The UK looks to be set for colder weather and even the possibility of snow for the remainder of December as weather experts suggest a white Christmas could be on its way.
With the country still feeling the effects of the cold snap earlier this month — you only needed to look around Manchester‘s canals to guess how low the thermometer has been — meteorologists are predicting that we haven’t seen the last of it.
According to the Met Office, “cold air and wintry conditions” are on their way in time for Christmas Day and while regions towards the Midlands and the south of England are mainly due for rain and blustery winds, the prospective snow will likely be confined to the north of the UK.
To meet the official criteria of a ‘white Christmas’, just one single snowflake needs to be spotted during the 24-hour period on 25 December, but just how likely is it?
A mild and green #Christmas is on the cards for many this year 🎄 but cold air will be pushing southwards late on Christmas Day into Boxing Day 👇 pic.twitter.com/xTCbp0wbfw
The Met Office has informed various news outlets that while it remains uncertain and less probable that we will see “significant snowfall” on the way, people in elevated areas can expect ‘dustings’ of snow due to the altitude.
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Speaking to the MEN on the chances of the North West and Greater Manchester, specifically, getting a similar treatment, a spokesperson said that the current forecast for Sunday “is likely to contain a mix of rain, sleet and snow with the wintry elements most likely over higher ground.”
At the moment, given that the milder air is dominating more southern regions compared to a colder blast in the north, they are now trying to ascertain “the exact location for the boundary between these two air masses.”
Still, at present, the long-range forecast from Boxing Day to Wednesday, 4 January, includes “a fairly windy and changeable period of weather, with rain, and some snow at times, interspersed with colder, brighter spells”, as well as “more widely colder conditions, overnight frost and crisp but sunny days.”
We technically had a white Christmas in 2021, though there was technically less than 1% of snowfall reported; however, the last widespread white Christmas is generally considered to have taken place over a decade ago in 2010.
Nevertheless, with millions of Brits struggling to heat their homes this winter, there will no doubt be many hoping that we narrowly avoid snowy and icy conditions altogether.
Entertainment union Equity makes £1 bid for Manchester Pride to protect workers from ‘further exploitation’
Emily Sergeant
Performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity has made a £1 bid for Manchester Pride.
You may remember that, back in October last year, Manchester Pride – the charity / organisation that ran the Manchester Pride Festival – entered into voluntary liquidation, and news emerged last week that the assets were being sold off to the highest bidder by liquidators.
By offering a ‘symbolic’ £1 for the assets – which include the Manchester Pride brand name and associated domain names – Equity says its bid has been made to give workers the opportunity to ‘decide the future’ of the event.
The bid is also said to have been made to prevent a repeat of 2025 – which apparently left Equity union members more than £70,000 out-of-pocket in unpaid fees.
Equity’s variety organiser, Nick Keegan, warned that selling the Manchester Pride brand to a commercial buyer risks ‘undermining the values’ of the event and the community that built it.
He worried it could also leave performers and workers ‘vulnerable to further exploitation’.
“Manchester Pride is not just a city-wide party,” Mr Keegan explained. “Its roots in protest are as important today as then.”
He added: “Manchester Pride was built by the LGBTQ+ workers of Canal St and beyond who provide a space and a community for LGBTQ+ people all year round. The event should not be treated as a commodity to be bought and sold off to the highest bidder.
“The cultural workforce are at the heart of Pride, without them, there is no festival.
“After what happened in 2025, with members left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket, we don’t want to see history repeat itself.”
Equity says that if its bid is successful, the workers will have control over who the ‘asset’ goes to.
“Our bid is about protecting Pride as a community asset, not a commercial one,” the union’s statement continued.
“Allowing the people whose labour was used to build this ‘asset’ to decide how the trademark of Manchester Pride is used in the future will help protect them from further exploitation, as well as preserve the values and the longevity of the event itself.”
Featured Image – Manchester Pride (Supplied)
News
New police hub to be set up in Piccadilly Gardens to help reduce anti-social behaviour
Emily Sergeant
A new police hub is set to be established in Piccadilly Gardens.
In case you missed it, it was announced last week that council tax in Greater Manchester could be increased to help fund improvements to policing, and that a consultation on it has been launched – with local residents urged to have their say.
The police precept helps Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to build on a range of improvements, including the speed of answering 999 and 101 calls, road and transport safety across Manchester city centre, and bringing more sex offenders to justice, among many other things.
Greater Manchester council tax is set to be increased again to help fund improvements to policing, and a consultation is now live. 🏘️🚔📝
But on top of this, Mayor Andy Burnham has also pledged to deliver a new police hub in Piccadilly Gardens as part of a wider drive to improve policing.
GMCA says its ‘top priority’ is to build strong communities where people feel safe, and it is Mayor Andy Burnham and his Deputy Mayors’ responsibility to enable GMP to be an ‘effective and efficient’ police force.
Local leaders say their ambition for 2026 is to maintain a ‘high-performing’ police service by tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, and protecting residents and businesses along the way – and part of this ambition is to increase police visibility in Piccadilly Gardens, which is a much-maligned part of the city centre, by launching a new ‘prominent’ police hub.
The increase in the police precept is also being touted to help increase ‘hot spot policing tactics’ in town centres and other key locations to help drive down theft and other violent retail crimes.
A new police hub is to be set up in Piccadilly Gardens to help reduce anti-social behaviour / Credit: Gerald England (via Geograph) | Rawpixel
“We need GMP to be properly funded if it is to continue to deliver an effective and responsive service for people in Greater Manchester,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham. “The cost of running a modern police force is going up and this is at a time when our city region has become the fastest-growing economy in the UK, with visitor numbers increasing year after year.
“So much is happening here and that includes a number of major and complex incidents over the past year, including a terrorist attack. These incidents added significant pressure to police resources.
“We recognise the ongoing impact of the rising cost of living and do not take the decision to increase the precept lightly. But right now, this increase is our only option to ensure GMP can continue delivering an effective police service that ensures that people feel safe in their own communities.”
Danny Jones -
22nd December 2022 
