TransPennine electrification to recommence

A key component of the Government's Northern Powerhouse initiative got back on track today as it was announced that work on the electrification of the TransPennine Express railway is to restart.

Halted back in June, Network Rail Chair Sir Peter Hendy said the "temporary pause" had "given us the space to develop a better plan." The decision has been signed off by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

The result will be six "fast or semi-fast trains" per hour between Manchester, Leeds and York, reducing journey times by up to 15 minutes.

The Manchester to York section of the work is due for completion by 2022.

Sir Peter said: “We face some difficult challenges, and there is more work still to do, but the secretary of state's decision means we can now move forward with our plans to electrify TransPennine and Midland Mainline.”

Undoubtedly good news for the North, although perhaps we could’ve done without the three months of uncertainty.

London's Tour de France Non-Depart

There were howls of disbelief across Yorkshire this morning when it emerged that London had pulled out of hosting the start of the 2017 Tour de France because, according to Mayor Boris Johnson, "it wasn't worth it."

Last year's Grand Depart famously attracted millions of people onto the streets of God's Own County and, according to a report, generated an estimated £128 million for the economy.   

In common with the London 2012 Olympics, there was a real degree of scepticism before it got underway. But, with the exception of a handful of nimbies who you'd hate to sit beside at a wedding, everyone loved it. 

On the face of it, for London to turn away the world's biggest annual sporting event a mere day before contracts were due to be signed is nothing short of breathtaking.  

But London does have form.

Sports purists may remember that, having won the rights to stage the 2005 World Athletics Championships, our capital city subsequently withdrew after problems with the stadium. 

So what to do?  Well, isn't it obvious?

Why not build more and better sporting facilities here in Yorkshire and hold all future UK international sporting events solely in this region?  And don't invite Boris Johnson.

Job done.   

Chancellor's Chinese delivery

Big overnight news from George Osborne’s high profile Chinese trade mission as he announced a £1.2 billion deal for his hosts to fund the building of 10,000 new homes in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, creating 18,000 jobs.

All part of the Chancellor’s drive the create a 'Northern Powerhouse' to counterbalance the economic might of London, the agreement is set to deliver a major extension of Thorpe Park in Leeds, a large scale office, retail and leisure development led by Yorkshire property firm Scarborough Group.

Kevin McCabe, Chairman of the Scarborough Group, who is travelling with Mr Osborne on the five-day trip, said this morning: “As a family business with its roots in the North of England, we are now very proud to bring our partners in China to the UK to invest in our great Northern cities and to accelerate the development of our major projects." 

As the Chinese economy slows and with the Chancellor’s sights fixed very firmly on succeeding David Cameron as Prime Minister, perhaps China’s difficulties could well prove to be the North of England’s major gain. 

PMQs: It's Jeremy from Islington

Newly-elected Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn made his debut at the House of Commons Despatch Box today and, after a tough first few days in the job, will probably feel quite pleased with how it went. 

The  Islington North MP promised to bring a different approach to Prime Minister's Questions and he certainly did that.  His tactic centred on choosing questions from members of the public to put to David Cameron.  And, with more than 40,000 people answering his call to email suggestions, he had plenty to choose from.

Marie, Steven and Angela were just three of six wannabe inquisitors who had their words read out, encompassing a range of subjects from housing to tax credits to mental health services. 

Disdainfully swatting away questions from a fellow politician is normal form in the House of Commons.  T'was ever thus.  But to denigrate the concerns of a named member of the public is very much a no-no.

As such, the Prime Minister made certain to give a detailed - and civil - reply to each question relayed by Mr Corbyn.  But therein lies the immediate problem for the new Comrade Leader.

Mr Cameron has a well-earned reputation - even amongst his most bitter opponents - for being well-briefed and on top of policy detail, which he is happy to espouse for as long as time allows.

Today he was effectively presented with a platform to address some of the most nagging current concerns of "ordinary people" - and speak to those people directly.  And rather than seek to pick holes in the Prime Minister's arguments,  Mr Corbyn - looking very much the geography teacher in a beige jacket and dark trousers but sounding like a radio host - simply moved on to a new question from the next "caller."

Whether this approach will work for him in the longer term remains to be seen.  But, after a faltering start to his leadership, it is likely that Team Corbyn will be feeling a mixture of relief and pleasure that their man came through unscathed.            

PMQs: Out with the old, in with the older?

It was the end of an era in the House of Commons this afternoon when Acting Labour Leader Harriet Harman stood at the Despatch Box for the final time at Prime Minister's Questions. 

Next week, after 28 years on her party's front bench, she will be replaced by Labour's newly-elected leader with Jeremy Corbyn the bookies' stand-out favourite. 

What impact this will have on British politics in general and Her Majesty's Official Opposition in particular is anyone's guess. 

At 66-years-old, Mr Corbyn is a year older than Ms Harman - meaning he'll be 71 at the next General Election. 

But, rather than his age, it's his unashamed socialist policies which are the cause of greater alarm for many of his more mainstream Labour colleagues.

For them it was Ed Miliband's insistence of taking his party to the left which did for Labour in May.  The idea of adopting a raft of policies with a much deeper red hue has left them in even greater despair.

At today's PMQs, Harriet Harman looked every bit the statesman as she concentrated her six questions on the Syrian refugee crisis - drawing worthy tribute from David Cameron in an unusually civilised exchange.

Whether the Prime Minister will be as serious or respectful to her successor next Wednesday is very much in doubt.   

Final countdown to the Big Marquee Weekend

Organisers are predicting a total ticket sell-out as solo artists, bands, DJs and music fans from across Northern Ireland prepare to converge on the village of Macosquin near Coleraine for the inaugural Big Marquee Weekend which gets underway next Friday (21 August).  

The three-day event, being held in a professionally-erected marquee in the car park of Mary Pat’s Bar, begins with a clubland night headlined by Micky Modelle and Ultrabeat with local support.

A hotly-anticipated Rock v Brit Pop battle will top Saturday’s bill as long-established Bon Jovi tribute act Con Jovi from Armagh go up against Belfast’s Oasis copycats Roll With It.  Coleraine band Cellar Door, acoustic performer Adam Buick, and DJs Steady and Trigger will warm up the crowd.

And the weekend will conclude to the sound of country music when singer-songwriter Ritchie Remo, duo JD Country and Ireland’s most popular Garth Brooks tribute act Jason Hughes perform on the specially-constructed indoor stage on Sunday. 

Drew Hutchinson, who has been organising the Big Marquee Weekend with Robert Todd and the bar’s proprietor Hughie Hamilton, said everyone involved was thrilled at the reaction the event has generated.

“We were ambitious from the outset in going for a big marquee with its own fully-kitted bar, booking top quality acts and running the event over three days,” Drew commented. 

“And we are delighted that the public have backed us by their buying tickets.  We are looking at an absolute sell-out, and we can’t do better than that.

“I have spoken to all of the artists over the past few days to finalise the running orders, and they are as excited as the rest of us.  

“There are a handful of tickets still available but all the indications are that they’ll be gone before we open the doors on Friday.

“It’s going to be a weekend to remember.”

Day tickets for the Big Marquee Weekend are priced at £10 for Friday and £12 on Saturday and Sunday.   A two-ticket is also available priced at £20.

They can be purchased from Mary Pat’s Bar, Romaya Hair Sanctuary in Coleraine or by calling Tel: 028 7034 4659.

A special put down for the Special One

It's unlikely that Dublin-based amateur football club St Mochta’s FC will ever have the opportunity to challenge Premier League Champions Chelsea on the field of play.  But in PR terms, they have just handed the London giants something of a hammering.

As you may have heard on the news, last weekend Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho took it upon himself to issue a public rebuke to team doctor Eva Carneiro after she ran onto the pitch to aid his supposedly stricken star player Eden Hazard.  TV replays have since shown that she was summoned to action by the referee.

The self-styled Special One launched into his hissy fit as his team were already down to 10 men - the starting Chelsea goalkeeper having been sent off - and any injured player is compelled to briefly depart the field following treatment.   

After remonstrating  on the touchline, Mourinho later publicly described Dr Carneiro as “impulsive and naïve” for temporarily leaving him a player down, and said she needed to “understand the game.”

But it didn't end there.  Rather than seek to quell the public relations blaze, the club then let it be known that their doctor's role would change and she would no longer be allowed to sit on the bench during games. 

Cue St Mochta’s FC who tweeted Dr Carneiro to advise that they had a vacancy for a club doctor which she might wish to fill.  And seeking to further entice, they added: "You can even sit on the bench. Free family season ticket."

Her response is as yet unknown.  But whatever happens, it's ten out of ten for ingenuity to the Dublin amateurs - and a big fat zero to Jose and his even fatter ego. 

Leeds is up for the Cup

This is the sight that now greets travellers at they pass through Leeds Train Station.

Yes, the Rugby World Cup is coming to town.

Well, I say that - it's here already.  And this is the proof.

Above you can see Sion Lloyd-Parry (left) and Oisin Higgins - two fine up-and-and coming young players at Aireborough Lions RUFC in Leeds - on their visit to Headingley yesterday.  And between them is what it's all about, the William Webb Ellis Trophy, which 20 international teams will be fighting for (sometimes literally) in September and October.

The Cup is in Yorkshire for a few days as part of its nationwide tour before the big kick-off at Twickenham on Friday 1 8 September when England take on Fiji.  

Leeds itself will play host to two games; Italy facing Canada at Elland Road on Saturday 26 September, and Scotland tackling the US Eagles at the same venue the following day.  Indeed, both the Scots and the Americans will be based in the city for the group stages.

An exciting time for rugby union fans here in Yorkshire - and great news for the local economy which is set to benefit from the very welcome visitor influx.  Let's hope our Scottish friends are aware that you don't get owt for nowt in these parts.

Fake words exchanged as tribute bands prepare for Big Marquee battle

A fake war of words has broken out between two tributes bands due to go head-to-head later this month at the inaugural Big Marquee Weekend music festival in Macosquin on the outskirts of Coleraine.

The three day event gets underway on Friday 21 August with a Clubland night headlined by Micky Modelle and Ultrabeat, before climaxing on Sunday with a hugely impressive country music line-up featuring JD Country, Ritchie Remo and Ireland’s leading Garth Brooks tribute act Jason Hughes.

But it is on Saturday 22 August when sparks have long been expected to fly as Belfast’s Oasis look and sound-alikes Roll With It go up against Bon Jovi tribute band Con Jovi from Armagh in a Brit Pop versus Rock battle.

And the verbals have started early after Roll With It’s “Liam” claimed that Con Jovi would “cast no shadow” over the Belfast boys. 

“Liam” from Roll With it, letting it out

“Look man, some might say that Con Jovi are half a world away from us,” said Liam, who said he was looking forward to lots of cigarettes and alcohol after coming off the professionally-constructed stage. 

"We’ve played all around the world and, unlike the real Oasis, we’ll not fade away and gonna live forever.  We’ve got a masterplan, I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star and Con Jovi can slide away.  Come the Big Marquee Weekend, they’ll be standing on the shoulders of giants as we bask in the sunshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. D’you know what I mean?”

But “Jon” from Con Jovi wasted no time in hitting back, saying that his band were planning to give Roll With It “a taste of their own bad medicine.”

“Hey, we weren’t born to follow,” said Jon.  “We’ll have a nice day in Macosquin and leave in a blaze of glory.  But we won’t runaway and, no apologies, Roll With It are livin’ on a prayer if they think they’re better than us.  

Con Jovi who have pledged to leave the Big Marquee stage in a blaze of glory

"This ain’t a love song and I say to Liam, you give love a bad name. Keep the faith.  I’ll be there for you, always, but don’t lay your hands on me or you’ll be wanted dead or live. These days life isn’t a bed of roses and you were born to be my baby. What about now?”  

Hearing Jon’s fighting talk, Liam’s pretend big brother “Noel” entered the fray with a direct challenge to Con Jovi.

He said: “Either stop crying your heart out or go let it out.”  But Noel added: “We’ll never acquiesce so let there be love.  I’m a songbird and I don’t look bank in anger.  But after the gig, Con Jovi can stand by me as I sit on a wonderwall and toast Roll With It’s victory with a champagne supernova.” 

Noel also revealed that Roll With It are planning to travel from Belfast to Macosquin in a supersonic car.  “She’s electric,” he explained.

Day tickets for the Big Marquee Weekend are priced at £10 for Friday and £12 on Saturday and Sunday.   A two-ticket is also available priced at £20.

Tickets can be purchased from Mary Pat’s Bar in Macosquin, Romaya Hair Sanctuary in Coleraine or by calling Tel: 028 7034 4659.

Garth Brooks fans urged to drown their sorrows at Big Marquee Weekend

Garth Brooks fans left broken-hearted at the US country music star’s Croke Park no-show last summer have been urged to flock to the village of Macosquin on Sunday 23 August where Jason Hughes, Ireland’s best-loved Garth Brooks tribute act, will join other big names in the local country music scene to bring the curtain down on the inaugural Big Marquee Weekend.  

The three-day music festival, which kicks off on Friday 21 August with a clubland DJ night headlined by Ultra Beat and Micky Modelle, will take place in a professionally-erected marquee in the car park of Mary Pat’s Bar.

Portadown’s renowned Bon Jovi tribute act Con Jovi and Belfast’s biggest Oasis dead ringers Roll With It will be the star attractions on Saturday in a Rock v Britpop face-off, with Cellar Door and Adam Buick providing top notch support.

And then on Sunday, hugely popular two-piece band JD County and the brilliant Ritchie Remo – whose version of Hit the Diff has now attracted more than half a million views on YouTube – will join Jason Hughes in laying on an all-day feast of country music.

Drew Hutchinson, who is organising the event with Robert Todd and the bar’s proprietor Hughie Hamilton, said he had been taken aback by the level of interest the Big Marquee Weekend has generated since being announced.

“What started off as quite a modest event when we first came up with the idea has really taken off,” said Drew.  “Kerry McLean has talked about it on her BBC Radio Ulster afternoon show and it’s been getting lots of mentions on social media.

“We’re now getting ticket enquiries from all over Northern Ireland, from across the border and from England.

“The quality and variety of the acts over the three days has been the key and no one will leave disappointed – unless, of course, we sell out before they’ve managed to get their hands on a ticket.

“The appearance of Jason Hughes on Sunday has excited a lot of people, particularly after Garth Brooks decided not to bring his big hat to Dublin last year.  

“Disappointed Garth fans have had refund money burning a hole in their pockets for a whole year now.  And at just £12 for a full day of country music, they will still have plenty left after buying a ticket.  I know some of them are still hurting after Garth’s snub, but I think a few drinks from the marquee’s fully-kitted bar will help to ease the pain.”     

Day tickets for the Big Marquee Weekend are priced at £10 for Friday and £12 on Saturday and Sunday.   A two-ticket is also available priced at £20.

Tickets can be purchased from Mary Pat’s Bar, Romaya Hair Sanctuary in Coleraine or by calling Tel: 028 7034 4659.

Jason Hughes, who will perform his critically-acclaimed Garth Brooks tribute show at the Big Marquee Weekend in Macosquin

Leeds and Sky: Marching on together

More excellent news for the Leeds economy today after Sky announced plans to create 400 jobs at a new tech hub in the city centre. 

The digital skills and innovation centre will be located at Allied London’s Leeds Dock with the design and development of Sky’s next generation of apps and websites the primary focus.

And in an added boost for Leeds, Sky will also create a Software Engineering Academy here.  Based on a similar scheme established in London in 2011, the facility will provide young people across the North with the opportunity to learn digital skills and find a route into the sector.

“Digital skills and innovation are at the heart of what we do at Sky, helping us give customers the best possible TV experience, whether at home or on the move,” said Sky Group Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch.  “With our investment in Leeds, we’re creating one of the largest digital communities in the UK.”

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid added: “The announcement is a boost to the digital economy of the entire Northern Powerhouse, and will undoubtedly help to cement Leeds as a leading technology cluster.”   

Sky’s investment will take the number of its employees in Leeds past 1,000, spread across tech and customer services.

Truly a city on the digital march. 

Big Marquee Weekend ready to Roll

We’re delighted to be playing our part in promoting what promises to be a thrilling feast of live music on the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland next month.

The historic village of Macosquin, on the outskirts of Coleraine, will play host to the inaugural Big Marquee Weekend featuring top acts from across the Province.

The three-day festival, which runs from 21-23 August, will take place in a professionally-erected marquee - complete with its own stage and fully-equipped bar – sited in the car park of Mary Pat’s Bar.

The entertainment kicks off on the Friday with a clubland night headlined with DJ sets from Ultra Beat and Micky Modelle, plus local support.

Belfast's Oasis tribute band Roll With It who will take to the festival stage on Saturday

Saturday’s highlight will be a Rock v Britpop battle with Bon Jovi tribute act Con Jovi taking on Oasis look and sound-alikes, Roll With It.  Coleraine band Cellar Door and acoustic solo artist Adam Buick are also on the bill, with DJs Steady and Trigger playing rock and Britpop tunes to keep the party going.

And the weekend is sure to end on a high on Sunday with a country music spectacular starring singer-songwriter Ritchie Remo, popular two-piece JD Country and – in a real coup for the promoters - Ireland’s best known Garth Brooks tribute act, Jason Hughes.  A country DJ will also be there to entertain the crowd between the live performances. 

Event organiser Drew Hutchinson aka DJ Steady 

Drew Hutchinson, who is organising the event with Robert Todd and the bar’s proprietor Hughie Hamilton, said Macosquin - which historians say originated as a 6th-century monastic settlement - was already full of anticipation at the prospect of welcoming so many visitors to the village. 

“The sight of customers swaying in Mary Pat’s is not unusual on an average weekend evening,” he said. 

“But the image of many hundreds of people in the car park gyrating to the beat of high quality live music will be a new one. 

“More seriously, I am thrilled at the line-up we have managed to put together over the three days of the festival.  There really is something in there for all musical tastes and, having spoken to all of the artists, I know that they are looking forward to putting on a great show.

"I'm not aware of an event like this being staged in the Triangle area before.  Tickets are selling very well with enquiries coming from both sides of the border and also from across the water after we posted the details on social media.

“With only a few weeks to go, I would encourage anyone interested in coming along to buy their tickets now because I am confident we will sell out.”

Day tickets are priced at £10 for Friday and £12 for Saturday and Sunday.   A two-ticket is also available priced at £20.

​Tickets can be purchased from Mary Pat’s Bar, Romaya Hair Sanctuary in Coleraine or by calling Tel: 028 7034 4659.

Budget: National Living Wage is Osborne's bunny

The modern-day trend for Chancellors of the Exchequer to pre-brief the contents of their Budget days in advance of the speech itself often leaves the occasion with a hollow feel.  But today George Osborne reversed that trend by producing a surprise bunny from his red box.

In announcing the introduction of a compulsory National Living Wage - starting at £7.20 from next April and rising to £9 an hour by 2020 - the Chancellor managed to blindside most commentators and, most-pleasingly for him, his political opponents.  

Anoraks out there will recall that one of Ed Miliband's most eye-catching policies when leading Labour's General Election campaign was to pledge an £8 per hour National Minimum Wage.  And critics at the time said even that was unaffordable.  However, by committing to cut corporation tax to 18%  - also by 2020 - and reduce employers' National Insurance contributions, Mr Osborne believes he has his £9 an hour conundrum squared. 

Also of note was his renewed determination to "put power into the Northern Powerhouse," a concept undoubtedly damaged by the recently-announced delay to the electrification of the trans-Pennine rail line.     

Control over fire services, planning and children's services is now to be handed to Greater Manchester where council leaders have already agreed to the election of a metro mayor.  And today the Chancellor reaffirmed his desire to devolve significant powers to other Northern cities and city regions if politicians there accept his preferred model of local accountability. 

West Yorkshire leaders remain hostile to the idea.  This tug of war remains one to watch. 

PMQs: EVEL Dave fights back

David Cameron really doesn't like the Scottish National Party.  But neither is he obliged to.

Nowhere is this more apparent than at Prime Minister's Questions where, on a weekly basis, SNP MPs line-up to ritually abuse the First Lord of the Treasury.  We had four of them in the queue today. And his Lordship appears to have had enough of it.  

Today's pre-cooked gripe centred on the Government's proposals for so-called English Votes for English Laws.  This is often shortened to EVEL, which is exactly how the Scots Nats regard the idea.

The formal announcement on what's planned isn't due to be made until tomorrow but, essentially, EVEL will mean that MPs representing English constituencies will have the final say on England-only legislation.  The changes were prompted by the promise - made by Mr Cameron during last year's Scottish referendum campaign - to devolve further powers from Westminster to Holyrood.  

But the SNP are classically unimpressed. First to the oche was newly-elected Angela Crawley who complained that EVEL would affect her rights as an MP. The Prime Minister said the plan would lead to greater fairness.

Her Westminster leader Angus Robertson  - watched adoringly by Alec Salmond, ever-keen to be in full camera view - was next up.  He barked that Scottish MPs would be "excluded from parts of the democratic process in Westminster."  Mr Cameron said the proposals were "measured and sensible," and asked Mr Robertson to start having a think about what exactly the SNP were going to do with all the new powers their colleagues in the Scottish Parliament were about to get.  Oh, and why weren't they arguing to be given responsibility for state pensions in Scotland?  

The third SNP sharpshooter was waistcoated Neil Gray who moaned that a "second class status" for Scottish MPs would be created.  The Prime Minister said this left him "baffled" given that he understood the whole point of the Scottish National Party was to exclude themselves from the UK Parliament altogether. 

And bringing up the rear was similarly attired Chris Law (on the hottest day of the year) who only got halfway through his rehash of well-worn foibles before Speaker Bercow told him to sit down as the House already had "the gist" of his rant. 

With 58 SNPs now in Parliament, such mass ambushes are already familiar fayre at PMQs and are destined to be so for the rest of the Parliament.    

But it is already noticeable that Mr Cameron - who is prone to losing his temper at the Despatch Box - is getting better at dealing with them.  

The response of non-SNP MPs to the onslaught - particularly on the Labour side with a new leader on the way - will be equally interesting to watch as the weeks and months tick by. 

PMQs: FFS? LOL

Today's Prime Minister's Questions shall be remembered mostly not for what happened on the floor of the House of Commons, but for goings-on above and close-by.

Overhead, George Clooney's wife (goes by the name of Amal) attracted the attention of hacks as she gazed down on proceedings from the Peers' Gallery.  She was apparently there to "highlight" the case of former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed who is currently in prison. Not sure what for, but that's where he is.  Downing Street has since announced that David Cameron had a "brush-by" with Mrs Clooney afterwards.  Let's hope Mr Clooney doesn't find out.  

Meanwhile, a cavalcade of protesters in wheelchairs and mobility scooters attempted to storm the Chamber.   They weren't successful although, as I write this, half a dozen of them remain in Central Lobby shouting at police officers.  British democracy at its, well, most typical.

Back inside, there was little drama to report other than the bizarre spectacle of the Prime Minister shouting "FFS!" at the SNP's Angus Robertson.

Mr Cameron once admitted he thought "LOL" meant "Lots Of Love."

Today he claimed "FFS" stood for "Full Fiscal Shambles."

FFS.  

Meet Paul from ASDA

Effective public relations is comprised of lots of different elements, one being how you treat your customers face to face.  And going that extra, often unexpected mile can make the biggest difference of all.

I say this because, on Monday, I visited our local ASDA Living store in Guiseley to buy some batteries.    As I was about to pay at one of the self-service tills, I noticed that I had a single tenner in my wallet so I requested £20 cash back.

A couple of hours later and for reasons I'll not bore you with, I returned to the store to pick up something else.  And then it hit me: I hadn't collected my £20 from the dispenser.  Gutted.

After grabbing my required item, I went to a normal till to pay.  And I mentioned my cash back faux pas to the very friendly assistant - adding that I knew nothing could be done.

She asked me not to rush off and spoke to a colleague.  And a couple of minutes later, Paul (pictured) arrived on the scene.

He asked me how much cash back I'd left behind, I told him and he said he'd have it for me at the door within a couple of minutes. In conversation with him as he handed me the missing loot, Paul advised that an ASDA colleague had spotted the £20, passed it to him and now he was handing it back to me.

"That's the ethos here," he said.  "This store opened two and a half years ago and most of us started working on the same day.  I was asked to consider a management career but I prefer being on the shop floor working with the team and meeting our customers."

And you could tell that every word he uttered was totally sincere.  

What a credit to ASDA Paul and his colleagues are; public relations at its best.

They can expect to see me in their store much more often in the time to come.  

Spend high sweet chariot

With the 2015 Rugby World Cup now fast approaching, host nation England have come up with an innovative new way of "launching" their new shirt for the competition.

England's official kit manufacturer Canterbury are inviting Red Rose fans to visit their website or Facebook and Twitter pages to commit their support to Stuart Lancaster's team.   And in return, the shirt design will be revealed on their personal social media feeds on Monday 6 July when the kit is unveiled at Twickenham. 

As a dedicated follower of reigning Six Nations champions Ireland, I've felt unable to give my love and will instead have to wait to see the pictures plastered all over the internet that day. 

Also, were I an England supporter, I'm not sure I could justify forking out the £120 being asked for the shirt itself.  My enthusiasm would be lessened further by the realisation that England players may only have it on their backs for a grand total of three games if they fail to qualify for the knock-out stages and have to wear an alternative kit against Fiji, who also play in white.      

Still, I'm sure it's very nice.

PMQs: Osborne makes his debut

A potentially significant Prime Minster's Questions today - and the Prime Minister wasn't even there.

Because with David Cameron in Italy on pre-EU referendum lobbying duties, it was down to Chancellor of the Exchequer and recently-entitled First Secretary of State George Osborne to take his place at the Despatch Box.  Facing him for Labour was Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn.

And Mr Osborne got off to a rather ill-judged start.  Although not having taken PMQs before, he has famously prepped every Tory Leader since John Major for the ordeal.  You might therefore have thought he would've chosen not to preface his response to Mr Benn's first question about Islamist extremism with a poor, pre-cooked quip about "no Benn but plenty of Bennites" standing to be Labour leader.

But having got that out of his system, he soon recovered and handled Mr Benn's five follow-up questions - all on a sombre themes - calmly and in detail.  And the Leeds Central MP deserved at least as much credit for the statesmanlike manner in which he posed them.  Should he have thrown his own name into the Labour leadership hat?  Perhaps but academic, since nominations closed on Monday.     

Moving on, Mr Osborne dealt forcibly with SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson's weak attempt to pin blame for the delayed Chilcot Report on him and David Cameron, pointing out that the Iraq War inquiry is independent.

Questions from the Opposition benches largely returned to non-party political themes after that, including child abuse and the stabbing of a teacher in Bradford.    These were interspersed with invitations from his own side to remind the House of this morning's positive unemployment figures - all down to that "long-term economic plan."  And there were a couple of references to Mr Osborne's beloved Northern Powerhouse project.

Overall, a reasonable debut for someone increasing viewed as a strong contender to answer PMQs as the real Prime Minister before the end of this Parliament.  Further stand-in opportunities will come his way before then.       

At 7-1 with Paddy Power, he might well be worth a punt.

VANBAR Associates joins the Herd

Leeds digital recruitment platform Herd has appointed communications agency VANBAR Associates to provide PR support and boost its business profile.   

Amy De-Balsi, founder of Herd

Herd was founded last year by entrepreneur Amy De-Balsi to act as a link between technology firms in the Leeds City Region and help candidates access the growing number of vacancies in the local digital sector. 

The firm also organises regular networking events and offers members access to industry intelligence and contacts in Yorkshire.

Recent sign-ups include Epiphany, Sky Bet and Leeds City Council.

Mrs De-Balsi said it was an ideal time for Herd to further capitalise on the opportunities the burgeoning Leeds digital community presented, with many London companies now relocating their software engineering functions to the city.

In April 2015 the Government launched the Tech North initiative to help digital firms in Leeds and neighbouring cities work more closely together and promote the North as a prime location for global technology businesses to invest. 

And in his Budget a few weeks ago, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced plans to create new three new Tech Hubs in the North including £3.7million for a six-floor technology business incubator in the centre of Leeds.

“The Leeds digital sector is on the march, as evidenced by the ever-growing number of jobs being created by Herd members and made available on our website and via social media,” Amy said.  

“In our short history, Herd has established a strong record of achievement in filling these roles.  And through our other activities such as providing networking opportunities, we’ve enabled many local tech firms to collaborate. 

“Herd’s partnership with VANBAR Associates will raise our brand profile, increase industry awareness of what we do and attract many more members to our ranks.”  

VANBAR Associates is an integrated communications firm established in 2014, also based in Leeds.

Barry White, a partner at the agency, said: “I’ve worked with Amy in the past and been immensely impressed by the professionalism, knowledge and skill she brings to the table.

“Under her leadership, Herd has rapidly become a vital resource for digital and tech firms across Leeds City Region.

“VANBAR Associates looks forward to playing our part in assisting Herd to expand its role and membership in the months ahead.”