Manchester joins campaign asking government to make food a ‘legal right’
Manchester has officially announced its status as a 'Right To Food' city - backing a campaign to change the law and make access to food a legal right for all.
Manchester has officially announced its status as a ‘Right To Food’ city – backing a campaign to change the law and make access to food a ‘legal right’ for all.
According to The Food Foundation, as many as 3.8 million people suffered from food insecurity due to issues such as loss of income or isolation in the early stages of the pandemic.
A survey by Childwise has since claimed that as many as 8.4 million in the UK are experiencing food poverty of some kind.
Driven by this data, the Right To Food campaign is calling on the government to make groundbreaking and potentially lifesaving changes to legislation – whereby every person living in Britain is legally entitled to food.
This week, Manchester City Council has confirmed it is backing the campaign – joining Liverpool in the process – and will be sending a letter to the government outlining its position.
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Councillor Bev Craig said: “Manchester has a proud history of fighting for peoples’ rights and the needs of our communities, not just locally but nationally. The Council is resolute in our believe that ending food poverty is a cause more than worth fighting for.
“We have refreshed our Family Poverty Strategy to reflect the COVID crisis and have supported Mancunians through the Manchester Food Partnership, the Hardship Fund and our Welfare Provision Scheme.”
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Marcus Rashford has played a key role in changing rules on free school meals in England / Image: Wikimedia Commons
The councillor added: “COVID has led to an increase in the levels of poverty across the country and, as a Council, we have been supportive of campaigns to alleviate hardship and reduce poverty such as the campaign to stop the cut to Universal Credit.
“This is why we are joining the call for towns and cities to come together and demand the Government guarantees the right to food and ends the scandal of food poverty.”
Craig also said that the council will continue to offer help wherever it is needed, “only stopping when every single family can access the food they deserve.”
Neighbouring boroughs Oldham and Rochdale have also announced that thousands of local families will get financial help for food during February half term.
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In Oldham, food vouchers of £15 will be made available for each eligible child or young person in the area – meaning over 17,000 individuals will be offered help to get enough food over the half term break.
The council is working with schools and colleges to identify and contact all eligible families, sending out vouchers that can be used at local supermarkets.
Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford – who has been leading the charge for ending food poverty in the UK – has been actively supporting Oldham by pointing residents in the direction of services via his social media.
Oldham families will be receiving food vouchers for over half term.
We’re working with schools and colleges who will issue vouchers to eligible families.
Councillor Arooj Shah, Oldham Council Deputy Leader, said the council will continue to “pressure” the government so that ministers “do not forget Oldham”.
He stated: “In these incredibly difficult times we have managed to secure enough money to ensure our vulnerable children and young people will have vital food supplies.
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“We know that, although this isn’t anywhere near the amount of money needed to support those most in need, particularly with the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, this funding will go some way towards ensuring no child in Oldham goes hungry this winter.
“We will therefore continue to pressure central Government to ensure they do not forget Oldham and its residents and call for fair funding for our borough.
“And the council would also like to remind people there are a range of benefits they can apply for to help this winter and that are means tested.”
Rochdale Council has also pledged to provide its local vulnerable residents with support during half-term.
Leader of the council, Councillor Allen Brett, said: “We have stepped in on several occasions now but a properly funded national solution is needed.
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“It shouldn’t take Marcus Rashford forcing regular U-turns – everyone should see the importance of children not being hungry. We’ll keep fighting for families and do whatever we can.”
Councillor Kieran Heakin added: “We’re offering vouchers with extra support in the form of additional food parcels from our food clubs, for families who are struggling, so that there are more options available and immediate emergency help when it’s needed.
“It’s clear that the government system does not work for families and it is about time they listened.”
Trafford drugs ring sentenced to over a quarter of a century behind bars
Danny Jones
A local drug ring has been hit hard this month after four members of an organised crime group were sentenced to a combined quarter of a century in prison.
The quartet of criminals have been slapped with roughly 25 years following a series of arrests over the 18 months or so, with the first being made back in August 2024.
Stopfordian resident Calvin Cousins was taken into custody, charged and ultimately convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and class A, receiving a seven-year sentence – but his isn’t even the longest stint behind bars handed down by Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last week.
Following a conclusive hearing on Friday, 3 July, Germane Tarrant from Salford was also convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and class A drugs, for which he received nine years and 10 months.
Meanwhile, fellow Salfordian Letitia Sandys was convicted of participating in the activities involving organised crime by providing legitimacy to drug supply activity, collecting drugs from conspirators, and assisting with anti-surveillance measures, as well as disposal of said drugs and paraphernalia.
Fourth and finally, Nicholas Griffin of Clifford Avenue was also convicted of conspiracy to supply class B and conspiracy to supply class A after a two-week trial this past January.
The pair were given 27 months and six and a half years, respectively.
As per a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) press release, this recent result is a product of the Trafford Challenger unit’s exhaustive investigation across the Sale, Altrincham and Timperley area between August ’24 and this past July.
Cousins, in particular, was arrested twice during that period, with phone analysis and surveillance tactics ultimately ending in over £25,000’s worth of cannabis and cocaine being recovered among other contraband.
This latest progress made by GMP comes amid a series of successes within various boroughs like Trafford, Salford, Stockport and more, with local authorities continuing to crack down on criminal organisations of various sizes.
The SK Challenger Team are doing important work, too.
GMP Detective Sergeant Samuel Barr, from the Trafford Challenger team, said: “The presence of organised crime groups (OCGs) in our communities undermines public safety and trust.
“We are committed to disrupting and dismantling OCGs to protect our communities and keep people safe from the harms associated with organised crime.
“I hope today sends a clear message that we will not tolerate organised crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people by those criminals. We will not stop until we have brought them to justice.
“If you’re concerned about criminal activity in your area, please reach out to us; we rely on information from the public to assist with our enquiries.”
As always, they are urging those with information they feel may be pertinent to file a report with the police on 101, via the LiveChat function on the GMP website, or by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
ITV to be bought out by Sky in transformational British broadcasting deal worth £1.6 billion
Danny Jones
In a watershed moment for British broadcasting, Sky has reached a transformational agreement worth more than £1.6 billion to buy out ITV in a landmark takeover deal.
With Sky already owned by US telecommunications corporation Comcast, this is set to be one of the biggest shakeups in TV and streaming for some time.
Talks actually started last November, but the process to complete a buyout like this has obviously taken a significant amount of time and money already.
It’s also worth noting that the deal is still pending full approval from the relevant regulators; nevertheless, it’s fair to say that it could change the face of the British media giants – who are based here in Greater Manchester over at MediaCity – but might signal a significant overhaul of our media landscape.
The Sky Group have assured there will be no immediate change to popular shows and will not be put behind a paywall at present (for now, anyway), with ITV still under a free-to-air service until 2034 as part of its public licensing contract.
Aquisitons/mergers of this size like this don’t come around very often, at least not across this side of the pond, with the growing Disney’s growing multinational monopolisation being one of the biggest examples of conglomerates mopping up major networks and huge brands over the past decade.
Writing in a statement, Sky said: “The UK media market is undergoing a profound and rapid transformation, and as competition for audiences intensifies, scale matters more than ever in order to compete with global streaming giants and YouTube in the UK.
“Viewers will continue to enjoy the shows they know and love, such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Love Island, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, This Morning, Loose Women, Lorraine and News at Ten – alongside major live sporting events.”
That lattermost example feels particularly poignant at the moment, as this also means that the likes of ITV’s impressive World Cup coverage will come under the Sky umbrella in the near future.
ITV agrees sale of media and entertainment business to Sky for up to £1.6bnhttps://t.co/UtgO9REejy
It’s being seen as an ambitious attempt to shake up traditional terrestrial telly and digital platforms, with the ‘old guard’, as it were, having to move forward and fast to keep up with the mercurial market becoming evermore dominated by streaming services.
Of course, there are plenty raising questions and concerns over yet another domestic institution becoming deeper and deeper entwined with big American business; on the other hand, former ITV chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette, who still owns shares, says the deal was “essential” for its survival.
ITV will also receive £1.2bn in cash and Sky’s Love Productions business in return for ownership of their media and entertainment arm, whose shows include the Great British Bake Off.
Moving forward, ITV will also get a further £200m in 2028 if they meet revenue targets when it comes to advertising, with Sky promising to spend over £2.1bn on content from ITV Studios over a five-year period. You can read the full update from ITV right HERE.
The Manc -
4th February 2021 
