Stockport Council has issued an apology today after coming under fire following a tweet which suggested that people treat coronavirus “like your mother-in-law”.
Having to deal with, be civil to, or avoid the in-laws has long-been a topic humorously referred to over the years, but it’s one that Stockport Council has recently seen criticism for after a tweet which was intended as a light-hearted way to get the message about social distancing across to residents.
The tweet – which has now been deleted from the official Stockport Council Twitter account and other social platforms – suggested that “the trick to social distancing is acting like your mother-in-law’s around every corner”, but some felt that it was was badly misjudged.
Criticism expressed particularly referred to its tone as inappropriate and misogynistic in light of evidence that domestic violence against women has soared during lockdown.
Stockport Council has since removed the offending posts and said apologised “for any upset caused”.
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Councillor Tom Morrison – who is the Liberal Democrats’ shadow Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods and asked for the posts to be taken down – said it had done “nothing to help combat dangerous stereotypes that have spiked over recent months” and explained his failure to see the funny side by citing a South Manchester domestic violence charity reporting a 160% increase in calls at the beginning of lockdown, as well as the UN describing the issue as a global “shadow pandemic”.
He continued: “This is simply unacceptable, I thought we left these kind of tropes back in the 1970s where they belong,
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“Across Stockport Council, women are desperately under-represented. Is it any wonder when the council’s own social media team is putting out crass comments like this? We need to be doing everything we can to encourage more women to get involved in politics, not lumping stereotypes on them.”
He expressed hope for a better future and said: “Stockport Council needs to get it’s act in gear, retract this post, apologise, and clearly stop hiring Jim Davidson to write their social media content.”
A spokesperson for Stockport Council said: “The council has taken down the social media posts [and] we apologise for any upset caused.”
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Channel 4 is looking for Mancs who think they can survive the apocalypse for a new TV series
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Have you always wanted to see how long you’d last in an apocalypse?
Well now’s your chance, as Apocalypse is potentially coming back to Channel 4 for a second series, with producers having put out a nationwide casting call for contestants willing to take part.
The casting call simply reads: “Do you think you have what it takes to survive the end of the world?”
Described as a dystopian series designed to test the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of our nation, Apocalypse sees players are pushed out of their comfort zones and put to the ultimate test.
In the series, ordinary people are tasked with surviving for 28 days in an abandoned city – used previously only for the military to practice urban warfare – with no food, running water, electricity or heat.
Produced by The Garden – which is part of ITV Studios – for Channel 4, the show’s creators are now calling on Mancs and people up and down the country with the ‘courage and ingenuity’ to compete, to get in touch and apply for the potential second series.
Does your mate always bang on after watching a post-apocalyptic film that they would’ve done things differently? Or is the news at the moment freaking you out and you want to give the end of the world a bit of a practice run? Either way, sign up, test that plan you’ve built in your head, and see if you’ve really got what it takes.
Applications are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed. Come on, let’s prove what Mancs are made of.
Hundreds of katsu curries are being given out for FREE in Manchester this week
Emily Sergeant
Hundreds of katsu curries are being dished up and given out for free in Manchester this week, but only for certain people.
And those lucky people will be students.
That’s right… a new semester is upon us, and thousands of freshers and returning students are descending on the city and Manchester‘s many universities for another year. But the life of a student isn’t exactly the cheapest sometimes, especially for those who haven’t had to live on a budget before moving out or into halls.
But to make things a little easier, Tampopo has announced it’ll be serving hundreds of one of its most popular dishes for free this week.
Tampopo is celebrating National Katsu Curry Day in the most delicious way possible, by giving away 700 Katsu Curries with rice for free, exclusively to freshers and students this Sunday (27 September).
Whether you’re brand new to the city, settling back into uni life, or you’re simply in need of a katsu fix, students can head to their nearest participating Tampopo and tuck into a hearty meal without needing to spend a penny.
100 katsu curries will be available each from 12-2pm at both Tampopo restaurants in Manchester city centre – which are on Albert Square, and in the Corn Exchange – or if you head over to the Trafford Centre, both the Tampopo there and the East Street sites are taking part.
“[Our] Katsu Curry has long been one of our most-loved dishes, so National Katsu Curry Day felt like the perfect excuse to give students a proper welcome to the new academic year,” Tampopo said in a statement.
So, are you feeling hungry then? The offer is exclusively available for takeaway only to freshers and students with a valid student ID, which they must present on collection.
100 portions are available at each participating location, and just one free katsu curry with rice will be available per person.
The Manc -
2nd September 2020 
