An investigation into speculative property deals by local government, show the practice is increasing rapidly across England, as cash strapped councils try to survive austerity cuts. Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal democrats described these types of investments as “gambling” and that there was “a very high risk of bankrupting their local authorities”. Amongst the […]
Manchester is hit hard by the overwhelming UK debt crisis
Britain is in the grip of a personal debt crisis, with an increasing numbers of families being caught in spiraling debt traps. Unsecured, non-mortgage, household debt is now at £239 billion higher than it was before the financial crash in 2008. When it comes to those struggling with debt, Manchester is hit particularly hard with […]
Manchester clubs together in solidarity with Leeds charity
Across the Pennines, on the outskirts of the city centre of Leeds, a special party has been running regularly for the majority of the last decade. Known as Cosmic Slop, the events have achieved critical acclaim in their own right as a politically charged, progressive party – purposely without a prescribed music policy their eclectic […]
Better Buses for Greater Manchester campaign launched with a bus ride
A bus surrounded by people with protest placards asking for more “affordable”, “reliable” and “accessible” buses was parked on Store Street in Manchester last Thursday, before transporting the campaigners to the city centre for tea and cake at the Greenfish Centre. The bus ride was organised by the Better Buses for Greater Manchester, a campaign […]
99% rise in stop and searches by GM Police this August, compared to same month last year
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) carried out almost twice as many stop and searches this August as they did in August 2017. The police conducted 345 stop and searches in August 2018, compared to the 173 recorded in August 2017, according to their published open data on stop and search. There was also an increase in […]
Manchester’s sound: November gig guide
Us Mancunians pride ourselves on the city’s rich musical heritage. From The Smiths to The Stone Roses, an education in Manchester’s cultural history is a right of passage for many. And in 2018, the scene is as vibrant as it’s ever been. As Johnny Marr and The Children of Zeus enjoy sold out shows this […]
Bez joins the party at Altrincham’s Alt.Harfest
In 2010, Altrincham’s shop vacancy rate was at a national high of 30%, branding it the ghost town of the UK. Fast forward eight years and the town is bustling with activity every day of the week thanks to the jewel in its crown – the award-winning Altrincham Markets. With the vibrancy Altrincham is now […]
What’s on in Manchester and the North West
As autumn takes a proper hold, the Manchester events calendar always seems to get busier and busier. Here are some highlights for the rest of this weekend and beyond: YES Opening Parties – Fri 21 – Sun 23 September Charles Street, Manchester YES celebrate their opening with free parties all weekend. Saturday’s bands and DJs include London […]
Can alternative models of ownership alleviate the housing crisis?
The housing crisis is a prime example of the economic term market failure. Politicians of different stripes have followed policies, introduced by Margaret Thatcher, of increasing market forces in the housing market, by promoting private ownership of homes, and degrading social housing by selling it off with heavy subsidies – while promising but failing to […]
Greater Manchester’s social and solidarity economy revealed
Transform GM – an action research project looking to understand, map and promote ‘alternative’ economic activity in Greater Manchester (GM) – have just launched a new website mapping the social and solidarity economy (SSE). The SSE is made up of initiatives which prioritise other values over the economic bottom line and, unlike many charities, are […]