The UK Supreme Court is sitting for the first time ever here in Manchester this week, and it’s open for the public to watch.
Not only is it the first time that the UK’s highest court – which is the final court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – has sat in our city, but it’s also the first time it has sat outside of its permanent home in London, or in the other capital cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast.
The Supreme Court cases will be heard at Manchester’s Civil Justice Centre in Spinningfields.
Opened in 2007 and often nicknamed the ‘filing cabinet’ because of its distinctive external design, the Manchester Civil Justice Centre will welcome some of the top judges in the country on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Three cases are set to be heard this week.
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The Supreme Court has arrived at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, where the Justices were welcomed by His Honour Judge Bird. The Court will be hearing cases in Manchester this week, and public are welcome to observe the proceedings. Find out more: https://t.co/LdzIPUJ8VHpic.twitter.com/MQT6u2QmMa
As the Supreme Court’s stay in Manchester aims to be “open and accessible” to all, curious members of the public are welcome to attend either of the three hearings happening this week to witness the court proceedings live in action.
Not only that, but the cases will also be streamed live online for those who are unable to make it in person.
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Lord Reed, who is the President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Hodge, Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Burrows, Lord Stephens, Lady Rose, and Lord Richards are just some of the judges attending.
“The Supreme Court is committed to being one of the most open and accessible courts in the world,” Lord Reed said previously, “like all our hearings, the cases we hear in Manchester will be live streamed via our website for everyone who cannot get to see us in person.”
The UK Supreme Court is sitting in Manchester for the first time ever this week / Credit: Supreme Court UK
The judges are also set to attend several other events in the city while they’re here this week – including acting as judges for university students in mock cases, and a Judicial Assistant recruitment event at the Manchester Law Society.
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.
Emily Sergeant -
6th March 2023 
