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Year: 2017

Top 5 Horrorcore Songs

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Music, Uncategorised.

‘Mark’ — Shahmen

The mysterious and dark rapper, Shahmen, brings a hard-hitting production and his deep, earthy voice to the table in this track.

‘South Side Suicide’ — $uicideboy$

Though the New Orleans duo doesn’t consider themselves horrorcore, their themes of suicide are dark enough to warrant that title.

‘Yonkers’ — Tyler, The Creator

His most recent album Flower Boy presents a departure from his original style, however, ‘Yonkers’ screams classic Tyler.

‘1-800-Suicide’ — Gravediggaz

Horrorcore creators Gravediggaz mix a laid-back production with smooth prose on this song that sarcastically tells the listener to embrace their ignorance.

‘OkayButThisIsTheLastTime’ — BONES

This horrorcore tune achieved meme status as the soundtrack to bottle-flip videos. Despite this, the track’s lyrics are dark, moody, and quintessentially horrorcore.

Review: The Party

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Film.

Renowned for 1992’s Orlando and the more recent Yes (2004), Sally Potter has thus far had an understated yet critically acclaimed career.  Her two aforementioned features, as well as her 1997 movie The Tango Lesson, have both won and been nominated for various awards, from BAFTAS to accolades at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Her films have always been experimental and profound.  Yes was a cinematic response to the 9/11 attacks, and her 2009 feature Rage, starring Jude Law, Judi Dench and Steve Buscemi, was a visually jarring, stripped down portrayal of the power of performance.  Her latest project is surprisingly conformed for the director, yet it is by no means your run-of-the-mill comedy of manners.

The Party has a modest running time of 71 minutes, and its events take place in real time.  Kristin Scott Thomas plays Janet — a politician who has recently been appointed the position of Shadow Health Minister for an unnamed party.  She lives with her husband — the seemingly docile academic Bill (Timothy Spall) — in an upmarket London house, and the film follows an attempted celebration of her success, with the couple’s friends.

Seeds of the incoming chaos and rancour are planted early on — Janet is seen covertly speaking to an unknown lover on the phone, and Patricia Clarkson’s April incessantly blurts out passive aggressive remarks and insults.  Emily Mortimer and Cherry Jones play a gay married couple, the former recently conceived with triplets, to the concern of her wife. Bruno Ganz plays April’s hippy husband, and Cillian Murphy rocks up as a suited and booted banker gone full on Wolf of Wall Street, with cocaine and gun in tow.

As seen in Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015), it is impossible to have so many prestigious acting names in such a confined space without chaos erupting.  Before the first splash of prosecco has been poured, Pandora’s box has been well and truly opened.  Both physical and verbal blows are exchanged, relationships are shattered, and dark secrets are unleashed bitterly by the guests.

The concept of The Party sounds very much like it belongs on stage, yet this would be a criminal injustice to the performances of its cast.  The film is essentially a showcase for the superb acting abilities of its stars, every character given intimate close-ups as they speak.  Yet the narrative and drama is just compelling enough to prevent the film from becoming a mere acting exhibition.

Nevertheless, it is the cast which is doubtlessly the pièce de résistance of the short but sweet film Potter has served up.  Ganz, Murphy and Spall are superbly comical, and Scott Thomas is on form as per usual, yet it is Patricia Clarkson who ultimately steals the show.  The acid-tongued, Iago-esque April often acts as the devil whispering in Janet’s ear, and the tension between Clarkson’s and Jones’ characters could be cut with a knife.

The film’s climax somewhat fails to match up to the spiralling and boiling tension of its preceding events, but it still draws titters from the audience.  Potter appears to have gone for an After-Eight mint rather than a three tiered, candle-lit birthday cake, to round off her cinematic shindig.

If the film had surpassed the 90 minute mark, certain characters may have outstayed their welcome on screen and the melodrama could potentially have become tedious.  However, Potter has succeeded in creating a concise, entertaining dramatic comedy, which despite not quite adhering to her experimental style, is a pleasant amuse-bouche ahead of the tirade of awards season winter releases.

3/5

Jodrell Bank Observatory nominated for UK’s next candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status

Written by Kieran O'Brien on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Following the UK’s Mark II radiotelescope gaining Grade I listed status over the summer, the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire — owned by the University of Manchester — has now been selected as the UK’s next candidate to join UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) as a World Heritage Site. Other UNESCO sites include the Taj Malal, Machu Pichu, and Stonehenge.

Having just celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Lovell Telescope, which is famous for detecting the radio signals from the world’s first artificial satellite in 1957, this nomination will add further world recognition of the groundbreaking work the University of Manchester has contributed to the history of astrophysics and cosmology.

Speaking in a press release for the University of Manchester, Professor Teresa Anderson, Director of Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre said: “We have been preparing the case for the World Heritage Site inscription for Jodrell Bank Observatory for some years now, so it’s absolutely fantastic to reach this milestone. The Lovell Telescope, in particular, has become an icon for science and engineering, and we look forward to showcasing the rich scientific heritage of this and the wider site on an international stage.”

The nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status will be submitted in January 2018 and, if accepted, will become the UK’s third UNESCO site for a scientific research facility — the other two, both in London, being the Greenwich Observatory and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

As part of the celebrations for nominating Jodrell Bank in the World Heritage List, the site is working on a project to create a new gallery space to exhibit the achievements of radio astronomy carried out at Jodrell Bank over the last seven decades. This project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and will include other improvements of the visitor facilities.

Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, said in another press release that “Jodrell Bank is the one remaining radio astronomy site worldwide which dates from the early days, so it is very important that we protect and celebrate the physical record of our involvement in the creation of a new science.”

The Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre is open to anyone with excellent admission discounts for students. As well as galleries educating on the cosmos and history of science carried out at Jodrell Bank, the grounds itself are free to walk around, allowing visitors close-up and breath-taking views of the famous Lovell Telescope.

7,500 runners take part in Manchester half marathon

Written by Sam Cooper on . Posted in Sport.

In the second iteration of the event, many elite runners competed in the hopes of breaking the previous record of 1:04:41 due to the course’s flat and fast nature. Pre-race, Glasweigan Luke Traynor was touted by many as a potential winner and the first time half marathon runner did not disappoint, completing the 13.1 mile route in 1:04:10.

The fastest female was Rebecca Hilland of Team Bath who recorded a time of 1:15:40 and four athletes completed the wheelchair race with Adam Goldspink-Burgess recording the quickest time at 1:18:32.

Race day saw perfect weather conditions for the runners with no sign of rain but significant cloud coverage to block the sun from overheating the runners. There was also little to no wind meaning the runners could enjoy a stress free run.

The event was in support of Manchester Evening News’ #WeStandTogether campaign which sims to create a more peaceful Greater Manchester in the wake of the Arena bomb attack. Many athletes ran with yellow wristbands decorated with the hashtag #WeStandTogether.

Out of 7,656 runners, 7,568 finished the race and they were cheered on by the residents of the Trafford area. Children lined the outside of the route asking for high fives from the runners or to hand out sweets to in-need competitors whose legs had begun to give way.

The finishers will now be setting their eyes on the full marathon in April.

Campaign underway against government’s Universal Credit scheme

Written by Hannah Murray on . Posted in News.

As criticism mounts over the government’s Universal Credit scheme, the NUS has launched a campaign to protect the rights of disabled students affected.

The scheme is currently being rolled out over the country, changing the way in which welfare benefits are distributed. Under this new scheme the six working-age benefits, now labelled as ‘legacy benefits’, will be replaced by one monthly payment.

Legacy benefits, especially the Housing Benefit and Employment Support Allowance, provide a key source of support for many disabled students to be able study and crucially, manage the extra costs associated with disability. In 2014, a study by Scope UK found that disabled people pay on average £550 per month on such everyday living costs.

Under Universal Credit, these payments would be drastically changed.

For many disabled students in further and higher education, this poses a huge threat. Due to new regulations under this system, Disability Rights UK claims that “most disabled students are now effectively barred from Higher Education due to Universal Credit rules.”

This will only widen the disparity between disabled and non-disabled students with a degree level qualification, which currently stands at around 50 per cent.

The battle is being fought as a damning UN report accuses the UK government of breaching the Convention on the Rights of Disabled People with a “continuing retrogression” of rights. Disabled people are increasingly left open to “serious discrimination” in educational, employment and social opportunities.

The Universal Credit scheme has received much criticism, even from members of the Conservative party itself. Studies show that around 2.5 million low-income working households will be more than £1,000 a year worse off after moving to Universal Credit due to its lower rate of payment. In addition, a six week waiting time has left many claimants without money, fuelling food bank use, personal debt, rent arrears, eviction and mental distress.

On Wednesday, an advisory vote held in parliament to pause universal credit rollout received unanimous support, with 299 MPs voting for the motion. This is a symbolic victory for the disabled students’ campaign, which has been encouraging students and students’ unions to pressure MPs to vote and show their support for a pause in the rollout.

To strengthen support, Rachel O’Brien, Disabled Students’ Officer at the NUS, has called upon students’ unions to be aware of the struggle disabled students face and to campaign alongside their disabled students for their rights.

Riddi Viswanathan, Diversity Officer at the Student’s Union, said she supported  “the NUS stance on Universal credit and support the article by the NUS Disabled Students’ officer Rachel O’Brien. I believe that universal credit will significantly reduce the benefits received by our disabled students, especially as it is replacing the employment support allowance and housing benefit which are essential for disabled students. Also, there are significant concerns associated with Universal Credit like the six-week delay in receiving payments and also lower rate of payment compared to the previous five separate working age benefits it is replacing.

When asked if the Union’s and University’s support of disabled students was good enough, Riddi said “in comparison to other unions and the universities, we are doing a good job with respect to supporting our disabled students. However, I have seen some students with hidden disabilities who have significant concerns over receiving exam support.”

Riddi explained how she could not move forward with support for disabled students alone. However, she looked “forward to actively working with the new elected disabled student officers and the disabled students’ societies on campus to understand their concerns and represent them to the university and union actively.”

Wahaca Manchester: where Mexican street food dreams are made

Written by Anokhi Shah on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Greeted with a bustling atmosphere on a Saturday evening, we were quickly seated in the courtyard area of the corn exchange. I highly recommend requesting to be seated inside the restaurant which has a more dinner friendly, charming atmosphere. Unfortunately outside had food court-esque vibes, however it was quickly relieved by a cocktail.

I opted for a passion fruit margarita from the range of Mexican concoctions on offer. It was the perfect balance of sweet and sour. If I wasn’t feeling so fragile, a couple more would definitely have been on the cards.

The extensive food menu left me wanting to delve into everything, the selection is a vast range of tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, taqitos and empanadas, all of which sounded like a Mexican dream. Wahaca suggest two or three street food plates per person. Here is a lowdown on their best street food dishes too avoid getting utterly bewildered by the menu and opting to try everything like we did:

1. Buttermilk chicken baja tacos — two soft mini tortillas topped with juicy buttermilk chicken, tangy salsa, a chilli mayo and coriander. This was by far my favourite ‘Mexican tapas’ plate, full of punchy zingy flavours that complimented the chicken beautifully

2. Sweet potato and Feta taquito — roast sweet potato, feta and caramelised onion wrapped in a crisp blue corn tortilla. My friend said this was a “taste sensation” and she wanted more…

3. Mexican style chorizo and potato quesadillas — two pieces of oozing sumptuous gooey quesadillas. Chorizo, cheese and potato…How can you go wrong?

Photo: Anokhi Shah

Wahaca Manchester have just launched a new lunchtime taco menu where you can get two plates of tacos and a side for just £8!

Additionally, Wahaca have introduced a new student offer. Students dining at Wahaca Manchester will be presented with a traditional Mexican Pirniola spinning top and invited to ‘spin and win’ to claim a free dish or a drink from tacos to margaritas. Each side of the Pirinola will feature a different prize including: Wahaca’s signature Pork Pilbil tacos, Legendary Churros y Chocolate or a classic Margarita or ice cold Mexican beer.

I totally suggest taking a trip to Wahaca to embrace some tongue tingling magic, an innovative combination of flavours that should be married and fabulous offers!

Review: The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

Written by Eloïse Wright on . Posted in Film.

Noah Baumbach’s latest picture, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), differentiates itself from most of the past year’s films, in the best way possible.

Each of the Meyerowitz kids are introduced by vignettes, giving us the feeling of an assemblage of short stories that are connected, especially with the bracketed “New and Selected”. It is the story of a dysfunctional Jewish family in New York, portrayed by a refreshingly talented cast including the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson and Elizabeth Marvel to name a few.

The script is full of quickfire Jewish New-Yorker wit reminiscent of Woody Allen classics such as Annie Hall or Crimes & Misdemeanours, as are the apartments we see, full of books and art. The Stories emanate from the “only artist in the family”, Harold Meyerowitz, as he puts it himself. His three children, Danny, Jean and Matt, all have very different relationships with each other and especially their father.

Constantly working on his sculpture and aspiring for appropriate recognition led to the displacement of time and care that should have been spent on his kids. As a result, they all share a bizarre mixture of respect and hatred towards him — but equally have become extremely self-critical of themselves.

Danny — played Adam Sandler in an uncharacteristic role — is the eldest, and it’s by focussing on his sense of failure in the Meyerowitz clan that we begin. We’re introduced to him and his daughter as he tries to find a parking space in the East Village, a notoriously stressful experience. Through a lot of commotion and a song on the radio, the pair radiate a comfortable, sarcastically-fuelled relationship.

Upon arrival, we meet the others and get a taste of what’s to come. It is a relief to discover Dustin Hoffman’s performance is not embarrassing or forgettable like Meet the Fockers (2004).

Something that built Harold’s character in the film was his repeating of the same anecdote to each of his children, each time differently, each time searching for a specific reaction, and each time failing to get the reaction he wanted. He has expectations of how people should treat him and when those expectations are not met, Hoffman knows how to conjure up just the right amount of self-entitlement and passive-aggressiveness.

One of the best scenes of the movie occurs at the MoMA, where Harold’s friend L.J. has a new art collection on display. Arriving with Danny, apparently the only two in tuxedos, they are declined entry to the private showing as they are “not on the list” – Harold’s embarrassment starts here.

Thankfully L.J. happens to walk by, greats them with a warm embrace and begins introducing him to New York’s social elite. It is clear that Harold can’t help but wonder why his friend and equal has his art exposed in prestigious galleries, but his own art has only gained a small degree of success, most of it still in the garage at home. The night goes on, Harold keeps getting ignored or cut off, and soon he must leave.

The script is fluid in its reflection of authentic human behaviour. An example of this is the day Matt — brilliantly played by Ben Stiller — and his father, go to lunch. The dialogue goes back and forth without stopping for breath which the camera mirrors with a singular tracking shot. Matt wants to sell his father’s house and art, his life’s work. Both get increasingly flustered and amidst all the distractions never actually order any food.

Elizabeth Marvel as Jean gives one of the most vibrant and unusual performances of the film, playing her awkward, deadpan but sensitive character to perfection. Her talent and role left me wanting a longer segment devoted to her, but the way it is is fitting to her part, as Jean is more of a wallflower, content with being on the sidelines.

The Meyerowitz Stories take you on a drawn-out emotional ride that is quite tiring, and it works. Baumbach hits the perfect balance of comedy and tragedy, proving his directorial and screenwriting talents. This is a film about the family you are given and the long-lasting effects of the quality of the relationships one has within that family. It’s about your life’s work, and ultimately how much we let that define our self-worth.

Review: The Eagle Inn, Salford

Written by Joe Taylor on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Nestled in a hubbub of new development — the kind that Tim Darcy laments in his ode to the banality of modern day life — The Eagle Inn feels incongruous with its surroundings. Yet it feels wrong to deem it so, for the Salford institution dates back to 1903, and its beautiful red brick facade, panelled windows, and cosy indoor space are precisely what this northern city is known for.

Inside, the small bar offers a limited selection of traditional, local ales, as well as a comprehensive selection of bar snacks. The jukebox in the entrance has killer collection of albums, from The Clash to Nick Cave, all lovingly written out by hand. From open ’til close, the pub plays BBC Radio 6 Music, paying homage to its esteem as a small venue too — I was lucky to be there for Marc Riley’s show on which The Eagle is frequently mentioned, and by whom The Eagle is often frequented.

To the average student in Manchester, a trip to Salford may seem as daunting as a mounting an expedition to the Moon. But to the curious, to the probing, to the adventurous, a trip to Salford and its Eagle Inn is really just a short journey, with a big reward at the end of it.

Recommended song for the walk: Beautiful Blue Sky — Ought.
Recommended drink: Two Hoots Golden Ale — £3.50 — Brewed in Manchester.

Live Review: Dizzee Rascal

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Music.

When you combine one of the most energetic grime artists who’s been around since 2003 with the manic audience of Manchester, you’re in for an explosive show. To quote my buddy Max: “It was a two-hour sweat-fest of absolute madness.”

It’s fair to say that Dizzee Rascal has become a household name in the UK; earning the number one spot in the British charts five times is sure to warrant you the status of a modern grime icon. For goodness sake, even my dad knows who Dizzee is.

Following an average warm-up from Donae’O, who made it very clear that his mixtape Sixteen is out now and that we should all stream it on Spotify and Apple Music, the star of the show came on to a roar from the crowd at Academy. The room was absolutely packed and the audience was buzzing, we couldn’t wait to get moshing.

Dizzee opened his set with ‘Space’ which was very well received. The lyrics were echoing around the room and the crowd even spoke along to the outro of the song, the famous quote from JFK’s speech on the moon landing: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard”.

The show raged on with a nice blend of some songs off Raskit, his latest album, and his classic bangers that range all the way back to his debut LP Boy In Da Corner. ‘Heavy’ hit HARD — the bass for that track was overwhelming, some girls next to me were miming to each other that their ears hurt. I was definitely thankful to be wearing plugs  — which I cannot recommend enough, stay safe out there, kids!

Of course, his collaboration with Calvin Harris, ‘Dance Wiv Me’ got the room grooving until he stopped the song halfway through to break up a fight. “Aww, come on girls, we don’t want none of that in here,” he remarked as a bouncer braved the crowd to intervene and take one of them out of the room.

“Nah! Security! Don’t take her out, just separate ‘em, we want everybody to have a good time in here”. A well-deserved round of applause spread throughout the room in response to Dizzee’s gentlemanly conduct preceded the track being restarted to keep the party train rolling.

Listening to the crowd sing along to ‘Bassline Junkie’ felt strangely ironic. Earlier on in the show, my mate Max and I had bumped into a group of underage lads who were under the influence of alcohol — and something else, we were sure of it. Being in Manchester, in a crowd where many people were swimming in the sauce, I couldn’t help but chuckle when the room sang the lines “I don’t need no speed, I don’t need no heroin, I don’t want no coke, You can keep your ketamine, I’m a bassline junkie”.

‘I Luv’ U’, ‘Jus’ a Rascal’, and ‘Holiday’ were met by an ecstatic roar from the audience, as expected. Dizzee is an incredible showman with exceptional crowd control. Although his hypeman was backing him up the whole time, he may as well have not been there at all; the Rascal didn’t miss a beat and didn’t skip any lines, a welcome sight in hip-hop gigs.

The lights dimmed at 22.30 and the crowd booed and jeered. How could our main man betray us by walking off stage without a goodbye and, more importantly, not performing ‘Bonkers’? He walked back onstage to a cheer that was followed by him proclaiming “We’ve run overtime, we gotta cut the show short. Sorry, Manchester”. Another round of booing followed. “Only joking motherf******, let’s do this s***!” paved the way for the encore that everyone wanted and deserved: ‘Bonkers’.

In the mad, sweaty mosh that the club banger produced, a young lady had flung her bra onto the stage from the shoulders of a tough looking lad. Dizzee chuckled at the end of the show and pointed at her while expressing his amazement to his hypeman and DJ.

With an elegant toss, he returned the woman’s undergarment and told the crowd: “Take this, yeah? Make sure you give this to her or I’ll smack on you, I swear to God. Make sure you’re safe, yeah? We don’t want no funny business around here” followed by a raucous cheer from the audience.

Dizzee Rascal’s fun tunes, great interaction with the crowd, high energy performance, and chivalrous moments made for an absolutely bonkers gig that left me sweaty, battered, tired, and grinning like a crazed concertgoer I was.

Manchester Academy — Saturday the 15th of October 2017

‘I champion the university… but they have treated me poorly’

Written by Rosa Simonet on . Posted in News.

On Friday the 8th of October Majid Ahmed posted on Lemn Sissays’ wall, saying the Chancellor’s apparent refusal to meet him was “disappointing.”

In the post, he claimed he was experiencing “poor treatment and unprofessional conduct by the University of Manchester and they have left me in a position where they are unfairly pressurising me to pay them £12,000 to be awarded my PhD – no academic issues whatsoever.”

Majid, a clinical research fellow from Bradford, grew up around “crime and drugs.” He thanks the university for all the opportunities they have given him but found himself without support or advice in a situation creating both financial and mental stress.

Majid Ahmed’s dispute began in 2014. After receiving a grant from the British Heart Foundation of £167,000 pounds in April, Majid asked the university for a costing of his PhD, which he received in September of the same year. In the letter, it clearly states Majid’s tuition fees would be covered by the grant. Majid claims this had been the impression given by the university since his grant application success.

However, a couple of weeks later, the university emailed Majid telling him this was no longer the case and he would have to pay his tuition fees himself.

Majid was left in a difficult financial position. Since receiving the grant he had turned down the opportunity to train as a doctor and took a staff position at the university. He now needed an advance on his salary.

While on a trip to the states, which Majid began planning in the time between correspondence with the University, the dispute began. He received some support, particularly from his supervisor in the states, Professor Mark Nelson. However, in the last three years, Majid claims he has struggled to gain support or advice from the Student’s Union, the doctoral academy, the Head and then Director of his department. Many have told him there was simply nothing they could do.

In his third year, Majid had been contacted by credit central. He said he was in great debt and was being threatened. Reaching out, again, to the University, Majid was told of a “Staff Fee Remission Form” in which he could potentially claim 50% of his tuition fees. “No one had told me before,” and this was “very late in the process.” Majid said it made you wonder “who is/isn’t entitled to it.”

He went on to submit a “retrospective application.” Majid believes this was a generous offer from himself. He had not meant to pay fees at all and as a member of staff also was being taxed and putting money towards his pension.

His application was, however, declined. He said this was because he was a “clinical research fellow,” the PhD was for his own benefit. Majid disputes this claim. He had been recruited after receiving a distinction in his Masters and developing a partnership with Dr Adam Greenstein. “It was a comprehensive case.”

After contacting Nancy Rothwell, Majid was referred to Professor Peter Clayton. Clayton had all correspondence reviewed, following which Majid finally received an apology for the curtness in the original email. A review of payment was also conducted and the university offered to pay for Majid’s final year, as well as the £300 for an extra year while he defended his PhD. Majid declined the offer claiming they had “not gone far enough”.

Taking his struggle to social media has led to what Majid described as “threats of disciplinary action from the University.” Since the post, Majid has met with Lemn Sissay in person, who has now given him support and advice, sharing his post on social media, calling it a “wake up call.”

Majid fears his decision to go public has ruined his academic career and questions whether to leave and return to his work later on. Though he adds “maybe I won’t because I was pushed out.”

The University is unable to provide a comment as the dispute is still ongoing.

Majid is still devoted to his work, despite his struggles. He wants to encourage young people to strive for a career in science and not put them off by his own experience.

Majid is committed to such projects as “I’m a scientist get me out of here” and is currently working on a digital academic networking site “Vascular Physiology” for those working in his field.

The Manchester Tyrants: who are they?

Written by Temi Adedeji on . Posted in News, Sport.

Gladiatorial-like figures wait patiently in animalistic stances. One could almost smell the hostility in the air. Amid snarls, grunts, and various instructions bellowed down the hallowed Armitage turf, a simple “hut” is called. Anarchy ensues with bodies colliding together; a burgundy leather ball being the ultimate prize.

An onlooker would assume that this sport is effectively organised chaos, to the participants it is more a way of life. American football is quite an obscure sport to the average citizen in the United Kingdom with the gear, rules, and overall cultural dissimilarities. It is easy to understand why many are unaware of its growing presence and popularity within Britain and the world at large.

However, the sport has taken massive leaps in establishing itself, especially at an academic level, with the official University leagues being founded in 2007. The UoM team are the Manchester Tyrants, a Division 2 North West team who strive for nothing short of success.

Led by the imposing Head Coach Peter Birds who admittedly calls it a “strange sport”, he highlights the character building values such as “ethics, togetherness, and bonding”. These values can be traced up even to the most senior team members, like 6-year veteran, PhD student Luke Hart. His commitment being attributed to the discipline and brotherly structure the team provides.

The players demonstrate that the activity is not just one of mindless violence, but needs just as much the brains as the brawn, with the learning of offensive/defensive schemes, formations, and technique which add to the fun of trying something new. In addition, the game is not limited by gender with females eligible to participate.

Though they are valid concerns about the potential injuries associated with the sport, ex-captain Leslie Oppon rationalises it as “part of the game”, which teaches “braveness”.

As the team trains hard in preparation for this season, it is clear to see why so many play. There is a strong sense of unity and honour which is not regularly demonstrated with other University sports.

Shock defeat for United as Huddersfield reign supreme

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

This tie will be the closest thing to a derby for Huddersfield this season. Yorkshire vs Lancashire, white rose vs the red. Huddersfield are currently without a victory in their last five games and United will enter the game as the favourite to win.

A couple of players are rested after the shakey win against Benfica in midweek. De Gea is once again in goal. Valencia, Smalling, Jones and Young make up the back four.  Herrera and Matic sit in defensive midfield roles with Mata, Lingard and Martial in front. Lukaku is the lone striker.

It is a bit of a crazy start to the game as both teams battle for the upper hand. United taking more of the early possession but Huddersfield closing down very quickly and forcing one touch passing.

When passes to go awry Huddersfield are quick to break and commit a lot of players forward. The lack of clinical passing is stopping them progressing into the final third. They’ll have to address this if they want to create any shots on goal.

Early shot for Lukaku as he receives a long ball in by Matic, the goalkeeper won’t be happy that his entire backline were taken out of the game with one pass. Thankfully he made a good save to stop the Belgian.

Next an off the ball incident between Martial and Smith, with both players squaring up to each other. The referee had his back to the events but the forth official saw it all. Yellow card for both players, on a second viewing Smith seemed to drag Martial.

Another yellow as Lingard gets hacked down, three yellow cards in the last 90 seconds. It is a very heated game and if it continues it won’t surprise me if we see a red card. The fans seemed to be feeding into the volatile atmosphere by jeering a lot of United players.

Lingard the target of fouls once more as he gets pushed over twice, yet the free kick goes the other way. As he fell the ball got stuck between his legs and the referee blew his way for obstruction. Ridiculous.

20 minutes in and United have had 68 percent of the possession without really having any chances. The game is still very heated with slide tackles flying in regularly. Phil Jones goes down with a knock and punches the ground in frustration. The Huddersfield fans boo Jones as he is down injured, a disgusting show. Regardless of who you support booing an injured player is just pathetic. Lindelof comes on to replace.

Mata comes deep, frustrated at not getting much of the ball, but as he gets the ball he is dispossessed. Mooy breaks forward in a three on two opportunity, the first shot is well saved by Mooy scored the rebound. 1-0 Huddersfield. Only the second goal they have scored in over ten hours of football.

A mistake by Lindelof puts Depoitre one on one with De Gea, the player goes round the keeper and passes it into the back of the net to make it 2-0. United need to calm down and not let the loud crowd get the better of them.

Penalty shout as Herrara gets brought down in the penalty box. The replay shows the player, already on a yellow, completely bodychecking him without the ball. How that isn’t a penalty is beyond me and if we lose I know exactly what moment Mourinho will blame for the loss.

A Huddersfield player did exactly what Lingard did early on, holding the ball between his legs. Instead of maintaining standards and giving a foul he gives a drop ball. The only thing worse than the final third play of United this game is the awful referee.

At half time the Huddersfield fans chant at deafeningly loud levels and deservedly so. Their team has been far, far better, outplaying United in all areas of the pitch. In the last five minutes the red devils did pick up the pace but it wasn’t enough to get anything to show for it. They need to be much better in the second half to pull this back. Perhaps the high intensity of the game will tire the terries out quicker and United can capitalise in the latter stages.

The last two changes for United are made as Rashford and Mkhitaryan come on, Mata and Martial come off. If there are any injuries then they will be down to 10 men. Martial was also on a yellow card and if I’m Mourinho I wouldn’t want to risk a red.

The two changes mean that Herrara is playing on the right hand side of a back three. Should this work it would be an incredible tactical decision but United are still struggling to get in behind this Huddersfield back line, resorting to long balls into Rashford that have all been overhit.

Another cynical challenge by a Huddersfield player that, judging by the cards Lee Mason brandished early on, should have been a yellow card. More poor refereeing. Huddersfield now in the 60th minute are already looking tired.

Ashley Young just did exactly the same tackle as the one by Huddersfield before and got a yellow card. I really don’t understand what Mason is doing. Is he rolling a damn die where even numbers are a yellow and odd are not. Ludicrous, simply ludicrous.

All the United attacks in the past ten minutes have all be channelled through the centre, neglecting the abundance of pace on both wings. Even though they are having the lion’s share of possession they haven’t had any clear opportunities to score.

With 20 minutes left I can see no way in which United can come back in this game. Huddersfield have just been too organised, too well-drilled. Should they win it will be a fully earned three points.

First shot on target in the second half for United. Ashley Young finally delivers a decent cross and the flick on by Herrera would have gone into the bottom corner if not for a fantastic save.

Lukaku sprints down the wing to keep in a ball that would have given United a corner. He whips in a beautiful cross right onto the head of Rashford who makes it 2-1. There is ten minutes left to grab an equaliser and there are a lot of tired Huddersfield legs. In the last 10 minutes of the game United have had over 80% of possession, this is the point in the game where they have scored the most goals and they will need another to rescue a point.

Chris Smalling has received orders to stay up front alongside Lukaku, with only Lindelof staying back. This is all or nothing by Mourinho. Three minutes plus injury time. The Huddersfield fans are doing everything they can to cheer on their team, including their chairman who is singing along to chants.

The fourth official holds the board aloft to show four minutes of stoppage time. I think they have done enough now to secure the win, and what a win it would be. Their third substitution comes on to wind down the clock.

Smalling gets the ball with a seeming open net but as he shoots a sliding defender blocks a surefire goal, making sure his side won all three points. The first time that Huddersfield have beaten Manchester united in 65 years.

David Wagner’s side unquestionably deserved the points putting in a fantastic team performance. United just weren’t good enough on the day, their first defeat in the league this season.

Activision’s troubling patent revealed

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

Activision have been granted a patent for an in-game system that drives microtransactions, it has been revealed.

The legal record, as seen on the USPTO patent database, puts forward the concept of using matchmaking in multiplayer games as a tool for promoting content purchasable in-game by matching “an expert/marquee player with a junior player to encourage the junior player to make game-related purchases of items possessed/used by the marquee player.”

Essentially, this patent pitches a system of matchmaking where less experienced players are put in lobbies with more experienced players in order to show them what they’re missing out on, to put it simply.

The model is based on the assumption that the junior players will struggle as a result, and see the in-game purchases as a quick and easy way to improve without having to grind their way through the game.

Activision have told Glixel that “it was an exploratory patent” and that “it has not been implemented in-game”.

It does, however, bare resemblance to the system EA have implemented in Star Wars: Battlefront II, where players are shown the ‘star-cards’ — perks that you earn/buy — of the player that killed them after dying.

In a similar fashion, Activision’s matchmaking process would involve highlighting the benefits of investing in an online commodity.

The matchmaking system currently remains only a patent, and not something that has been put in practice, but it perhaps provides an insight into the way publishers think and their willingness to continue profiting off microtransactions despite sustained backlash from their fanbases.

IGN buy Humble Bundle

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

Games media outlet IGN has officially completed the acquisition of the online games retail platform ‘Humble Bundle’.

Humble Bundle is a relatively young company that sells games in bundles and charges based on an honour system. Their customers pay what they want — with a nominal minimum — with some of the proceeds going to charity.

At the time of writing, Humble Bundle has raised over $1.2 million (£900,000) for charity.

IGN and Humble Bundle were both very positive in their respective statements about the acquisition. Humble Bundle wrote on their blog that IGN “really understand our vision, share our passion for games, and believe in our mission to promote awesome digital content while helping charity,” whilst IGN, speaking to Gamustra, said that “the idea is just to feed them with the resources they need to keep doing what they’re doing.”

However, the news has been met with apprehension amongst parts of the gaming community, who have cited the move as potential ground for a significant conflict of interest: IGN will now be simultaneously reviewing and selling games.

IGN have just finished reviewing ‘South Park: The Fractured but Whole’, for example. They are now concurrently profiting off sales of that game on Humble Bundle.

IGN have long since had an uneasy relationship with the rest of games media and the wider gaming community, coming under frequent criticism for overly generous review scores, with rumours that they are in the pocket of major games publishers refusing to go away.

Whilst these claims remain unsubstantiated, the acquisition of Humble Bundle may lead to further doubt over IGN’s credibility and integrity as an unbiased source of games media.

New bus pass not possible until April 2018

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

An affordable bus pass that can be used by both First and Stagecoach cannot be created until at least April of 2018, it has emerged.

During his campaign to be General Secretary, Tayler said that one of his main priorities during his term of office would be to try and “create a [bus] pass accepted by First and Stagecoach.”

Alex met with Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Head of Strategy and Policy Development, John Wrathmell, last week to discuss transport in and around Manchester, and the Students’ Union recently ran a transport survey to capture students’ thoughts on the issue.

Following the meeting, Tayler said: “it will not be possible to have a new bus pass by the end of the year.”

Explaining why this was the case, Alex said: “My understanding is that although the Bus Services Act was passed earlier this year, new powers are not fully granted to devolved government until April 2018.

“Before then, bus companies are effectively prohibited from collaborating on ticketing as it would breach competition laws that were put in place when bus services were privatised and deregulated.”

At present, a ‘System One’ pass which can be used on both bus services does exist but can only be bought monthly and costs around £600 a year— significantly higher than Stagecoach’s annual ‘Unirider’ bus pass at £235 and Stagecoach’s 7-day ‘Megarider’ ticket which costs £8.00 — meaning that it is not an affordable option for many students.

In light of the recently reported muggings, attacks and sexual assaults that have occurred in and around South Manchester, an affordable bus pass that could be used on both bus services could be hugely valuable to students.

Muggings have been reportedly most likely to take place between 1:30AM and 3:30AM and a pass of this kind would allow students to jump on any bus during a night out, as opposed to waiting around at a bus stop specifically for a ‘Magic Bus’ as lots of students do at present.

The benefit of the pass in this sense was something that Alex identified himself during a press briefing with The Mancunion.

The General Secretary said that ” further meetings are being planned to discuss this and other transport issues further”, adding that he was “optimistic that many positive changes to transport in Manchester are on the horizon.”

Another issue discussed at the meeting was cross-city travel, which has been argued to have become more difficult for students and increasingly requiring the purchase of tickets for multiple operators.

Alex also discussed how “the significant increase in the cost of most single tickets from £1 to £1.50 has proved problematic for most students and there has been no service improvement.”

He also raised the suggestion that “many students that voted for Andy Burnham feel that he is not living up to promises on improving the public transport, with several respondents claiming that transport was a major reason why they would not consider remaining in Manchester.”

Overall, the General Secretary described  the meeting with GMCA as “really positive” and said that he wanted to “thank the local authorities for taking student concerns seriously.”

 

FC United crash out of the FA Cup’s final qualifying round

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

This weekend saw the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup and fans of United — no not that one, the other one — will be disappointed to see their club knocked out. Had they won against AFC Telford they would have progressed to the first round proper for only the third time in their twelve year history.

The club’s history is quite the interesting one. Founded in 2005, it was born from the strife and frustration of Manchester United fans. While there were several issues causing the dissatisfaction, the Glazer takeover in 2005 was seen as a step too far, and fanzine Red Issue proposed a new club be formed.

The initial name FC United was rejected for being too generic and a vote from supporters decided upon FC United of Manchester. In the twelve short years they’ve been going they have surprisingly managed to reach the second round of the FA Cup, beating Rochdale. Their run ended there though as they came up against now Premier League side Brighton.

Although the scoreline this weekend was 3-1, the game was anything but one-sided. Neither side managed to find the back of the net in a tense first half; both teams desperate to continue their cup run. Just before the hour mark, Marcus Dinanga scored for Telford, but their lead lasted a measly 15-minutes before United managed to claw one back.

The tempo picked up as both teams wanted that glorious last-minute winner, but a rash decision led to a Telford penalty in the 92nd minute. Rob Edwards walked up to the penalty spot with the weight of all 155,000 Telfordians on his shoulders.

He did not falter however and converted the spot kick to make it 2-1. In an attempt to claw the game back, United were left exposed at the back and Telford’s Jordan Lussey secured their victory to make it 3-1. Far more comfortable a scoreline the game warranted.

The disappointment is especially bitter given the manner in which FC United progressed from the third qualifying round. Drawn against Stockport County, they found themselves 3-0 down but showed great strength and resilience to come back and draw the game 3-3, forcing a replay.

Manager Karl Marginson wasn’t content with his team rising from the ashes of defeat like a phoenix just once and wanted to prove his team a force to be reckoned with. After getting two red cards in the first half, every fan in the stadium was expecting a thrashing, Marginson knew though that his team were now in their element.

Goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson put in an incredible shift singly handedly keeping them in the game. Against all odds United scored late on from Tom Greaves. It was by no means a good goal, but it was enough to take them to the next round of qualifying.

They may no longer be in the FA Cup but students can still see United play at their ground at Broadhurst Park in the National League North. Sadly they need all the support they can get hanging in 20th position, just inside the relegation zone one point from safety.

Their next game is away at Chorley but on the 28th of October, you can see them play Nuneaton Town in a bottom of the table clash. Tickets are £6 with a valid student card, or £10 without, and while the quality isn’t quite Premier League, it is well worth a visit.

Live: Grizzly Bear at The Albert Hall

Written by Lowell Clarke on . Posted in Music.

Fans of Grizzly Bear have been hungry for a long, long time. It’s been both five years since they released their last album — 2012’s Shields — and played live in Manchester. The four-piece band from New York originally rose up the indie totem pole way back in 2009 with the now classic Veckatimest, of which their folktronica sound filtered into everything from car adverts to episodes of Skins. With the release of Painted Ruins earlier this year, fans have finally gotten something new to get their teeth into.

Grizzly Bear have always clearly been an extremely talented bunch and it’s a joy to see them recreating the magic of their albums live. Each member contributes to their often complex matrix of melodies and harmonies, weaving in and out of complimenting each of their stunning voices until you can’t tell them apart. Throughout the show, the band also hop on and off various instruments, with a wide range of synths, guitars, samplers, percussion, and woodwind instruments contributing to the noise.

Opening with an adequate but beautifully textured ‘Four Cypresses’, they follow it up with ‘Losing All Sense’, the rocky guitars give an extra edge and weight from the live setting. Their set continues to pull from their entire catalogue, but unsurprisingly it mostly services songs off the new album, with the brilliant climatic chorus of ‘Three Rings’ serving as the peak of the entire show.

Despite being the lead single from the album, ‘Morning Sound’ simply chugs along without much edge or passion from the band before slowly fizzling out. The contrast between this and earlier songs like ‘Yet Again’ is somewhat disheartening, as the rich complexity of their previous work just doesn’t seem to be present in most of their new work.

But it doesn’t entirely matter because they’re still playing loads of the old stuff. There’s always going to be songs you’ll be disappointed not to hear, but the sheer density of quality in Grizzly Bear’s oeuvre means that nearly every song manages to captivate the audience. Fans of Veckatimest will be happy with the — unavoidable — inclusion of their hits ‘Two weeks’ and ‘Ready, Able’, as well as ‘Fine For Now’ and the beautifully morbid ‘Foreground’.

Each is performed masterfully, just as you would expect from such a virtuoso band. As they begin to wrap up they turn to their slower songs, ending the main set with ‘While You Wait For The Others’ before returning to play ‘Shift’, an oldie off their 2004 debut Horn of Plenty, and finally closing with ‘Sun in Your Eyes’. With choices from a dynamic career like this, it’s hard to go wrong.

Albert Hall — Friday the 7th of October

7/10

United remain undefeated after a draw at Anfield

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

The international break is finally over and it is time for club football to begin once more. Liverpool have failed to win in six Premier League games against United and Klopp will be looking to change that. Lose today and United will stretch the gap to ten points in eight games.

With several injuries, the lineup Mourinho has chosen is a predictable one. De Gea starts in goal, Smalling and Jones are at centre back with Valencia and Darmian on either side. Just in front sits Herrara and Matic. Young, Mkhitaryan and Martial form an attack three and Lukaku finishes the 4-2-3-1 formation.

United start the game with the slight upper hand winning an early corner. Liverpool’s main weakness in defence has been set pieces so this might be an area that can be exploited. The corner leads to another then nothing, perhaps next time.

As play settles down Liverpool control the lion’s share of possession at 70 per cent. This won’t bother Mourinho as he prefers the counter-attacking style of play and there are visible gaps in the Liverpool defence. There is a lot of tussling going on and I’ll be surprised if there isn’t a healthy amount of yellow cards.

First proper shot of the game by Wijnaldum. He didn’t get the pace nor the strength I’m sure he wanted and in the end, it is an easy save for De Gea. Soon after Martial blocks a shot by Gomez, Liverpool are beginning to ask the question about asking questions.

The occasion seems to be getting to referee Atkinson a little. United took possession and Ashley Young, not in possession, got jumped on by Emre Can, foul given to Liverpool. Lots of early calls and a loud crowd may be having an effect.

United holding possession in an attempt to stop the flow of momentum for Liverpool as they are seriously knocking on the door now. Martial gets fouled on the edge of the box and United fans will let out a big sigh of relief. The player of the first 25 minutes has to be Salah; every Liverpool attack so far has flowed through him and United really need to get him under control to stop the relentless attacks.

First dangerous shot by United comes in the 30th minute as Mkhitaryan chests it down to Matic. Mignolet had no chance had the shot been on target but it goes just over. Almost a goal for Liverpool after if not for a world class save by David De Gea to stop Matip. Like last year with Coutinho, he produces another piece of brilliance. If the game ends in United’s favour this will be the reason why.

The game really isn’t going well for Lukaku who can barely get a touch of the ball and who just committed an awful foul. Thankfully Atkinson doesn’t want to brandish cards this early in the game but that was definitely a yellow card offence.

United show how little they need to create a clear-cut chance and a bit of fancy footwork from Martial and one-touch passing puts Lukaku through. It doesn’t amount to anything though as it goes straight at Mignolet. Lukaku’s bad day goes on.

As the half-time whistle blows it looks just as most would have predicted. Liverpool dominating the possession and United defending hard. The substitutions, later on, may certainly decide the outcome of the game.

The second half begins much like the first, Liverpool continue to dominate possession but can’t create any goalscoring opportunities. The first foul throw I have ever seen in a professional game comes regrettably from Darmian, at this level you surely must know how to successfully take a throw-in.

Big, big chance as the ball gets lofted in to Emre Can. He can’t get control of it and knocks it over from 3 yards, he really should have done better there. Liverpool utterly dominant at Anfield but they can’t seem to get anything to show for it.

A slick bit of skill by Matic seems to have calmed United down and they’ve begun to get their first extended spell of possession. Lukaku seems detached from any attack though and a warming up Lingard may soon be coming on to replace him. Lingard does come on in the 63rd minute but takes the plays of Mhitaryan instead.

The second United sub comes two minutes later and unsurprisingly it is Rashford for Martial, a change which has happened in almost every game so far this season one way or the other. Smalling receives the first yellow card for a bad tackle. There really should be three or four more but Atkinson does not want to brandish cards unless absolutely necessary. I’m not sure whether this is a good or a bad thing, dangerous play is dangerous play though.

Liverpool getting ready for a double substitution of Oxlaide-Chamberlain and Sturridge for Salah and Coutinho. I think this will end up helping United as they have been by far the two best Liverpool players. Ashely Young finally gets his yellow card after a scrappy game by him for leaving a foot in.

Liverpool’s third best player this game, Firminho, comes off for Solanke. United could win if they push for a goal but they seem content with a draw. The lack of a spark in Klopp’s side after these subs is not motivating the red devils to try anything at all.

The last United sub takes place as Young comes off for Lindelof in the second of three minutes added time. Mourinho looking to waste every moment possible, it works and the game ends not long after 0-0.

Taking a point from Anfield will be far from disappointing from any United fan but the hopelessness in attack will be a major worry. The run of big games in the coming few weeks means that this is an issue that needs addressing quickly.

Review: Cotton Wool

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Director Nicholas Connor belongs to the Loachian school of filmmaking, which uses the medium as a way to tackle social issues and provoke discussion. For Cotton Wool, that issue is the families of stroke victims, especially young children, who have no choice but to become full-time carers. This desperately needed to be feature length, exceeding the mere 38 minutes it runs for, but it demonstrates that with the right funding, Connor could rise up to take the place of the ageing Ken Loach.

Rachel — played by Leanne Best —, a single mother living in the North of England, works tirelessly to support her two children. There is little time for introductions however and just a few minutes in she suffers a devastating stroke. The only person by her side is son Sam who is far too young to understand the gravity of what he is seeing and thinks his mum is trying to scare him. Best is sublime in this sequence, painting a horrifically realistic portrait of the real-time effects of a stroke.

The road to recovery is very slow and Rachel finds it difficult to cope initially. Wheelchair-bound and forced to use a tablet to communicate, she is relying on Sam to take care of her. Best continues to excel here, the frustration at her own helplessness is painfully clear. Her daughter Jennifer is resentful in having to take care of her mother, opting to go to a pub with her friends instead.

Sadly the short running time impacts this aspect of the film greatly. Had there been a handful more scenes fuelling the tension between mother and daughter both before and immediately after her stroke, Jennifer’s escape to the pub would have evoked far more emotion. A necessary escape from the stress of being the sudden head of the household rather than the petulance of a selfish young girl.

It is during this time that Rachel has another, smaller, stroke. Thankfully Sam, having been taught by a nurse a few days prior, knew exactly what to do. The awareness of Sam — played by seven-year-old Max Vento — at his young age is astonishing, calmly waiting the five minutes as he was told to before pressing the button for help.

When Jennifer comes home, she discovers that neglecting to care for her mother could have meant losing her entirely. This forces a change in mentality, and she tearfully apologises to her mother. The scenes of Jennifer coming home and of her apologising were fraught with emotion but again suffered in the rush to squeeze an 80-minute story into 40 minutes.

While Best was the standout performance in Cotton Wool, she was not alone in bringing Connor’s thought-provoking vision to life. Having previously worked on his last film Northern Lights, Gemma North and Katie Quinn once more delivered capable performances and Max Vento, at just 6 years old, perfectly encapsulated the innocence of a small child in the face of a traumatising situation.

With his next film, The Wall, already announced, Connor is hardly pausing for air before taking on his next challenge. Following the distinct climb in quality from Northern Lights, it feels only natural that The Wall would see his step up into feature-length filmmaking, a challenge I’m sure he would face with great vigour.

EU: Friend or Foe?

Written by Mia Gair on . Posted in Opinion.

On Friday the 13th of October, the Chancellor Phillip Hammond declared the European Union “the enemy” in an interview with Sky News.

Instantly being criticised online for his term of phrase, the day was an unlucky one for him, I’m sure. This does however beg the question as to how the EU is seen following the Brexit vote last year in June, and whether they are a nasty playmate we are finally getting rid of, or a childhood friend that will be sorely missed.

Looking at the case of Manchester, there was a strong image portrayed of the latter case back in 2016 with 60.4 percent of the city voting to remain in the European Union. This perhaps reflects the many ways in which the city has benefited both directly and indirectly from the EU.

From investing over £10 million in the Tram network to the Sharp project that bore E4’s ‘Fresh Meat’, EU projects bring a predicted £200 million to the local economy.

Both the procrastination gold mine, the Manchester Museum, and the slightly further afield Museum of Science and Industry and the People’s Museum also enjoy significant donations from the EU. Even our very own university has received and continues to receive notable donations from the EU such as the European Regional Development Fund’s donation of £23 million to the National Graphene Institute.

Heating council houses, building some of the city’s most impressive architecture, the EU has spread its aid far and wide across the Northern powerhouse.

Perhaps it was these direct investments that lead the people of Manchester to vote differently to the rest of the Northwest. With nearly 30,000 UK and EU students at the University of Manchester alone, the EU both surrounds this student city and creates the student city — two links that are hard to do away with overnight.

Having benefited at such breath and depth from the EU, Mancunians have a duty to acknowledge that whilst we may be inevitably parting ways with our dear friends, we need to be respectful of a political institution that was truly unique in its scope and achievements. A duty clearly not felt by the Chancellor when he took a somewhat offensive tone when talking about those “on the other side of the negotiating table”.

With any luck, our trusty fleet of lefty Manchester MPs will hold with them their mandate to value the relationship with the EU, and not join in with the deteriorating rhetoric of Cabinet members, calling the Government to account during this life-changing process.

Remember that you can take the Manchester out of the EU, but you can’t take the EU out of the Manchester.