A successful 24 hours in Liverpool, where I had been invited to attend the TUC General Council dinner at the Hilton Hotel. I had been tasked with arranging the music before and after the formal engagement and my thanks to Ben Riches of the Stormont Agency and DJ Tom for their excellent services.
I had travelled up by train to Lime Street this afternoon and taken a taxi down to Albert Dock where I was staying at the Premier Inn for the one night. This is sited next to the popular Beatles Story Museum, hence the photograph. It was then a short walk to the Hilton, where I met up with the wonderful organisers from the TUC, Kudsia and Andrea.
The evening consisted of a drinks reception from 7pm through to 8pm, plus a dinner, speeches and a performance by poet John McCullough. It was a pleasure to meet Andy Burnham once more and to exchange news of MU campaigns.
Prime Minister-in-waiting Keir Starmer and Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner joined the principal union leaders on the top table. I shared a table with, amongst others, Lesley Gannon of the Writers’ Guild, Sarah Havlin and Alan Hughes, all of whom were charming company.
(TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak’s speech to Congress can be accessed here)
Thanks everyone!
