Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham gave partygoers in Ancoats a bit of a surprise last night when he brought out a surprise guest to jump on the mic.
Manchester’s own ‘King of the North’ and former MP for Leigh was booked to play a set of Manchester classics at renovated MOT garage Ramona as part of the bar’s five-week ‘Ramona Radio’ series.
The show was also live-streamed on Mixcloud via Mixmag last night, but no one in the audience was prepared for the Member of Parliament for Wigan to be filling in on MC duties.
As he opened his set with Badly Drawn Boy’s ‘Tony Wilson Said’, little did the audience know that he’d soon be pulling up Lisa Nandy to join him – handing her a mic and a pair of headphones as he blasted out hits like ‘Ever Fallen IN Love’ by The Buzzcocks, ‘Transmission’ by Hot Chip and ‘1989’ by rapper Aitch.
DJ trade union not impressed; @AndyBurnhamGM & @lisanandy taking jobs from our hard(ish) working colleagues.
Pictures shared online from last night’s gig show the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities laughing as she speaks into the mic with a pair of headphones around her neck, standing next to Mr Burnham in the Ramona DJ booth.
It’s not the kind of sight we’d typically expect from our politicians, but it definitely makes a refreshing change – no matter which side of the cringe debate you find yourself on.
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Well-known Manchester DJ Dave Haslam was quick to chime in, joking that the ‘DJ trade union [was] not impressed’ with Andy Burnham and Lisa Nandy ‘taking jobs from our hard(ish) working colleagues’.
Another person jibed: “Nandy standing next to a trade union? Good job Starmer’s on holiday.”
Know your place – don’t come the big ‘un; Or you’re gonna have to deal with the Member for Wigan!
A third joked “Who next? May and Iain Duncan Smith?”
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Whilst a fourth rhymed: “Know your place – don’t come the big ‘un; Or you’re gonna have to deal with the Member for Wigan!’
During the course of the night, Burnham also played ‘Tart Tart’ by The Happy Mondays as a tribute to the late Paul Ryder who sadly passed away last week.
Read more:Frankie’s has opened a Breville toastie stall inside the Arndale Market
Speaking on his decision to pay tribute to Ryder during his set, Burnham said that he was “someone who played a big part in the building of the Manchester scene” before adding, “we’re all in his debt.”
He also told the crowd to huge cheers on the night: “This is a global capital of music, this is EXACTLY what the Mayor should be doing. Absolutely!”
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The Mayor has since shared his full setlist online, you can see the track list from last night here and listen to the full set on Mixcloud here.
Feature image – Ramona
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Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Georgina Pellant -
4th August 2022 
