The Dream Weavers festival, at the Northern Quarter’s Oppidan Social, highlighted a shared dream of a society built on solidarity and justice. Activist groups and charities from across Greater Manchester attended to share their inspirational work.
Voiceless no more: messages of the disabled played from van to Tory party conference
Disability rights campaign group Manchester Disabled People Against Cuts (MDPAC) screened messages from Disabled people in England on Monday during the Tory Party Conference from a mobile van.
Sir Richard Leese’s swan song was to commission a memorial to inequality
In response to recent news that Richard Leese is to stand down as leader of Manchester City Council, local disabled activist Brian Hilton shares his personal views on Sir Richard and his legacy.
Mobile video screen will tell delegates in Manchester the ‘appalling’ truth about their Tory government
Anti-cuts activists are to hire a mobile video screen that will give disabled people the chance to tell members of the Conservative party attending their annual conference what they think of the government’s “appalling” breaches of their rights. Guest article from Disability News Service.
Covid hit disabled people hardest in the North
The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on disabled people in England is documented in a report by Manchester’s IPPR North think tank, who call on the government to ‘provide fair access to opportunity for everyone.’
Covid-19 and me: my experience
Anti-poverty activist and journalist Charlotte Hughes, explains the experiences and the problems she encountered when she came down with Covid-19 and why she feels that the government let her down. Charlotte, who has previously interviewed Ken Loach, questions the motivations behind government decisions and how it affects the poor. Whilst I haven’t had a test […]
Disabled people speak out about poor accessibility at Manchester Pride
Manchester Pride, a life affirming celebration of sexual and gender diversity for many, faces claims that it is failing in its stated aims of promoting “equality and diversity” due to poor accessibility for disabled people. Three people with disabilities tell of their disappointing and potentially dangerous experiences. A growing number of disabled people are voicing […]
Access to Pride should not be denied to disabled people
Pride in Manchester is becoming a bigger event with each passing year, reflecting the city’s reputation as a diverse and LGBT+ friendly place. But this year’s Pride celebrations were not inclusive for everyone, as some disabled attendees discovered during the weekend’s events. Concerns about event pricing, over-ticketing and poor organisation were raised by many people, […]
The Peterloo Memorial shows a shameful lack of solidarity with the disabled community
This year is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre. Around 70,000 people gathered peacefully in St Peter’s Field, Manchester, calling for the right to vote so that marginalised communities across England could have a say in who represented them in parliament. Representatives that could fight for the rights of the marginalised and reduce the […]
We stand together – do we really?
Just over a year ago, 22 people lost their lives and 120 were injured at the Manchester Arena Attack. It was a horrific hate driven act of mass murder, and my heart goes out to everybody affected. One year on, 15,000 people gathered in Albert Square to pay their respects. The power and energy created […]