Sacha Lord has announced today that he has joined the Labour Party, which is a move he said he has wanted to make “for a long time”.
After taking a stand on and publicly expressing his views on a number of issues concerning the region, and the city’s hospitality industry over the past couple of years – particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic – Greater Manchester’s Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord, has officially announced today that he has made the decision to announce the Labour Party.
The co-founder of Parklife Festival and Warehouse Project was appointed to the role of Night Time Economy Adviser by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham back in 2018.
He is the first ever person to hold the position in the city-region.
Taking to Twitter this morning to share the news that he has joined the Labour Party, Sacha Lord, explained: “I have today joined the Labour Party. This is a move I’ve wanted to make for a long time.
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“We need a change in Government and I fully support Labour in their ambitions to lead the country.”
I have today joined The Labour Party.
This is a move I've wanted to make for a long time.
We need a change in Government and I fully support Labour in their ambitions to lead the country.
Mr Lord says he hopes in joining the Labour Party, he can help to give the region “a louder voice” – but has ruled out becoming an MP.
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Explaining more about his decision, Mr Lord said: “This is a move I have been wanting to make for a long time, and the current political circumstances have hastened this ambition [as] I have seen the positive difference that Andy [Burnham] has made during my time working with the mayor’s office, and I want to support him in giving Greater Manchester and the North West a louder voice.
“Young people and young families today must be given the same opportunities I was given throughout the early stages of my career under the previous Labour Government.
“Not only was entrepreneurialism encouraged, but there were policies in place to help people get their first steps on the property ladder or discover new career paths, both geographically and across industry sectors.
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“Over the past 12 years, I’ve watched the Conservatives take away these opportunities, by quashing ambition, limiting entrepreneurship, and implementing policies that restrain our cultural progress and our ability to work with our international counterparts.
“We need a change in Government and for me, the only party to deliver opportunity is the Labour Party.”
Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser to Greater Manchester / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography
Mr Lord says he “fully supports” the Labour Party in its “ambitions to lead the country”, and that he looks forward to “working even more closely with the party going forward.”
Lucy Powell – MP for Manchester Central and Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – has also welcomed Lord to the party.
“I’m really pleased Sacha has taken the step to join Labour,” she explained.
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“He’s got enormous experience in business and has been an incredibly strong voice for hospitality and the night time economy, both during COVID and the cost-of-living crisis, and he will be a huge asset to our party.
Mr Lord’s decision to join the Labour Party also comes after former Manchester United and England star Gary Neville – who now heads up several business and property interests in Manchester city centre, alongside his work in football punditry and commentary – also famously joined the party back in January 2022.
Neville has also been vocal on a number of similar issues to Lord over the past couple of years.
Featured Image – Sacha Lord
News
Millions of unmarried couples to get ‘stronger’ rights and more financial security
Emily Sergeant
Millions of unmarried couples in England are set to get ‘stronger’ rights and more financial security.
As the Government continues to prioritise tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VWAG) and working people, and ultimately meet the needs of modern relationships, more than 3.5 million unmarried couples are to be given more financial security under a new consultation which launched last week (Friday 5 June).
Designed to ‘shape future law’ and ‘better reflect modern society’, the consultation is looking to strengthen rights and make the separation process less financially difficult for cohabiting couples and those who simply choose not to marry.
The Government says it recognises that, due to cost of living pressures, financial security is more important than ever and the current ‘outdated’ system offers unmarried couples who live together limited financial rights if their relationship ends.
The proposals will help couples – including survivors of domestic abuse – gain independence at the end of a cohabitating relationship, whatever their marital status.
The consultation will also explore whether courts should give greater weight to the impact of domestic abuse, including controlling or coercive behaviour or economic abuse, when assessing finances for married couples and cohabitants.
Protections for cohabiting couples will also be ‘levelled up’ by giving automatic rights to inherit if their partner dies without a will.
The Government is also proposing making pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements legally binding.
Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, says these reforms ‘strike an important balance’ between tradition and modernity.
“When a relationship comes to an end, each partner should have the support and certainty they need to rebuild their life,” he commented. “We’re launching this consultation to make sure our new family law builds a fair system that offers the most vulnerable protection in the event of a breakup, and at a time where the country is facing cost of living pressures.”
Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC concluded: “Financial independence should “be afforded to everybody – not just those who choose to marry or enter into a civil partnership.”
You can have your say on the consultation on the Government website here.
Police give update after bomb squad descended on Fallowfield and evacuated residents
Emily Sergeant
Police have given an update after officers were called to investigate reports of two ‘suspicious items’ found in front gardens in Fallowfield.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to Abram Close, in the Fallowfield area of Manchester, shortly after 6:05pm this past Saturday (6 June 2026) following a report of a ‘suspicious item’ being found in a front garden, and officers attended the scene alongside the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD).
After the EOD made an assessment of the scene, around 20 nearby properties were advised by police to evacuate ‘as a precaution’.
As the investigation continued across the weekend, a second suspicious item was then found outside a property on Rostherne Avenue at around 2:45pm yesterday afternoon (Sunday 7 June), and once again, officers and partner agencies attended the scene to put a cordon in place.
As a precaution, several other houses in the area of the second property were also asked to evacuate while this work continues.
No arrests have been made at this time, but enquiries are ongoing.
“We thank everyone for their patience so far whilst we deal with this incident, as our investigation into the full circumstances continues,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Peter Morley, of GMP’s City of Manchester Division.
“Incidents such as these are likely to cause alarm in the local community, but please be reassured that there is no wider threat.
“Officers will be on hand to ensure the safety of people in the nearby area, so please speak to them if you have any concerns. As our work continues, it is vital that anyone who has any information, no matter how small, should report it to us and allow us to investigate.”
Can you help? Any information, CCTV, dash cam, or mobile phone footage can be shared with police online via the LiveChat service at gmp.police.uk, or by calling 0161 856 4259, quoting the log number 1948 of 07/06/26.
Details can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd November 2022 
