Charlie Alford

Thinktank calls for greater controls on number of Welsh homes being turned into holiday accommodation

Post author:The Canary
Post published:7 August 2026
Post last modified:7 August 2026

Welsh thinktank the Bevan Foundation, working in partnership with Shelter Cymru, has published a new report on 7 August at the National Eisteddfod. It analyses evidence on the prevalence of second homes and holiday lets using permanent homes across Wales. And it evaluates policy measures to tackle the issue which have been put in place over recent years. The report follows an announcement by the Welsh government that it will be reviewing the controversial 182-day rule for holiday let businesses in Wales, as well as a commitment in the Plaid Cymru manifesto to review the effectiveness of the range of current…

Greater Manchester’s working class rallies against far-right advance

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:27 July 2026
Post last modified:27 July 2026

Across Greater Manchester, the last few years have seen a rise in openly racist street activity and anti-Muslim attacks. Unprecedented electoral success for Reform in the recent local elections met and likely spurred this on. This mirrors familiar trends across Britain, wider Europe and internationally. Open fascism swells in Greater Manchester The first half of 2026 saw far-right group Britain First call two major national mobilisations on the streets of central Manchester. There, Greater Manchester Police were ‘disproportionately’ hostile towards antifascists and counter-demonstration organisers, rather than countering openly fascist elements. Further evidence, if it were needed, that the British state’s hired…

Poll shows big movements in the Greater Manchester mayor race

Post author:Willem Moore
Post published:14 July 2026
Post last modified:15 July 2026

New polling has come out for the Greater Manchester mayor race, and it’s showing some significant movements: A new poll has just dropped for Greater Manchester. Labour – 25%Greens – 15%Reform – fighting a bin in Clacton Sign up to our actions days to help get Geraldine Coggins elected Mayor of Greater Manchester. pic.twitter.com/DolJ8JKpxo — The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) July 13, 2026 Does this show that the Greens are on a path to victory? Greater Manchester mayor race Admittedly, Zack Polanski is being a bit cheeky by not showing the overall polling, which looks like this: POLL | Greater Manchester Mayor:…

Green Party lays out its manifesto for Greater Manchester

Post author:Maddison Wheeldon
Post published:9 July 2026
Post last modified:10 July 2026

The Green Party has announced its manifesto ahead of the upcoming mayoral election for Greater Manchester after Labour’s Andy Burnham stepped down to run for MP in Makerfield and will likely be the next PM. The party’s bold new manifesto aims to break from Burnham’s model, arguing it rewarded developers, priced ordinary people out of local homes, and funnelled investment into the city centre while leaving surrounding communities underfunded and chronically overlooked. Coggins announced her new plan for change in Hulme alongside party leader Zack Polanski, co-deputy Mothin Ali and Gorton and Denton MP Hannah Spencer, powerfully stating: We need real…

Greater Manchester Police found ‘disproportionately’ anti-antifascist

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:7 July 2026
Post last modified:7 July 2026

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) used “disproportionate and unnecessary force” in policing anti-racist and antifascist protesters, according to monitoring groups. The antifascists were there to oppose Britain First marching through Manchester on Saturday 18 April 2026. The new report from Netpol, the Network for Police Monitoring, found that the police consistently used “disproportionate and unnecessary force” against antifascist protesters. The 42-page report, titled ‘One Day in Manchester: the policing of the antifascist counter-protest against a Britain First demonstration in Manchester, Saturday 18th April 2026‘, launched in Manchester on 7 July. The policing of the Resist Britain First anti-racist demonstration on 18 April…

Greens’ Greater Manchester plan to deliver 20,000 affordable homes

Post author:Willem Moore
Post published:5 July 2026
Post last modified:5 July 2026

As part of their campaign for the Greater Manchester mayor race, the Green Party has announced a plan to build 20,000 affordable homes in the county: Today we've launched our new Homes for Greater Manchester plan. Green Mayoral candidate Geraldine Coggins pledges to deliver 20,000 genuinely affordable homes within 10 years, end Labour's developer rip off, and put the people of Greater Manchester before profit. Vote Green… pic.twitter.com/tBHi9MHHzY — The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) July 3, 2026 Green Party are planning The Greens’ plan will be split between: Purchasing and refurbishing up to 10,000 homes. Building up to 10,000 new publicly owned…

Poll has Labour leading Greater Manchester mayor race

Post author:Willem Moore
Post published:25 June 2026
Post last modified:25 June 2026

Polling has emerged for the Greater Manchester mayor race, and it shows that Labour is starting the by-election in poll position: Greater Manchester Mayor First Preference Voting Intention: LAB: 33.2% (-30.2) REF: 30.1% (+22.6) GRN: 12.3% (+5.4) CON: 11.1% (+0.7) LDEM: 7.6% (+2.5) From FocusData / Hope Not HateFrom 22nd May – 5th JuneChanges with 2024 Mayoral Election — PolliticsUK (@PolliticsUK) June 25, 2026 All to play for The reason we’re having a Greater Manchester mayor by-election is because the old mayor – Andy Burnham – just became the MP for Makerfield. The reason he did that is because he wants…

Greens announce Greater Manchester mayor candidate

Post author:Willem Moore
Post published:20 June 2026
Post last modified:20 June 2026

The Green Party has announced that its candidate in the Greater Manchester mayor by-election will be Geraldine Coggins: Meet Geraldine Coggins. Greater Manchester councillor, Green group leader, straight talking anti-austerity campaigner – and your Green candidate for Greater Manchester Mayor. pic.twitter.com/3JMUHR7gdG — The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) June 20, 2026 Geraldine Coggins Coggins is a veteran Green Party politician, having served on Trafford Council since 2018. She was actually one of the Greens’ first councillors in the area, and serves as the Leader of the Green Party group on the council. It was no secret that Coggins was running to be the…