This week’s Friends Of The Meteor guest article is by Kate Belgrave, who visited Stockport’s brand-new jobcentre and spoke with attendees about the farcical rules that jobseekers almost at pension age must follow to qualify for Universal Credit.
Bev Craig announces ambition for a ‘Real Living Wage’ Manchester
Laying out her vision for the city for the first time as leader of Manchester city council, Bev Craig said social value should be an ‘approach that we all take’, starting with a Real Living Wage.
How corrupt is the UK?
Political economist Richard Murphy addresses this question in response to Boris Johnson claiming the UK “is not remotely a corrupt country” after being barraged by questions on ethical standards by journalists at the Cop26 summit, referring to the Owen Patterson lobbying scandal.
Food bank users challenge negative stereotypes peddled by politicians
Can You Hear Me Now? Project aims to dismiss damaging stereotypes around food bank use, by giving voice to the users, and promote an ongoing discussion about how to tackle poverty across Greater Manchester.
The Northern Rebellion is about more than money
Financial support is vital for millions this winter, but Greater Manchester’s standoff asks deeper questions about the legitimacy of a government which is bullying and lying its way through the Covid-19 crisis – writes Salford’s city-mayor Paul Dennett
Covid-19: April unemployment rates indicate Manchester has been hit hard
Manchester ranks high on unemployment created by Covid-19 in April 2020. Northern cities and towns have taken the biggest hit economically during the pandemic, exacerbating the already substantial north-south divide. Unemployment, caused by Covid-19, has hit Manchester and nine other northern cities the hardest according to a regional analysis by the Centre for Cities. Using […]
Universal Credit hits all time low as food bank use in Greater Manchester soars
Social security payments, such as Universal Credit, are at an all time low, says report by IPPR think tank. Local campaign groups GM Poverty action and GM Unite Community comment on the situation. IPPR offer solution of an emergency funding package that they calculate would benefit those in need more, and cost the public purse […]
Disabled people’s fury at Conservative party conference
“You are responsible for mass suffering and mass deaths and we will not let you forget it”. Said a speaker at the Disabled People Against Cuts protest outside the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, with each speaker telling personal stories of suffering and neglect by the system. Also protesting this on an array of issues […]
Fighting talk from Labour rally this week
On Monday 2 September, the Labour Party held a rally at the Lowry in Salford. I’d only received notification of it the night before, but even at such short notice it was an opportunity not to be missed. A snap general election is likely, and Labour is getting their message out while the current government […]
Police force admits agreement to share information about protesters with DWP
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has admitted that it has a written agreement to share information about disabled people and other activists who take part in protests with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Disabled activists have expressed alarm at the confirmation, which came despite previous denials by the force and DWP that any such […]