A bid by human rights activists to rename a street after Ahmed Mansoor was refused by Manchester city council. When Mansoor was jailed for ten years in the United Arab Emirates for tweeting about human rights abuses in his country, the activists decided to rename the street themselves, with an unofficial mayor doing the honours. […]
Trade unionists bring fight against RBS bank closures to streets of Manchester
Unite activists were on the streets of the city on Wednesday campaigning against the Royal Bank of Scotland’s controversial plans to close around 260 high street branches nationwide. The move, which has been termed “an act of corporate vandalism” by campaigners, brought members of the trade union together from all over the North to hold […]
99% of Manchester rooms to rent advertised are unaffordable or unavailable to young people claiming welfare
In some areas of the UK just 1% of rooms advertised for rent are affordable and available to young people claiming social security, according to research carried out by the Social Security Advisory Commitee (SSAC). Manchester was not included in the SSAC’s results so The Meteor repeated their research method and extended it to cover […]
HSBC’s arms investments haunt them as campaigners for Palestine stage die-in
The high street bank HSBC’s investments in the arms trade came back to haunt them on Tuesday when pro-Palestinian activists occupied their branch in St Ann’s Square, Manchester, chanting: “your profits are covered in Palestinian blood”. The activists lay on the floor alongside child-size coffins to represent the multitude of Palestinians killed and injured over the […]
Anti-racist campaigners to oppose Football Lads’ Alliance rally on eve of Arena attack anniversary
The Football Lads’ Alliance (FLA) is to march through the streets of Manchester on Saturday, just three days before the upcoming anniversary of the Manchester Arena attack. Stand Up to Racism, an anti-racism campaign group whose president is Diane Abbott MP, have organised a counter demonstration to the FLA, who they accuse of being a […]
McStrike comes to Manchester on May Day
McDonald’s workers in Manchester have had enough of their poor & unequal pay, lack of union recognition and zero-hour contracts. To remedy the situation they are going on a ‘McStrike’ with other Mcdonald’s workers at selected outlets around the country. Workers supported the action by a 95% vote in favour for a strike on 1 […]
Manchester’s first Mindful Art Centre opens in Levenshulme
Manchester’s first Mindful Art Centre is launching in Levenshulme Old Library on 27 April, 4pm-9pm. Local social enterprise The Owl and The Coconut are behind the centre, which opens with a community crowd-sourced exhibition and offers of free places on their Mindfulness and Mindful Art courses. The ‘Levy Life’ exhibition, a partnership between Levenshulme Old […]
Campaigners collaborate to call for an end to Universal Credit based evictions
Members of four community campaign groups from Manchester joined forces yesterday to take part in a national day of action against Universal Credit. The paving stones of St Peter’s Square were covered with chalked slogans denouncing the controversial social security payment system, and a letter was presented to Manchester Town Hall demanding an end to […]
Manchester squatters ‘put the flare up’ for Yarl’s Wood hunger strikers with solidarity event
On the eve of International Women’s Day, Manchester squatters hoisted the banner in solidarity with the female hunger strikers of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre, beckoning citizens into their space for a night of radical film and discussion. The films ranged from an investigation by Channel 4 News into the dehumanising conditions at the centre […]
Endemic avoidance of payments to councils by property developers revealed, while affordable housing is sacrificed for profit
A comprehensive report on the huge sums of money fuelling the housing development boom in the city centre has revealed the scale of non-payment of development funding to the council: only 8% of housing development in Manchester City Centre included in the study had any Section 106 agreement at all. The lack of money collected […]