from Andy Burnham and Ken Murphy. Register now➡️ buff.ly/2tG8LsY

Great to have @andyburnham.bsky.social out today giving his full backing to our brilliant candidate Angeliki Stogia for Gorton and Denton. Andy was clear - we are united against the division of Reform. He wants people to vote Labour to keep them out of Manchester.

One month today, GM will have lifted the 9.30am restriction on older and disabled people’s bus passes - permanently. We continue to work relentlessly to improve the lives of our residents! 💪🏻🐝

Big congrats Angeliki! I know you will do a great job. I will be there for you whenever you need me.🤞🏻💪🏻

My January salary donation to our A Bed Every Night scheme. This year, I will be calling on the Government to make this a national approach. GM can’t fix rough sleeping on its own. Newly-arrived or otherwise, no one should have to spend one night on Britain’s streets in 2026.

Given the weekend I’ve had it feels very much like a Dominic Calvert-Lewin hat-trick is now incoming. 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

I am disappointed by today’s NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us. To whoever becomes Labour’s candidate and to our members in Manchester and Tameside: you will have my full support in this fight and I will be there whenever you need me. 1/2

I have today written to the Chair of Labour’s National Executive Committee seeking permission to enter the selection process for a candidate for the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by-election. Read my letter here.👇🏻

"Britain has only ever been able to stand tall in the world, alongside partners, when it’s allowed all parts of the country to succeed." @mds49.bsky.social on @andyburnham.bsky.social speech at @uclpolicylab.bsky.social and @theifs.bsky.social. www.newstatesman.com/politics/202...

"When I was in Westminster, people didn't organise to get the best for their region. They spent all the time point-scoring." At @instituteforgovernment.org.uk conference, @andyburnham.bsky.social called for a new voting system that would promote a "place-first, not party-first" culture. We agree!

Andy Burnham spoke at the IFS with @uclpolicylab.bsky.social today where he championed devolution as the antidote to centralisation and privatisation, and argued a new politics was needed for a new economy to emerge, set in opposition to the new right who he said were architects of our malaise.

🤔 Are major constitutional reforms needed to deliver a more functional Britain❓ 🔴 🐝 Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham unveiled his thoughts at IfG conference this week... 👀 😲 Read here to see the changes he would make 👇 labourlist.org/2026/01/burn...

A statement ahead of Monday’s debate in the Commons on the Hillsborough Law.

Reform = worst of the Tory Party

@andyburnham.bsky.social @lcrmayor.bsky.social what a fantastic book this is. Anyone who loves the north and is passionate about a more equal Britain should read it. Andy and Steve are brilliant

GOVERNMENT 2026 | Is the government making any progress on rewiring the state? Join us on Tuesday 13 January to hear @hannahkeenan.bsky.social present key findings from Whitehall Monitor 2026 - with @andyburnham.bsky.social, Michael Gove, Rowena Mason, @alexgathomas.bsky.social @samfr.bsky.social

Happy new year, Greater Manchester! To get it off to a good start, we are committing to keeping our £2 cap on the one-hour Hoppa fare for the whole of 2026. 👍🏻 1/2

🚨NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION🗓️ If you're sick and tired of public services being run for profit not people, join us. vist.ly/4k926

Does anyone know what is or is not a penalty any more? 🤷🏻‍♂️

From March 1 2026, we will scrap the 9.30am restriction on older and disabled people’s bus passes. 🐝 You told us it was unfair and we have listened. 👍🏻

Greater Manchester was the first place to introduce a £2 cap on bus fares in September 2022. 🐝 To help our residents, we will be keeping it in place for the whole of 2026. 🙌🏻

Wonderful to visit the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds with Rob’s family. What a place and what a difference he and they will make for families coming after them. Thanks to everyone who donated and, of course, to the great Kevin Sinfield. 🙏🏻

Quite a lot of rubbish in the papers today. Reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!

At long last, a positive shared vision for railways in the North. 🙌🏻 #BeeNetworkRail will be a game-changer for GM. 🐝

One year to go. #BeeNetworkRail

Tomorrow we take the first big step towards Bee Network Rail. 🐝 Fares will be simpler and in most cases lower for people travelling between our stations in GM. Tickets valid on any service. 🙌🏻

I am glad common sense has prevailed. BUT The UK’s fastest-growing city-region should not be in the position of having to beg and plead for basic rail connectivity. A plan to improve Manchester-London services in the short, medium and long terms is now well overdue.

The GM Mayor’s Charity has launched its “1000 beds for Christmas” campaign, supporting our ground-breaking A Bed Every Night initiative. Tonight we will be looking after over 600 people in #ABEN but could do even more with your help. 🙏🏻 1/2

Smart move, grid scale energy storage is a vital part of the Smart Grid we need as we transition to a 100% green. It’s how we balance the huge fluctuations of both demand and production. And of course part of the green economy - that brings jobs, economic growth and lower bills. buff.ly/FmccrQ2

Privilege to be at the Empress Ballroom in 1989 and the Palace Ballroom in 2022. 🙏🏻 A magnificent musician and Mancunian. What a loss but what a legacy. All-time basslines on THE all-time album.👌🏻 RIP Mani & Imelda

'For the first time in my lifetime we are closing the North-South divide' @andyburnham.bsky.social, Mayor of Greater Manchester, tells #BBCBreakfast about his plans to improve growth in the local economy

Today GM raises the bar on growth.

BIG NEWS On 7/12/25, GM sees the biggest change to rail services for 30+ years. A new fairer, simpler fare system will come in across our 96 stations. 🐝 Singles will be half the price of returns 🐝 Tickets will be valid on any operator 🐝 Average fare will fall by 5.6% 1/2

For the whole of November, we are lifting the 9.30 rule on older and disabled people’s bus passes. We are doing whatever we can to help people with cost-of-living pressures and make life a little easier. 🐝

"Sends the wrong message to commuters, residents, and crucially to bike thieves": Andy Burnham "deeply concerned" and urges British Transport Police to reconsider controversial bike theft policy road.cc/content/news...