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Five arrested after former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith allegedly ‘hit with traffic cone’ in Manchester
Greater Manchester Police said that officers were on the scene of the alleged attack "within minutes".
Five people have been arrested after Sir Iain Duncan Smith was allegedly hit on the head with a traffic cone during the Conservative party conference in the city centre yesterday afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police said that officers were on the scene “within minutes” following reports that the former Tory party leader was pursued and attacked while walking on Portland Street to a fringe event at around 4pm on Monday.
The force confirmed that three men and two women had subsequently been arrested.
It’s believed that Sir Iain Duncan Smith was making his way to deliver a talk with the Brexit minister, David Frost, when a group of people recognised him and proceeded to call him “Tory scum” and tried to hit him with a traffic cone.
A video posted to Twitter – which is said to have been be filmed after the cone incident – shows Duncan Smith being followed down the street as someone shouts “Tory scum” to the banging of a drum.
Recounting the events as they happened, Sir Iain told the BBC: “They then decided to follow me and started shouting abuse, such as ‘Tory scum’ and any other reason they could think of.
“I carried on walking and when I was getting close to the place [where I had a meeting] someone came up with one of those rather heavy traffic cones and tried to smack me with it in the back of the head.”
Sir Iain said he managed to get hold of the cone, and the group then moved away for a moment, but added that “they carried on with the expletives.”
GMP confirmed in a statement that the incident did occur, explaining: “Following a short foot pursuit, three men and two women have been arrested in connection with it, and remain in custody for questioning [with] enquiries ongoing.”
“I am big enough and old enough to know when something like this happens, you just carry on,” Sir Iain concluded.
The incident comes after thousands of protesters marched through Manchester on the first day of the Conservative Party conference on Sunday.
Protesters were calling for various reforms – including to social care and policing.
Featured Image – Twitter
News
Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
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Featured image: The Manc Group
News
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
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“Help us be a lifeline to organisations on the frontline,” Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity urged in it’s public appeal for donations.
You can help make sure ‘A Bed Every Night’ is a reality for all by donating here.
Featured Image – EthelRedThePetrolHead (via Flickr)
The Manc -
5th October 2021 
