I’ve been splitting my time between Southport and Halifax recently, for a number of reasons which include family duties. This has given me an insight into two very different worlds across the North of England. Right now I’m back in Halifax, having come back on Thursday to vote in the local elections. Sadly, the election results were far less favorable in Calderdale than they were in Sefton (the area which covers Southport). I’ll blog about the results in detail tomorrow but the upshot is that whilst Labour retain control in Sefton whilst they’ve lost control of Calderdale to Reform. I now await the inevitable political shitstorm that will follow as Reform indulge in their usual backstabbing, abuse of anyone not ‘one of them’ and pointless performative politics whilst pretending they can be trusted to run more than a whelk stall.

Politics aside, Dawn and I have been getting on with home improvements and redecorating the living room. Dee’s proving her skills at wallpapering despite never having tackled it before. I’ve been offering support and technical advice in the background whilst covering other chores. Sadly, the great weather I’ve been enjoying over on the coast hasn’t followed me to Calderdale, but then the place does feel rather gloomy after the election results. No matter what you read in the media desperate to ‘big up’ Reform, it’s clear the majority of residents didn’t vote for the ‘Fagash Fuhrer’ Farage’s latest party and most reactions are less than favourable.

I’ll be here for a few more days yet as as we both want to get the living room to a stage of completion where it’s a livable space rather than a just a work in progress. After that I’ll be on my travels again. Whilst I’ve been here a couple of commissions have come in that will see me on the rails again at the beginning of next month, which will dovetail nicely with other projects in the pipeline. Plus, when the weather picks up I’ve more Merseyrail and Liverpool adventures planned – and more. June’s going to be a busy month.

But for now I’ll leave you with a picture of the weather over the Calder valley earlier today. It neatly sums up the mood of many in Calderdale after the election result was announced.

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Cheers,

Paul