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Day: 22 May 2017

Fatalities confirmed following ‘explosion’ at Manchester Arena

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed that 19 people have died and more than 50 are injured after an explosion was reported at Manchester Arena on the evening of Monday 22nd of May.

The explosion is said to have happened at around 10.35pm, following a concert by US pop singer Ariana Grande. The emergency services were called following reports of “loud bangs” at the end of the concert.

The North West Counter Terrorism unit has confirmed in a statement that they are treating the incident as a “possible terrorist  incident”, and bomb disposal squads were seen arriving at the scene.

GMP released a statement in the early hours of Tuesday 23rd of May confirming that 19 people have lost their lives in the incident, adding that the incident is “currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise”.

Video footage shared on social media shows thousands of people fleeing the scene, both inside the arena and in the surrounding area. Police are asking that the public avoid the area for their own safety.

In a statement released on social media, the GMP said: “Emergency services are currently responding to reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena.

“There are a number of confirmed fatalities and others injured. Please AVOID the area as first responders work tirelessly at the scene.”

The British Transport Police said in a statement that the explosion happened “within the foyer” of the stadium. Manchester Victoria Station has been closed, and all train travel in and out of the station has been suspended.

GMP have also confirmed on Twitter that a casualty bureau is being mobilised: “Details of a casualty bureau for incident at Manchester Arena will be shared as soon as available. Please stay away from the area”.

Eyewitness Sasina Akhtar, speaking to The Manchester Evening News, said: “She did her last song, we were in the lower tier and there was an explosion behind us at the back of the arena.

“We saw young girls with blood on them, everyone was screaming and people were running. There was lots of smoke.”

The Guardian Northern correspondent Frances Perraudin tweeted footage of bomb disposal squads arriving at the scene, adding: “Armed police and helicopters overhead in Manchester, around the corner from the arena. All roads into town blocked off.”

The Sun‘s Tom Newton-Dunn tweeted: “NHS sources are saying the explosion at Manchester Arena was a nail bomb attack. Still unconfirmed.”

Residents across Manchester are offering their homes as a refuge for people caught up in the incident using the hashtag #RoomforManchester, particularly as transport in and out of the city has been severely affected by the events.

A Holiday Inn near the arena has reportedly taken in dozens of unaccompanied children who fled the arena, with social media users sharing the information widely.

ITV News’ Alistair Stewart tweeted: “With #RoomForManchester & free rides offered by taxi drivers – humanity stamps its foot.”

This is a developing story.

Review: The Wharf

As summer is just around the corner, it’s essential for everyone to have that one go to place to grab some nice food and drink in a luxuriously sunny spot.

This summer, my place will be The Wharf. Situated in the canal covered area of Castlefield, it is a fair way from Fallowfield, in terms of distance and scenery, but let us all admit, that’s not exactly a problem.

Walking down to The Wharf allowed me and my companion to take in some of the more aesthetically pleasing parts of Manchester city centre and once we had crossed the Castlefield Bridge, The Wharf was the only place to be.

It’s huge outside area filled with tables and chairs, all focus around a centre-piece water fountain, allowing every last spot of sunlight to be caught.

We headed inside to get ourselves some drinks before taking a seat in amongst the cheery crowd outside. After taking in the afternoon’s gentle warmth, we headed inside to take up our dinner reservation.

The immediate sight of the bar felt welcoming and homely, and the grand patterned rug is a style anybody would be happy to welcome into their home. We were led around the corner and into the more formal setting of the dining room which boasted bookshelves filled with weathered books and black and white photos of what must have been the pub in its past.

As we admired the beautiful room, we were brought over menus. Classic British options were first noticeable but after further inspection, a wide-range of cuisine choices were also available. Hungry from our action-filled day, we both decided to indulge in a starter and a main each.

We joined in with the quiet hum of chatter and in good time, our vibrant looking starters were with us. My companion’s coronation chicken flatbread consisted of a hefty pile of carefully shredded chicken, covered in the classic spiced mayonnaise sauce. The portion was generous and the additions of cherry tomatoes and rocket added to the look and taste of the dish perfectly.

My starter was, admittedly a somewhat strange order from a pub, Asian style pork ribs. A sucker for any Asian inspired food, I felt obliged to give them a try. The meat was soft and flavourful, however they did feel as if they had either been cooked long in advanced or microwaved. Feeling slightly subdued, I tentatively waited for my main.

Luckily, my main dish was rather departed from my starter. I ordered hake accompanied by mussels, saffron potatoes, samphire and a creamy sauce. The fish boasted crispy, salty skin and light flesh underneath and the other ingredients combined with the more-ish sauce to create and all together delicious dish.

My table’s other main was the classic, deep-fried cod, chips and mushy peas. A pub menu staple, I always expect the most from this dish, there’s nothing like a good fish ‘n’ chips. The batter was crispy and the fish inside was flaky, once dipped into the tartar sauce it made for a delightful mouthful. We battled to finish the large platefuls, but welcomed the liberality of the portions.

We happily settled the bill whilst chatting to the amazingly friendly Scottish waitress, before heading back into the garden to continue the evening with another drink.

I highly recommend taking a summer’s day trip to Castlefield, to enjoy the mismatched scenery of canals, old industrial warehouses and high rising modern builds, and whilst there taking a comfortable seat at The Wharf pub.

Interview: Labour candidate Afzal Khan

I meet Afzal Khan on a rainy Wednesday afternoon at his office in Hulme. He shares this office, which is part of a local Methodist church, with the local Labour Party. With election campaigning in full swing, it is a hub of activity, with phones ringing and printers whirring almost constantly. As he sits down on a sofa in the corner, Khan jokes that he might fall asleep during our interview. With his candidacy announced in late March, the current MEP has been campaigning for nearly two months.

When did you join the Labour Party? Why?

I joined mainly because I was unhappy with the councillors where I lived. They were Liberal Democrats. The thing with Lib Dems is that they’re dishonest — they’ll go to one street and promise one thing, and then promise another on the next street. I don’t have time for them. I have the Liberal Democrats to thank for me joining the Labour Party.

Was it difficult for you to become involved in politics?

I wouldn’t say it was difficult — personally, I was never really that bothered about it. Once I got going, the Lib Dems wound me up enough to continue. I have always supported the Labour Party, but I was never motivated to get involved when I was young.

Why did you decide to run for MP? Why in Gorton?

I genuinely love Manchester. I was born in Pakistan, but I was made in Manchester. From 2000-2016, I was a local councillor; in 2005, I was Lord Mayor. I’ve been involved in all kinds of things in this city, particularly in equality and education. Currently, I’m a Member of European Parliament, but I’m still based in this area. It’s almost continuity for me.

The second thing that has motivated me now is Brexit. I’m a very strong Remainer. I believe our country’s interests lie within the European Union, not outside.

The result has torn me. As an MEP, I’ve experienced first hand so many ways in which we benefit from the EU. The world is moving in one direction and this country is now moving in the opposite. Many generations will pay the price for this. The battle is in Westminster now. I feel that, with my experience, there’s something I can do. This decision was made for me.

I worked with Sir Gerald [Kaufman] for twenty years. He was a friend of mine and an amazing constituency MP. All of these things came together at the right time for me — that’s why I’m running.

What is Gorton’s biggest issue? How would you fix it?

I don’t think there’s any single issue as such. We’re not without problems though. At the heart of it, I think, is the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition and their austerity policies. Year after year, they made deeper cuts.

We all need public services, especially those who aren’t so well off. Because of these cuts, everyday little things — bin collection and the roads, for example — are issues that need to be looked at. We’ve had 2000 jobs cut in the police; as a former police officer, that is particularly worrying to me.

Education is something I’m passionate about. I was adopted, and I left school with no qualifications. I joke that I left school with nine no-levels! I went back as a mature student, doing night classes.

I want young people to have the same opportunities that I did, and education is the way to do that. The idea of having one job for life is an old one — no one can do that anymore. People will have four, five, ten jobs — I certainly have! I’ve been a labourer, a bus driver and a police officer.

Education is a foundation for many other things. In Gorton, every single school is facing cuts, totalling £2.4million. That means fewer teachers, bigger classes or fewer facilities, and none of those options are right.

Housing is another issue. When I started as a councillor in Gorton, if somebody needed a council house, we could sort it out in a couple of weeks. Now, the waiting list is a few years. I blame the Tories — it was Thatcher’s idea to sell off council houses, as well as preventing us from building more social housing.

Manchester is growing in size, but the number of council houses is shrinking. I like what Labour is offering — a million new homes, half of which will be social housing.

Everything I’ve spoken about is a basic need. It’s not right that we don’t have them at the moment. I’m sick and tired of austerity policies not working. The Tories are making the vulnerable more vulnerable, the better off even better off. That’s not what politics is about.

As an immigrant to this country, have you always felt welcome?

Honestly, yes. Having been all over the world, I think Britain is a pretty good place to be. Manchester is a very diverse place with lots of different people, and I saw all of that when I was Lord Mayor. We’re not perfect and of course there are issues, but overall the British are very accepting.

Do you feel your background has influenced your politics?

We are all products of our life experiences. Mine has been pretty tough. I was adopted [from Pakistan by a Manchester family] because of poverty. I was separated from my family, my culture and my language at a critical age [Khan was 11 at the time].

That’s why I feel so passionately about poverty and social justice — I wouldn’t have gone through that had my family not been poor. I have never been motivated by money, probably because of my childhood.

Do you have a role model?

There are loads of people I think are incredible — Nelson Mandela is an inspiration — but I’d have to say the person I look up to the most is Muhammad Ali. From a very young age, I’ve been a very big fan of his. I watched all of his fights. He was a character! He was very strong, both physically and mentally. Muhammad Ali stood up against what he thought was wrong and was willing to go to prison for that. People wrote him off in ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ but he bounced back and knocked George Foreman out.

Why do you think many young people are apathetic towards politics?

It’s a vicious circle — young people feel they are not being listened to, so they don’t vote, so they’re not listened to.  I’ve been part of the campaign to lower the voting age to 16. Had young people been fully engaged, I doubt Brexit would have happened. They understand the world we are now living in better than older people. Politics affects everyone and everything — it’s very important.

You have been the Lord Mayor of Manchester and are the current MEP for the North West of England. What did you learn from these experiences? Which was more enjoyable?

Both opened up the world for me and gave me local and global connections. We tend to live our lives with tunnel vision, and both helped me to stop doing that. Being Lord Mayor was a unique privilege. I got to see so much of Manchester that I never would have seen otherwise.

I learned more in one year [about Manchester] than I’d learnt in my previous 25 years there. I knocked Nick Griffin [of the British National Party] out of office when I became MEP. That alone was worth it!

You applied for selection as Labour’s candidate in the 2012 Bradford West by-election. That election was won by George Galloway, who is now standing independently in Gorton. What do you think of him?

I used to like George Galloway… from a distance. I campaigned with him against the Iraq War. When he stood here, I started to look into him more closely. I’m not sure I’m impressed with him anymore. Why hasn’t he been able to hold a seat?

Is he trying to compete with Nigel Farage in who can lose more? The people of Bradford West put their trust in him in 2012 but he lost massively in 2015. That to me says that he’s just a showman, not a grafter. He only attended 11 per cent of his Parliament meetings — that is appalling.

I took my seat [as a councillor] from a Liberal Democrat and turned it into a safe Labour seat with 84 per cent of the vote. George Galloway has accused me of being a Blairite, even though I campaigned against Iraq and have spoken at rallies for Jeremy Corbyn!

How do you feel about Liberal Democrat candidate Jackie Pearcy’s comments about Labour? She said the party are “too busy fighting amongst themselves to provide a decent opposition”.

You already know how I feel about the Liberal Democrats! Jackie Pearcy is from a party that was willing to get into bed with the Tories and dished out millions in cuts, and she didn’t try to stop it [as a Gorton councillor]. Their nine MPs were split in the Brexit vote, so they’re hardly a united front.

The results of the last Labour leadership election were decisive; the overwhelming majority of members support Jeremy Corbyn. Since then, I think Labour has been moving in the right direction. After reading our great manifesto, I feel quite excited for our future.

How do you view the relationship between politicians and the media, especially in the current political climate?

The media undoubtedly has a role to play in politics. I value freedom of the press. However, I’m uncomfortable with how the media in this country is run.

Ownership of the media is shrinking to a very small number of people. That’s unhealthy for a country — we should have diversity in names and opinions.

My deeper issue is that our media is led by negativity. The cultural shift to pure sensationalism is doing readers and consumers more harm than good. Generally, in our society, we need to be fairer to others.

My Erasmus experience in Manchester

Before catching the cheapest Ryanair flight I was able to find from Madrid, there were many things that I had in mind when thinking about what Manchester as an Erasmus destination could be like. I had already visited the south of England a couple of times at 14 and I knew — I promise I knew — the South and the North of the country were meant to be quite different.

My impatient self had already been looking for all sorts of information about the city, and I found some interesting as well as not that positive remarks, such as Manchester being as ugly as the back of a fridge — something that I’ve found not to be true, thankfully.

However, no matter what other people may have said about the city, as an English music lover I knew I had made the right choice. It wasn’t only about all the well-known bands that were born in Manchester, such as Oasis and The Stone Roses, but about the passion for music that this city seemed to have — something that I have been able to witness later on.

I also felt quite interested in the whole ‘Madchester’ music and cultural scene and sat in front of my TV a couple of months before arriving here to watch the film ’24 Hour Party People’.

Once in the rainy city, I tried to search for what The Haçienda had been a few decades ago — I felt disappointed to see it had been converted into apartments, but also fairly excited to discover the name of the legendary nightclub had been preserved on the walls.

When my fifteen-year-old self found out about the TV series ‘Skins’, she thought that’s what the English teenage life was all about: raves, drugs, and more raves — which in some of the cases didn’t seem to be too far from the truth.

I did find myself in a Skins-lookalike house party in the middle of Fallowfield and danced until my feet couldn’t feel the ground in a rave-like venue — that’s right, Antwerp Mansion. But hey! Felt like listening to some cheesy indie music you never got tired of? The Venue and 42s were there for you. Wanted to feel like a posh cocktail-drinking grown up and leave aside your usual cheap ASDA cider or beer for a day? The Font was there for you. Manchester has it all.

That’s what Manchester represents for me: variety. Not only in terms of all the options that one can find across the city but also in terms of the people. Manchester is a synonym for multiculturalism. Manchester has made me feel at home. Manchester has called me ‘love’ and has let me love it back.

And so, once my year abroad is over, if someone ever says that Manchester is as ugly as the back of a fridge, I know what the reason behind it is. They haven’t been lucky enough to appreciate the love that lies behind the city’s red bricks.

Review: Grand Pacific

When I first saw images of the Grand Pacific’s opulent interior, my thoughts turned to graduation dinners — that one day within our student lives that we’re finally able to justify eating somewhere other than Spoons, and our chance to pretend to our families that university has transformed us into refined adults.

The first impressions when arriving at the restaurant did not disappoint. I was instantly greeted and led up the impressive oak staircase to the bar, where I was served a Rose and Lychee cocktail in a room where you could not help but be in awe. The cocktail alone is worth making the trip to the Grand Pacific.

However, on a student budget this is probably all you need to do in order to experience this historic venue. After being taken to the table and served our food, the bubble of grandeur and history began to burst a little.

The grade II listed building used to be home to the Manchester Reform club, a gentlemen’s club for Liberal politicians from 1871 to 1988, and sitting in the grandeur of dining room you really do get a feel for this history.

Winston Churchill and Lloyd George have both addressed the crowds of Manchester from the balconies of this building. The wonderful preservation means that if you want to get a taste of history on your evening out, then not many other places can compete.

On their website they describe themselves as paying “homage to the golden age of high society, where deep rhythmic baselines writhe through the air and sweet botanicals tantalise the senses” and claim that they are “the new home of exotic cuisine and sophisticated sipping”. The characteristic colonial design throughout certainly takes you back to a time of splendour and extravagance. Sadly, the food did not have the same effect.

The food was good and every plate was emptied, but it did not live up to the extravagance of the setting in which it was served. The Pan-Asian meals arrived very quickly, which was the first indication that we perhaps were not about to have the dining experience I had expected.

Asian spiced duck cottage pie, with pork crackling and soused onions, seemed exciting on paper, a fresh twist on a much loved dish. While the flavours worked, it was not a remarkable enough variation on the cottage pie to deserve any hype.

The crème brûlée with jasmine tea bread and rose-petal jelly also got my hopes up. However I did not feel the jasmine tea bread, decorated with jelly and flowers added anything to the meal other than decoration.

My dining partner had the tempura szechuan sea bass with crispy noodles, pineapple and cucumber, followed by the chocolate fondant. They formed the same opinion of the food as I did: it was good and not too pricey, but we could have left after cocktails and have had just as good an experience.

Jeremy Roberts, CEO of Living Ventures (who own the building), describes the heritage of the building “as a place to relax, eat and drink and just enjoy some of the pleasures of life simply oozes from the walls” and there is no doubt that this is true.

Simply sitting within the building’s walls was an experience unlike anywhere else in Manchester, but if you are expecting the food to match the grandeur then you may be disappointed. My advice? Start the night at the Grand Pacific to soak up the atmosphere and sip a cocktail or two before moving on, perhaps for a more purse-friendly option.