News
Greater Manchester Police issues statement on ‘current tension’ as rumours of ‘planned unrest’ swirl
'Our message is clear: there is no place for hate in Greater Manchester'
Greater Manchester Police have issued a lengthy statement addressing the ‘uncertainty and worry’ felt by many following scenes of unrest at the weekend, with rumours swirling of more disorder today.
GMP has stressed that ‘there is no place for hate in Greater Manchester’.
Police across the UK are monitoring intelligence to respond to any incidents swiftly and effectively.
The force also said that ‘those involved in this disgraceful behaviour’ will be ‘dealt with robustly’.
As for what residents and communities should do this evening, GMP said: “Our advice to communities is to remain calm and to try to go about your every-day life,” adding that the police service is ‘heavily resourced’.
The statement also urged people to ‘remain vigilant’ and to report anything that doesn’t seem right to police.
Greater Manchester Police’s statement says: “We understand the uncertainty and worry that people are feeling about current tension, much of which is being fuelled by the widespread sharing of misinformation online which is sometimes being created with the purpose of creating fear and inciting intolerable hate.
“Our advice to communities is to remain calm and to try to go about your every-day life. GMP continues to monitor the intelligence to ensure we can respond effectively to any incidents of disorder. And, if we believe there needs to be specific information about anything emerging we will tell people and offer advice.
“We are heavily resourced, and we have specialist officers and staff who are working around the clock to tackle these issues and ensure our communities are supported. We are speaking to community leaders and elected representatives regularly to make sure they are appraised of all planned protests known to GMP. People living safely and peacefully, do not deserve to be frightened: we are here to protect you, and we will use all resources and capabilities to do so.
“Our message is clear: there is no place for hate in Greater Manchester. If you come here to willingly participate in disorder and crime, we will be at your door, ensuring you answer for your crimes. We will police without fear or favour and use all resources and powers available to ensure those involved in this disgraceful behaviour are dealt with robustly.
“This has been demonstrated with our relentless pursuit of offenders, many of whom have been arrested not only in Greater Manchester, but with the support of police colleagues across the UK and we have made crucial arrests in West Yorkshire and Lancashire.
“To date, we have made 26 arrests for a variety of offences including assault, violent disorder, possession of weapons, and 20 have been charged. There is work to be done, and we will not relent until we have systematically located and dealt with all those responsible.
“We ask that you remain vigilant. If you see something, or hear something, that does not feel right, report it to us so we can act.
“All information and reports will be handled with the utmost severity and sensitivity. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, information can be shared anonymously with the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111. We don’t need to know who you are; we just need your information and concerns.
“These are challenging times, but we are immensely proud to see the majority of our residents standing together and condemning this unacceptable disorder. Your unwavering support has not gone unnoticed.”
Read more
Featured image: GMP
News
All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
Read more:
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Featured Image – Taylor Flowe (via Unsplash)
News
More arrests made in connection with ‘significant’ alleged financial irregularities at Greater Manchester uni
Emily Sergeant
Further arrests have been made in connection with ‘significant’ alleged financial irregularities at a university in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that two people have been arrested as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the University of Greater Manchester – formerly the University of Bolton – between 2014 and 2025.
Two warrants were executed yesterday morning (4 November 2026) – one in Bolton, and another in South Yorkshire.
Subsequently a man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice, and fraud by the abuse of position, while a man in his 60s has been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice, and fraud by false representation.
The arrests come, as mentioned, as part of an ongoing investigation.
GMP’s Major Incident Team opened a fraud and bribery investigation a year ago after it received allegations from The Mill, and a subsequent report from Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) commissioned by the university’s Fraud Response Panel.
Since then, detectives have been working closely with the Crown Prosecution (CPS)’s Serious Economic Crime team, and are said to have been making ‘painstaking’ enquiries to independently compile evidence that is ‘impartial’ and ‘robust’.
“We’re exploring evidence indicating over £1 million’s worth of fraudulent activity. As part of our enquiries, we’re probing around 60 transactions and investigating more than a million emails,” GMP said in a statement.
Detective Inspector Matthew Donnelly, from GMP’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, added: “This remains a complex and extensive investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery and financial misconduct at the University of Greater Manchester.
“The offences for which these individuals have been arrested on suspicion of are serious and include allegations of fraud, witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice and money laundering.
Read more:
“Any actions that seek to interfere with, influence or undermine the integrity of a police investigation will not be tolerated.”
He concluded: “I would urge anyone who has information which may assist our investigation to come forward and speak to us.”
Featured Image – UoGM (via Facebook)
Daisy Jackson -
7th August 2024 
