Issue 7

Inside Culture: 15

Live Review Special: 16 & 17

Together in Electric dreams? AI Art: 25

Peterloo Review: 21

FRE

E

5th November 2018 / Issue 7

WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Budget “neglects” students

Philip Hammond. Photo: Chatham House @Flickr.

Student leaders unimpressed by Hammond Ethan Davies Editor-in-Chief S t u d e nt s at t h e U n ive r s it y o f M a n c h e s t e r h ave b e e n l e f t l a rge ly u n i m p re s s e d by t h e l at e s t B u d ge t , a n n o u n ce d l a s t we e k .

A n d t h e h e a d o f t h e S t u d e n t s ’ U n i o n s a i d yo u n g p e o p l e h a d b e e n “ n e g l e c t e d ” by t h e C h a n ce l l o r P h i l i p H a m m o n d ’s e co n o m i c p l a n s wh i c h we re b u i l t o n B re x i t u n ce r t a i nt y.

T h e B u d ge t b ro u g h t i n a s u r p r i s e i n co m e t a x c u t , p ro m i s e d a n e x t ra £ 2 b i l l i o n t o i m p rove m e n t a l h e a l t h s e r v i ce s a n d i nt ro d u ce d a n e w n a t i o nw i d e 2 6 - 3 0 ‘ m i l l e n i a l ’ ra i l c a rd , b u t fa i l e d t o a d d re s s i s s u e s m o s t re l eva n t t o s t u d e nt s .

O n e s u c h i s s u e wa s t h e gove r n m e n t ’s re f u s a l t o re i n s t a t e s t u d e nt m a i nt e n a n ce g ra n t s . T h e £ 3 , 3 87 p ay m e nt fo r s t u d e nt s f ro m p o o re r b a c k g ro u n d s wa s re p l a ce d by a l o a n i n 2 0 1 6 .

H oweve r, it wa s n’ t i n c l u d e d i n M r H a m m o n d ’s s p e n d i n g p l a n s d e s p it e h i s re m a rk t h at “ a u s t e r it y wa s co m i n g t o a n e n d ” . L a b o u r ’s S h a d ow C h a n ce l l o r Jo h n McDonnell disputed this claim.

D r R a f fa e l e Ro s s i , a S e n i o r L e c t u re r o f E co n o m i c s at t h e U n ive rs it y o f M a n c h e s t e r, s ays t h at “ i n t e r m s o f d ayt o d ay s p e n d i n g , p u b l i c s p e n d i n g i s go i n g t o i n c re a s e .

B u t i n p e r c a p it a t e r m s , i .e . h ow m u c h t h e gove r n m e n t is spending on each of us, then public spending is we l l b e h i n d t h e l eve l s re a c h e d u n d e r t h e L a b o u r gove r n m e nt s o f M r B l a i r a n d M r B row n . ” “ W h at i s c l e a r i s t h a t t h i s B u d ge t w i l l e n d o f a u s t e r i t y fo r t h e N H S. W h at i s u n c l e a r i s wh at h a p p e n s t o o t h e r d e p a r t m e nt s . Fo r e x a m p l e , s o c i a l s e c u r it y b e n e f it s , i .e . p u b l i c p e n s i o n s , w i l l s e e f u r t h e r c u t s i n t h e n e x t f ive t o

Government sets out measures to curb grade inflation Page 3

Delayed: your next train from Oxford Road

s i x ye a r s . ” O n l i n e , s t u d e n t s re a c t e d t o t h e l a c k o f s t u d e ntfo c u s e d a n n o u n ce m e n t s w it h a m i xe d re s p o n s e , w it h M i t c h e l l C a re y co m m e n t i n g : “ T h e y d o n’ t c a re a b o u t s t u d e nt s at a l l . My w i fe [ a n i n t e r n at i o n a l s t u d e nt ] p a i d fo r u n i u p f ro nt , b o o s t i n g t h e e co n o my a n d s t i l l h a d t o l e ave t h e co u n t r y, e ve n t h o u g h I m a ke way m o re t h a n e n o u g h . U n l e s s yo u h ave £ 6 3 ,0 0 0 i n s av i n g s n o t m ov i n g i n yo u r b a n k , yo u h ave t o l e ave . I t ’s a j o ke . ” C h a rl i e C h i l t o n a d d e d : “ T h e k i d s f ro m we a l t hy b a c k g ro u n d s w i l l ke e p go i n g t o u n ive r s i t y a n d k i d s f ro m Shivani Kaura p o o r fa m i l i e s w i l l s t a r t t o l o s e h o p e o f ge t t i n g a d e g re e Deputy News Editor a n d i t ’ l l b e l e s s l i ke ly t h at t h e y ’ l l b e a b l e t o c h a n ge t h e i r s i t u at i o n . ” Data collected and published in a survey by consumer’s H owe ve r, a n o t h e r s t u d e n t , Jo s h u a , s a i d , “o f co u rs e association Which? has revealed that Manchester Oxford Road s t u d e nt s wo u l d b a c k a m a i n t e n a n ce g ra n t . F re e m o n ey. ” is the UKs worst train station for cancellations and delays D r Ro s s i b e l i e ve s t h at , “ i n t h i s b u d ge t , t h e m a i n outside of London. i s s u e . . . i s t h e gove r n m e n t d e f i c i t ” .

The survey shows that 68% of services departing from H e s a i d : “ P u b l i c d e b t m e a n s t h at t h e gove r n m e nt i s Oxford Road station were late, with 5% of services being b o r row i n g a g a i n s t f u t u re i n co m e . S t u d e n t s a re t h e o n e s cancelled between January and September of this year. wh o w i l l p ro d u ce t h i s f u t u re i n co m e , s o [ a n i n c re a s e ] i n Following in sixth place is Manchester Piccadilly, with 56% gove r n m e n t d e f i c i t s i m p l i e s m ove m e n t i n t a xe s o f f u t u re of trains arriving late to designated platforms and 4% of trains wo rke rs . I n t h i s re s p e c t , t h e gove r n m e n t a n n o u n ce d a cancelled. re d u c t i o n i n i t s b o r row i n g i n t h e m e d i u m t e r m s , s ay 5 -1 0 Manchester Victoria comes in eighth, with just over half of ye a rs . Re d u c i n g d e f i c it m e a n s t h at s t u d e n t s w i l l p ay trains being late and 4% cancelled. l owe r t a xe s i n t h e f u t u re . S o t h i s i s go o d n e ws . ” Manchester Oxford Road is situated just north of the T h e U n ive r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r S t u d e n t s ’ U n i o n ( S U ) University of Manchester, Royal Northern College of Music, and G e n e ra l S e c re t a r y Fat i m a A b i d h a d a l e s s p o s i t ive Manchester Metropolitan University. outlook.

“O n ce a g a i n s t u d e n t s a n d yo u n g p e o p l e h ave b e e n n e g l e c t e d by a B u d ge t wh i c h i s b u i l t o n a wo rl d o f u n ce r t a i n t y. T h e u n k n ow n co n s e q u e n ce s o f B re x i t wh i c h we k n ow w i l l h ave d e e p e r i m p a c t s o n o u r ge n e rat i o n t h a n o t h e r s n e e d t o b e m a d e c l e a re r.

Both stories continued on page 2...

Burnham begs for transport powers Page 3

Manchester into last 16 of University Challenge Page 6

2 News

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

...continued from page 1

Inside Issue 7

Photo: Stephen Richards @ Wikimedia Commons

Living Wage campaign rumbles on Students outraged at soaring chancellor pay Investigations, page 7

Mancunian stations worst for lateness It is used by hundreds of students daily to access the outskirts of Manchester, as well as places such as Liverpool and North Wales.

Sp e ak i ng to BBC News , Reg ion al D i re c tor at t he Rai l De live r y G rou p Ro b e r t Ni s bit s aid : “We k now how f r u st rat i ng de lays are, wh ich i s why as p ar t of ou r long- te r m pl an , we’ re inve st i ng bi l l ion s to e as e conge st ion , re duce de l ays and m in im i s e d i s r u pt ion . “ We w i l l cont i nue to pu s h for big , b old re for m as p ar t of the Wi l l i am s Rev iew to e n able rai l comp an ie s to de l ive r eve n more for c u stome rs, e mploye e s, com mu n it ie s and t he e conomy. ” M ayor of G re ate r M anche ste r, A ndy Bu r n h am , h as re ce nt ly cal le d for more p owe rs ove r t ran sp or t . Bu r n h am s a id : “G re ate r M anche ste r i s a g row i ng c ity- reg ion on t he world st age but ou r t ran sp or t ne twork and i n f rast r uc t u re i s hold i ng u s b ack . “ I f u l ly u nde rst and t he f r u st rat ion p e ople fe e l at t he de lays and d i s r u pt ion we are c u r re nt ly ex p e r ie nc i ng .

T h at i s why I h ave l au nche d a pu bl ic camp aig n cal l i ng on

t he G overnment to give us t he p owers to let us create t he t ransp ort network we need.

“I a m ca lling on t he Tra nsp ort S ecret a ry, C hris G rayling, to give com muters in t he Nort h t he s a me fo cus a s t hos e in t he L ondon a nd t he S out h.

“I a m ready to b e held to account to get G reater Ma nche ster mov ing a nd to clea n up our a ir”.

This st atement follows a f ter G rayling ex pla ined t hat he wa s not held re sp onsible for ra il t imet a ble pro blem s, st at ing: “it is t he j o b of t he ra il indust ry to deliver a new ra il t i met a ble”. Instead, Network Ra il were held account of t he delays, re sult ing in a lack of driver t ra ining, leading to driver s hort age s.

Mr. G rayling ha s cla imed t hat t here a re st ill pla ns b eing put in place, cost ing a round £ 2.9 billion, to up date t he Tra nsp ennine E x pre s s route, a lt hough no s cheme s have yet b een issued.

Nort hern Ra il have b een cont acted for com ment .

Save the planet

In conversation with People and Planet Societies, page 12

The Budget Box. Photo: HM treasury @Flickr

Students ‘neglected’ in latest budget

Green fingers, greener shoots Why allotments matter Lifestyle, page 29

Contact us Editor-in-Chief: Ethan Davies editor@mancunion.com Deputy Editor: Amy Wei deputyed@mancunion.com Online Editor: Jeremy Bijl online@mancunion.com Design Editor: Kizzy Bray design@mancunion.com

News Editor: Nicole Wootton-Cane Deputy Editors: Sam Honey and Shivani Kaura news@mancunion.com Science & Technology Editor: Jacklin Kwan science@mancunion.com Investigations Editor: Felix Hanif-Banks investigations@mancunion.com

“ T he l ack of fo c u s on t he hou s i ng c r i s i s, low-p aid and pre car iou s work i ng me an t h i s i s anot he r Budge t wh ich is n’ t for u s. T he gove r n me nt al s o ke e p s k ick i ng t he d i f f ic u lt de ci s ion s arou nd u n ive rs ity f u nd i ng and t he cost of l iv i ng into t he long g ras s. We are fe d u p of fe e l i ng i n a con st ant state of f lu x i n re l at ion to ou r f ut u re s.”

Ridd i Vi swan at h an , S U Inte r n at ion al S t ude nt s’ O f f ice r, adde d : “I am aware t h at t he Budge t h as d raw n ex p e r t i s e from var iou s f ie ld s b e fore m ak i ng i nve st me nt de c i s ion s in appre nt ice s h ip s che me s, lo an s and re s e arch and deve lopme nt . Howeve r, wh at conce r n s i s t he fac t t h at t he stude nt vo ice i n t he s e de c i s ion s i s ve r y m i n i m al . W hy are we m ak i ng de c i s ion s t h at af fe c t u s w it hout u s?”

O t he r an nou nce me nt s i n t he budge t i nclude d a new t ax on pl ast ic p ackag i ng wh ich do e s not cont ai n 3 0% re cycl able m ate r i al . Fu r t he r more, a p acke t of 2 0 c igare t te s i s s e t to inc re as e i n cost by 3 3 p af te r 6pm .

A new 5 0p co i n to m ark B rex it next ye ar was al s o Features Editor: Liv Clarke features@mancunion.com Opinion Editor: Sophie Marriott Deputy Editor: Cachella Smith opinion@mancunion.com Societies Editor: Chloe Hatton societies@mancunion.com Music Editor: Olivia White Deputy Editor: Jake Oliver music@mancunion.com

Film Editor: Tobias Soar Deputy Editor: Aisha Al-Janabi film@mancunion.com Fashion and Beauty Editor: Ella Searle fashion@mancunion.com Books Editor: Gurnaik Johal books@mancunion.com Games Editor: Jeremy Bijl games@mancunion.com

revea led, a s well a s a ris e in w ine duty by 8 p p er b ot t le in Februa ry next yea r.

St udent s rem a ined sim ila rly div ided on t he Budget a s a whole, w it h Je s s e Sto dda rd (a ls o a mem b er of Ma nche ster Young L ib ert a ria ns) s ay t he Budget mea nt , “cont inued b orrow ing aga inst our f ut ure instead of re sp ons ibly working to elim inate t he de f icit ”.

Tom Bradley disagreed in s at irica l fa shion: “I t hink it ’s excellent news, t he wea lt hie st in t his count ry a re clea rly st ruggling to get by; it ’s not enough to merely st rip public a s s et s a nd s ell t hem at a stea l to prof it-m a king corp orat ions.”

This deb ate could go on for s ome t ime, w it h Mr Ha m mond a ls o indicat ing t hat t he 20 19 Spring St atement could b e upgraded to a f ull emergency budget if Brex it req uire s him to do s o. However, D r Ross i a ls o b elieve s t hat t his t ime f ra me w ill b e “fa r to o ea rly to appreciate a ny m aj or negat ive cons eq uence s of Brex it ”.

Food & Drink Editor: Catrin Stewart foodanddrink@mancunion.com Arts Editor: Bella Jewell arts@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Anuli Changa theatre@mancunion.com Lifestyle Editor: Sophia Ashby lifestyle@mancunion.com Sport Editor: James Gill

Deputy Editor: Sam Honey sports@mancunion.com Chief Sub-editor: Alex Cresswell Sub-editors: Rona McCann, Mia Gair, Alex Ross, Georgia Hickey Design Editors: Alex Singhal, Izzy Oldman, Josie Fowler, Liv Clarke, Anja Samy, Ellis Coopey.

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Bunnell, Charlotte Matthews Letters & Complaints: complaints@mancunion.com Legal: legal@mancunion.com Advertising: Paul Parkes paul.parkes@manchester.ac.uk Phone: 0161 275 2942

News

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

3

Give Manchester same transport powers as London, begs Burnham The Mayor has called for the council to be handed greater jurisdiction over Manchester’s transport system amid an ongoing congestion crisis Sam Honey Deputy News Editor Mayor Andy Burnham says that he doe sn’t have the level of authority or re s ource s available to adequately tackle a growing transport crisis across G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r.

T h e 4 8 -ye a r o l d s u g ge s t e d t h a t M a n c h e s t e r ’s day-to-day control over transport would need to be equated with the powers available to the capital c i t y, L o n d o n , i n o r d e r t o e f f e c t i v e l y r e s o l v e t h e problem.

D e s p i t e o f t e n c a r r y i n g t h e l a b e l o f t h e U K ’s ‘second city’ Manchester does not hold the same level of jurisdiction over the funding a nd orga n i s at ion of it s t ra n sp or t ne twork a s it s southern counterpart.

Manche ster suffers from heavily overburdened roads, congestion crushes in the city centre at peak times, and serious issues with rail services, with Oxford Road having been named as the worst station for delays in the whole of the UK. Another major concern is the deteriorating air q u a l i t y a c r o s s G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r, w h i c h h a s s e e n the government set Burnham a deadline to produce a Clean Air Plan by the end of 2018. The mayor has confirmed his willingness to outline such a proposal but has said that he will not be able to oversee its successful implementation without a range of new powers.

This has led to Burnham asking people across

the region to sign up to the ‘ Take control of our Transport’ campaign, a Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)-backed initiative that makes a series of demands to the government, in order to improve transport quality in the region.

Requests include further devolution of authority over rail networks, including Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) control over all Greater Manchester stations, joint planning power over roadworks, and a major inve stment p ro g ra m m e i n t h e a re a’s i n f ra s t r u c t u re u n t i l 2 02 5 .

M o n d ay ’s b u d ge t o f fe re d n o re g i o n a l ly- fo c u s e d transport funding announcements, and financing for ‘New City and Growth’ deals was specifically e a r m a r k e d f o r B e l f a s t , N o r t h Wa l e s , a n d t h e T a y Cities area.

While frustration simmers over a perceived l a c k o f gove r n m e n t i n t e r ve n t i o n i n M a n c h e s t e r ’s t ra n s p o r t s ys t e m , a n e e d t o a d d re s s t h e c i t y ’s issues with congestion has been widely recognised, with the problem costing the city around £1. 3 b i l l i o n a n n u a l l y.

Burnham famously pledged to prevent the i nt ro duc t ion of a ny conge st ion ch a rge i n t he c ity w h e n h e w a s e l e c t e d i n M a y 2 0 1 7. H o w e v e r, w i t h Manchester second only to the capital for traffic conge stion, calls have been made to revis e this promise to deal with the intrinsic link to poor air q u a l i t y.

T h e M ayo r ’s c o n ge s t i o n d e a l wa s a n n o u n c e d earlier this year and introduced a range of

new policies, including more regular Metrolink services on the Ashton line, a new digital service that would offer real-time update s for sat-navs and GPS, and a review of transport for mid-week Manchester United games.

E mployers als o have a substantial role to play in easing conge stion worrie s. The rush-hour ‘c r u s h’ i n t h e c it y ce nt re i s i nva r i a b ly d u e t o m a ny c o m p a n i e s o p e r a t i n g a t r a d i t i o n a l 9 - 5 w o r k i n g d a y, l e a d i n g t o h u g e p i l e u p s a t e a c h e n d o f t h e d a y. I n response, the council has introduced incentives to encourage companies to offer flexible start times, including heavy dis counts on MetroLink travel.

S o fa r a nu m b e r of big n a me orga n i s at ion s have introduced the us e of a new f lexible s cheme, including Kelloggs, Talk Talk, and Manche ster Airport Group.

Such measures are however only alleviating, and the need for many council-wide powers to re l i e ve p re s s u re s o n t h e c i t y ’s t ra n s p o r t n e t wo rk cannot be understated.

Controversy persists over how exactly centralisation can effectively manage local services, such as rail and bus links, compared to the carefully overseen devolution of funds and responsibilities.

Burnham echoed this s entiment, saying, “I fully understand the frustration people feel at the delays and disruption we are currently experiencing. I feel it too becaus e I simply do not have enough powers at my disposal to get a grip on things”.

Photo: LSE Library @Flickr

Government plans to curb ‘grade inflation’ The Universities Minister has said that the soaring numbers of students graduating with first and upper second class degrees in the UK are ‘threatening’ their value Sam Honey Deputy News Editor T h e gove r n m e n t h a s a n n o u n c e d p l a n s t o re d u ce ‘g ra d e i n f l a t i o n’ i n U K u n ive r s i t i e s .

U n ive r s i t i e s M i n i s t e r S a m Gy i m a h s a i d l a s t we e k t h a t t h e s o a r i n g n u m b e r s o f s t u d e n t s g ra d u a t i n g w i t h f i r s t a n d u p p e r s e co n d - c l a s s d e g re e s a re “ t h re a t e n i n g ” t h e i r va l u e .

Ac co rd i n g t o f i g u re s f ro m t h e H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n S t a t i s t i c s Au t h o r i t y a q u a r t e r o f a l l U K g ra d u a t e s s e c u re d a f i r s t- c l a s s d e g re e i n t h e 2 0 1 6 / 1 7 a c a d e m i c ye a r.

G ra d e i n f l a t i o n o c c u r s wh e n u n ive r s i t i e s awa rd a h i g h a m o u n t o f t o p d e g re e s t o t h e i r g ra d u a t e s .

U n ive r s i t i e s a re i n d e p e n d e n t i n awa rd i n g t h e i r g ra d e s a n d c a n , t h e re fo re , awa rd a s m a ny f i r s t - c l a s s d e g re e s a s t h e y l i ke .

T h e Te a c h i n g E xce l l e n ce F ra m e wo rk ( T E F ) u s e d t o a s s e s s t h e q u a l i t y o f U K u n ive r s i t i e s w i l l s o o n l o o k a t h ow re s p o n s i b l e u n ive r s i t i e s a re wh e n awa rd i n g d e g re e s .

I f a u n ive r s i t y i s s e e n t o b e awa rd i n g a n e xce s s ive a m o u n t o f f i r s t a n d u p p e r s e co n d - c l a s s d e g re e s , t h e i r ra t i n g o f e i t h e r go l d , s i lve r o r b ro n z e m i g h t b e a f fe c t e d .

M r Gy i m a h s a i d : “ W h e n yo u l o o k a t wh a t m a ke s o u r u n ive r s i t i e s s o p re s t i g i o u s , i t co m e s d ow n t o t h e va l u e o f o u r d e g re e s – t h e y o p e n u p a h u ge ra n ge o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d t h e c h a n ce t o s t e p i n t o a re wa rd i n g a n d h i g h ly- s k i l l e d c a re e r ” .

H e a d d e d t h a t “ t h e va l u e o f t h o s e d e g re e s i s t h re a t e n e d b y g ra d e i n f l a t i o n a n d t h a t i s a p ro b l e m fo r s t u d e n t s , e m p l oye r s a n d t h e u n ive r s i t i e s t h e m s e lve s .

T h e s e n e w m e a s u re s w i l l l o o k a t h ow we c a n p ro t e c t o u r g l o b a l ly re co g n i s e d h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n s ys t e m b y d i s co u ra g i n g u n ive r s i t i e s f ro m u n d e r m i n i n g

t h e re ve re n c e a d e g re e q u a l i f i c a t i o n f ro m t h e U K commands”.

Ac c o rd i n g t o T i m e s H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n , t h e U n ive r s i t y o f M a n c h e s t e r awa rd e d 3 0 % o f g ra d u a t e s a f i r s t - c l a s s d e g re e i n t h e 2 0 1 6 / 1 7 a c a d e m i c ye a r. I n t o t a l , ove r 8 0 % o f s t u d e n t s we re awa rd e d e i t h e r a f i r s t o r a n u p p e r s e c o n d - c l a s s d e g re e .

Uo M d e c l i n e d t o c o m m e n t o n t h e gove r n m e n t ’s p l a n s d i re c t ly b u t a s p o ke s m a n t o l d T h e M a n c u n i o n t h a t “ t h e u n ive r s i t y ’s A s s e s s m e n t F ra m e wo rk e n s u re s a s s e s s m e n t i s f a i r a n d r i go ro u s a n d t h e d e g re e s we awa rd a re a s a re s u l t o f t h e d e d i c a t i o n o f o u r s t u d e n t s to their courses.”

S o m e , i n c l u d i n g U n ive r s i t i e s U K , h ave a rg u e d t h a t s t u d e n t s m i g h t b e wo rk i n g h a rd e r t o a c h i e ve t h e i r g ra d e s d u e t o t h e a d d e d p re s s u re o f h i g h t u i t i o n fe e s , wh i c h c u r re n t ly s t a n d a t £ 9, 2 5 0 p e r ye a r.

4 News

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Prepare for ‘possible disaster’ postBrexit say academics

Oxford’s Chris Gosden has led calls to tackle the crippling uncertainty for UK Institutions Sam Honey Deputy Sports Editor

University academics have issued a fresh warning on the future of higher education in the UK post-Brexit.

University staff and students alike remain unsure of the future of EU-backed programs at their institutions, with particular concern over Erasmus and research grants.

As political over the proposed Chequers plan continues, the possibility of a no-deal exit looms, with the March 29th deadline nearing ever closer.

Ease of access for international students after March 2019 was said to have been dealt with in a Brexit White Paper released in July. Shrouded in ambiguity, the document confirmed an end to free movement, but assured that steps would be taken to “facilitate mobility for students so they can benefit from world-leading universities”.

The government has also moved to reduce speculation over research, having guaranteed the supply of all funding from the EU’s headline Horizon programme until 2020, should its provisions be affected by the UK’s agreement with the EU or lack thereof.

Despite this, with no arrangements currently in place to deal with the possibility of the loss of research grants post-2020, leading figures across the Russell Group have spoken out over continuing uncertainty in the field of higher education.

Chris Gosden, director of the Archaeology Institute at Oxford, has described preparing for a possible disaster post-Brexit. His institution his received 10 major grants from the European Research Council since 2007.

His colleague, Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at the University, foresees a problematic exit from the EU. Marginson is currently researching the impact of Brexit on UK universities and has warned against increasing research partnerships outside of the continent as a solution, arguing that Europe boasts an exclusive of cross-country co-operation in the area.

“In my judgment, we are likely to have a hard Brexit or at best an unresolved research funding picture. In terms of people in research and higher education, the fallout will be massive”.

Cardiff University has begun outlining schemes to move academics abroad, in the hope that their researchers will retain access to European finances should they spend the majority of their time in EU member states.

Graduate unemployment at its ‘lowest for 39 years’ Prospects have released the latest edition of the ‘what do graduates do?’ report, compiled from the responses of over 250,000 UK-based graduates

Photo: Duncan Hill @ Flickr

Other Russell Group institutions are also exploring the possibility of implementing similar measures, with catastrophic forecasts for post-EU life. Lee Cronin, regius professor of Chemistry at Glasgow spoke of the possibly detrimental results for the scientific community: “The simple fact is that without alignment, UK science crashes out of the biggest collaborative network ever built in the history of humanity”.

Industry-leading figures, including Russell Group chair Anton Muscatelli and UCU chief Sally Hunt, have already called upon the government to safeguard research in the event of a failure to secure a deal with Brussels.

Hunt’s UCU, amid rising concerns among university staff over Brexit, commissioned a ballot assessing the membership’s support for a vote on the final deal. Although an overwhelming 89% endorsed such a referendum, Prime Minister Theresa May has already ruled out such a vote.

There is a consensus building fast among those in higher education that the field has been relegated to a second priority for the government in their ongoing negotiations. Chancellor Phillip Hammond’s budget was criticised failing to seriously address the state of Higher Education in the country with the only major policy announced was funding for 10 University Enterprise Zones, areas in which universities and local businesses work together to achieve local growth and innovation.

Designs revealed for 200th anniversary Peterloo Memorial Photo: Jeremy Deller and Caruso St John Architects

The first dedicated monument to the tragedy will be unveiled in August 2019 Sam Honey Depuy Sports Editor Photo: UK College of Agriculture, Food & Environment

Josh Saniford News Reporter The graduate unemployment rate is at the lowest level in 39 years, according to Prospects, the UK’s biggest graduate careers website.

Prospects have released the latest edition of the ‘what do graduates do?’ report, compiled with responses from over 250,000 UK-based first degree graduates.

The report has found that only 5.1% of graduates were unemployed after six months of graduating in the 2016/17 academic year.

This marks the lowest rate of graduate unemployment since the 1977/78 academic year.

The report notes that ‘skills shortages across many industries’ appear to have had a hand in boosting graduate job prospects.

74.3% of graduates were in employment six months after graduating, with 73.9% of these graduates in professional-level jobs.

The average salary for graduates in full-time employment in the UK was £22,399.

21.5% of graduates went on to full- or parttime study, with the number of those studying

for master’s degrees and PhDs rising sharply due to the introduction of postgraduate student loans.Alistair Jarvis, the chief executive of Universities UK, has responded to the Prospects data, stating that it “shows that employer demand for graduates is growing. We know that employers value the broad skills graduates develop at university across a wide range of subjects and levels”.

He added that, “graduate salaries are, on average, almost £10,000 a year higher than for non-graduates, and graduates are significantly more likely to be in employment.

“Universities also provide graduates with skills that will be valuable throughout their lives. The ability to think critically and to analyse and present evidence are skills that enrich graduates’ lives, and last for life”.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 94% of graduates from the University of Manchester go into employment or further study.

The graduate unemployment rate chimes with the low unemployment figures seen across the country standing at 4%, the lowest for over 40 years.

Manchester City Council has revealed this week provisional designs for a Peterloo massacre memorial.

The council has commissioned the installation of a memorial to mark the 200th anniversary of the tragedy, that saw the deaths of 15 people during a peaceful protest for parliamentary representation, in what is now the modern-day St. Peter’s Square.

Calvary fired upon an estimated 60,000-strong crowd of men, women, and children, injuring around 700 in addition to those killed.

Artist, Jeremy Deller, has been chosen to produce the designs for the commemorative memorial, that were placed on display in Manchester Central Library for three days from Thursday.

The council website will also showcase Deller’s work for a week from November 1st, as the council begins its pre-planning consultation on the construction of the memorial.

The memorial is set to be unveiled next Summer on the exact 200th anniversary of the massacre, that took place on August 16th, 1819.

Luthfur Rahman, Labour councillor and Executive Member for Schools, Culture, and Leisure highlighted the long-term aspiration for a commemoration of events: “We have long had the ambition to create a lasting memorial

to those who lost their lives there and it is fitting that the memorial will be in place in time to mark the two hundredth anniversary next year.’’

Deller, who won the Turner Prize in 2004 for his film The Memory Bucket, is famed for the strong political messages of his work. He is best known for his 2001 Battle of Orgreave, a reenactment of violent clashes between police and miners on the picket line in 1984.

The only previous testament to Peterloo was a commemorative plaque installed on the side of the Radisson Blu Hotel on Peter Street. The plaque was replaced in 2007 after pressure from The Peterloo Memorial Campaign, that effectively lobbied the council to install a plaque that was historically accurate and informative.

The Campaign holds annual memorial events to mark the anniversary of the tragedy and provides an online database with information about those present at the protest in 1819.

The organisation has also produced a document detailing the necessities of the memorial, asking that it be ‘respectful, informative, and permanent’.

The decision to commission the memorial comes at a time of increasing recognition for the events of Peterloo, with Mike Leigh’s film of the same name debuting in cinemas this week.

The historical drama stars Maxine Peake and premiered in Manchester last month, as part of the BFI Film Festival.

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Student campaign group asks UoM to become Living Wage employer Becoming a Living Wage Employer would mean that the hourly minimum rate for staff would increase to £8.75 Rebecca Rommen News Reporter The University of Manchester Living Wage Campaign held an open meeting last Thursday to discuss its push to encourage UoM to become a living wage employer.

Employers who sign up must pay at least £8.75 an hour to employees and contractors.

It is separate to the government’s various minimum wage rates which are enforced by law. These stand at £5.90 for 18 to 20-year-olds, £7.38 for 21 to 24-year-olds.

A higher rate of £7.83 for 25s and over is called the National Living Wage but has nothing to do with the living wage campaign.

In a statement the University said: “The University recognises that the work of the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) is a means of encouraging employers to pay a minimum hourly rate of pay at the LWF rate of £8.75 per hour.

“This is commendable. The University of Manchester pays above the LWF rate at £9.04 per hour and in addition has an excellent package of terms and conditions.”

On Twitter it said: “... at the current time, we do not feel there is a need to become accredited, as we review our pay rates and raise them in line with the LWF rate.”

Second-year Politics and Sociology student Jack Swan acknowledged that the University does pay most of its employees fair wages, but challenged it to go even further by seeking accreditation.

He said: “There’s no reason why the university shouldn’t accredit as a living wage employer. It won’t be a huge issue for them to pay more — we know that they’re investing £1bn in the university and that the number of highest-paid staff members has increased a lot in recent years.”

“We know that the money’s there. It’s a matter of leadership — it is the University of Manchester and if they want to have that title of being of Manchester they also need to be for Manchester and they need to be for the Mancunians who are keeping the rooms clean so that they can deliver that world-class service that they are proud of.”

During the meeting an email was also sent to the university’s newly-appointed registrar Patrick Hackett, urging him to consider accreditation by the Living Wage

Photo: Manchester Students’ Union

Foundation.

The email was undersigned by a coalition of students including representatives from the Labour Society, Young Liberals, Save Our Staff, and the Living Wage Campaign.

They invited Mr Hackett to their upcoming rally calling for the University to become Living Wage accredited.

Swan told The Mancunion that he hopes Mr Hackett comes to meet them to engage with some of the workers who would be positively affected by accreditation.

“We all want this to be a positive relationship. The university is in a position where it can have a real influence. We want to study at a university which takes the lead on these issues and make us proud.

“Let’s work together to improve conditions to make this university and the community that it’s embedded in a better, more financially secure place: a better Manchester... a greater Manchester.”

The campaign rally will be held on November 7 at 12:30, outside the Social Responsibility Office at 186 Waterloo Place and will call for the university to join the 33 universities that have already been accredited.

UoM has not joined EAUC to reduce carbon emissions

Vice-Chancellors of five UK institutions have pledged to work with the Government to reduce carbon emissions Shivani Kaura Deputy News Editor The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), a nonprofit member-based charity, has revealed that Vice-Chancellors and Students’ Union representatives from five UK universities have joined forces with the G overnment to tackle carbon emissions in major cities across the country.

The Government’s Emissions Reduction Pledge was signed on Thursday 18th October by staff at the University of Reading, Northumbria University, The University of Winchester, Newcastle University, and the University of Nottingham.

The EAUC have been appointed to represent institutions with over two million students and just under 400,000 members of university staff.

The University of Manchester, holding the highest number of students at any UK university, are not part of this programme.

A spokesperson for the University said: “The University is committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 40% by 2020 (from the 2007-08 baseline).”

These plans put in place by the University include the introduction of Brunswick Park at the University of Manchester, which aims to add more greenery to the campus, making it more environmentally friendly, as well as more sustainable. This is part of the university’s ‘Campus Masterplan’ vision.

They followed: “We are the first university in the world to have been recognised as a carbon literate organisation which requires us to engage positively with our community in developing and delivering low carbon behaviour.

“For students this has included the sustainability grand challenge for all first years, and thousands of staff have engaged

in 10,000 Actions, a programme of activity for positive action on sustainability.

“On campus we have undertaken extensive work to make new and existing buildings energy efficient and we have a large range of programmes to encourage sustainable travel. “ This is part of a huge range of activity, from procurement to catering which is contributing to carbon and other sustainability targets.

“Alongside this our academics are carrying out world-leading research into subjects such as energy, transport and the social impacts of climate change which are making meaningful differences around the world.”

Supported by Unicef Environment, the EAUC focuses on creating 5-yearplans to improve organisational reach, and convening power and business models, as well as creating a platform for sustainability performance in education, as they believe the issues of social, environmental and economic sustainability are interlinked.

Ali Milani, Vice President at the National Union of Students (NUS), said: “It’s great to see the tenth anniversary of the Climate Change Act being celebrated in Green Great Britain Week, and even better to see the first Universities in the UK signing up to this really challenging emissions reduction pledge.

“Making this commitment demonstrates real sector leadership and we really hope the institutions involved will deliver the 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions they’ve agreed by 2020/21.”

It was recently revealed by council leaders that Manchester City Council have debated plans to introduce a congestion charge for vehicles in the city. Carbon emissions in Manchester are at some of their worst figures to date.

Charity calls for university staff to visit Auschwitz

Photo: Dnalor 01 @ Wikimedia Commons

The Holocaust Educational Trust has opened their Lessons from Auschwitz scheme to university staff after a rise in anti-Semitic incidents on university campuses Nicole Wootton-Cane Head News Editor

A prominent Holocaust memorial charity has urged university staff to take trips to Auschwitz following a rise in anti-Semitic incidents across university campuses.

The Lessons from Auschwitz programme is run by The Holocaust Educational Trust (H.E.T), and has taken more than 36,000 pupils and teachers to Auschwitz-Birkenau since 1999.

In 2017, an NUS survey showed that over a quarter of Jewish students live in fear of an anti-Semitic attack, and a further 66% said they believed that they had been targeted because of their faith.

H.E.T’s Karen Pollock told the London Evening Standard: “Over the past three or

four years, student politics — or things that come up on student campuses with regards to certain debates — can become hate-filled.

Increasing incidents of anti-Semitism on campus, and more generally, are becoming more of a thing.

“We felt [the programme] could make a difference. Going on a visit like this, it isn’t a punishment … it’s an eye-opening, hopefully fulfilling experience for minds and hearts.”

The figures come after it was revealed earlier this week that reports of hate crime in Greater Manchester have gone up by 43 percent over the last 12 months.

Home Office statistics for the year 201718 showed that Jewish people were the second-most targeted group after Muslims.

Manchester Union of Jewish Students has been contacted for comment.

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Invisible Manchester to take visitors ‘Off the Cobbles’

An ex-army veteran who lived on the streets gives tours around Manchester as part of initiative Invisible Manchester Hannah Vallance News Reporter Danny Collins, an ex-army veteran who spent four years living on the streets around Manchester and Birmingham, is to start giving tours of the city this weekend as part of the Invisible Manche ster initiative.

Aiming to combat the stigma of homelessness w i t h h i s w o r d s , D a n n y, n o w a s u c c e s s f u l p o e t , takes visitors ‘Off the Cobbles’ to spots around the city where he used to sleep rough and spend time during his period on the streets.

T h i s i n c l u d e s s i t e s s u c h a s S t M a r y ’s C a t h o l i c Church, colloquially known as the ‘Hidden G em’ o f M a n c h e s t e r, i n a d d i t i o n t o o f t e n u n n o t i c e d pieces of street art that characterise the creative N o r t h e r n Q u a r t e r.

The alternative tour also features pieces o f D a n n y ’ s o w n p o e t r y, w h i c h f o c u s e s o n h i s personal experiences with homelessness and post-traumatic stress disorder De spite having performed in pre stigious v e n u e s a r o u n d M a n c h e s t e r, i n c l u d i n g t h e i c o n i c Cathedral and Al bert Hall, the 62-year-old said he wanted homeless people to “show their

Manchester” as a means to get off the street.

“A f r i e n d o f m i n e — o n c e a n a c c o u n t a n t w h o handled millions of pounds a year — ended up on the street for 20 years after his wife died. He just couldn’t cope”, Danny told our tour group.

“He once said to me that, in the morning, when you wake up on the street, even the statues are looking down on you. When I woke up in Piccadilly Gardens one morning, Queen Victoria was looking down on me. That really resonated with me.”

I n M a n c h e s t e r, a s w i t h t h e r e s t o f t h e U K , homelessness is on the rise, with the number of rough sleepers in the region increasing by a fifth from 2017 to 2018. This contributes to a 1 3 - fold i nc re a s e i n t he c ity s i nce 2 0 1 0, de spite Mayor Andy Burnham promising in his electoral m a n i fe sto to e rad icate roug h s le e pi ng by 2 02 0.

L ast weekend, two men, believed to be homele ss, pass ed away on the streets of Manchester city centre.

It i s orga n i s at ion s l i ke t he B o ot h C e nt re that have helped people like Danny to get off the streets and into their own home, working w it h e a c h i n d iv i d u a l t o “d eve l o p a p u r p o s e , b e that employment, education or positive social activities, and to develop friendships which will

Manchester through to final 16 of University Challenge

Photo: Hannah Vallance

support them in rebuilding their lives.”

Danny spent his first night in his new home on Christmas Eve, 2016.

Talking to The Mancunion, Alice Sparks, the director of Invisible Manche ster expanded on their progre ss: “I am completely blown away by how abs olutely fantastic Danny has been and what a remarkable re spons e we have been having.”

“I’m so happy it has finally come together — I never actually envisioned this re spons e, and it all feels very surreal!”

C ost i ng £ 1 0, t he tou rs w i l l b e ava i l a ble on Saturdays at 11am and Sundays at 2pm. All proceeds will go towards funding and expanding the Invisible Manche ster project, and paying Danny for his s ervice. Any profits will als o help to f u n d t h e p u b l i s h i n g o f D a n ny ’s f i r s t p o e t r y b o o k .

Hate Crime Awareness Month: How to report a hate crime

The University of Manchester’s team for the long-running television competition are on their way to winning the programme for a fifth time.

Josh Sandiford News Reporter The University of Manchester is through to the next round of the BBC’s University Challenge after defeating the University of East London on the programme last week.

This year UoM is represented by PhD students Alex Antao, Georgia Lynott, and Joe Hanson. Their team captain is James Ross, a masters student from Coventry. The team has an average age of 26.

The University of Manchester has previously won the competition 4 times and are tied with Magdalen College, Oxford, for the highest Photo: Dan Brickley @Flickr. number of wins. Host Jeremy Paxman referred to them as having a “formidable reputation” in the University Challenge competition.

UoM won the competition in 2006, 2012, 2013, and controversially in 2009 when Corpus Christi, Oxford were disqualified after beating

Manchester in the final.

Ethan Davies Research Information Analyst Stephen Pearson Editor-in-Chief has been organising the University of Manchester team since 1997.

Hate incidents and hate crimes On Wednesday the 7th November, there will be are acts of violence or hostility a session taking place for University of Manchester directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they students who wish are (Citizens’ Advice). Officially, to join the University these must be acts targeted at people Challenge team in 2019. because of a disability, their race or It will be held at the ethnicity, their religion, their sexual Rutherford orientation, or transgender identity.

Lecture Theatre in Furthermore, some police forces the Schuster Building. also record incidents concerning The first stage is age. Greater Manchester Police now comprised of a written recognises alternative sub-culture test made up of 100 hate, which usually targets a person general knowledge for their appearance such as a Punk, questions, followed Emo or Goth after the murder of by a test of speed in Sophie Lancaster which students answer Hate crimes or incidents can questions using a be committed against people or buzzer in University property and acts can range from Challenge format. verbal abuse, harassment, graffiti or University Challenge airs annually and has been displaying discriminatory materials broadcast on the BBC since 1994. Recorded in (known as hate incidents) to criminal Salford, there are typically 37 episodes per season. offences (known as hate crimes). It’s important for people to understand what constitutes as a hate crime or incident and how they

can get support whether as a witness or as a victim.

The Advice Service at the Students’ Union is a Third-Party Reporting Centre for Hate Crimes and Incidents. The service helps individuals who have experienced hate to talk through what has happened to them and supports them in reporting events if they wish to. As the service is a ThirdParty Reporter, individuals have the choice of being named reporters, anonymous reporters or having the Advice Service report on their behalf To better understand hate crimes and incidents as well as how to report and access support the Advice Service is running three “How to Report a Hate Crime” sessions in November as part of Hate Crime Awareness Month. These are on 13th, 20th & 27th November 16:00-17:30. You can book a place on a session by calling the Advice Service on 0161 275 2952, emailing advice.su@manchester.ac.uk, or the event on the SU website.

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Manchester’s Housing Crisis: Is gentrification ripping the soul out of the former Cottonopolis?

Hannah Vallance writes about Manchester’s growing population and significant lack in affordable homes for it’s residents.

Hannah Vallance Contributor Proposals to build a 35-storey tower bloc, dubbed the ‘Flintoff Towers’ by local residents, have been turned down by Manchester councillors after fears it would have a ‘disastrous’ impact on the Castlefield Conservation area.

Originally, the plans split the opinion of councillors by 5-5 in September, forcing it into another round of debate in the following month. Half of the Councillors backed the proposal, arguing it would have a positive impact on the regeneration of the area, which includes the Grade II listed St George’s Church along with various canals and warehouses, characteristic of the traditional Mancunion city-scape.

“Some 80,000 people are currently on Greater Manchester’s social housing waiting list” Put forward by the former England Cricketer Freddie Flintoff, the plans entailed the erection of two high-rise residential blocs, comprising of 374 apartments and further commercial space.

Importantly, the council considered the development exempt from their very own ‘Manchester Core Strategy’, which promises 20% of all new large housing developments in the city to be earmarked for affordable housing schemes.

This was on the basis that accordance with this policy would “undermine the viability” of the project to be completed to the “highest standard.” Instead, the site would support a financial contribution of a mere 5% to the affordable housing scheme.

The Flintoff Towers highlights a growing trend in and around Manchester city centre. Manchester is the fastest growing city in the UK, having increased its population by 19% since 2001, with the city centre population expanding from a mere few thousand in the late 1990s to around 24,000 in 2011.

This is a course that is not expected to cease anytime soon, and the council estimates around 3,000 new homes are required every year to accommodate to this Photo: beano3104@Flickr demand.

Yet despite this, of the 15,000 dwellings granted planning permission over the last two years, none have been considered affordable, according to an investigation by The Guardian. This means that not one of the houses or flats commissioned were open to social rent or offered at 80% of the market, and instead, were all aimed towards those in a financial position to privately rent.

Buy-to-let properties such as these often create temporary residents, not the homes integral to building a community.

In recent years, this has also contributed to an average rent increase of £100 per monthin central Manchester.

Meanwhile, some 80,000 peopleare currently on Greater Manchester’s social housing waiting list. Homelessness is on the rise, with the city centre seeing a sevenfold increasein the number of rough sleepers since 2010 alone. Even those who currently have a home are considered vulnerable, with approximately 1 in 62 households in the former Cottonopolis at risk of repossession or eviction.

So, why is the council failing to address the looming housing crisis and stick to their very own affordable housing

policy? Councillors may have turned down the Flintoff Towers, but this was perhaps more as a result of concerns to the aesthetic landscape, rather than concerns over the lack of social housing.

This is not to suggest gentrification is not an important issue in the area too. In the same committee meeting, councillors also ignored 50 complaints from local residents to give the green light to proposals from Manchester Metropolitan University to construct a 491-bed student accommodation block at the Birley Fields campus, Hulme. Residents branded the plan a “huge monolithic inappropriate structure” as fears were raised the developments would overshadow the local landscape and put a strain on the local community.

Indeed, even just a few days ago Manchester Evening News revealed that social housing was being sold off to private landlordssince it was no longer “economical” for social housing providers to look after them. This included properties in Moss Side, where the housing charity Shelter has warned no-fault evictions to be on the rise.

Students outraged at soaring Vice Chancellors pay Felix Hanif-Banks Contributor New data has revealed that an overwhelming majority of students support all university staff being paid a living wage as well as pay of university Vice Chancellors being lowered.

A survey from the Living Wage Foundation, which polled 1,473 students across the country, found students almost unanimously felt salaries were uneven, with those in leadership positions benefiting massively, almost entirely at the expense of staff such as cleaners, caterers and security.

Vice Chancellors at Russell Group universities now earn an average of £289,910 - almost double the Prime Minister’s salary and four times that of other MPs. The University of Manchester’s 2017 financial report - the most recent available - shows basic pay for Vice Chancellor, Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell, is £260,399. It has increased by 5% since 2013 but was frozen in 2016 and 2017.

According to the report, this salary is 17 times higher than the lowest at £15,420, and seven times the median rate of £35,000.

The figures do not detail her pension benefits, but according to the document all staff receive a contribution worth 18% of their base salary. That would add £46,800 to her package, taking the total to £307,200.

In the report the remuneration committee said: “University is aware of the need to balance the challenging financial climate, the external perception of senior salaries and the university’s ability to pay with the need to recognise the contribution and performance of individuals and retain its best staff.”

Responding to the Mancunion, the university said: “In 2017, the Vice-Chancellor’s pay was £260,399 for a second consecutive year. In August the university implemented the

2018-19 pay increase, of between 2% and 2.7%.

“We are very mindful of concerns about salaries for senior staff and always ensure that the total spend on salary increases is less than the average for staff across the university.”

Some 86% of students polled by the Living Wage Foundation believe Vice Chancellor pay should be lower, with 54% saying it should be cut by as much as a half. However, despite this strong opposition, 58% of students underestimated Vice Chancellor salaries by as much as £90,000.

“Vice Chancellors at Russell Group univerisites now earn... almost double the Prime Minister’s salary” About a third of students supported a cap on Vice Chancellor pay in order to help fund higher salaries for all employees.

Will Ranger, from the University of Manchester Living Wage campaign, said: “Students are shocked to hear that the staff protecting us at night and cleaning our halls aren’t paid enough to cover the cost of living. Vice Chancellors are awarding themselves huge pay rises and spending money to get poorer families into university but failing to pay a real living wage to all staff.”

Tess Lanning, a director at the Living Wage Foundation, said: “Universities are important employers and civic institutions for many towns and cities across the country.

We want universities to show leadership by committing to ensure everyone earns a real Living Wage based on what they need to get by, not just the government minimum.

“Our research shows that students agree. When universities set pay scales for those at the very top of the organisation, the basic test of fairness is whether their cleaning and catering staff earn a wage that they can live on.”

Currently, of the country’s 130 universities, less than a quarter are accredited by the Living Wage Foundation. Its hourly rate is set at £8.75 outside London, and employers who sign up to the campaign must extend that wage to third party contractors.

It is separate to the government’s various minimum wage rates which are enforced by law. These stand at £5.90 for 18 to 20-year-olds, £7.38 for 21 to 24-year-olds, and £7.83 for over 25s.

The £7.83 rate is called the National Living Wage, but has nothing to do with the Living Wage Foundation. The University of Manchester says its own staff are paid £9.04 an hour, but this does not account for contractors.

Locally, the University of Salford and Liverpool’s John Moores University have signed up to the Foundation’s campaign. The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union has also done so, which means it pays the campaign’s rate of £8.75 to all of its workers, a majority of whom are students.

Of the 29 Universities accredited by the Living Wage Foundation, just seven belong to the Russell Group. Its research also found the salaries of Vice Chancellors at Russell Group universities are on average just over £40,000 higher than elsewhere around the country.

Importantly for universities themselves, the survey found a university’s wage policies could have broader financial implications. Over half of students polled answered that they would be more likely to financially contribute to their university if it paid a living wage to all staff.

8 Science & Tech

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Capturing more than just Conservative attention Contributor Luke MacGregor covers last months Conservative Party Conference and it’s discussion about how to combat climate change Luke Macgregor Contributor At last month’s Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Dr John Broderick, a researcher at MACE who works on climate policy, spoke with ministers and MPs to discuss an increased need for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. CCS is the process of catching carbon dioxide released during the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and, as the name suggests, storing it usually underground in depleted oil fields.

This prevents the release of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change. With an expected increase in the consumption of shale and hydrogen gas to meet our energy needs, both of which produce CO2 , CCS would be vital in keeping the Earth’s temperature below the 1.5 degrees Celsius target.

Dr Broderick was part of a team of researchers from Policy@Manchester, an organisation that connects researchers and their findings to policy makers, that attended the conference. There he meet with Claire Perry, the Minister for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, and other MPs where he said, “if hydrogen and shale gas are to be developed at scale, then a carbon capture and storage industry will also be required alongside them to keep within our carbon budget… Time Photo: glennia @ Flickr is of the essence here, as we must make decisions about certain lobby group, or is part of their briefs as ministers. However, the long-term.”

Broderick went on to comment that they often do not fully He then went on to comment that there needs to be much more appreciate the “whole context in which it sits”. He reported that proactive investment by the UK Government in CCS but “we’ve got they often understood science in qualitative forms rather in the to the stage now with climate change its not a matter of picking and numerical and statistical way you’d expect from another scientist; choosing different technologies, if we’re serious about avoiding a politicians often geared their understanding to the “bigger picture 2 degree [rise in average global temperatures from pre-industrial and general direction.” He mused that perhaps this is because levels] we’re going to need all of the different technologies that are they’re used to talking about principles in changing systems such all in the potential it could work stage to move into the we know as health, rather than exact changes. how to scale this stage.”

When discussing the current role of science in British policy When asked about his experience with communicating with making, Dr Broderick rated the process as “excellent”. Currently, politicians in general, somewhat surprisingly, he found, “they when governments suggest a new law, it is scrutinised by a group of could be quite up to speed on a small area of detail” if it affects backbench MPs called a ‘Select Committee.’ The Select Committee their constituencies (often in the forms of jobs), or if it relates to a interviews ministers, those likely to be affected by the bill, and

experts in the field, and it is the role of scientists to advise. He particularly credited the work of the Committee on Climate Change, which advises all government departments, as well as the the Scottish and Welsh governments, on how to best prepare for and limit the effects of climate change.

Such optimism about science-driven policymaking in the UK might be surprising, especially if you look abroad to other countries such as China, where President Xi JinPing has a degree in Chemical Engineering, or in Germany where Chancellor Merkel has a PhD in quantum chemistry, and compare it to the House of Commons where only one MP has a PhD in a science subject (Theresa Coffey, Conservative, in chemistry).

There should be more scientists that enter into politics, Broderick wholeheartedly agreed. While they shouldn’t dominate politics, more scientists would be useful in shaping and framing debates especially as “many of the biggest issues that are facing us have a scientific dimension to them”. Moreover, they would be useful in holding the government accountable, or in setting agendas and leading conversation if they became ministers.

As to how to encourage people with a scientific background to move into politics, it is important that rather than pursuing the path of a career politician, they should instead get a firm background in science first, such as getting a PhD, while getting involved in student politics.

Another route Broderick suggested is through organisations such as Policy@Manchester or through POST and the CCC, where scientists generally advise on policy making and there, once they have a grounding, make the switch to a particular party and be able to decide on policy.

Broderick felt that the barriers preventing scientists from making the switch is the lack of exposure to the need for scientific policy-making. Also, it could possibly be due to the inherent uncertainty that all scientists know is in their work, which makes it difficult to “get up on TV and espouse a particular course of action… you don’t spin your research” he concluded.

A Scientific Take: Has social media been a positive force in news distribution?

Krishan Jethwa Third Year Physics Student

Jacklin Kwan Third Year Physics Student , Science Editor

According to a poll by YouGov, 48% of young people go first to social media to get the news when they are on their smartphones. Because of this, an increasing number of young people are aware of current events, but their opinions could be being manipulated.

Most of us are well-aware of digital profiling that large Silicon Valley companies conduct after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. But profiling is also affecting your news feed too. Facebook uses digital profiles to show you news and opinions you are more likely to agree with and therefore will click on.

Specifically, Facebook analyses the pages and videos you click on using artificial intelligence (AI). Their algorithms pick out keywords and topics in the articles you engage with, to understand what type of content it is. Then it will look at how much you interacted with it, like how much time you spent on it, and feed this into the AI. After you’ve viewed a few instances of content, Facebook starts to profile you based on that set of initial data. This means it knows what sort of posts you are likely to interact with and what sort of posts you tend to scroll past. Then the AI specifically designs your news feed to keep you scrolling for as long as possible, and every time you scroll, it learns even more about you.

This sort of targeted news feed also means the companies enjoy huge ad revenues. Companies will invest massively because Facebook already knows which of its users will be susceptible to a client’s adverts.

This also means your news feed is a cherry-picked basket of opinions you most likely already agree with, videos that you’ll watch (despite the ad breaks), and news articles you’ll tap on.

What this cumulates to is a skewed view on current events. Scrolling through my Facebook feed on the eve of the Brexit referendum, I naively concluded we were safely staying members of the EU. This false sense of security is dangerous in a political climate as volatile as this.

Social media has become the dominant form of news consumption, especially amongst youth demographics. This has not only profoundly shifted how readers interact with current affairs, but what hey interact with in the first place. Under this new model of news distribution, many conventional print outlets have not been adapting well to the digital age.

The diffusion of news on social media is now a key facet of journalism. Many researchers have attempted to study the ‘virality’ of content by modelling it as a complex contagion. It is supported that diffusion is only weakly correlated with who shares the content, so, how influential a sharer is hardly affects the spread of news. Rather the actual content is far more significant. In general, content associated with negative emotions tend to do badly, while subjects associated with art and marketing do well.

Specifically, misinformation spreads quickly in models that consider a personal bias towards current affairs as well as a polarised network of people. This creates an echo chamber effect where poor reporting is not properly punished, and the purpose of sharing news is to validate pre-existing opinions.

These trends that determine both the popularity and economic success of new stories means that there’s a change in how they are produced. News outlets find that they’re being forced to diversify the content they are producing to be more viral-friendly: articles that are short, interactive, and more emotionally easy to digest. Certain outlets have exploited this, creating content to specifically gain ad-revenue, and diverting that profit into less profitable investigation journalism. This dual-sided business model could help support journalism as a profession, which has always been historically underfunded.

However, fake news requires much more external intervention in solving. Stronger civil structures that punish the creation and distribution of misinformation are necessary. Just like real diseases, the spread of fake news needs intervention to be strategically contained and cured.

Against.

For.

Features 9

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Helping the homeless with a home-cooked meal Liv Clarke interviews Gaby Hartfield, the homeless coordinator at the Student Action Group, who reveals how students are putting their cooking skills to good use Liv Clarke Features Editor Even when you are living inside the student bubble, it is difficult not to ignore the problem of homelessness in Manchester. But often we feel that there is not much we can do — maybe give a homeless person some spare change, or buy them a sandwich. Yet truth be told very few students actually do this.

However, there is an easier and more effective way to help, which enables students to get involved with tackling homelessness.

I met up with Gaby Hartfield, a second year Law and Politics student, who is the homeless co-ordinator at the Student Action Group, to discuss the role that students can play in helping people who live on the streets.

Gaby volunteers with the Stockport Food Project, where she looks after a group of ten student volunteers who visit a shelter in Stockport every week, as well as two project leaders. The students take it in turns to attend the

“the aim is for everyone to do everything together, prepare, cook, and eat...we’re all on an equal level” shelter in groups of five each week. Gaby does most of the administrative work, such as interviewing and selecting volunteers, and asking residents what food they’d like, while the project leaders oversee the daily running of the scheme.

Like a lot of students when they first come to Manchester, Gaby was shocked by the scale of the problem of homelessness in the city, and having always wanted to

help others, knew that she had to contribute in some way.

“Back home I worked in a soup kitchen in town, but when I moved to Manchester it became apparent how bad the situation was here, so I found the Student Action Group on the SU website,” Gaby tells me. “The Stockport Food Project was set up last year, and I was the first student leader. It’s been satisfying to see it grow, but the paperwork is hard!”

What is inspiring about the project is how little commitment is required to have such a significant impact. Volunteers only to need to give up one Wednesday afternoon every fortnight. So what does a typical session involve?

“We meet at the SU, having done the food shopping before, with a budget of £30 per session, and we cook for 2530 men. We brief the students about the situation and discuss safety checks,” Gaby explains, “then we get going and get cooking. The residents at the shelter also get involved and help to cook as well.”

This inclusivity is an important part of the project as it brings people together — “what everyone has in common is food, so that encourages everyone to get involved”.

One meal a week may not sound like much, but the actions of these students have a positive impact of the lives of the residents.

“We’re friendly faces, different types of people they can talk to,” Gaby explains. “They loosen up when we get there, they relax and talk to us. We might be a small project but we help with manners and communication skills.”

The Stockport Food Project also gives the residents something which we often take for granted — a sense of family. As Gaby tells me: “They remember you, they’re so excited… it has a homely feel when you’re there. It’s a home-cooked meal, [they say] ‘can you do this, this is what my mum use to do’.”

Each week they cook something different, often being adventurous with what they make, including Mexican and Thai food.

“We always do a main meal and a pudding, and bring enough tea and milk for everyone… we made homemade pizzas before, that was so good.”

The process itself is important too, as Gaby explains,

Louder Than Words Festival: an interview with John Robb Liv Clarke Features Editor Manchester’s musical history certainly leads itself to be the ideal venue for industry related events, with the weekend of the 9th of November seeing the return of Louder Than Words Festival. The three-day festival takes place at the Principal Hotel and will feature panels, performances, and Q and As. I had the opportunity to speak with John Robb, music journalist and co-curator of the event, about what’s in store and why students should get involved.

Louder Than Words examines the relationship between writing and music, not specifically lyrics and song writing, but how the music industry is viewed by the media and how it influences literature. It’s a varied event with people from different backgrounds, united by their passion for music. “Music is essential to the festival,” John tells me, “and people who write about music. But there’s also authors who don’t write about music, they’ll be interviews with writers and musicians and books will be sold at the event”.

There will be something for everyone at the festival with events ranging from contemporary topics to retrospective musings. On the Friday evening radio presenter Gemma Cairney will be in conversation, while on Saturday evening a discussion ‘Do Ravers Dream of Electric Beats’ will be held about the Electric Dance Music scene today. For those who are into

Photo: Jill Adam @ Flickr

Photo: Nancy Rennie

“the aim is for everyone to do everything together, prepare, cook, and eat. Everyone washes up together, we’re all on an equal level”.

The beauty of volunteering is how it benefits both the volunteers and those at the receiving end — “it’s rewarding to see something you’ve worked on be successful, and to help others, but it’s also exciting,” Gaby smiles. “One of the people that we helped recently got a job in catering, so that was very rewarding”.

Volunteering is something that is achievable for students, and not only does it look impressive on your CV, it can give you invaluable transferable skills.

“With Law and Politics you need to be able to communicate with more vulnerable members of society, and volunteering is so easy to do alongside your degree… for one project to have such a large impact with such little hours is worthwhile”.

There are other projects which you can get involved with at the Student Action Group, so there’s no excuse not to get involved.

“It’s really important for everyone to do some volunteering, giving up your time for free can only be a good thing,” Gaby says.

“Student Action are understanding with student life… we don’t do things on Saturday mornings since everyone will be hungover! Balancing work, fun and volunteering is difficult, which is why Student Action is so good”.

Louder Than Words festival returns to Manchester for its sixth year, with panels and Q & As for fans of music and writing alike. Liv Clarke speaks with the festival’s co-curator John Robb about some of its highlights

their visual media, ‘Pin-Ups 1972-82: 10 Years of Classic Posters from The Punk, New Wave and Glam Era’ will look at some of the artwork involved within those periods of music history.

Considering the volume of posters plastered on the walls at university and Fallowfield, this aspect of pop culture is still going strong today.

It’s clear that the festival will be a friendly and welcoming event, John explains that it’s a great place to meet with those who are involved in the industry. “It’s always good to see people who’ve done it all their lives, it’s a varied selection.

You need to know people in order to get work, so it’s an invaluable opportunity to socialise with music and media folks”.

Louder Than Words aims to create a comfortable atmosphere, with no walls between the speakers and the viewers, “it’s im-

“It’s always good to meet with those who’ve done it all their lives...it’s an invaluable opportunnity to socialise with music and media folks” portant for us for people to get on, we introduce them to each other, and getting all the people together in the same space.

[The event] is not too big, you can just hang out, a good space to just spend the day.”

The festival provides an insight into the music business; singer and song writer Guy Pratt will be sharing his stories of working with big names such as Michael Jackson and Madonna, elsewhere photographer Shelia Rock will discuss her documentation of the London punk scene. In a world dominated by social media where musicians can share every aspect of their lives, it’s fascinating to hear the tales of those who worked with legendary names, before a time where you can

Photo: Jill Adam @ Flickr

access all of areas.

This is the sixth year of the festival, its success is thanks to the uniqueness it offers as it unites the spheres of music and writing. “It’s a celebration of words and music,” John describes it perfectly, “it’s intrinsically linked to music, a celebration of the world”. Hosting an event like this in Manchester is important for the city provides a rich musical backdrop, “Manchester has a music focused history, it’s a media city, an international city”, John says. For him, the hotel itself adds to the atmosphere, “The Principal hotel is old school Victoriana, it looks like the hotel from the Shining!”

A key theme if the festival is uniting music fans together, whether they are involved in this industry or not. John is particularly looking forward to interviewing author Ian Rankin on the Sunday afternoon, about his ten favourite albums, “Ian Rankin’s good, so engaged with music. Some people will talk about music inside and out. This year has got the strongest line up of guests. A lot of people are coming out [to the festival], lots of fans of music”.

It sounds like the festival will be full of people all sharing the same passions about music and writing, from all different areas of those respective industries, “Its great stuff, very diverse and interesting,” John sums it up, “A good place to be for the weekend.”

You can find out more about the festival and buy tickets from its website, discounts can be made available for students.

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Opinion

#iweigh myself, and you really should too Sam Brougham Contributor As someone who has always been very body-conscious, felt uncomfortable, and had anxiety within many different social situations due to societal expectations of what is considered healthy and attractive, I have too often felt out of place.

Since discovering the ‘I Weigh’ movement, however, the empowering messages behind the different submitted posts has shifted my thinking process to a more positive one, prioritising the attributes that I weigh about myself.

The ‘I Weigh’ movement started as a form of socio-political resistance to expectations of what a woman’s body should be, as portrayed in magazines, television, and different media in this digital age of hyper-consumerism.

However, ‘I Weigh’ is so much more than body confidence.

It is about life positivity, self-worth, and inter-sectional empowerment. It encompasses so many different aspects of life and the variety of thinks that people should value about themselves besides what they see on the scales.

Spearheading this campaign is actress Jameela Jamil, who has been outspoken on these issues. Through her social media channels she stands to be a role model for others. This can be shown by her own ‘I Weigh’ posts — with empowering dialogues she remains transparent with her followers, especially around airbrushing, and the choice to not have makeup to cover up stretch marks on her breasts on TV. This honesty is sadly very rare amongst similar celebrity figures.

The reclaiming of the word ‘weigh’ is such an important triumph. It helps to break down the negative connotations of weight (or #f*ckingkg, as they like to refer to it

on the page) to a more favourable, positive word that promotes happiness and empowerment. It allows Instagram users to have a safe space to express what they love about themselves, promoting good mental, and physical wellbeing.

The movement has gained traction recently with a following of 193,000 and thousands of submitted posts from people declaring what they weigh about themselves. This would benefit both students and the wider community of Manchester, especially following the claims in the report by Time to Change that three-quarters of people in the North West suffer from mental health issues alone. In these particularly harsh political climates, empowerment and self-love is critical for everyone.

Whether you decide to submit a post to ‘I Weigh’ or not, it is still important to consider what you weigh, to yourself, to others, and what you value. So the next time someone asks you how much you weigh, remember it’s not numerical.

Follow the ‘I Weigh’ movement at their Instagram: @I_Weigh.

The #iweigh movement is about encouraging positivity about life not just body image, crucial in the current climate of mental health, writes Sam Brougham

Pho to: P ix

abay @Pe xels

Why students should have access to drug testing kits Leah Marlow compares the differing actions of Buckinghamshire University and the University of Manchester in response to the NUS report revealing the prevalence of recreational use of drugs at Universities Leah Marlow Contributor The National Union of Students (NUS), whose vision is to “fight barriers to education, empower students to shape both a quality learning experience and the world around them, supporting influential, democratic, and well-resourced students’ unions”, are finding it harder and harder to ignore the growing prevalence of recreational drug use. The prominence of drug usage in university culture is undeniable, with a recent NUS report stating that over 50% of students have tried illegal drugs, and 2 in 5 students take drugs regularly.

These findings have prompted a significant number of universities to consider introducing drug testing kits, including the University of Manchester Students’ Union. Manchester has also welcomed organisations such as ‘The Loop’, a non-profit organisation who attend festivals and club nights across the UK, including The Warehouse Project, providing drug safety testing, welfare and harm reduction awareness. This is a major step forward — having access to drug testing kits will educate students on what they’re taking and how to take it safely.

The approach previously adopted by other univerPhoto: frolicsomepl @ Pixabay

sities has been more centred around stricter methods of prohibition and enforcement. Namely, Buckinghamshire University, which announced earlier this year that students would be required to sign a contract pledging to refrain from taking illegal substances whilst studying there.

With NUS research showing that many students use drugs as means of coping with mental health issues and stress, it is unlikely that enforcing rigid rules in order to create a ‘drug-free campus’ is going to solve these issues and benefit students. On the contrary, it is likely to exacerbate them. The introduction of a ‘drug-free’ pledge seems unrealistic – why would such a contract have any more salience to students than the government law against recreational drugs already in place?

With the NUS advocating harm reduction, students will be able to make informed choices regarding drug usage and if they decide, can consume substances safely. It is virtually impossible to ban drugs outright, but it is possible to ensure that young people can make educated decisions which will lower the risks of drug related casualties.

University of Manchester students can obtain drug testing kits for £2.50 from the Students’ Union Advice Service.

Opinion 11

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

I have as much chance of ending austerity as this budget Hammond’s pledges are just more Tory policies which benefit only the richest in society, argues Matthew Gold Matthew Gold Contributor Philip Hammond de cla re d in the late st budget, with a smug look on h is face, that austerity “is fin ally com ing to a n end” . If you will believe th at, the n do le t me te ll you about s ome m ag ic be a n s I w i sh to s ell to you . Th is budge t doe s not end austerity in any s e n s e. T h re e q u a rters of all cuts from 20 15 re m a in gove rnme nt policy, and there a re still £ 4 billion wort h of cuts le f t to come accord ing to the Institute for Fis cal Stud ie s. S o le t’s drop any pretence th at it is the ca s e.

I f one is to critically a n a lys e the s e pledge s, however, it b e come s appa rent they are not all they m ay first appea r. E sp ecially whe n H a m mond’s conde s cending tone i s ta ke n into account — granting s chools “ little extra s” l i ke “a cou ple of wh iteboa rd s or laptop computers”.

It i s plain to s ee th at the C on s e rvative s are doing s ometh ing wrong with our pu blic healthcare syste m . T he pledged sp end ing of £ 20 billion ove r the next rough ly fou r years ac tu a lly re pres e nts a lower th an average inc re a s e in fundi ng over the lifetime of the NH S, accord ing to the IFS’ re spon s e.

O n top of th at, rece nt re por ts h ave i ndicated th at for the first time s ince the 1980s, th is was the ye a r in wh ich ave rage UK life exp ec ta ncy h a s n’ t r is e n .

S hockingly, the slowdown of life expe cta ncy growth started the first ye a r a fte r the coalition took of fice.

The Un iversal Cred it spe nd ing is pe r-

h aps the one p os it ive ste p m ade w it h i n the budge t , prov ide d you are w i l l i ng to acce pt t h at we are go i ng to h ave to de al with wh at h as al re ady b e e n a s h am b ol ic switch to t he new b e ne f it s syste m .

Howeve r, it i s st i l l u nde r f u nde d , s low a nd h a s b e e n t he re su lt of con s ide rable in fig hting i n t he Con s e r vat ive p ar ty. T he a n nou nce me nt for more f u nd i ng was as much a s any t h i ng a move to app e as e t he few Tor y b ack b e nche rs who care d t h at the ir pa r ty h ad b e e n d i re c t ly bl ame d for th rowing more p e ople i nto p ove r ty.

The f i n al p ar t of t he budge t pu z zle is the ta x c ut s. A b out £ 2 .7 bi l l ion of t ax c uts to b e pre c i s e. In t he prom i s e d e nd of au ster ity, we s hou ld al l s e e s ome more money i n ou r p o cke t s, r ig ht?

We ll app are nt ly most ly i f you’ re su p e r rich : ove r h al f of al l t ax c ut s w i l l go to the top 1 0% of e ar ne rs alone s ays t he Re s olution Fou nd at ion . T he u neve nne s s of t he t ax c ut s s hows t he app al l i ng m a n ne r i n wh ich H am mond w i l l t h row c ru m bs to t hos e at t he b ot tom of t he ladde r wh i l st put t i ng more money i nto the pocke t s of t he r ich .

Once you lo ok i n de t ai l at t h i s budge t, you can s e e it s t r ue n atu re. T he re are m i l l ion s of p e ople re lying on fo o d b an ks i n UK . You wou ld h ave thoug ht t h at w it h t he app are nt £ 2.7 billion wor t h of money t he t re asu r y wis he s to g ive away, t hey wou ld h ave put more of t h at i nto s olv i ng t he d ai ly c ris e s that t he s e p e ople face. Wit h ide olog y a nd s hor t- s ig hte d ne s s at eve r y t u r n , the budge t was an al l to o pre d ic t able d is appo i nt me nt .

Photo: Raul Mee @ Flickr

Colonial nostalgia is rife, so why aren’t we addressing it?

Hannah Vallance argues Corbyn’s pledge to change the way the British Empire is remembered and taught is fundamental in order to understand Britain’s place in the world today Hannah Vallance Contributor

Photo: Willem van de Velde II @ Creative Commons

I am a H i stor y and Pol it ics st ude nt . I’ve chos en, i n fac t , I’ve p aid £ 9,000 a ye ar, for t he opp or t unity to con s ide r h i stor y f rom t he le s s he ard p e rsp ect ive of t hos e b eyond t he We ste r n re al m . S o it caught my at te nt ion whe n L ab ou r le ade r Je re my Cor by n arg ue d t h at s cho olch i ld re n s hou ld b e t aug ht a b out t he “role and legacy” of t he B r it i s h E mpi re, colonis at ion , and s l ave r y. “B l ack h i stor y i s B r it i s h h i story” he r ig ht ly st re s s e d , ple dg i ng to e n h ance te aching of t he topic i n t he n at ion al c u r r ic u lu m .

In re sp on s e to t h i s, t he gove r n me nt s aid s cho ols t aug ht a “ bro ad and b al ance d c u r r ic u lu m .” Even in a S t at utor y G u id ance re p or t w r it te n by t he D ep a rtme nt of E ducat ion , it st re s s e d t h at “a h ig h- q u a lity h i stor y e ducat ion w i l l he lp pu pi l s gai n a coherent k nowle dge and u nde rst and i ng of B r it ai n’s p ast a nd t h at of t he w ide r world . ” T h i s i s cor re c t — s o why is it t h at whe n I re f le c t on my ex p e r ie nce of h i story at s cho ol , a l arge prop or t ion of t h i s s e e m s to have b e e n om it te d?

W h i l st T he Vic tor i an s, t he Tudors, t he H i story of Me d ic i ne, and t he Naz i s we re al l con s ide re d p aramou nt to u nde rst and i ng t he p ast , t he hor rors of t he B r it i s h E mpi re — t he conce nt rat ion camp s i n B o e r, t he A m r it s ar M as s ac re and t he M au Mau u pr i s i ng — we re al l re l at ive ly ab s e nt .Take t he BBC ’s on l i ne re s ou rce s for s e cond ar y s cho ol te ache rs as an example. A p age t it le d ‘ wh at L egacy h as t he B r it i s h E mpi re le f t b e h i nd?’ cl ai m s t h at “t he E mpire broug ht blo o d and su f fe r i ng to m i l l ion s — but it a ls o broug ht rai lways, ro ad s, and e ducat ion”. Cle arly ig norance i s not to b e bl ame d on t he i nd iv idu al, it is

to b e bla med on t he G overnment .

It wa s only f ive yea rs ago t hat t he former E ducat ion S ecret a ry Michael G ove wa s forced to redra f t his prop osa ls for a b orderline nat iona list ic history curriculum follow ing s evere crit icism t hat it focus ed exclus ively on white Brit ish history.

The glorif icat ion of term s such a s “Brit a in a nd her E mpire” a nd “t he Hept a rchy” (which re fers to t he Anglo Sa xon kingdom s of E ngla nd f rom t he 5t h to t he 10 t h cent urie s) led t he former director of t he Brit is h Mus eum to wa rn t hat Britons us ed history to “com fort us a nd m a ke st ronger”. S o, why do we st ill t hink it ’s accept a ble to gloss over t he horrors of t he Brit is h E mpire?

It only t a ke s a q uick gla nce at t he current p olit ica l s it uat ion in t he UK to s ee t he da ngerous rep ercus sions of t his rem inis cent glorif icat ion of Brit ish history. Brex iteers idolis ed s overeignty in s eeking to re-inst ate Brit a in’s p os it ion in t he world. The Windrus h s ca nda l a ls o highlighted t he w illingne s s of t he government to gloss over t he da m age of t he colonia l era . Even There s a May’s late st v is it to Af rica echo ed t he p aterna list ic rhetoric of t he E mpire.

Brit a in ha s a lways b een a nat ion t hat ha s capit a lis ed on t he v ulnera ble st ate of ot hers. L e st we forget , t he E mpire wa s built on t he b acks of t he m illions t hat died a s a re sult of t he b a rb a rous regime.

A comprehens ive underst a nding of t his is a b s o lutely p a ra mount to recognis ing glo b a l ineq ua lity a nd p overty to day, e sp ecia lly a s Brit a in cont inue s to ex plo it t he s e issue s, em b edding t he more subt le p at terns of neo -colonia lism w it h t he help of t he re st of t he We stern world. Teaching everyone t he legacie s of colonia lis m is crucia l to overcom ing t he role it cont inue s to play to day.

12 Societies

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

In conversation with: People and Planet Chloe Hatton Societies Editor Sophie Marriott is a third year History and Economics student who, besides being Head Opinion Editor for The Mancunion, is also an integral part of one of the university’s greenest societies, People and Planet. I met up with her to chat about their latest work.

Sophie initially got involved with People and Planet in her first year of university, after spying them at the freshers’ fair. She quickly got stuck in and is now an active member of their campaigns, as well as being their Publicity Officer.

So, who are People and Planet? They’re a group of like-minded individuals concerned with both national and local issues to do with sustainability, falling under an umbrella organisation that has various branches at universities all over the country.

“The great thing about this,” Sophie explains, “is that this allows each university’s organisation to target the issues they find the most important”. There are no set areas, and so each uni-

“We’re very open at People and Planet, so come along to our meetings and see what we do” versity’s People and Planet will have different campaigns based on the problems that their area is currently facing.

For Manchester, this area is fossil fuel investment. According to a Freedom of Information request by the Mancunion, the university has around £7m invested in fossil fuel companies like BP, Shell and Exxon Mobil. People and Planet think this really needs to change.

Fossil Free is a national movement that they’re supporting, which encourages divestment from fossil fuel companies by businesses and institutions, and urges them to reinvest their money in something much more sustainable and ethical. Stu-

Chloe Hatton sat down to chat with People and Planet’s Sophie Marriott about all things environment

dent-led organisations at universities such as King’s College London, Liverpool, and Loughborough have persuaded their institutions to divest, most notably at King’s, where students took part in a two-week hunger strike to help their cause.

So far, Sophie says, The University of Manchester has not been particularly supportive of the divestment movement. Despite having said they will review their investment portfolio, so far little effort has been made to actually divest from these businesses, which may be because their portfolio is so large that it will take some time to change. One of the ways that People and Planet are attempting to help the university divest is to show them that their financial investors (us students) don’t think that fossil fuels are a good choice of investment for our money.

To this end, People and Planet have organised a Fossil Free Shindig (FFS) on the 21st of NovemPhoto: The Mancunion ber. This is the national day of action for fossil fuel divestment, with the overarching theme ‘Time’s Up’. of the People and Planet agenda are the FRED (friendly earth It’s going to be a very relaxed festival-style day, which aims to celdiscussion) talks. These cover subjects ranging from eco-fashion ebrate the support for a fossil free university and the possibilities to eating sustainably, and are guaranteed to be both informative this could bring. If this isn’t enough to convince you, it will also and good fun. be full of lots of treats like vegan food and free plants, as well as “We’re very open at People and Planet, so come along to our performances from music and spoken word artists. Members of meetings and see what we do. If you’re worried about the time other organisations like Friends of the Earth, Frack Free and the commitment, it’s not too demanding. In the meantime, give us a MMU Sustainability Team will also be there for you to chat to. follow on our Instagram!”

“We’re trying to work with the university on this. Manchester Looking ahead, People and Planet have several other camis always seen as a city that’s so forward-thinking and dynamic, paigns that they’re currently involved in, including lobbying the and it’s really disappointing that the university can’t claim to be Students’ Union to put more food waste bins around campus, and part of this legacy whilst supporting an industry like fossil fuels,” trying to get the university to be totally free of single use plastics.

Sophie continues. “They also have a responsibility to represent They’re currently also working with the Activities Officer, Lizzie the views of the students who invest in them. We’ve been so imHoughton, to set up a Waste Free shop in the SU, which will also pressed by the level of student engagement so far, and we’d love help raise awareness about lifestyle choices and waste. everyone to come along and get involved.”

Waste is a key theme for People and Planet, and they’re also If you’d like to get involved in a more permanent way than atlooking at connecting local food banks and charities so that lefttending FFS, you can join the society, for free. There’s a Facebook over food from mixers and events doesn’t go straight in the bin. group online, and regular socials at the pub so you can have a Instead, it’ll go to those that need it most. chat with the team. Weekly meetings are also organised to talk “Universities are supposed to be institutions that benefit about current and future campaigns, and one of the highlights society. We’re hoping that we can lead by example.”

Robogals bridge gap for women in STEM Ellie Martin chats to Robogals about the importance of helping girls in STEM and why you should get involved in a CV-boosting, exciting project like theirs Ellie Martin Contributor The number of non-male students entering the STEM world is still much much lower than desirable, but this week I spoke to a society that is try to change that! Robogals is a global student-led society that organises science and technology workshops for children across five continents.

They have two main aims. Firstly, Robogals strives to promote engineering and related fields through their robotics workshops. Secondly, it bridges the gender gap in STEM by providing both young girls and boys with opportunities to engage with the associated disciplines in practice and realise that choosing to become a brilliant engineer, for instance, is not a matter of gender.

Their mission is based around an inter-sectional feminist approach, and, as the name may not fully suggest, workshops are delivered to all genders, rather than just girls. In Manchester, Robogals target girl-only schools in particular, but excluding boys would be contrary to their mission, so when possible they have mixed workshops as well as girls-only ones. Robogals is about encouraging children to think critically about gender and career, and deliver the message that ability is not gendered. This is as important for boys to understand as it is for girls.

Workshops are delivered by both male and female students depending on their availability for that particular date rather than gender. They also provide examples of female engineers and other STEM-related professions, both within the university and the wider industry. The international organisation has a global target for the number of girls taught, which is kept in mind to make sure the team in Manchester reach girls especially, whilst educating across all genders and ages.

It’s not just female students that they encourage, but they have a specific focus on girls coming from minority ethnic groups. When asked how they think the low percentage of women from these background affects the industry, Robogals responded that improper representation in any industry can have damaging effects on the creativity and yield of that particular industry, as well as on the society as certain undesirable trends can multiply. Whilst they don’t target BME students specifically, they endeavour to be as inclusive as possible and thus reach more historically disadvantaged groups implicitly.

Robogals’ efforts are certainly not going to waste. Only last year they organised an event with 760 participants in one day at the Museum of Science and Industry. In other workshops over the course of last year they taught a total of 464 children, of which 295 were girls. They also trained 422 adults. They partnered with three giant companies and reached a total of 29,158 unique daily users. Workshops are fun, challenging, and get great messages across in an applied way.

Robogals have worked with some really interesting companies, most notably Google for their Google Digital Garage. Former president Otilia Vintu headed up the project; the workshop conducted there, which she named “How To Train Your Robot” was facilitated by her and other volunteers and received great feedback. Consequently, they were invited by Google Garage to continue with other workshops. Robogals also have other opportunities internally, like an annual convention, and management roles for the organisation internationally.

Robogals also works with a private education company which recruits every year exclusively from their flanks of volunteers as the type of work they do prepares volunteers for the companies opportunities. Clearly, joining Robogals is a brilliant opportunity to make a great difference in the community, as well as being a very good addition to your CV. It’s a great way to demonstrate your interest in the tech industry, but also in man-

agement and in social issues. Due to their demonstrable impact and global reach, not only do you have access to a vast network within Robogals, but you can also confidently approach big companies, having had experience working with the likes of Google and Apple. They work with a recruitment agency that provides them with new openings exclusively for Robogals volunteers.

Students from every discipline can get involved. The current committee has students from Politics, Anthropology, Law, and Management, as well as Physics and Engineering. Anyone interested in technology, science, education or gender equal-

“Robogals is about encouraging children to think critically about gender and career, and deliver the message that ability is not gendered” ity should get involved — either as teachers or organisers and negotiators.

Robogals claim that they are really flexible in terms of time commitment. Some of their volunteers come for just one workshop a year and others nearly every time. Others are part of the committee and have more responsibility. This year, they are looking to expand the committee from the current number to add more positions as they also plan on taking on more ambitious projects without expecting more than a couple of hours of commitment every week.

For those interested to apply for committee positions or simply to join as a volunteer for a workshop, regardless of whether you have volunteered with them before, contact the society on their Facebook page, Robogals Manchester, before November the 20th.

Photo: Robogals

PUT YOURSELF FIRST This Wellbeing Week, try to forget about assignment deadlines and reading lists.

Put yourself first (for once) with pop-up events and activities at the Students’ Union.

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Inside Culture

Live Peterloo Overstory Reviews: 16 review:20 Review: 24

AI paints a Picture: 25

November Style must-haves: 26

The Manc Cafe Crawl: 27

CULTURE Photo: Andy Witchger @ Flickr

THE

Live Reviews.

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ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

Puma Blue Puma Blue LIVE Calvin Vantsis

Photo: Calvin Vantsis @ Mancunion

9/10

Puma Blue returns to Manchester to deliver a spell-binding performance in anticipation of his upcoming EP release, ‘Blood Loss’ writes Calvin Vantsis

With stellar support provided by Birmingham’s Chartreuse and South London’s Sunken, the bar was set high before Puma Blue hit the stage. The infectious rhythm from the prior two acts was a sign of things to come, with all three bands showcasing symptoms of the new wave of fusion jazz music seeping out of the United Kingdom.

After a prolonged silence, the lights in the one-month-old, YES Manchester’s Pink Room dimmed as the band took to the stage, and the newly released track used to tease the group’s forthcoming Blood Loss EP, ‘as-is’, began to fill the speakers — the crowd eagerly gathered closer. Spearheaded by singer-songwriter Jacob Allen, the five-piece seamlessly transitioned into the slow dance ambience of ‘Want Me’, one of their earliest releases, with Allen’s renowned soft-spoken vocals resting easily on the band’s tight-knit backing.

As the final note faded out, Ellis Dupuy, the adept percussionist behind the skins who set the pace throughout the show, switched to the drum pad as the lo-fi hip-hop style production of ‘Soft Porn’ trickled in. This, as well as other releases like ‘Lil Lude’, proves the range of influences Allen draws from when crafting his sounds; names such as Slum Village and J Dilla spring to mind.

Jasmine Bennett takes a trip to see singer-songwriter Tom Odell fill the Manchester O2 Apollo with piano-led ballads When Tom Odell strolled onto the O2 Apollo stage in a slick green suit, trademark blond mop glistening under the stage lights, I have to confess I wasn’t expecting much.

King of the John Lewis advert, I’d originally arranged to see him with my godmother. Wine downed and accompanied by one of my friends — not a 40-year-old woman — I was prepared for something pleasant but admittedly dull. What I actually received was a testament to the power of individual showmanship.

Tom Odell launched into the concert with new track ‘Jubilee Road’, filling the venue with his trademark vocals. The piano-backed tune combined with Odell’s lyrics soared through the crowd. While not the most exciting in the world, it was definitely good, and the audience greeted it with rapturous applause.

Heavy instrumental interludes involved Odell strutting across the stage, hopping atop the piano and dancing wildly to the music. For someone with such sad sounds, his ability to play the rock star role was remarkable. The standing crowd seemed enamoured by him, and it was hard not to feel his power even in seating. He joked and cackled with hecklers before returning to his piano to discuss the single ‘You’re Gonna Break My Heart Tonight’.

He launched into a spiel about the tune, describing it as about “a taxi and there’s a suitcase next to the taxi and someone’s leaving and that’s the kind of scene.” The result was something quite special. Haunting vocals lingered in the crowd, discussing the hardships of masculinity and relationships all set to a well-performed

Drifting through the set, Allen effortlessly crooned his popular ballads, such as ‘(She’s) Just A Phase’, ‘Moon Undah Water’, and the newest addition to his discography, ‘Midnight Blue’.

Regularly switching up his vocal tone and pitch to suit the mood whilst saxophone riffs floated tenderly over the bass line, Allen paused to check on how the crowd were doing, and display his love for the city due to his mother’s roots here.

During the hour-long set, unreleased gems such as ‘Lust’ and ‘Limbo Lake’ were also performed, highlighting the inspiration Allen receives from the nature of water which sparked energy in the crowd. The band’s strong cohesiveness successfully heightened tension in the tracks, forcing everyone in the room to groove heavily when the drums kicked back in. If the new songs were to serve as a taster for his upcoming EP, then we were in for a treat.

With a string of fantastic releases, and a band as flexible as Allen’s that will produce live performances to blow anyone away, fan or not, it’s clear to see how London-based Puma Blue is steadily ascending in popularity — and deservedly so. The new EP, Blood Loss, will be out November 2nd on Blue Flowers Music.

Tom Odell

saxophone and piano backing.

When he shifted into ‘Can’t Pretend’, we were treated to pounding keys lit by flashing strobes, all accompanied by those intense vocals Odell is so well known for. A surprisingly energetic performance, Odell threw himself into the song with astounding talent and range. In a similar manner, fan favourite ‘Hold Me’ involved Odell leaping down to the barrier to engage with legions of fans waiting for him with arms outstretched. The crowd yelled the lyrics back to him and it’s surprising just how enthusiastic the entire affair was. He showed his pianist talent with a brief but remarkably beautiful cover of ‘Fur Elise’ followed by the beginning of ‘Imagine’

by John Lennon, both showcasing his ability to switch from upbeat to melancholy with ease.

It was then that he played his most well-known song by miles. ‘Another Love’ was played softly — just Odell, his piano and his voice. It was beautiful. Astounding vocals — while expected – really did shine with their power. There was something special about an artist who could enrapture an audience so well with such simplicity and ease.

The encore finished with track ‘Magnetised’ which was performed to a backdrop of a city lit in neon and sunset.

In this, we experienced Odell’s desire to story-tell. Finishing the concert, the crowd seemed wrapped up in the world that Tom Odell has created, full of heartbreak and vulnerability.

Gentle tunes, excellent showmanship, and well-played piano were combined to create a night that left fans magnetised themselves.

Tom Odell LIVE Jasmine Bennett

Photo: Olivia Blinn @ Mancunion

7/10

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

IDLES

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IDLES are without a doubt, the most important band of the current music industry writes Editor Olivia White

IDLES LIVE Olivia White

10/10 Photo: Olivia White @ Mancunion

As IDLES’ fervent frontman Joe Talbot arrived on stage of the O2 Ritz, fans beckoned his name. Deep red strobe lighting illustrated his stocky form and emphasised his soul-reading stare coupled with his confident disposition.

Moments later, the whole tone of the room switched as the remaining four members strode and took to their corners. Fans lurched forward, screaming till their lungs burnt, all with the eery backdrop that is the opening drum beat of ‘Colossus’.

Joe delivers his sermon with his right arm stretched forward, welcoming his following.

“Forgive me, father, I have sinned, I’ve drained my body full of pins…” and as the turbulent trio of Joe, Mark, and Lee all surged forward to match their entrance into the second half of the song, the crowd were already surfing, shoes were flying, and limbs were soaring.

IDLES persisted this erratic energy that resounded off every crevasse and essence of being within the packed 1,500-capacity venue. Despite IDLES’ growth in popularity, the rise in capacity did not seem to faze them an ounce.

Bowen’s shape fluttered across the stage with an authentically feminine swagger, playing to Lee’s feverish guitar strumming and his upper

body that rocked back and forth at a sickening rate. Comically, whenever I glanced at Joe he’d either be mockingly playing the air guitar with his wrist tightly pressed against his chest, pointing to his “favourite scouse fan” or catapulting his spit up in the air.

Preaching ideas surrounding self-love, fragile masculinity, and a plea for social change, the Bristol-born band are known for pushing against the mainstream media. Their lyrics are used to challenge problematic phrases with this being particularly clear in the song ‘Samaritans’. “‘grow some balls’ he said” and “Man up, Sit Down, Chin Up, Pipe Down”, were used in juxtaposition to a yelling of “I kissed a boy and I liked it” as Joe relentlessly pumped the air with 3 fans already going over the barrier.

This really hammers home the genuine stupidity surrounding social standards regarding how men are not supposed to show any emotions or any kind of fragility. In fact, IDLES laugh in the face of it.

With a setlist consisting of the vast majority of their revolutionary second album Joy and featuring iconic Brutalism songs such as ‘Mother’, ‘Divide & Conquer’, ‘Heel/Heal’, and ‘Well Done’, IDLES honestly couldn’t have had a bet-

World famous indie rock band alt-J came to Manchester on Sunday night as part of their current tour supporting their newest album REDUXER and honestly, it was one of the best performances that I have ever been to in my entire life.

After arriving at the beautiful Bridgewater Hall (one of Manchester’s most stunning venues) and taking our seats, mere minutes before alt-J were set to perform, the fire alarm went off, prompting an unexpected setback to the show.

Nervously, we waited outside for the building to be assessed and to be let back in, but by the time we were back in our seats and the lights went down I knew this was going to be incredible regardless.

After apologising for the delay, the band confidently stepped on stage. The steady intro of ‘Something Good’ began and the hanging strips of LED lights placed evenly between the trio twinkled in time as they swept the whole of the audience into an entrancing set of live music. Believe me when I say that this was an absolutely beautiful piece of art and stage design, and the whole setlist flowed effortlessly between songs.

The transitions allowed fans to anticipate some old favourites whilst seamlessly intertwining their new releases enabled alt-J to put on a show far more exciting than any time I have seen them live before.

‘Every Other Freckle’ was played in a sea of dark, pink smokey light, with flashing strobes emphasising the build-up and bathing the audi-

ence in a sea of colour. The band were positioned perfectly so that the lights surrounding them shone on to the crowd, leaving the guys on stage to appear like mysterious silhouettes amongst the smoke. ‘Hunger of the Pine’ was particularly beautiful, with red lighting looking like shooting fireworks set off in sync with the song. ‘Tessellate’ was gorgeous, complemented by dreamy blue and white beams of light. Although it might sound odd that I am discussing the colours of their performance so heavily, they were entirely integral to the show. Each track had a different aesthetic, one that I could only imagine as alt-J’s own visualisation of what their individual songs embodied — it was ridiculously immersive.

Despite the delay to start, the band still performed an encore, finally ending the set with one of their most well-known songs: ‘Breezeblocks’. For this, the whole audience was on their feet dancing and singing along to the words “Please don’t go, please don’t go- I love you so, I love you so” over and over as if that was the only thing in the world that mattered.

In one final display of vibrancy, Bridgewater Hall was bathed in the colour yellow for their final song to match the mood of everyone in that venue: pure elation.

If there’s one thing I hope you take from reading this it is to go and see alt-J live as soon as you possibly can — they will blow your mind.

ter setlist. Although, I would have quite liked to hear Joe sing ‘June’.

“HAAAA”, “HAAA”, “HAAAAAA” were the constant expressions made by Joe as he leant into his audience and clutched at the barrier whilst security were desperately trying to keep him in sight.

‘Divide & Conquer’ was an out of body experience, as Joe’s strained and echoing vocals penetrated down the back of my spine prompting the hairs on the back of my neck to stand.

A fan favourite ‘Never Fight A Man with A Perm’, although having a less serious vibe possessed the same relentless vitality as a wall of fans shouting “concrete and leather”. This noise fought the instruments and invaded the stage where even the drummer, Jon and bassist, Dev appeared utterly elated by the crowd’s fervour.

Let’s put it this way, I’ve been to a lot of gigs and this was by far one of the best. Even though it’s clear IDLES are growing in popularity, I don’t seem to mind. If it means more people are supporting such ideas and sheer desire for love and acceptance, that’s fine with me.

IDLES are the most important band of this decade.

alt-J

Photo: Alex Wain @ Mancunion

Seeing alt-J live at The Bridgewater Hall felt like a spiritual experience - completely breathtaking and utterly mesmerising, writes contributor Alex Wain alt-J LIVE Alex Wain

10/10

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ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Music

In Conversation with: Peach Fuzz Peach Fuzz Elena Bradley

7.5/10

Elena Bradley catches up with upcoming Peach Fuzz who are freshly picked and buzzing with promise as their tour with The Vryll Society ends on a high On October 16th, the Liverpool-based Peach Fuzz supported their scouse psych-pop predecessors, The Vryll Society, in their five-night UK tour, making their Manchester debut in the beloved Soup Kitchen. The fivepiece, struggling to pin themselves to one genre, lightheartedly settled on “psych-pop and rock’n’roll”, which is evident in their dreamy, synth-backed sound that underpins most of their songs.

Interviewing frontman Nat and lead guitarist (also writing partner) Danny left me curious. In a post-modern world of recycled creativity and innovation droughts, I was sceptical, questioning whether yet another rendition of “Psych-pop” with an edgy, theatrical front-man would be anything to get excited about — but I was pleasantly surprised.

Speaking to the two revealed a wealth of experience in the Liverpool music scene, with both previously playing in multiple projects before this newest pursuit; they admitted, though, that this had “grown legs” and harboured “more momentum, more quickly” than anything they’d worked on previously.

When asked where the band had pulled most of its musical influences from, Nat praised psych contemporaries “like Pond and Tame Impala” amongst others like “Unknown Mortal Orchestra and The War on Drugs”. Whilst admiring their sound and wanting to create something with a “similar production to Pond’s ‘The Weather’”, the two also recognised the need to also cultivate something with their own spin and individuality to remain exciting.

My first listening experience of Peach Fuzz came from their recently released first video, ‘Destroy the Evidence’ released by Skeleton Key Records (with help from Liverpool Artist Amy Cadwallader) showcasing their dreamy, pop style in all its glory.

Although catchy, the boy’s joked that their choice over this being the first debut video was dictated by “the boss” and perhaps this is evident in the way that their presence seemed slightly unassuming and lacking compared to their live performance which was completely the opposite.

Their set exceeded my expectations and made clear that, whilst Peach Fuzz may resemble something that you’ve seen or heard before, they are definitely worth a trip to see them perform and definitely worth keeping an eye on in the coming years.

Despite only having 8 songs in their repertoire, they range fully in a way that keeps their sound anything but ‘samey’, the prime example being ‘Molten Poly Rock’ a song that Danny described as “a heavy metal nursery rhyme” which was a refreshing interlude for an audience primed exclusively for Vryll Society’s synonymous psychedelic haze-pop.

Soup Kitchen was a perfect venue for Peach Fuzz’s 25-minute set. The intimacy of the venue amplified Nat’s affinity for front-man theatrics, which he admitted were probably “sub-conscious” references to the front-men he’d grown up admiring, “Bolan, Bowie and Iggy Pop.” Interestingly, with these subconscious renditions, he also made clear that he was “More than a sum of my (his) influences, with some clear individuality in there too.”

These theatrics were most apparent in ‘Softie’ (a ballad commenting on the stigma surrounding male mental health) which blinkered the audience to Nat’s emotion and movement throughout. The rest of the band, comprising of two brothers Danny on lead guitar and Phil on drums, with ‘Toppo’ on bass and Tom on Synth remain somewhat timid in comparison to Nat. Although they are definitely not timid in their musical skill, which arguably allows Nat’s front-man antics to shine as the musical backing is on point.

Whilst for many new-coming bands a full tour may have been daunting, the Peach Fuzz boys’ previous experience under other aliases aided them for their first full tour with the Vryll Society, remarking that the tour was “a blast, getting better with each night!”.

Future plans for Peach Fuzz include supporting Clean Cut Kid in their November tour and hopefully following this, the recording of an album. All in all, a band to certainly keep your eye on.

HMLTD

This week’s Hot Right Now feature covers one of the industry’s most unique bands, HMLTD writes Olivia White Happy Meal Limited or Hate Music Last Time Delete?

HMLTD, a London-born sextet of glam, rock, punk, and pop merge together to produce some of the most exciting and experimental music that you could find in the current industry.

Embellished with the most garish, bold and sometimes even creepy costumes, HMLTD are totally unique in their stage presence. Henry Spychalski, the band’s flamboyant frontman, is one of the most dramatic performers I have ever laid eyes on, certainly similar to the likes of Adam Ant. With an absolutely fascinating image, HMLTD draw influences from Satan, sex, love and nightmarish figurines to produce a bizarre concoction of seductive beats and compelling lyricism. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like a HMLTD live set.

Albeit, some of their songs e.g. ‘Stained’ and ‘Kinkaku-Ji’ can come across abrasive on the studio versions and the rest may leave you questioning what on earth you have got yourself into, I still urge you to see them live.

Fans of HMLTD are exactly how you would picture them – everybody is welcome. Every age, race, sexuality, religion is welcome here because the caricatures that form HMLTD are constantly striving to push every social boundary and limit.

HMLTD live performances may leave you awkwardly laughing out of slight discomfort but will definitely leave the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end.

Songs to listen to: ‘Proxy Love’, ‘Is this what you wanted?’, ‘Music!’ and ‘Satan, Luella & I’ Upcoming tour dates: Supporting Shame* O2 Ritz Manchester (22ndNov) and Leeds Uni Stylus (20thNov).

Hot Right Now Photo: Olivia White, Flames Photo: XoMEoX @ Flickr, Peach Photo: schoithramani @ PixaBay

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ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Games

I spent two hours with a pro gaming coach: here’s what happened

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With companies like GamerSensei and eCoaches making waves in news by offering paid games coaches, Jeremy Bijl sat down with a coach to find out what it’s really like though the speed of his building was quite Harry started off his life as a competbewildering in comparison to mine, he made itive gamer by cutting his teeth on Call sure I didn’t feel he was judging my abilof Duty game battles before moving on to ity (or lack thereof), and explained this CS:GO, then PUBG semi-professionally, bewas an important part of his role as a tufore turning professional with Fortnite, at tor. which point he became a professional coach.

“A large part of what I do is about “I went professional with EIG,” said making feel people feel comfortable. EspeHarry. “It’s a fairly new team funded by cially the kids, they can be quite nervous Moussa Sissoko and a few other professional footballers.” He mentioned Thomas Lemar, and a Sunderland player who he couldn’t quite recall. “It’s becoming quite common,” he commented, “a lot of them are invested in eSports.”

Whilst this conversation was taking place, Harry and I had entered a duos match so he could assess my skill level. He took me through some of the basics: where to land to avoid an early death, how much material I should pick up (he suggested a princely 2000), what loadout to carry (a pump Photo: BagoGames@Flickr shotgun/SMG switch), and emphasised the importance of coming into it and it’s up to me to build a getting to natural high ground as early as rapport and make them feel comfortable.” possible.

“You’d go and play football as a kid and Once we left the safety of the factopretend to be Steven Gerrard or someone; ry we had landed in, I started to feel the these kids are looking up to Ninja nowaheat of entering my fi rst ever crossplay days, so I think that comes into it. When lobby complete with PC players, and was they’re playing with a pro gamer, there summarily sniped. Harry won the game at a might be a few nerves because of that becanter, before telling me a little more cause they’re playing with someone who does about how he structured his sessions. their dream job.”

“In a normal lesson (ours was condensed due to our limited time), we’d just play duos for the fi rst hour. In the later sessions, that’s where we’d start looking at mechanics in playgrounds.”

Without further ado, we moved to playgrounds (a custom lobby without any enemies and with enhanced material pickups) to work on a few defensive build strategies. Harry emphasised the importance of building once The link between professional sports, again. eSports and coaching became increasing“Fortnite is one of a kind. There’s nevly apposite as our conversation continer been a shooter like it, so players come ued. Indeed, for someone who professed to from something like Call of Duty, and if not following football because “it was they were to get shot at, their fi rst reachard supporting Ipswich,” he admitted, “It tion is turn around and shoot back.” (pro gaming) is a lot closer to mainstream “We want to change your mindset from sports than I thought. Since I started turn and shoot, to turn and build; we want actually being a pro gamer, I’ve realised to build fi rst and shoot later.” how close to sports it actually is: you’re After we worked on some more building training daily, and the contract you sign techniques, such as how to build effectiveif another team wants to buy me I’ve got a ly while rushing and the 1x1 edit out onto buyout fee, and negotiation windows at the double stairs, I asked Harry what kind of end of my contract.” tutees he tended to get, fronting my quesHarry drew a few comparisons between tion with the suggestion that the vast matraining with EIG and the routine of a projority were primarily a younger audience. fessional athlete, speaking in particular There’s no average student,” said Harry. about his own team psychologist, a member “I’ve coached a lot of younger kids that of the EIG coaching staff. are just trying to improve and get better “He’ll say, ‘you need to try and keep a than their friends; I’ve coached teenaggood sleeping pattern’, and will tell us ers just looking to improve; I’ve coached the importance of getting up and working adults. I’ve also coached semi-pros who are out before you start gaming is, how imlooking to take it that next level further portant your break times are. He says it’s and take it pro.” really important to get your blood pumping “I don’t think gamers have a typical age before you game, otherwise you’ll be nogroup, and the people I coach are just typwhere near as effective.” ical gamers. There’s no ‘vast majority’.”

Harry revealed that this was something As we continued to work on the fl uency he tried to impart onto his students, sugof my building and I started to erect some gesting the idea that eCoaching wasn’t alsemi-decent, semi-fast ramps, Harry reways just about what happens in-game. mained encouraging about my potential. Even

‘We want to change your mindset from turn and shoot, to turn and build; we want to build first and shoot later.’

“You need to have a balance of everything you do in life, especially gaming more than other things. I like to keep a balance; I need to go out and socialise, go to the gym, take breaks, get away from screens.”

“It’s very important to teach people the importance of having a balanced life and staying active and healthy, making sure you don’t sit in front of a computer screen in a virtual world all day.”

“Especially the semi-pros that are looking to go pro, I always tell them that it’s important to be active and healthy because if you don’t have a healthy body and mind you won’t be as effective in the game, which is stuff I’ve learned from the team psychologist at EIG.” Harry, who modestly understated his otherworldly profi ciency at building to being down purely to “hours and hours” put in, was keen to promote the need of practice alongside games coaching. As Harry put it, “Learning how to perform these moves properly really accelerates your growth and ability to play the game.” He repeatedly told me a lot of learning this was about “muscle memory,” in programming your mind to work in synchrony with your fi ngers.

“A few people you coach do hit a wall, and can’t really progress further. To counter that, when I’m coaching people, we might do a two hour session, run over some things, leave it a week or two, and then come back to it once they’ve practiced in the game.”

It made sense, too. Whilst I now knew exactly how to maximise my building effi ciency, my speed was still way off, a fact demonstrated by Harry’s obliteration of my time over the ‘editing obstacle course’, on which he outpaced me by 25 seconds to my 1 minute 35 seconds.

Again, this reinforced the sense that eCoaching was much closer to its grassbased variants than I had previously realised. I began to realise that what Harry was trying to instill in me was not just foundational maneuvers, but a desire to practice, to work at my game, and to test his strategies in real life situations: “Because it’s so competitive, it’s not like learning the piano. It’s a multiplayer game; you’re against an opponent.

Learning the piano, you’re just facing yourself; you can always progress. With games that are competitive, you’re always playing against someone else.”

What emerged, ultimately, was really quite surprising. It started - quite bizarrely - with Moussa Sissoko, of all people, and trickled through Steven Gerrard and sports psychologists right the way down into the lesson. What I left my two hour lesson with Harry Darwin with was the sense that the terms ‘professional gaming’ and ‘professional eSports coaching’ were not misnomers at all. Rather, they are accurate summaries that encapsulate an industry that is growing exponentially, year on year, to resemble their sporting counter parts.

Photos (triangle,square,circle, ‘X’) : Tkgd2007@WikimediaCommons

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ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Film

Review: The Hate U Give The Hate U Give explores contemporary themes in race in America, featuring an outstanding performance by Amandla Sternberg

If this year’s BlackKklansman served as a solid artistic insight into the roots of modern-day racism, then George Tillman Jr’s The Hate U Give makes for a fantastic following piece about the current state of American racial tensions.

Told with gut-wrenching authenticity from the perspective of Starr — a black teenage girl who is caught dead in the centre of community conflict when she witnesses the unjust police shooting of her friend Khalil — Tillman’s film proves intelligent, thought-provoking, and one of the best movies about racism ever made.

Taking centre-stage of the story is Starr herself, played in an immaculate powerhouse of a performance by Amandla Stenberg. Stenberg goes above and beyond the usual expectations placed on younger actors to deliver the strong emotions facing Starr as she endures the trauma of not only her best friend dying, but also the pressure of testifying in court, and the resulting conflict at home. She spends much of the film caught between two worlds: a middle-class, majority white private school and her hometown of an urban black inner-city.

Stenberg, helped by Audrey Wells’ fantastic script, does a brilliant job of portraying this.

In many ways, Starr is a perfect modern young female icon. She’s kind (but has her limits), intelligent, hard working, finds time to let her hair down and, above all as the film progresses, is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in.

First Watch: Once Upon a Time in the West The return of Once Upon a Time in the West is for the betterment of cinema, writes Harry Peate

Photo of cowboy boot: svgsilh.com Photo of pistol: Clker-Free-Vector-Images @ Pixabay Photo of cowboy hat: OpenClipart-Vectors @ Pixabay

All of the supporting cast is also on top form, with big names such as Anthony Mackie and Common taking the back seat with quieter roles.

However, it’s their working with Wells’ script that helps deliver the film’s strongest element: its depiction of modern racism, which carries a particular brutal realism purely for how quiet it is.

The racism portrayed in The Hate U Give is

Photo: Gage Skidmore @ Flickr

not screaming the N-word or always direct, but instead displayed through the societal privileges of some groups over others, and the passivity of demeaning attitudes held by people within those groups.

A powerful opening scene in which Starr’s father holds a meeting with his family to explain how to survive being pulled over by the police, is an event so far removed from what

Sergio Leone’s magnum opus Once Upon a Time in the West captivates the senses in every minute of its run time with deep characters, a perfect score, and some of the coolest dialogue in the business.

The film has returned to the big screen for the Design Manchester Festival’s sixth year, and is prefaced with a unique introduction by festival co-founder Malcolm Garrett.

This 1968 movie is epic in proportion but, broadly speaking, centres on the joining of forces of a mysterious harmonica player (Charles Bronson) and a notorious desperado (Jason Robards), in order to protect the most beautiful of widows (Claudia Cardinale) from the most fiendish of foes (Henry Fonda).

The acting provided by this all-star cast is effective in providing the nuanced characters necessary to maintain an audience’s attention for the nearly three hour run time.

Indeed, each ‘book’ displays more by the end of the narrative than their ‘cover’ — even the clichéd appearances of the beautiful widow or grizzled gunslinger give way to more tenderness or fighting respectively, than Leone originally had you believe.

Fonda does however prevail in his promise of a cold and calculating killer that carves up Leone’s hot and hostile setting, leaving misery and the seeds of revenge in his wake. Claudia Cardinale perhaps shines brighter still by providing a figure who, while is walked over by the opposite sex, still manages to be a dominatrix of dialogue with a barbed

any of her white classmates can even imagine having to experience.

The Hate U Give doesn’t shy away from an uncomfortable look at the ways in which modern racism manifests.

These range from news coverage of Khalil’s murder — which seems more focused on the criminal history of the victim, sympathising with the officer responsible than with assessing the crime itself — to ignorant comments made by Starr’s friends including a particularly uncomfortable moment when they stage a school walkout for Khalil purely so they can skip class.

All of this ties directly into the film’s title, taken from the first half of Tupac’s famous quote: “thug life: The Hate U Give Little Infants F***s Everybody,” which is summarised at the end of the movie’s climax through one of the most evocative images I’ve seen in a film this year.

If I were to critique the film at all, I’d only say its use of voiceover narration is somewhat unnecessary at times, and while the ending isn’t bad it ties just about everything up into a nice neat package, which was disappointing given the more nuanced, thoughtful tone they’d achieved up to that point.

But, The Hate U Give remains a perfectly-cast and expertly-crafted piece on modern racism that proves essential viewing, and one of this year’s best films.

Carl Fitzgerald Contributor

4/5

tongue in defiance before any grizzled gunslinger, which helps her to win the viewers heart.

Despite all this, however, Once Upon a Time in the West would hardly stand out from the crowd of 60s spaghetti westerns without the union of Leone’s purposeful cinematography and Ennio Morricone’s perfect score.

These pillars of the experience work together in a symbiosis seldom seen on the silver screen. Leone champions the power of the gaze to direct the flow of action on screen while Morricone’s tones control the tension and atmosphere surrounding every situation.

Long drawn-out stare downs are slow and deliberate, with simple close-ups leaving plenty of room for mournful harmonics and highpitched strings. This use of music begins as almost a way of portraying the calculating thoughts in each character’s head, then as the pace quickens it builds suspense for the inevitable and regrettable actions.

The score is seldom interrupted by anything other than the hard-hitting gunshots that perforate the film, turning Morricone’s masterful sounds into the living embodiment of the characters’ feelings and sensations before all is cut short with a trigger.

Overall, Once Upon a Time in the West is a well-deserved staple of the western canon that belongs nowhere but the big screen where the captivating characters and score can truly shine.

Harry Peate Contributor

4.5/5

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Film

Review: Daredevil season 3 - a show without fear Marvel’s most successful foray into the streaming world comes in the form Harry Peate of the comic book adaptation of Daredevil, the man without fear

Contributor

Marvel’s most successful foray into the streaming world comes in the form of the comic book adaptation of Daredevil, the man without fear, who upholds the high standard of realism and gleeful brutality established back in 2015’s season one.

Episode one opens with Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox) and the supporting cast reeling from the events of The Defenders, a Netflix mini-series created in 2017. It starts showing Matt Murdoch, who has barely survived the destruction of a building around him while his friends try to move on from his apparent death.

The series progresses with Murdoch’s return to health and his life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen just in time to combat the malicious rise of an old foe, Wilson Fisk (aka the Kingpin) and his new implement of chaos, Agent Poindexter – aka Bullseye.

As a superhero show, Daredevil will naturally live or die by the quality of the fight choreography, something clear in the poorly received and poorly choreographed Marvel series Iron Fist. Thankfully, the martial arts on display in season 3 even surpasses the excellence in previous seasons.

Most notable is another old-school style one-shot corridor fight in episode 4 that has become a welcome theme of the Marvel Netflix shows. It surpasses all expectations with what seems like a solid fifteen-minute, unbroken shot through a prison as the blind lawyer

Review: Peterloo

bloodies his fists and wrings information out of inmates. Such an achievement by director Alex Lopez should be commended as an equal to similar efforts seen in Children of Men and Goodfellas.

Bullseye also provides a new dynamic to the action of the series. His laser accuracy with any nearby object forces Daredevil to close

Photo: Marvel Studio Netflix @wikimedia Commons

the gap or suffer the ‘pen piercing’ results reminiscent of a Bourne scene.

One of the series’ highlights is a sequence in episode 5 dedicated to the characters’ disturbed past. It is displayed cinematically in black and white, with all notable events recreated in Fisk’s penthouse as he walks through them. Here the ambition of the show pays off by successfully exploring Bullseye’s psychotic beginnings through recordings of therapy sessions.

It is also an incredibly entertaining way of fleshing out one of the main villains, show-

21 4/5

ing his depth, tender side, and barely hidden psychosis without the need for a Machiavellian monologue.

Other characters get a similarly in-depth treatment to great effect. Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Daredevil’s friend and occasional love interest, finally gets a backstory to lift the fog of intrigue that had surrounded her nature in past seasons. The lovable Foggy Nelson returns as a more legal foil to Fisk’s plans and best friend to Matt, though while his role as comic relief is welcome, it does reveal an unfortunate shortcoming in the writing of the series.

The benefit of being a later season shows as writers can spend more time fleshing out minor characters. These include an FBI agent who unknowingly facilitates Fisk’s dastardly plans, who in a lesser superhero show would be one dimensional and without exceptional motivational.

So, it is clear Daredevil season 3 can surpass all other comic book shows at their own game, with better action, villains, and character development. Yet it also brings a unique theme to the table — following Matt Murdoch’s struggle with his faith adds a new dynamic that deeply humanises his struggle. Coupled with the grizzled street-level gangster warfare, this transforms the show into something near a small screen effort by Martin Scorsese.

Peterloo will be released on the 9th of November, and gives tribute to The Peterloo Massacre of 1918.

Pujita Yadava Contributor

Peterloo is based on the Peterloo massacre — one of the bloodiest events in British history that took place in Manchester on the 16th of August 1819.

Director Mike Leigh is renowned for making historical dramas with a sense of reality.

Peterloo is an emotional tribute to the massacre and Leigh, raised in Salford, does it justice by bringing to light the tribulations of ordinary men. With the massacre’s imminent 200 years anniversary, there could not have been a better time to highlight the importance of the event. It raised a nationwide outcry exposing the government’s patronage and insensitive approach to people’s lives and gradually inspired the working class to unite to have a voice.

The film starts with the end of the Napoleonic wars. As Parliament unanimously approves a massive financial gift to the Duke of Wellington for his victory over Napoleon Bonaparte, we see the darker side of those in power, with wages being halved and no action to counter the increase in unemployment of the working class.

Frustrated by enduring poverty and lack of suffrage following the Napoleonic Wars, people start gathering in meetings to discuss reforms and the need for representation of working men along with the propertied classes. More

3/5

extremist views come from the younger generations who ignite emotions to slowly build up support. Female reform societies had also sprung up by then across the North-West, calling for women to participate in the rally.

At every one of these gatherings, the menacing Deputy Chief Constable Nadin (Victor McGuire) eavesdrops in plain view, and it strained me to see how the brute is obviously placed into the background, without anyone noticing him glowering at them. He is one of the many ears to the Home Secretary, Mr Addington, who plays the most pivotal part in orchestrating a response to these agitations.

The main speaker, Henry Hunt, believes the government must be changed “peacefully if we may, forcibly if we must” but does not incite his audiences to violent rebellion. Upon invitation to lead the rally, he arrives in Manchester dressed in his trademark white top hat. Hunt is revered by a 60,000-strong crowd gathered at St Peter’s Field to demand political reform.

Reaching this point after two hours of talking, scheming, and preparations on the moors for the march, along with a clash of characters as to how to organise the procession leaves you a little anxious for the end.

This is a testament to the film, with so much surrounding the chaos of organising such a

Photo: HOME

march, you still feel a direct connection to the characters as the film comes to a close.

The crows are dressed in their best with their wives and children, expecting speeches and a good day out, a day of innocence for them.

What they were not anticipating was violence, carried out by troops sent in to disperse them. The troops are drinking in local taverns, fired up, ready to unleash themselves.

The authorities overlooking the rally fear the worst and call upon the troops. They storm the crowd, killing and injuring their own civilians.

The rushed climax of the film emulates the unexpected events of that day, but it did leave me questioning if such a climax was appropriate. The reporters gathered at the site are reminded of Waterloo and a local reporter coins the event Peterloo, a brutal equivalent.

The film is immersive with strong performances but somewhere it misses the punch required for the commercial appeal.

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ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Film

Review: Halloween tobias Soar Film Editor

5/5

This Halloween film isn’t like the other sequels to the 1978 original: it’s good

A brutal tale of trauma and revenge with a visual as well as psychological. Carpenter sprinkle of nostalgia, David Gordon Green’s brings back the original score and twists it Halloween is a fantastic sequel to the 1978 ever so slightly, amping up the bass frequenoriginal. Believable performances, perfect cies and upping the highs. The balance between cinematography and a hard-hitting score by the soundtracked horror and dead silence is perone and only John Carpenter (alongside his son, Cody Carpenter) make the 11th film in the series a sequel that finally breaks the curse of terrible Halloween follow-ups.

Green’s entry in the Halloween series serves as a direct sequel to the original, taking place 40 years after it, ignoring the existence of the other critically-panned films. The main focus of the story is on Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and her daughter’s family, particularly focusing on the repercussions of trauma on generations of victims.

Since the first film, Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) has made studying the killer, Michael Myers, his life’s work. He wants to understand why Myers kills – a question which has driven the mystery behind the whole series. The Shape, a masked figure, Photo: Gage Skidmore @ Flickr is portrayed as a mute, inhuman which Photo of Pumpkin: Clker-Free-Vector-Images @ Pixabay simply kills. Not for enjoyment, not for fect, allowing for sequences to overwhelm the revenge, but because he is simply born to do viewer or put them on edge when needed. so which is a fascinating horror that Green’s Halloween gets perfectly right.

Most of the story occurs in the dead of The feeling of dread and paranoia is audionight or in dark interiors, the use of light-

ing throughout the film along with stark contrasts make everything visible, a feat which many modern horror films cannot get right.

Flashing lights from police cars add to the confusion, strobing the eyes of the audience.

Acute Dutch angles, where the camera has been rotated, further push the feeling of dread while the framing of characters is intentionally off-centre making the viewer constantly check over the subject’s shoulders. Some sequences are visual carbon copies of the original Halloween, satisfying fan’s need for nostalgia without being too obvious.

Another decision I appreciated is the use of gore. Some kills are shown on camera in all their bloody glory while others are not shown except the stomach-churning aftermaths. The special effects and makeup are frighteningly real, making the slasher’s horrors believable.

Well-written, perfectly shot and paced, a powerful soundtrack, a satisfying story arc and a surprisingly fitting comedic scene in the middle of it all make Halloween on par with the original.

Great horror lives on, let’s hope it learns from Laurie Strode and keeps fighting for its life.

Halloween is in cinemas everywhere.

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween Goosebumps 2 has been released following the success Madeleine Peden of the first, but doesn’t seem worth the wait Contributor

Photo: vagueonthehow@ Wikimedia Commons

triloquist dummy as he was the source of many genuine nightmares for me following his television debut back in 1999. This quickly disintegrated into boredom (and yet more boredom) once he did eventually make his first film appearance.

The premise of the film was weak; two middle schoolers, Sonny and Sam, along with Sonny’s sister Sarah, save the town in the wake of Slappy’s vengeful quest for a ‘Halloween family’ — the only actual reference to Halloween in the whole film. Weaker still were the particularly poor puns that were more frequent than actual plot points. Even the comedic styling of SNL’s Wendi McLendon-Covey as Sonny and Sarah’s mother struggled to overcome the terrible script and storyline.

The kids seemed relatively unphased by the ‘horrors’ of Slappy’s retribution unfolding

around them. On the one hand, this could be an ode to the unphasable nature of generation Y who’ve had Wi-Fi access since they were in the womb. More likely, however, this lack of reaction was probably down to a sheer lack of acting ability. A similar struggle could be seen in the performances of potentially the least threatening schoolyard bullies of all time.

An awkward cameo from Jack Black reprising his role as R.L Stine did not help matters. His fleeting and unnecessary appearance exuded a strong sense that he was just there to fulfil a contractual obligation his lawyers were unable to get him out of.

Admittedly, this film is aimed at kids, but I can confidently assume that even the sugar high, following a weeklong ‘trick or treating’ session, would fail to help them see past the shoddy script, senseless storyline, and relatively naff special effects.

Reviews.

Where to begin? Even at a somewhat short running time of only one hour and forty minutes, this film was a struggle to get through. The sequel to a not too shabby first feature, this film failed to cash in on the nineties nostalgia that was gifted to it by the Goosebumps books and television series.

Initially, I was thrilled and terrified to see the return of Slappy the Ven-

1/5

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Books

Review.

‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers

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Bayley Cornfield reviews ‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers, a work of ecofiction that was shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize

Just a few weeks ago, the world’s leading climate scientists announced that mankind has just twelve years left to limit the irreversible impact of climate change on our planet. Sparking conversation across the globe, the news has, for most, awoken a desire for change. But in order to ignite this change, perhaps we should first look back and ask ourselves: how did we get here? This is the question addressed in The Overstory, the latest novel by established American author, Richard Powers.

Shortlisted for The Man Booker Prize this year, The Overstory is incredibly ambitious.

Its timeline spans generations, intricately weaving together the lives of nine individuals whose profound, and often devastating connection to trees, forms a grand narrative with nature at the heart of its understory.

In Powers’ America, disease and deforestation have been allowed humans to destroy the natural landscape for decades. Until, as the novel nears the turn of the century, his diverse cast are brought together by eccentric student Olivia Vandergriff and scientist Patricia Westerford, to save what remains of the ancient forests.

Powers is no stranger to formal experimentation, and I found that his use of other books, poetry, philosophical interjections, and even illustrations, enriched the narrative layers at work. The book seems to always be doing two things at once. When reading about a character in the present, its lucid prose transports you years into their future and back again in a matter of lines. Powers’ style captivates with its raw portrayal of human experience, whilst instilling an acute awareness of the trees whispering: “Listen.

There’s something you need to hear”.

Illuminating the parallels between the natural world and the increasingly technological human world, however, is not always so elegantly done. There are occasions where the use of botanical jargon becomes a little tedious, and the mechanical descriptions throughout tech-god Neelay Mehta’s narrative are jarring at first, taking some getting used to. Despite this, the beauty of the metaphor is not yet lost on Powers. Vietnam veteran Douglas Pavlicek falls from a tree down to Earth a “winged seed”, and Chinese-American engineer Mimi Ma’s understanding of “The Refuge Tree” is transformed after her journey into environmental activism. The contrast

Photo: Madagascar Deforestation by Cunningchrisw @ Wikimedi-

between activism and ignorance, so relevant in today’s political climate, is explored throughout the novel.

Each of the characters we come to know suffer tragic losses or have life-changing encounters, which serve either to bring them closer to, or push them away from, nature.

Some lose their parents, freedom, or a sense of identity, causing them to abandon a childhood intrigue with the world around them.

Others are brought back to life, literally and figuratively, by “the presences”, enlightened to the fact that life is about something so much bigger than themselves.

Powers allows these experiences to shape each character’s relationship with the environment. An artist joins others in peaceful protest, only to face the same institutionalised violence that the news refuses to report today. A sceptical psychology major who wants to study the minds of “tree huggers”, is converted after interviewing the illusive Watchman and Maidenhead. The book sympathises with many human rights issues that our society is currently facing whilst placing the self-absorbed aloofness of humanity under the microscope.

At times, I found myself frustrated at certain characters’ development. I had hoped that Neelay would maintain his innocent belief in possibility, and become a central figure in the battle against deforestation.

And the poignantly portrayed breakdown of Ray and Dorothy Brinkman’s marriage demanded most of their arc, making them difficult to place within the ecology of the novel.

But Powers’ inability to shy away from harsh and unforgiving reality, is just one of the things that makes The Overstory so powerful.

Accidents happen and relationships crumble.

We find ourselves on the brink of breakthrough before life steps in and tells us, against our better judgement: “you are not ready yet”. Neelay and the Brinkmans’ delayed epiphanies are only made more rewarding, in the end.

The Overstory is a novel about connection, about understanding, about seeing the world outside of ourselves, not just our place within it. Through his eclectic style and rich characterisation, Powers tells us all how even “the best arguments in the world won’t change a person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story”.

Obituary:

Photo: Barnard College Archives @

Ntozake Shange Gurnaik Johal reports on the death of Ntozake Shange, writer of the aclaimed play, ‘For Colored Girls’ and discusses her continuing impact on literature On the 27th October, acclaimed poet and playwright Ntozake Shange died at the age of 70.

Her breakout play, or as Shange called it “choreopoem”, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf has inspired generations of artists of colour. It was controversial in showing the nuances and struggles of being a black woman in America. Her experiments with language were trailblazing; her scattered verse had more in common with jazz scatting than with what was deemed serious theatre. To paraphrase one of her poem titles, her “pen [was] a machete”.

For Coloured Girls has been studied as a feminist masterpiece. Through its 20 monologues set to music, Shange dissected the intersections between racist and sexual violence.

She was a prolific writer, publishing 19 collections of poetry, six novels, five children’s books and three essay collections. She was still writing up to the moment of her death.

She said in an interview that she “write[s] for young girls of colour, for girls who don’t even exist yet,

so that there is something for them when they arrive”.

The two-time Pulitzer prize winning writer Lynne Nottage said that Shange “spoke to a generation of young women who didn’t feel invited into a theatre space, who suddenly saw representation of themselves in a very honest way, and understood that they could occupy that space for the first time.”

Her influence is widespread, she will be remembered and celebrated through her work but also through the work of writers she inspired. Every time you hear someone say a phrase like “black girl magic”, Shange’s legacy lives on. She wrote extensively about “black girl magic” and in one of my favourite poems of hers, My Father Is a Retired Magician, she writes that “everythin i do is magic these days”.

She put issues around racism and sexism centre stage, she created a space for artists of colour to perform and paved the way for a new generation of writers. By writing about suffering, she reclaimed control over her circumstances and spread a message of positivity. In her words, “you gonna love it/ bein colored/ all yr life”.

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ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Theatre

Review: Salt

Sam Mcelhattan reviews ‘Salt’ at HOME as part of the Orbit Festival 2018 Selina Thompson’s one-woman show ‘Salt’ was a breath-taking depiction of what it feels like to be a Black British woman in the 21st century. It was exactly what I needed to see, although I didn’t know it at the time.

Thompson recalled her physical and emotional journey from her experience embarking on a pilgrimage, roughly tracing the Triangular Trade. This was to explore Black British identity and its origins in imperialism, corruption, and abuse. She also explored her own identity through traveling to her birthplace and her adoptive parents’ birthplace.

Thompson’s insightful and beautifully poetic writing, outlined the repressive social structures in place that affect black individuals every day. She expressed her anger, frustration, worries, and joy at being Black and British. Stories of the derogatory language she faced while traveling on a boat, people asking where she’s ‘really from’, and the scrutiny she endures passing through airport security painted an incredibly telling picture

Photo: Ashley Karrell

Photo: The Other Richard

of her life. I believe that is very commendable that Thompson didn’t fall into the trap of simply shouting about her problems, and not actually achieve anything, other than possibly a bit of sympathy. By creating a more rounded representation, Thompson provided the audience with a more meaningful understanding of her experiences.

Thompson’s magnetic stage presence allowed me to very easily connect to her story. She used humour very effectively to highlight both the absurdities of the situations she faces as a Black British woman, and her individuality – that she is more than just her ethnicity. With every word spoken, her emotions were crystal clear.

It was obvious that she was performing for us, as much as for herself. This was made apparent when she checked an audience member was okay after they left and re-entered, and by greeting every audience member afterwards and giving each a piece of salt rock as a memento. Thompson worked hard to create an inclu-

Review:

Windows of Displacement Scarlett Gorman reviews ‘Windows of Displacement’ at HOME, as part of the Orbit Festival 2018

sive atmosphere and it paid off – I was deeply moved by this piece My only real criticism is that ‘Salt’ was a very passionate and angry piece, and I think, at times, Thompson’s movement and physicality did not manage to keep up with it. There was however one moment that was beautifully synchronised: Thompson laid chunks of salt rock in a line on the floor and smashed each one with a sledgehammer when referencing a different stage in a structure of corruption and abuse, from capitalism to women. With each smash and every step of her explanation, the salt was left as nothing more than dust by the end. This was a high-energy, powerful visual metaphor for the destruction this structure causes.

I believe watching Selina Thompson’s ‘Salt’ should be compulsory. I found it eye-opening, empowering and touching. I have never leapt to my feet as quickly as when Thompson came on for her curtain call.

‘Windows of Displacement’ was a breathtaking and powerful exploration of personal identity through the mediums of dance, spoken word, song, and physical theatre. A solo performance by Akeim Toussaint Buck, this show managed to capture the attention of the audience through the entirety of the 55 minute performance.

The performance fluctuated between an extremely performative, intense tone, and a chatty casual one, where Toussaint Buck would have light-hearted conversation and jokes with members of the audience. This change in tone was often a gradual transition, as Toussaint Buck utilised the involvement of audiences in a call and response style. Teaching the audience some of the lyrics to a traditional Jamaican folk song ‘Guh Dung a Manuel Road’ created a camaraderie between the performer and his spectators. This was then taken to the next level when the audience were asked to find someone in the room whom they did not know and take a picture with them, making everyone in the room feel comfortable.

This was extremely important, as Windows of Displacement is a show that discusses and explores a number of very serious social issues.

As an autobiographically sourced solo piece, the performance explored the socio-economic and historical politics of being someone of Jamaican ancestry living in the UK. Looking back at the atrocious years of slavery, whilst addressing the modern day slavery of the Congo, the audience were given hard facts – but due to the occasion-

al breaks in the performance where Toussaint Buck chatted with the audience, it wasn’t hard to take in. Instead, there was a desire to learn more about the information that was being provided to you.

The physical aspects of the performance were visually stunning, with not a single beat missed. The beauty of the movements created almost a trance effect on the audience, keeping them still and silent as the performance progressed. This was juxtaposed by the laughter that ensued when the lights would come up for Toussaint Buck’s sporadic casual dialogue with the audience.

For a performance about such deep-rooted and serious societal issues, care for an audience can often be at the back of a performers mind. However, ‘Windows of Displacement’ created such a safe environment for its audience, as Toussaint Buck kept bringing everything he said back to a message of hope. A phrase that particularly stuck out to me was “be a mother to another”. Although the performance reminded and informed me of so many atrocities of the world, I felt, more than anything, inspired.

Leaving us with the quote “you being here is a part of our activism”, Toussaint Buck not only put on a stunning performance, but left the audience feeling inspired and hopeful in this time of societal dissonance. I urge anyone to see this show if possible, as although ‘Windows of Displacement’ has finished its run in Manchester, it will be performed around the UK for November of 2018.

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Arts Art and Artificial Intelligence: The Portrait of Edmond de Belamy

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Krishan Jethwa examines the debate surrounding the relationship between Art and Artificial Intelligence Last week, the ‘Portrait of Edmond de Belamy’ sold for a huge $432,500 at Christie’s, over 40 times the amount it was initially valued at. The work seems unusual for the steep price paid and has a very unique style that makes it seem almost unfinished. The portrait is off centre on the canvas, and in the bottom right corner, there is an unusual signature.

Rather than an artists initials or name, there is a mathematical equation inscribed.

This is because the artwork was not designed by humans. It was designed by a piece of artificial intelligence (AI) called a ‘generative adversarial network’ or GAN. Artificial intelligence uses a type of program which ‘learns’ to solve a problem. This means it can produce new pieces of art based on analysing existing ones.

The concept of a GAN is that you use a ‘Generator’ program to scan thousands of portraits. Using the information and patterns it has learned, it attempts to make similar portraits. Then another program – the Discriminator - tries to spot the difference between the original portraits and the copies made by the Generator. If the Discriminator can tell which portraits the Generator created, then they are discarded. The Generator will then try again to make similar portraits to fool the Discrim-

Photo: ‘Obvious’

inator. Eventually, the Generator makes convincing enough portraits that the Discriminator cannot tell the difference. These are the portraits output by the program.

The work has been created by the French art group ‘Obvious’, using a GAN. The question of how much credit can be given to ‘Obvious’, however, is controversial. As well as this ethical conundrum, the amount of code they actually wrote themselves to create the piece is also debatable.

‘Obvious’ has admitted to using an open

source code created by someone else, borrowing a component of Robbie Barrat’s algorithm.

Barrat is a recent high school graduate who shared his algorithms on GitHub, a computer-code hosting website.

Because the code is open source, anyone is allowed to read, use and make changes to his code. ‘Obvious’ have used this to their advantage, as there are even comments on GitHub where a member of ‘Obvious’ is asking Barrat to edit his code. ‘Obvious’ argue that although they are using Barrat’s algorithm, there is a lot of effort put into ‘making it work’. But what that entails is ambiguous at best.

The AI art community is also quick to point out that there is nothing particularly special or creative about ‘Obvious’’ pieces. Mario Klingemann, a Germany based AI artist, says it’s something that “everybody can do. You can clone [copy] this code from GitHub, start your computer and start doing it.”

This new form of artwork has dubbed ‘GANism’ – named after the type of AI used to create it - and will have an interesting future.

Regardless of the work’s true author and the creativity of the group, the huge price paid for this work is a big step for the realm of AI art.

A Sunday at The Whitworth

Artefact of the week: Heaton Park Colonnade

Photo: Juliette Flach

Juliette Flach describes a vibrant Sunday at The Whitworth: why not head over to one of the gallery’s many free events?

The Whitworth Art Gallery is well worth a visit. Located 10 minutes walk away from the University, it offers a great excuse for procrastination.

The gallery offers a range of long-lasting exhibitions, but a quick Google search will also reveal the vast number of one-off events occurring regularly. My latest trip to the Gallery was jam-packed. It included live Syrian music, an art installation and performance

by Aaron Guy, involvement in the sew a tree project, a book fair, Journeys festival family activities, and a visit to the normal exhibitions.

My sense of time slipped away as I entered through the gallery doors. I wandered around the exhibitions marveling at the beauty inside each frame.

While sauntering slowly through the book fair, I was invited to let my creativity flow in ‘Stitch a Tree’ project; an initiative to show solidarity with refugees as part of Alice Kettle’s show ‘Thread Bearing Witness’. After embroidering a tree on some loose cotton to contribute to the communal tapestry, I was drawn by the sound of voices to watch a performance celebrating Syrian through music.

Just as I was beginning to make my way towards the exit, I was once more pulled

off track. A drum started beating, and with it a short performance by Aaron Guy began. Guy’s latest project is inspired by his time spent researching at the Working Class Movement library. After the performance, surrounded by his temporary exhibition, he discussed the motivations and thoughts behind his work.

He highlighted the importance of the monochrome colours chosen and the power of the drum; aspects to ensure that working people’s struggles are heard.

So next time you are looking for some procrastination, rather than starting a new Netflix series, why not head over to the Whitworth Art Gallery.

Key events coming up at the gallery are: Sunday lunchtime concerts: free music

by RNCM students performed in front of a beautiful backdrop of falling Whitworth park. The next performance will be on Sunday 4 November, by Festivo Winds.

The Manchester Print fair: showcasing great designs illustrations and publishing’s.

Tuesday Talks: Every week providing new and interesting insights into the inspirations, influences and motivation of those involved in the arts.

Find out more information on their website.

Photo: Steven Haslington @ Geograph, Creative Commons

Observed by lOUIS hADDAD Far from the polished buildings of the city centre, this monument to the past is like a ruin. It’s an abstract thing, Something a bit magic, like Stonehenge.

The Colonnade dates back to 1822, when Francis Goodwin designed it as the façade of the Old Town Hall on King Street. As we see all around us, gargantuan structures of every type of brick and stone were erected around the city centre, showcasing the growing population, prestige and prosperity of the 19th Century ‘Cottonopolis’.

After the public campaign to prevent the demolision of the Old Town Hall was successful, each of its elements were carried north toward Heaton Park.

To read the full article, head to mancunion.com

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Fashion & Beauty

A true influencer: theslumflower, Chidera Eggerue takes on society Chidera Eggerue, or the @theslumflower, has a message of body positivity, self-love, and care, writes Nicole Lloyd With Instagram being flooded with so-called ‘influencers’, are there many that we can say use their platform to truly make a difference?

Chidera Eggerue, 23, also known as @theslumflower on Instagram is an activist and all round ‘slayqueen’.

She has used her social media platforms to push her messages of acceptance and self-love, and with 182,000 followers, coverage on the likes of BBC and CNN, it is clear her movement is engaging. She uses her platforms to spread positivity amongst young women, mainly with relatable posts dedicated to loving yourself unapologetically. Chidera is now a bestselling author of the book What A Time To Be Alone and has been featured in countless magazines and media outlets such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Dazed, i-D as well as hosting the MOBO awards, its clear her message is unstoppable. Proclaimed ‘the millennial mastermind’ by ELLE magazine, Chidera’s activism and challenge to conventional body image is a breath of fresh air.

Chidera is most recognised for starting the viral ‘#SAGGYBOOBSMATTER’ movement, which aimed to challenge strict and all round unrealistic beauty standards created by society. These standards are physically impossible for women to uphold without the help of cosmetic surgery.

This movement emphasises how biological forces and mother nature work over time, and therefore it’s only natural that women are going to get stretch marks, boobs are going to sag, our skin

is going to wrinkle; frankly, we won’t look young forever!

Chidera herself used to hate her drooping breasts, caused as a result of being a fast developer during her early youth and growing up she dreamed of the time when she could get a boob job. Now she is helping other women feel at one with their bodies, pushing the rhetoric for self-love, she’s become an inspiration for many.

As theslumflower’s posts, tweets and images became viral, and she continued to express her viewpoints on the toxicity of society and promote her activism, sharing views on feminism, notes to young women, and her racial activism, she has received some backlash, but this hasn’t stopped her from striving.

Scooping up Cosmopolitan’s ‘Highly Commended Disruptor/Changemaker of the Year 2018 Award’ and being placed on the #DAZED100 list are just some recognitions of the positivity Chidera’s work has done, and shown that sparking up conversations to do with body positivity now has never been more relevant. As Chidera now has become a face to many billboards staring in Adidas’ most recently campaign, it is a testament to how far she has really come.

Standing for all messages of positivity and self-love, as well as being an engaged activist for Black Lives Matter, Chidera’s message of love and acceptance continues to grow, like a rose out of concrete, and long may it continue.

Photo: Warszawianka @ Free Downloads

November student style: my must-haves Midway through the semester, Isobella Rae casts her eye over the high street to present her top picks on a student budget We are now into November, the leaves are falling and frosty mornings are on the horizon.

This can only mean one thing; semester one has truly begun. Perhaps you thought you were wardrobe-ready this year? Think again. Here I take a look at some of the best bargains (and perhaps a few more pricey items if your relatives are feeling generous) to get you looking as stylish and as ever this semester.

Item 1: THE THIN KNIT. At just £9.99, New Look’s ‘Black Curved Hem Jumper’ is a real staple item. Pair this with black jeans, biker boots and a black leather jacket for a simple yet sophisticated style. Thin plain knits are also perfect with a statement trouser. Perhaps pair with a snakeskin print if you’re looking to master the animal print trend of AW18.

Item 2: THE ON-TREND TRAINERS. Maybe it’s been a long time since pay day? Fear not.

Primark’s ‘Black Chunky Sole Trainers’ are the affordable alternative to the Alexander McQueen trainers that are everywhere right now.

Item 3: THE CAMEL COAT. Coat collections have been stripped back this season to basic yet brilliant. Ideal both for a lecture or a society social, ZARA’s ‘Masculine Coat’ is a little more pricey at £95.99, yet so worth the money. Adaptable and long-lasting, camel coats

work well when worn with the three hottest trends of AW18; animal print, checks and high shine fabrics.

Item 4: THE BIKER BOOT. Nasty Gal’s ‘Back Up Buckle Boots’ are practical yet fashionable at just £40. Faultless with jeans, leggings or even a cute mini skirt, these boots will be super useful this semester. From chunky soles to embroidered leather, the biker boot is a must-have for AW18.

Item 5: THE DUNGAREES. Dressed up or down, Boohoo’s ‘Polkadot Denim Dungarees’ are ideal with a flat trainer at tutorials or even a block heel boot for smarter occasion at only £32.

Carried through from SS18 to AW18, the polka dot trend is here to stay for yet another season.

Item 6: THE CHLOE-INSPIRED CROSS BODY BAG. An absolute necessity, H&M’s £19.99 ‘Shoulder bag’ is not only ideal for that lush lunch date when your parents visit, but it’s also perfect in the evening when you’re heading out with pals. Generally, cross-body bags are becoming increasingly popular, with many of us appreciating the fashionable and practical elements they have to offer.

Item 7: THE CHUNKY KNIT. Ideal for those frosty mornings later in the semester, H&M’s

‘Polo-neck jumper‘ is a real staple with a pair of comfy side-stripe leggings and snakeskin boots at just £14.99. As the chunky knit is also becoming an increasingly trend-driven item, various styles can be found printed with cheetah or check prints.

Item 8: THE MANCHESTER NECESSITY UMBRELLA. As a student in this rainy city, you will know that you don’t step foot out the door without your umbrella. Your best friend during those long walks between lectures, Primark’s ‘Dome umbrella’ is the best £4 you will ever spend at uni.

Item 9: THE WHITE SHIRT. Versatile and smart, Topshop’s £22 ‘Long Sleeve Poplin Shirt’ is stunning both in the day with a pair of ontrend check trousers and even better at night with a boyfriend jean, leopard print heels and a red lip.

Item 10: THE FLARES. Not only comfortable to wear, but also stylishly sophisticated, Topshop’s ‘Striped Flares’, just £22, are perfect for those manic Mondays when you can’t possibly find anything to wear.

As a mix of both staple and trend-led items, this guide to the AW18 student style offers both affordability and fashionability. Happy Shopping!

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Milk and Honey: Hope in abundance

Contributor Laura Swain chats to the director of the Eco and vegan friendly, Milk and Honey cafe.

Photo: openclipart-vectors

Photo: Laura Swain

Milk and Honey is a non-profit café, nestled within St. Peter’s House — the chaplaincy for the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, and the RNCM. I chatted to the director, Hannah Skinner, to learn more about this serene space situated just off Oxford Road that has been completely transformed and is now unrecognisable from the derelict, disused area it was just two years ago.

Opening in February 2018, the café is aesthetically pleasing thanks to its array of hanging greenery and carefully placed fairy lights

that accompany the rustic, ‘upcycled’ furniture. The salvaged pieces and mismatched chairs manage to create an Instagrammable interior that successfully avoids the appearance of a cluttered jumble sale.

Even on a rainy Manchester afternoon, light streams into the café through the generous multitude of windows creating the illusion of being situated inside a treehouse. Within the comfortable setting, the window seats provide the perfect spot for powering through a mountain of work or simply passing an hour or so watching the world go by accompanied by a comforting coffee.

The simple menu offers a range of dishes packed full of goodness and made from fresh, seasonal produce. The breakfast menu is perfect for fuelling up before a day at uni, offering options such as homemade beans and frittata at affordable prices. If you are not a morning person, Milk and Honey also has a range of lunches available with both gluten-free and vegan diets catered for.

Treat yourself to a bowl of their warming organic soup produced from the surplus of vegetables grown by local cooperative ‘Manchester Veg People’, and wave goodbye to your usual daily

meal deal. Run by a team of enthusiastic volunteers, the development encourages people to get involved and become part of the community. As a student at university it is easy to become stuck within a student bubble, only ever engaging with other students; the cafes volunteer programme, however, seeks to promote the benefits of working with a range of different people. As Hannah explained, the scheme was created to be open and diverse, allowing anyone who wishes to volunteer to get involved.

Improving wellbeing is at the heart of Milk and Honey’s vision. As a non-profit café, the organisation is not fixated on commercial growth but reinvests profits into new projects.

As part of the 2018-19, ‘You Are Enough’ programme, the space currently hosts breakfast yoga, a weekly writing group, and a monthly cook school to name just a few of the events on offer.

From speaking to Hannah, what has particularly stuck with me is the message behind Milk and Honey. Despite the struggles and problems that exist within the world, Milk and Honey seeks to remind us that there is hope: “we look around our fine city of Manchester and we see abundant good. Good people and good ideas, little glimpses of the ways things could be.”

Photo: openclipart-vectors

The Manchester café crawl Contributor Victoria EvAns tours the best cafés manchester has to offer It’s no myth that Manchester is teeming with independent coffeehouses, and with so many to choose from, I’ve selected 3 of my favourites.My first stop on this ‘café crawl’ was Chapter One Books in the Northern Quarter. An independent coffeehouse and bookstore, it offers a quirky medley of all things abstract. Part of the interior is lined with bookshelves, dim lanterns, and reminded me of an old library — the ideal place to study.It is clear old meets new in this coffee shop.

A small exhibition of David LaChapelle’s contemporary utopian art was on display.

His work seems to have inspired a large Photo: ak47*@Flickr part of the interior, demonstrated by the Next stop on the crawl: Pot Kettle Black colourful clash of flowers, baubles, and twin(PKB) in the Barton Arcade on Deansgate. kling fairy lights.The friendly staff adds to Priding themselves in speciality coffee and the pleasant atmosphere and it’s evident that brunch, PKB had an easy, relaxed vibe. I the coffeehouse appeals to many different loved the Express Hatch, perfect people. Come here to chat on the large comfy for grabbing an on-the-go coffee. My heart sofas, enjoy homemade cake, and artisan cofshaped cappuccino was served on a silver tray fee or relax with the origami and mindfulness with a chocolate wafer — 10/10 for aesthetbooks on display. I loved this place; there ics. If it had not been Sunday morning when I was always something to look at and you’ll visited, I would have opted for a never get bored. On Tuesday nights in Chapter ‘Nutella Martini’, one of the many artisan One Books, you can attend a ‘Creative Writing cocktails expertly concocted by the Group’ and there’s no doubt it’s a success. staff. Situated in the Victorian ArThe gentle soul music and the indoor water cade, the roof is one of its best aesthetfountain are enough to get anyone’s creative ic features. Sophistication with a touch of spirit flowing.

edginess is key in Pot Kettle Black. My last stop on the ‘café crawl’ was Hatch; it’s a student hub on Oxford Road, tucked under the Mancunian Way. The pastel coloured shipping containers offer a quirky setting to revise, but you can always opt to sit outside and soak up the rare Manchester sunshine.

Takk Coffee MCR are the providers for Hatch. A Nordic-inspired coffee house, Takk is also situated in the Northern Quarter.

Their aim is to provide the community with a place to work, chat, and dream up big ideas.

Strings of bulb fairy lights over the courtyard add to the chilled ambience in Hatch.

However, Hatch is so much more than just a place to grab a coffee and some street food from the stalls. Bursting with local culture, you’ll find art for sale from local artists and they regularly host gigs from local musicians and resident DJs. It’s hard to describe what Hatch really is. A creative pop-up concept of all varieties — food, coffee, art. Situated perfectly in the city, this appealing multipurpose venue render it the ideal leisure space to go with friends or alone.For me, Hatch epitomises the student culture in Manchester; exactly what I’ve set out to discover and enjoy.

Photo: SuperBea / 7 images@ Pixabay

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Trick or treat? The nightmare behind October 31st Halloween is spooky in more ways than one: anti-social behaviour rises, as does crime. Emma Price looks at the forgotten side of hallow’s eve Emma Price Contributor You either love it or you dread it every time October comes around, but the marmite event of the year – Halloween – remains a stand out night in student culture. On one of the busiest nights of the term, almost everyone will be doing something to celebrate. And this year it falls conveniently in the middle of most students’ reading week. Around the city centre, every venue has a Halloween event until the early hours of the morning. If you haven’t got a ticket for an event, you will undoubtedly be going to a house party.

But where has the Halloween tradition originated from? The ghoulish holiday dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived 2000 years ago, celebrated their new year on November 1st. This marked the transition from harvest season to the winter season, a dark time associated with human death. 31st October, the Samhain, was believed to be a night where the boundary between living and dead disappeared and spirits returned to earth. They lit huge bonfires to ward off unwanted trouble and told each other’s fortunes. The Celts also wore costumes that often incorporated animal heads and skins. They believed this helped to deceive undesirable spirits.

In modern day traditions, things don’t go

quite like that. But the costumes you and your housemates have planned for the upcoming event are finally ready to be shown in their full glory.

With faces painted and devil horns on, it’s time to get everyone into the kitchen for pre-drinks. However, what is supposed to be a fun night can quickly descend into a living nightmare.

Greater Manchester Police say they see a rise of antisocial behaviour during the Halloween and Bonfire Night periods. This can include vandalism, rowdiness, noise, dealing or buying drugs on the street, street drinking, and fly-tipping. Halloween may be over, but the lasting effects are not.

Anti-social behaviour also creates an environment that encourages more serious crime.

If you’re leaving the house empty this week, Greater Manchester Police Fallowfield tweeted a useful but often forgotten piece of advice: “Don’t forget to light up your house this winter and keep burglars well and truly out in the dark”.Halloween may seem to be the scariest night of the year, but the impact it has on cities lasts much longer than a night. Greater Manchester Police advise anyone who has felt threatened as a result of ghoulish activities to call 999.

Photo (bats): Janson_G@Pixabay

Photo : jtr7845@Pixabay

Photo (spooky scene): OpenClipart-Vectors@Pixabay

Why allotments matter Eva Gerretsen visits Growing Together, a volunteer run allotment providing stablity to refugees and asylum seekers, which provides mental health benefits Eva Gerretsen Contributor Almost lost in the labyrinthine twists and turns that make up the Levenshulme allotment site, I finally locate it. Comfortably hedged in, Growing Together stands apart from its neighbours. Today it is bustling. At least twenty people (sometimes as many as fifty) are working hard to repair sheds and keep the plot tidy. What is immediately noticeable is how dedicated the volunteers are – everyone is involved in de-weeding and harvesting the crop. I can smell the just picked vegetables cooking in the small kitchen area fashioned out of a shipping container. What I also notice is the laughter. It ripples round the cabbages and infects everyone.

Growing Together is a charity for refugees and asylum seekers of all ages. It helps to nurture an ever-growing sustainable community on an experimental allotment site. Recently they have developed a vegan permaculture food-growing project and are often involved in fruit and vegetable growing competitions. Aneaka, who helps organise the charity, voiced the importance of Growing Together as a stable presence in people’s lives.

For those facing deportation, having a safe and friendly space to come to every week is undeniably valuable.

Speaking to Bukky, an asylum seeker from Nigeria, she said that the allotment “keeps me from being isolated”. She particularly enjoys the social aspect, and has even included her young daughter into the Growing Together family. The allotment has provided her and her daughter with new skills and opportunities which she is keen to develop and, pardon the pun, let grow. “But not carpentry!” she exclaims and erupts into laughter.

Another volunteer, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that the allotment was particularly helpful during the stress of his A-Levels. Despite the physical challenge,

he has thrived on the manual labour which transports him one day a week from the endless drudgery of revision. Amberley Garland, a graduate in Illustration from MMU, volunteers at the allotment alongside her work at a community centre for children. She was particularly passionate about the lasting impact the allotment has had on her. She describes how “it’s nice to have grown something and then eat it… we always eat together”.

Each week the responsibility of the cooking rotates, the ‘allotmenters’ all get a taste of an entirely new cuisine. It is another avenue whereby cross-cultural relationships can be created and nurtured. However, like many small community oriented projects, funding is difficult to come by. They face increasing pressure to ensure all of their volunteers are equally supported with bus fares and safe living conditions.

As well as community havens, allotments facilitate alternative living or even just personal projects. All of this demonstrates a consistently positive impact on mental health.

Art student Iolo Walker describes the benefits of living on an allotment site: “I wanted to leave my parents house after finishing school but didn’t feel ready to go to university”. The cheap rent (about £56 a month split between two people) made the allotment an attractive living space. However, he said he initially struggled with the lack of security on the allotment. But the “destruction of idleness” forced him – for the better he attests – to live less comfortably and to find new ways of spending his time and meeting new people.

Regan Bates, currently studying at Royal Holloway has cultivated an allotment with her boyfriend from scratch. It was after her mother’s death from cancer last year that Regan realised the “therapeutic nature’”of getting her hands dirty. For the couple, the relative freedom of the allotment was another attraction: “No one else can really tell us what to grow there, if I want just flowers then I can or if I want some fat vegetables then I can and

there are no restrictions”. It became, not just a project they shared with each other, but with their friends, family and even allotment enthusiasts on Instagram (@allotment21b). Indeed, Regan herself voiced surprise when she learnt how large the allotment community online really was. She said “I get people commenting on my posts giving me advice and I get to see when other people are harvesting things so I can copy them. It is really helpful.”

There is a particular satisfaction, deep and primitive which comes from pulling a weed out of damp soil. This attraction to working the land, exploring a dexterity nearly unknown to our iPhone-programmed fingers is perhaps one of the reasons why young people are becoming increasingly more involved in working on or starting up their own allotments. We live in a climate of excess, in which a noxious cloud hangs over the twenty-something (post-grad career panic, financial insecurity, and a crisis in mental health). Therefore, it is unsurprising that scores of generation X and Y are jumping onto trends which are, at their core, about self-sufficiency, experimentation, and making-do alone.

The sentiment however, is not particularly new. The number of allotments increased significantly after the Second World War under initiatives such as ‘Dig for Victory’ and even later during the recession. The National Allotment Society website says: ‘people turn back to the land, wanting to reconnect with something tangible while at the same time experiencing home-grown food, which costs less and is better for us’. But it certainly has gained a lot of wide-spread popularity amongst young people especially, because of the positive impact on mental health as well as the environment. Perhaps allotments are the natural progression of the ‘green-living’ trend, a vision beyond houseplants, matcha lattes and garden eyebrows.

Photo: Clker-Free-Vector-Images@Pixabay

Ciska Howarth

If you ask me:

Self-care has been trivialised

In our millennial generation, self-care is such a buzzword that it’s hard to take it seriously. Perhaps this is because it is easy to reduce it to slapping on a face mask and having a bath. Self-care is even used to justify certain behaviours. These include ‘retail therapy’: spending money you don’t have or cancelling every plan you make with your friends. Yes, sometimes we just need to treat ourselves or be on our own for a bit. But this isn’t always the best form of ‘self-care’. When you break it down, there’s a lot more to it than that.

To me, self-care means being kind to yourself. It is about being intentional about preserving your health: making conscious efforts to better your mental and physical wellbeing. This time of year can be really hard for a lot of people, both seasonally and academically. It’s important to head into this time of deadlines and darkness-at-3pm knowing how you can help yourself in the best way.

This might be spending more time with people who make you feel positive and accepted; making time for that hobby you haven’t picked up in a while. Tidying your room; attempting to enjoy just being in your own company; getting your work done by 6pm so that you can relax all evening - all of these are forms of self-care. Sometimes it’s ‘self-care’ to do things you don’t want to do, like finishing that essay or getting out of the house when you’ve been inside all day. The possibilities are endless and look different for everyone. Finding what works for you might take a while, but it is worth it to get through the difficult winter months. And I bet, in time, you’ll see yourself flourishing in other areas of your life too.

30 Sport Jacksonville Jaguars’ pre-match controversy

Controversy surrounded the pre-match exploits of four Jacksonville Jaguars players, who were briefly detained over an unpaid bill at a Piccadilly bar.

Photo: Keith Allison @ Flickr

Harry Deacon Sports Contributor The temptation of a big n ight out is i nevitable for many vi sitors to the UK’s capital city; whe n there’s an N FL match that weekend, howeve r, it may not be the be st idea.

This is exac tly what fou r Jacks onvi lle Jagua rs players, na me d by n f l.com a s B a rry Chu rch , Ron nie Ha rri s on , DJ H ayde n , a nd Jarrod Wils on , di s covered after getti ng i nto a dispute over the £ 50,0 00 b ar tab they had racked u p.

Jacks onv ille lost thei r match on Su nday at Wembley again st t he Phi l adelph ia E agle s 24 18 , bri nging their losi ng stre a k u p to 4 game s.

The t rou ble over the bill at a bar in P iccad illy,

th at reg u la rly puts on bu rle s q ue s hows, su re ly ca n’ t h ave he lpe d the ir e nde avou rs.

T he Jag u a rs owne r Shahid Kahn is a familiar n a me for both NFL a nd P re m ie r L e ag ue fa n s, own ing Fu lh a m FC a nd re ce ntly pu lling out of h is bid to buy We m bley Stad iu m . Ka h n ca n’ t h ave be e n too h appy with the playe rs, e spe c ia lly C hu rch , who ad m itte d to ta k ing “fu ll re spon s ibility, ” a fte r the m atch .

Thos e who watche d M a nche ste r C ity’s Mond ay Nig ht Footba ll m atch aga in st Totte n h a m at We m bley wou ld h ave notice d the wor n-down pitch , le ft be h ind by the Jag u a rsE ag le s m atch . It s e e m s a s thoug h A me rica n Footba ll is cau s ing controve rsy in E ng la nd both on a nd off the fie ld .

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Grassroots Football at serious risk due to funding cuts, warns Mayor The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has issued a plea to save grassroots-level football and criticised the Premier League for failing to meet its funding commitments in the area Sam Honey Deputy Sport Editor G ras s ro ot s fo ot b al l cou ld face a p e r io d of s e r iou s de cay re su lt i ng f rom re duc t ion s i n lo cal gove r n me nt f u nd i ng , accord i ng to M ayor A ndy Bu r n h am .

T he for me r He alt h S e c re t ar y i s sue d t he war n i ng i n an i nte r v iew w it h T he Te leg raph , am id t he p ap e r ’s s i xp o i nt camp aig n to s ave g ras s ro ot s fo ot b al l re ce iv i ng w ide spre ad p ol it ical at te nt ion .

Bu r n h am h ig h l ig hte d t h at sp e nd i ng c ut s wou ld s e e pl aye rs p ay i ng h ig he r fe e s for pitch h i re and re l ate d ex p e n s e s, wh i le s i mu lt ane ou s ly o b s e r v i ng a de cl i ne i n m ai nte n ance st and ard s. ‘ ’ T he g ras s ro ot s are lo ok i ng at a pre t ty de cade g ive n whe re lo cal gove r n me nt f i n ance i s’ ’ , s aid t he 4 8 -ye ar old .

T he for me r He alt h S e c re t ar y prev iou s ly s e r ve d as t he ad m i n i st rator of t he Fo ot b al l Tas k Force, a b o dy t h at re com me nde d t h at 5 % of t he reve nue ge ne rate d by t he P re m ie r L e ag ue wou ld b e i nve ste d i nto t he g ras s ro ot s game.

S e e n as one of t he he ad l i ne com m it me nt s of t he s che me, it i s b e l ieve d t h at t he P re m ie r L e ag ue ag re e d to me e t t h i s an nu al f ig u re i n exch ange for gove r n me nt approval i n t he i r s ale of bro adcast i ng r ig ht s.

Wit h t he le ag ue now d i sput i ng t h at a for m al ple dge was m ade to i nve st 5 % eve r y ye ar, Bu r n h am h as cal le d for an i nve st igat ion to b e l au nche d as to whe t he r t h i s leve l of f u nd i ng h as b e e n prov ide d an nu al ly.

Wit h t he P re m ie r L e ag ue’s c u r re nt g lo b al bro adcast i ng de al value d at £ 8 . 3 bi l l ion , it i s u nde rsto o d t h at 3.6% or arou nd £ 2 99 m i l l ion i s i nve ste d i n s che me s b e low t he profe s s ion al game. If t h at ex p e c te d s h are of 5 % was de l ive re d , t he f u nd i ng wou ld b e wor t h clos e to t he £ 4 5 0 m i l l ion m ark .

The Premier League has launched alternative programs, such a s t he Fo ot b a ll Foundat ion, Brit a in’s la rge st sp ort s cha rity t hat ha s prov ided £30 0 m illion of b acking for proj ect s s ince it s launch in 20 0 0. That f igure, however, rem a ins a t hin s lice of t he telev ision dea l for 20 16-20 19 a lone.

The need for more gra ss ro ot s fo ot b a ll-fo cus ed f unding is bla zingly app a rent , w it h t he s ix-p o int Telegraph ca mp a ign revea ling t hat a s m a ny a s 150,0 0 0 m atche s were ca lled of f la st s ea s on due to p o or q ua lity pitche s a nd a lack of ava ila ble re feree s.

The s ix-p o int ‘Save O ur G a me’ ca mp a ign wa s launched late la st mont h in a n at tempt to save gra s sro ot s p a rt icip at ion in fo ot b a ll a f ter t he s a le of Wem bley.

Sugge st ions include t he int ro duct ion of a n indep endent com m it tee, increa s ed s crut iny on t he dist ribut ion of f unding, a nd t he p os sibility of lev ie s on t ra ns fers.

Burnha m wa rned t hat a n a lready-recognisa ble inve st ment is sue could snow b a ll into much w ider pro blem s for t he ga me at t his level, w it hout due at tent ion. ‘’If we a re not ca re f ul, t his could end up b eing a cla s sic piece of Brit ish short-term ism where we a re not inve st ing in t he b a s e of t he py ra m id a nd t hen we st a rt to suf fer in a num b er of yea rs.’’

While t here is a n a rray of young Brit is h t a lent on s how in t he P rem ier L eague a nd at Ma nche ster club s, m a ny of ten conf us e t he development of academ ie s a nd yout h sq uads in lo ca l a rea s w it h t he need to f ina ncia lly supp ort t he p a rt icip at ion of everyday fa ns in play ing t he ga me, at a m ateur a nd even b eginner levels, on a week-in-week-out b a s is.

Increa s ingly of ten, ca sua l tea m s a re b eing priced out of t he cha nce to play by t he need to meet cost s for private facilit ie s, w it h lo ca l government-f unded pitche s regula rly fa iling to meet t he st a nda rds ex p ected.

Mancunian Tyson Fury eyes up title prize as comeback mounts

The Wythenshawe-born boxer will face off against Deontay Wilder on December 1st, having re-entered the ring this summer.

Boston Red Sox beat Los Angeles Dodgers to win ninth World Series James Gill Head Sports Editor The B oston Red S ox s ecured their n inth World S erie s af te r victoru again st the L os Ange le s Dodgers 5-1 at Dodger Stad iu m. T he t itle i s their fou rth since 2 00 4 after breaki ng t he s o-called “Cu rs e of the Bambino”, a superstition evolvi ng from the failu re to win t he World S erie s for 86 ye a rs.

The Red S ox we re ma naged by Alex Cora who led the team to a club- record 108 win s i n t he regu lar s eas on , a nd an impre ssive 1 1-3 record in t he post s eas on . B oston b e at t he de fend ing World S e rie s ch ampion s Houston Astros as we ll a s the 100-win New York Yan kee s on the ir journey to the tit le.

Cora , who previous ly

won a World S e rie s a s a playe r in 20 07 with the Re d S ox, be ca me the fifth m a n age r to win in the ir first ye a r.

Ta lk ing at the vic tory pa rade C ora s a id : “ The New York Ya n ke e s, ye a h , the s ky wa s fa lling , ” C ora s a id . “ We lost Ga me 2, a nd the re wa s pa n ick ing he re, eve r ybody’s a ll, ‘ woa h , it’s ove r. ’ We s core d 16 at Ya n ke e Stad iu m . Suck on it. ” T he ga me C ora wa s re fe rring to wa s Ga me 3, whe re B oston trou nce d the Ya n ke e s 16 -1 at the ir own stad iu m to ta ke a 2-1 le ad in the s e r ie s a nd spu r the m on to win the ga me s th at followe d . W h ile h is te a m m ay h ave got the be tte r of the m th is time, they a re still fa r s hort of the inc re d ible 2 7 World S e rie s title s the Ya n ke e s h ave colle c te d ove r the ye a rs.

Photo: Elmar 78 @ Wikimedia Commons

Harry Deacon Sports Contributor T he bu i ld-u p to t he Fu r y-Wi lde r f ig ht i s we l l and t r u ly u nde r way. Wit h t he huge he av y we ig ht cl as h s e t to t ake pl ace on D e ce m b e r 1 st at t he S t aple s Ce nt re i n L os A nge le s, t he exc ite me nt su r rou nd i ng t he eve nt i s al re ady g row i ng .

Tys on Fu r y i s k now n for h i s out bu rst s and h i s pre s s con fe re nce l ast T hu rs d ay was no exce pt ion . Fu r y m an age d to k ick out a re p or te r b e fore t he me d i a s c r u m h ad eve n st ar te d . H i s re as on? He fe e l s t he E s News You Tu b e r i s a ‘ h ate r ’ .

Wy t he n s h awe’s f i ne st b oxe r i s n’ t t he on ly one cau s i ng cont rove rsy i n t he le ad u p to t he D e ce m b e r s howcas e.

D e ont ay Wi lde r re ce nt ly pu nche d a m as cot l ive on T V, su pp os e d ly bre ak i ng h i s jaw; alt houg h t he s how h as d i s m i s s e d t hos e r u mou rs s i nce bro adcast . Wi lde r s e e me d to m i s s t he fac t t h at t he bit was a joke and prove d why he’s a world- cl as s b oxe r, s e nd i ng t he u n lucky re ce ive r c ras h i ng onto t he f lo or.

Wi lde r ’s re cord of 4 0- 0 prop os e s a big ch al le nge for Fu r y, who w i l l ne e d to b e b ack to h i s p e ak p e r for m ance i n orde r to re t ai n h i s u n b e ate n re cord . If Fu r y b e at s t he A me r ican a re m atch w i l l b e re q u i re d for t he W B C

C ha mpionship B elt . This w ill hold of f a f ight for eit her Wilder or Fury aga inst t he heav y weight world ra nking num b er 1, Ant hony Joshua .

If Wilder b eat s t he fa med Ma ncunia n a s well a s ga ining over a m illion Pay-Per-Views, E ddie Hea rn (fa med b ox ing promoter) t hinks it ’ ll b e fa ir to split a f ut ure f ight ’s ea rnings ‘ 50 -50’. This undoubtedly hint s to a Wilder-Jos hua f ight on April 13t h 20 19.

Fury recent ly op ened up a b out his b at t le w it h depre ss ion during his two -yea r a b s ence f rom t he ring.

The former WBA (Sup er), IBF, WBO, IBO, Ring, a nd L inea l heav y weight t it leholder wa s te sted p osit ive for co ca ine us age tw ice during t his t ime p erio d a nd even contemplated su ic ide.

The B oxer revea led on Jo e Roga n’s Po dca st ea rlier t his mont h t hat he “didn’t ca re a b out not hing” a s he drove his Ferra ri 190 mph towa rds a bridge. However, t he 30 -yea r old went onto de s crib e t he re s olve he s howed to tea r him s elf away f rom t he edge of t ragedy a nd re-ignite his f la iling b ox ing ca reer.

Fury is now t ra ining at t he Big B ea r b a s e ca mp in C a lifornia a nd w ill cert a inly m a ke sure t he f ight , now only one mont h away, w ill b e a great sp ect acle for a ll b ox ing fa ns.

ISSUE 7 / 5th November 2018 WWW. MANCUNION.COM

Sport 31

Five and Counting: History-maker Hamilton secures title in Mexico

In a season of domination in Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton has shrugged off impressive competition from Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari to cement his status as one of the industry’s true legends, writes Sam Honey.

Sam Honey Deputy Sport Editor L ewis H amilton s e c u re d h is fifth F1 Drive rs C ha mpion sh ip in style la st we e ke nd , with an accomplished p erfor m a nce at the Mexica n Gra nd P r i x .

The crown means H a m ilton j oin s a n e lite clu b F 1 champion s, along s ide j u st two othe rs, M ich ae l S chum acher and Ju a n M a nue l Fa ng io, who he now sta nds level with on 5 title s.

The 33-year old k new going into the race th at a s eventh-place f in ish wou ld be e noug h to e a rn h im h i s fourt h crown in five ye a rs, rega rd le s s of riva l S e ba st ie n Vettel’s re su lt.

P rolonging the tit le fig ht into th is we e k ’s B ra z i l i an G ra nd P rix looked vir tu a lly impos s ible, a nd the Fe r rar i driver cou ldn’ t deliver h is ne ce s s a ry 1st place fin is h, as Ma x Verstapp en produce d a rg u a bly the g re ate st race of hi s ca reer s o far.

Red Bu ll looked to s e c u re a fifth race vic tory of t he s e a s on as Dan iel Ricc ia rdo a nd Ve rstappe n occ u pie d the top two sp ots in q u a lifying . The Au stra lia n star te d po orly, however, allowing Ve rstappe n to ta ke a n e arly lead th at he never looke d like su rre nde ring , eve ntu al ly fi ni sh ing over 17 s econd s cle a r of Ve tte l, who de spite movi ng u p from four th in q u a lifying neve r looke d l i ke ly to ch allenge the Dutch m a n .

Hamilton and Me rce de s d id not lo ok comfotable th roughout the race, the ir u ltra s of t tyre s clearly not the rig ht choice for the Autód romo He rmanos Rod ríguez , a s the E ng lis h m a n be ca me t he fi rst of the lead ing p ack to pit, du r ing the 12th lap.

Hamilton b egan to look a s su re d in s e cond pl ace, a he ad of Ricciardo, but wa s le ft d is s atis fie d with t he cha nge s made in the pit, a nd eve ntu a lly wa s ca l m ly ove rt aken by Vettel. T he G e rm a n brie f ly s e t h is eye s on race victory as Riccia rdo pu lle d off due to a te ch n ical fa i lure, failing to f in is h the race.

Verstapp en , howeve r, wa s in c ru is e control a nd to ok the chequered f lag, the on ly d is appointme nt for Re d Bul l being the miss ed oppor tu n ity for a one -two fin i s h for the f irst time in five ye a rs.

Fe rrari’s Kimi Rä ik köne n took adva ntage of Ricci ardo’s exit and H a m ilton a nd Me rce de s’s continue d mi shap s to qu ietly ste a l a pod iu m spot, following h i s victor y at Au stin the we e k be fore.

Further b ack, Valtte ri B otta s took fifth spot h av i ng cha l lenged for the p od iu m in the ope n ing laps. Nico Hül ken berg was the fa ste st be h ind the trad ition al

Photo: Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix @ President of Russia

‘ B ig T h re e’ of Me rce de s, Fe r rar i , and Re d Bu l l , wh ile H aas e ndu re d a n ig ht m are race, as Kev i n M ag nu s s en and Rom ai n G ros je an f i n i s he d i n t he f i n al two sp ot s a nu m b e r of l ap s b e h i nd t he ne are st r ival s.

Fe r n ando A lon s o, Carlos S ai n z Jr, and S e rg io Pé rez al l fai le d to f i n i s h , along s ide R icc i ardo.

W h i le a ce le brator y v ic tor y wou ld h ave b e en ide al i s e d i n t he m i nd s of H am i lton and h i s te am , t he abi l ity to co oly s e e out a t it le - e n su r i ng fou r t h-pl ace f i n i s h i n a race r idd le d w it h te ch n ical pro ble m s for t he Me rce de s camp u nde rl i ne d H am i lton’s s he e r cl as s.

T he l ast few we e ks h ave m ade H am i lton’s p ath toward s t he 2 01 8 c row n s e e m al most pro ce s s ion- l i ke.

T h i s p e rsp e c t ive b e l it t le s t he 3 3 -ye ar old’s ach ieve me nt , howeve r. It i s e asy to forge t t h at Fe r rar i and S e b ast i an Ve t te l le f t S i lve rstone i n Ju ly w it h an 8 -p o i nt advant age at t he top of t he st and i ng s — a f i f t h- st raig ht Me rce de s ch ampion s h ip w i n lo oke d an u ph i l l ch al le nge, not a for m al ity.

For m any, it was t he eve nt s of a d ram at ic next race i n Ho cke n he i m t h at prove d t he s e as on’s t u r n i ng p o i nt .

H am i lton re cove re d f rom 14 t h pl ace to ste al a n ar row v ic tor y ove r te am m ate Valt te r i B ot t as, wh i le Ve t tel c ras he d out of t he race af te r a s e r iou s e r ror i n t he wet cond it ion s. H am i lton and Me rce de s le f t G e r m any w it h a 17-p o i nt le ad , and neve r lo oke d b ack i n an u n r ival led

dom inat ion of t he s ea s on’s s econd ha lf.

P icking up top sp ot in t he It a lia n, Singap ore, Rus sia n, a nd Jap a ne s e G ra nd P rix , Ha m ilton b o a sted a 67-p o int adva nt age over his riva l a f ter v ictory at Suzuka , reignit ing t he im age of a n indiv idua l a nd tea m t hat have come to dom inate t he indust ry in t he p a st four yea rs.

G iven t he way t hat Mercede s have clos ed out t he t it le f ight t his s ea s on, it would b e ea sy to forget t hat Toto Wolf f ’s tea m were on-p a r w it h Ferra ri at t he st a rt of t he s ea s on, a nd even fell b ehind in t he b at t le of technica l development s, w it h Vet tel racing in t he q uicke st ca r of a ll f rom t he Brit is h G ra nd P rix onwa rds.

This, a long w it h Ha m ilton’s adm is sion t hat t his s ea s on’s cha llenge f rom Ferra ri wa s like one t hat he had never faced, shows t he incredible profe s siona lis m b ehind t his s ea s on’s v ictory. Mercede s’s technica l cho ice s have b een excellent while Ha m ilton’s j udgment ha s b een e ss ent ia lly f lawle s s — fa r f rom t he ca s e of his opp onent Vet tel.

Wit h t he pict ure for t he 20 19 ca mp a ign a lready t a king place, Ha m ilton is emerging a s a clea r favourite to cha s e dow n S chum acher’s record of 7 t it le s a nd b ecome t he most succe s sf ul driver in t he indust ry’s history.

Big cha nge s a re needed at Ferra ri if t hey a re to s co op t heir f irst cha mpionship s ince 20 07.

mys e l f, t he re i s no de ny i ng t he sp e c t ac u l ar fo ot b all wh ich t he S p an i ard nu r t u re s h i s te am s i nto pl ay i ng . As M anche ste r City s howe d du r i ng t he i r 2 017/1 8 camp aig n, whe n i n f u l l f low, he i s u n stopp able.

Tre nd s are always app are nt t h roug hout E ng l i sh fo ot b al l . Cas e and p o i nt of t h i s are Mou r i n ho’s de fe n s ive ly- s ou nd t ac t ics wh ich h ave s e e n m any t r iu mph ant t it le camp aig n s, alt houg h t he w i n ne rs h ave pl aye d far f rom t he b e st fo ot b al l . O t he r syste m s bu i lt f rom a s ol id b ack- l i ne, such as Cl aud io Ran ie r i’s cou nte r-at t ack i ng L e ice ste r and A nton io Conte’s 3 att he - b ack w it h Che l s e a, we re al s o adopte d by m any te am s i n t he top f l ig ht af te r work i ng t he i r m ag ic.

Conte’s syste m app e are d pre s e nt eve n w it h i n t he

E nglish nat iona l tea m’s run to t he s em i-f ina ls of t he World C up. Wherever succe s s is s een, it w ill provoke copycat s - im it at ion, a f ter a ll, is t he highe st form of f lat tery.

That ’s t he b eauty of G ua rdiola’s ga me: due to it s complex nat ure, it ca nnot merely b e picked up or cloned by t hos e m a naging in t he P rem ier L eague. Ta lk of ‘medio -cent ros’, ‘ ha lf-sp ace s’ a nd ‘inverted f ull b acks’ ca n b e int im idat ing j a rgon, a nd t he b eauty of it prov ide s Ma nche ster C ity w it h t he fo ot b a lling f irep ower t hey’ve inherited w it h t heir C at a la n leader. As t his dif f icult-to interpret m a nner of fo ot b a ll ha s invaded our shore s, it ’s ent iced m aj or club s into employ ing a nd put t ing fa it h in ot her philos ophers of t he ga me.

C hels ea a nd Ars ena l’s app o int ment s of Maurizio Sa rri a nd Una i E mery ha s led to a sw if t cha nge-up in t he m a nner in which t hey’re play ing comp a red to recent yea rs - a nd it ’s working, a s t hey current ly s it 3rd a nd 4 t h in t he t a ble, 2 p o int s b ehind Ma nche ster C ity who lead t he way at t he t ime of w rit ing.

Though L iverp o ol a nd Spurs have st uck w it h t heir m a nagers ; t hey a re follow ing a sim ila r p at h to t he ot her big club s. The men in cha rge, Jurgen Klopp a nd Mauricio Po chet t ino, a re incorp orat ing t heir vers ions of t he b eaut if ul ga me. Wit h supp ort f rom t heir club s, to great succe s s, t hey complete t he top 5, f illing in a b ove a nd b elow t he blue a nd red side s of L ondon.

F ina ncia l b acking a nd conf idence b o ost s f rom t he ow ners a nd b o a rds have s een t he s e two developing into m aj or fo ot b a lling p owers aga in in t he la st few yea rs. All t hey need now to cement t his is a t rophy !

Though it ’s ea rly in t he s ea s on, we’re s eeing s omet hing we haven’t s een in m a ny yea rs. F ive of t he ‘top six ’ tea m s in t he la nd have gracious ly t a ken t heir de feat of la st yea r w it h t he intent ion of incorp orat ing a style to t heir play. Needle s s to say, a cert a in Port ugue s e m a nager ha s not followed suit a nd is st ruggling to cop e.

This b a m b o ozling of opp onent s is s omet hing we’re a ll us ed to watching, but not to t his extent , 3 tea m s rem a in unb eaten a f ter 10 ga me s for t he f irst t ime in P rem ier L eague history.

G racia s Pep, G ra zie Maurizio, Da nke Jurgen.

The Catalan Revolution of English Football

Iwan Hopkins Sports Contributor C h amp agne footb a ll h a s we ll a nd tru ly re ache d t he P remier L eague. Fin ally, a bre ath of fre s h a ir, a fte r t he st agnant footb alling re ig n of pa rk-the -bu s eve n a mong st ma ny star-studded clu bs. Ad m itte d ly, the e ffe c tive ne s s of re cent man agerial style s ca n not be dou bte d - w it h t hre e of the prev iou s fou r title win ne rs le aving m any que stion ing whether or not th is re m a in s the ‘ be aut i f u l’ ga me.

L a st year, however, s aw the be ckon ing of a new e ra for fo otball in E ngland a nd Wa le s, following the a r r ival of Pe p Gu ardiola. Thoug h e nvie d by m a ny, includi ng

Photo: Wikimedia commons @duke-0525

Photo: Instagram user @reubendangoor

A sombre week for football James Gill Head Sport Editor Fo otb all fan s f rom a ll a rou nd the world h ave b e e n payi ng their re sp ects to L e ice ste r C ity following l ast S aturd ay’s tragic hel icopte r c ra s h outs ide the K i ng Power Stad iu m.

City owner and ch a ir m a n , Vich a i Srivadd h a n aprabh a wa s one of f ive p eople trave lling on the he licopte r a s it made its u su al p ost-ga me f lig ht away from the stad iu m .

However, shortly af ter ta k ing off, the he licopte r spiral le d out of control and cras he d k illing a ll thos e on boa rd .

Al s o on the helicopte r we re the two pilots, E r ic Swa ffer and h is p artne r, I z a be la Roz a L e chowic z , t he l atte r of wh ich won the # polka 10 0 awa rd , g ive n to “exce ption al women who in spire the Polis h com mu n ity i n Brit ain .” 2005 ‘ Miss Th a ila nd Un ive rs e’ ru n ne r-u p and me mber of the ch airm a n’s sta ff, Nu rs a ra Su k n a m a i a long w ith t he p ers on al ass ista nt to the ch a ir m a n , Kave p or n P unpa re were the other two who s ad ly lost the ir live s.

L eice ster keep er Ka spe r S ch me iche l wrote a he a r t fe lt post on In stagram whe re he s h a re d h is thoug hts. “ D e ar Mr C hairman . I can not be lieve th is is h appe n ing . I am s o totally devastated a nd he a r tbroke n . I j u st ca n not be l ieve wh at I saw last n ig ht. It j u st doe s n’ t s e e m real , ” he wrote.

“It is difficu lt to put into word s how much you me ant to t hi s footb all clu b and to the c ity of L e ice ste r. Neve r have I ever come acros s a m a n like you . S o h a rd work i ng , s o pa ss ion ate, s o kind a nd s o ge ne rou s in the extreme.

You changed footb a ll. Foreve r! You gave hope to

eve r yone t h at t he i mp os s i ble was p os s i ble. You l ite ral ly m ade my d re am s come t r ue.”

“We now h ave a re sp on s i bi l ity as a clu b, as pl ayers and fan s to honou r you . F rom k now i ng you we do t h i s by b e i ng t he fam i ly you c re ate d .”

B l ack ar m b and s we re wor n by pl aye rs ac ros s t he P re m ie r L e ag ue t he fol low i ng d ay, w it h m i nute s of s i le nce or appl au s e t ak i ng pl ace b e fore t he game s at Cr yst al Pl ace and Bu r n ley. A f te r t he Pal ace game, m an age r Roy Ho dg s on s aid t he eve nt s re al ly put the sp or t i nto p e rsp e c t ive. “It ’s a b ad mome nt , a moment wh ich s o b e rs eve r yone u p i n fo ot b al l . It te nd s to put s ome of t he g l it te r and g l amou r f i r m ly to one s ide.

Not h i ng can comp are w it h l i fe and de at h . ” “It ’s i mp or t ant we re cog n i s e s ome t i me s t h at fo ot b a ll i s a v i l l age. We k now eve r yone ve r y we l l i n ou r v i l l age.

T hey al most b e come fam i ly to u s. W he n s ome t h i ng l ike t h i s h app e n s you do ge t t he fe e l i ng t h at i n s ome way you’ve b e e n af fe c te d by eve nt s wh ich h ave h it you in you r fam i ly. ” T h ai bu s i ne s s m an S r ivadd h an aprabh a b ought L e ice ste r City i n 2 01 0 and ove rs aw one of t he g re ate st stor ie s i n world fo ot b al l , t he 2 01 5 /16 t it le -w i n n ing s e as on . T he Foxe s b are ly avo ide d re legat ion t he prev iou s s e as on and de f ie d t he 5 000-1 o dd s to cl ai m the P re m ie r L e ag ue t it le.

In t he d ays t h at fol lowe d t he c ras h t hou s and s of f loral t r i bute s, fo ot b al l s h i r t s, and s car ve s we re le f t out s ide t he st ad iu m , b ot h by fan s and by t he f r ie nds and fam i ly of t hos e af fe c te d . A b o ok of condole nce wa s al s o pl ace d out s ide t he st ad iu m w it h a q ue ue of p e ople wait i ng to le ave t he i r com me nt s b e fore it eve n op e ne d.

E ls ewhere t his week, former E ngla nd a nd Tot tenha m Hot spur player Glenn Ho ddle suf fered a hea rt at t ack on his 61st birt hday a f ter app ea ring on BT Sp ort . Ho ddle is s a id to b e recovering well in hospit a l, in p a rt t ha nks to t he q uick react ions of s ound sup erv is or, Simon Da niels to adm inister emergency f irst a id.

A sp oke sp ers on for t he fa m ily highlighted Da niels’ act ions adding t hat “t he fa m ily a re grate f ul to everyone in t he fo ot b a ll fa m ily — a nd b eyond — t hat have s ent kind me s sage s of supp ort . They a re very much appreciated.

“Glenn is now in t he ca re of t he profe ss iona l N HS medica l s erv ice s, who have a ls o b een exempla ry in helping him a nd t he fa m ily during t he la st 24 hours.

D o ctors have adv is ed t he most imp ort a nt t hing for Glenn is t ime to re st . There fore, his fa m ily have reiterated t he req ue st for t heir privacy to b e re sp ected during t his p erio d.”

The s om bre news cont inued a s a Brighton fa n died a f ter fa lling ill at t he Amex St adium . The elderly supp orter at tended t he ga me aga inst Wolve s w it h his s on but wa s rus hed to t he Roya l Suss ex C ounty Hospit a l b e fore kick-of f, b eing pronounced dead later t hat day.

C hie f execut ive of Brighton, Paul Ba rb er told t he club’s web site: “ This is very s ad news a nd t he t hought s a nd prayers of a ll of us at t he club a re w it h t he gent lem a n’s fa m ily a nd f riends at t his t ime.”

The Mancunion a ls o w ishe s to extend it s condolence s to a ll t hos e a f fected by t he s e aw f ul event s.

It is imp ort a nt to s eek help a nd supp ort in dea ling w it h grie f a nd t he Univers ity of Ma nche ster’s couns elling s erv ice is ava ila ble to st udent s in need.

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