By Tom Blackburn (@malaiseforever)   The recent confrontation between Boris Johnson’s government at Westminster and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was something we hadn’t seen for many years: a bona fide showdown between central and local government. Given the punishment to which Labour councils have been subjected for the last decade, perhaps the only real …

Interview with University of Manchester student rent strikers (@rentstrikeUoM)   This week, students at the University of Manchester joined a growing list of student groups nationwide who are launching rent strikes in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. We speak to one of their student organisers.   First, can you outline what the situation is …

By Jay Dee (@JDomicide)   On Friday the 16th October two weeks of virtual planning inquiry drew to a close. Sitting from 09:30am until 16:30 for 8 working days, this inquiry was a result of an appeal the developer, Pemberstone, lodged against the planning decision of Leeds City Council to refuse permission to demolish the …

By Vik Chechi-Ribeiro (@VikCR86)   This week there was a surge was reported in the number of UK children registering for free school meals, with an estimated 1 million pupils recently signing up for the first time. At the same time research from the housing charity Shelter estimates 230,000 people (12,000 in Greater Manchester) have fallen …

By Georgie Hulme   Since the horrendous Grenfell tragedy, more and more buildings are being identified nationwide as unsafe due to various fire safety defects. The main issue is cladding, but the problem goes much further than this.   Nobody should be living in buildings with major fire defects, and no leaseholder should have to …

By Alessio Kolioulis (@alessioilgreco) and Rahel Süß (@RahelSuess)   When Universities in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Manchester reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases last week, students started questioning why halls were allowed to reopen in the first place.   With Health Secretary Matt Hancock not ruling out that students may remain in halls throughout the Christmas break, …

By the Greater Manchester Tenants Union (@gmtenantsunion) formally Tenants Union UK (@tenantsunionuk)   Tenants Union UK is changing. From this autumn we will be focussing our organisational efforts on housing issues in Greater Manchester. We will work to strengthen and grow our branches across the city-region, and we’ll be relaunching to reflect this: welcome the …

By Greater Manchester Against Evictions   Today the eviction ban that was brought in as the pandemic broke in March, finally ended. Initially brought in for 3 months, it was extended twice due to pressure from the organised renters movement.    In the last month, the government has used the time to make some changes …

By Amanda Wait   On a clear day, an investor buying into Manchester’s booming penthouse lifestyle could look out and survey the magnificent view from their floor to ceiling window. As the city stretches out before them, they might just spot in the far distance a matrix of circles and crescents, hubs and spokes, all …

By Tina Cribbin (@tinacribbin)   Greetings from Hulme. Apparently we are part of Manchester’s “donut of deprivation” or so says Tim Heatley. Yes, the hand-in-glove mate of the lord mayors of Manchester and Salford and those sellers of souls at Manchester City Council.   First let me start by saying that the so-called “donut of …