One of the most heartening aspects of the Manchester Evening News hustings yesterday was the high level of engagement from college students. Tickets for the event at Winstanley College were reportedly in high demand.
Our Politics Writer Iram Ramzan spoke to several students earlier this week and found a group that is highly engaged but frustrated with modern politics. Ryan Cain, a self-described One Nation Conservative, said: "There's so much polarisation in politics but you did see Andy Burnham and Michael Winstanley agreeing with some points and having that dialogue. Politics should be a conversation and not an argument."
A unifying message from all five candidates at the hustings was that violence is never an answer to violence. Referring to the riots that followed a brutal stabbing in Belfast on Monday, Mr Burnham criticised Nigel Farage and warned against politicians "stoking tensions". This came after Reform candidate Rob Kenyon blamed "illegal immigration" for the attack.
Farage was in Makerfield immediately after the hustings and told reporters that apparent support for Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain in the constituency is overblown, calling it "a great media story". He also defended Mr Kenyon's past comments, stating they are "the kind of comments you will hear in every pub in the country every evening". He added: "We should be unapologetic that Rob is an ordinary bloke who's carved quite a career for himself, had the guts to set up a business, served as an army reservist, is a patriot, likes his rugby, likes the odd pint, and said a few laddish things on social media 10 years ago. Do you know what I'd say to that? I'd say so what?"
While candidates and their supporters debate, some voters in Makerfield are experiencing by-election fatigue. Local democracy reporter Chris Gee asked them: "Are you voting for a person, a party, or as a protest?" One woman on Bryn Street in Ashton responded bluntly: "I'm up to here with it," raising a flat palm to her forehead. "You're the third person to ask me about it today. I've had three leaflets, all exactly the same from one party, three. They've gone straight in the bin."
Beermuda Triangle
Manchester is renowned for its craft beer producers like Track, Cloudwater, Sureshot, and Pomona. However, I only recently learned that the area behind Piccadilly Station housing some of the city's best breweries has been nicknamed the 'Beermuda Triangle'. It now has a new addition: Pigeon Beer Wanderer, a beer parlour, bottle shop, and outdoor terrace.
The bar on Sheffield Street offers 24 beers on tap from across the UK, Europe, and the USA. Adam Maidment spoke to the owner about his aspirations for the venue.
Pugh! Pugh! Barney McGrew!
A sharp-tongued Salford resident recently suggested that the mayor's role should be relegated to the TV town of Trumpton. However, Salford's newly appointed ceremonial mayor Robin Garrido insists the position carries weight. "It is a steadying hand when things go wrong," he says. "We have had big changes in the constitution of the council, and that has to be managed. I chair the meetings of the full council and that has to be managed in a fair and balanced way." Councillor Garrido shared his insights in a fascinating interview with our chief reporter Neal Keeling.
A Gem of an Idea
When Doug Bierton bought an Italia 1990 England away shirt for £5 in a charity shop, it later sold for £50. This sparked an idea that took two Manchester University students from the streets of Withington to the top of the Empire State Building. In 2006, Doug and his friend Matthew Dale identified a market gap and began amassing a huge stockpile of football shirts in their student flat, selling them to fans eager for a piece of football history. Two decades later, Classic Football Shirts (CFS) is the leading seller of vintage shirts, official reissues, and the latest season's kits, serving customers in 130 countries. Jenna Campbell has the full story.
Weather: Friday will see light rain with a high of 20°C. Roads: A58 Gerard Street Westbound in Ashton-in-Makerfield is closed due to roadworks from A5062 Wigan Road to A58/A49 (Kings Arms traffic lights) until November 22. No through traffic is allowed due to emergency repairs and roadworks on A6010 Alan Turing Way Northbound from A635 Ashton Old Road to Wilson Street until June 16.
