{"id":380638,"date":"2025-08-28T16:25:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T16:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/380638\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T16:25:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T16:25:20","slug":"the-mancunian-way-temporary-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/380638\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mancunian Way: Temporary ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThere is concern about the immigration process – that doesn\u2019t always translate to support for Nigel Farage.\u201dHello,<\/strong><\/p>\n

The humble vox pop is a staple for journalists. By asking people on the street their thoughts on the hot topics, we can keep in touch with public thinking.<\/p>\n

Local democracy reporter (LDR) Ethan Davies is a veteran of the artform. And it\u2019s a good job, because he and his LDR colleagues ended up speaking to a whopping 64 people on the streets of Greater Manchester yesterday about a particularly knotty issue – immigration.<\/p>\n

Specifically Nigel Farage\u2019s plan to deport up to 600,000 migrants over five years if he wins the next election.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

After speaking to people in Bury<\/a> and Manchester city centre<\/a>, Ethan said the assignment certainly challenged his perspective on public thinking of Reform.<\/p>\n

Get news, views and analysis of the biggest stories with the daily Mancunian Way newsletter – sign up <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

He told me: \u201cIt\u2019s clear there is concern about the immigration process currently in place but the substance of that concern differs wildly – from concerns about the amount of time asylum seekers are spending in the system, to the many people coming over the Channel in small boats. But that doesn\u2019t always translate to support for Nigel Farage.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people said they wanted any government to take action from deterring people from coming to the country but a good majority said they wouldn\u2019t trust a Reform government to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reform UK\u2019s \u2018operation restoring justice\u2019 scheme would cost \u00a310 billion and require the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights among other ambitious changes.<\/p>\n

The announcement pushed the party into an eight-point polling lead on Wednesday, but as my colleagues discovered – not everyone is convinced.<\/a><\/p>\n

Bradley Hornby, 24, works for the council and spoke to Ethan in Bury town centre.<\/p>\n

He described his politics as \u201ccentre-right\u201d and insisted \u201cwe need to do something about a bit of immigration\u201d but said Mr Farage is \u201cnot the right person\u201d to solve the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my issues with Nigel is it\u2019s all just about immigration. I do not like his climate change policy,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if you say that, it\u2019s \u2018you\u2019re either with us or against us\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis country is very divided. There\u2019s so much frustration because things are not getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As a Ukrainian refugee, Svitlana Cherniak has more of an outsider’s perspective on UK politics.<\/p>\n

She moved to Manchester when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and says British attitudes to her own migration are proof Mr Farage \u201cdoes not represent British values\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis politics are not good. It\u2019s a step back not a step forward,\u201d she said. \u201cThe UK welcomed me and my son when the war began – this guy does not represent British values.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be stronger. I think his ideas are only temporary.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s well worth reading the mega vox<\/a> compiled by Ethan, Nick Jackson, Declan Carey, George Lythgoe and Charlotte Hall.<\/p>\n

Vox pops are an imperfect science, but they always offer a window into the thoughts of the voting public. And that\u2019s something worth knowing.<\/p>\n

On two conditions<\/strong>Most of the flags were dotted around Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street(Image: MEN)<\/p>\n

Union Jack and St George\u2019s flags put up in Manchester city centre \u2018overnight\u2019 will not be removed by the council.<\/p>\n

Videos posted online show men tying a Union Jack to scaffolding on Market Street<\/a>, with more than a dozen UK and England flags spotted around Piccadilly Gardens<\/a> on Thursday.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s understood Manchester Council won\u2019t remove the flags as long as they do not present a safety concern, and putting them up has not caused criminal damage.<\/p>\n

You can read more here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Big changes<\/strong>\"PremiumThe new Premium parking area at the Trafford Centre is regularly mostly empty(Image: Jason Roberts\/Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s currently free to park at the Trafford<\/a> Centre – aside from those \u2018premium\u2019 spaces, which haven\u2019t proved particularly popular.<\/a><\/p>\n

But from Monday, there will be a limit to how long shoppers can park up.<\/p>\n

Parking will be restricted to a maximum 12 hour stay across the majority of the centre’s 10,000 free parking spaces and no overnight parking will be allowed.<\/p>\n

Bosses are trying to tackle a trend of people parking all day and heading into town on the tram.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got all the details here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Tis\u2019 the season<\/strong>Manchester Christmas Markets will see a partial return to Albert Square for the first time since 2019 (file photo of Albert Square in 2016)(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Phot)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s only *checks notes* 17 weeks until Christmas<\/a> so it\u2019s about time Manchester\u2019s town hall chiefs announced their plans.<\/p>\n

And they\u2019re actually pretty exciting – because festive events will return to Albert Square for the first time in six years.<\/p>\n

The Christmas Markets will be spread across 10 locations from November 7 until December 22 – while two key locations will continue the revels until January 4, 2026.<\/p>\n

Dianne Bourne has all the details here.<\/a><\/p>\n

I’ve tried to block it out<\/strong>\"The(Image: Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archive)<\/p>\n

On the morning of August 15, 1953, an electric passenger train bound for Manchester struck a passenger steam train<\/a> travelling to Bacup.<\/p>\n

The steam engine was overturned, smashing through a parapet wall and plunging 70ft into the water below, drowning passengers trapped in its carriages.<\/p>\n

Ten people died but Neil Robinson – who was 14 at the time – survived and saved another boy.<\/p>\n

He previously told the M.E.N how he dived down to save six-year-old Jeremy Hall.<\/p>\n

“I remember being in the water and seeing bodies around me but that’s as far as my memories go back \u2013 perhaps I’ve tried to block it out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Noticing air bubbles rising from Jeremy’s carriage, he dived into the river and pulled Jeremy to safety.<\/p>\n

You can read more about the events of that fateful morning here.<\/a><\/p>\n