If you don’t vote you can’t whinge PLUS Tributes to ‘El Tel’ AND A maze of entrepreneurs
Hello,
“You’re joking. Not another one?,” I hear you cry as voters go to the polls for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election. I’m afraid it’s true.
After fiery, whole-hearted and at times angry campaigns in Gorton and Denton, Makerfield and of course for our local councils, we’re on our fourth election of the year here in GM – and it’s only July.
But I would argue that voting today is well worth your time. Casting your ballot for a new mayor means you are ushering in the person you think if best placed to handle a multi-billion pound budget, take over the Bee Network, policing oversight, housing and regeneration, adult skills and aspects of health policy across our city region.
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They will also become the public face of England’s largest city region outside London. And let’s be honest, our last mayor did pretty well out of that position.
We’ve interviewed candidates including Reform UK’s Sian Astley, Green Geraldine Coggins, Labour’s Bev Craig, Conservative Phil Eckersley, Lib Dem Richard Kilpatrick, and Restore Britain’s Marlon West. And while Independent candidate Marcus Farmer very politely declined an interview, his final statement is here to view along with the other six candidates’. We also held a hustings with all of them which you can watch in full here.
Turnout has struggled ever since the mayoralty was created. It was 29 per cent in 2017. This year’s mayoral election has been overshadowed by Mr Burnham heading to Westminster and Nigel Farage fighting a bin in Clacton-on-Sea.
This means that turnout could be even lower. We understand that people are fed up with politics and politicians, but that’s why your vote matters.
Democracy works best when people take part, not when they leave it to everyone else. If you decide not to vote at all, don’t be surprised if other people end up making the big decisions for you. And you might not like them.
But more importantly than anything, if you don’t vote you can’t moan – or at least not with authority. As a perpetual complainer, that’s swung it for me.
After today elections in Greater Manchester will be over for at least 18 months. Famous last words?
We’ll bring you all the latest as the polls close and the results start coming in via our live blog here.
Remembering El Tel
Much has been made of Andy Burnham’s penchant for colloquialsims and addressing people as ‘lad’. But he isn’t the first affable politician to use this kind of language.
Terry Lewis, who has died aged 90, was Labour MP for Worsley from 1983 to 2005 and called everyone ‘kid’ – even our chief reporter Neal Keeling.
And as Neal writes in this lovely tribute, ‘El Tel’ knew everybody and everything. “He was fearless and could be both eloquent and direct when triggered,” he writes.
“The late MP was authentic – the personification of a great constituency representative. In the House of Commons he once confronted then Prime Minister, John Major, and asked him “Why don’t you resign you plonker”?”
The maverick and staunch socialist ironically represented a Tory enclave in Salford. You can read Neal’s full tribute to Terry Lewis here.
A maze of entrepreneurs
A short walk from Holt Town tram stop, you find yourself surrounded by signs of Manchester’s rich industrial heritage. Former cotton mills still stand between the trendy New Islington neighbourhood to the west and Etihad to the east.
Some historic mills here have been beautifully restored into hubs for theatre, community and music. Others have been converted into modern residential apartments.
Lying in their shadow is a maze of shipping containers. Though rather than simply lying dormant on derelict land, they boast a forward-thinking remit and a clear nod to the city’s industrious and entrepreneurial past.
As What’s On editor Jenna Campbell writes, Pollard Yard is a hub for the region’s most creative and promising start-ups. And owners Meanwhile Creative are now expanding further.
Hardly any crimes?
According to Greater Manchester Police neighbourhood data, just four crimes were committed in Piccadilly Gardens in the last 12 months.
Data journalist Richard Ault and chief reporter Neal Keeling have crunching the numbers and looking at why it appears hardly any crimes were committed there for this fascinating piece.
Weather etc
Friday: Sunny intervals, 19C.
Roads: A671 Rochdale Road, Royton, northbound closed for roadworks from Middleton Road to Market Square until January 29.
A58 Gerard Street Westbound, Ashton-in-Makerfield closed due to roadworks from A5062 Wigan Road to A58 / A49 (Kings Arms traffic lights) until November 22.
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