Thousands of young people gathered in Manchester’s St Peter’s Square on Friday 20 September. The protest was rather a warning to politicians who thought they could come along, mouth nice platitudes and pat young people on the head.
Lillia, a 10-year old climate activist (with her own blog), took Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to task when he said he was “doing his best” and made a big deal of a new free 16-18 year old bus pass and his opposition to fracking.
Lillia skewered his “lies, when you don’t count the airport in emission figures” [Manchester Airport is owned by GM local authorities]
“Lies, when we have 1,200 air-pollution related deaths in Manchester just last year – but they plan to build a huge car park right next door to a school in Ancoats” {Greater Manchester Pension Fund, run by the 10 Labour Councils is funding a “building boom” in the city].
Trade union activists joined the crowds of young people at lunchtime. Unite’s NW/389 (the Social Action Branch that organises in the voluntary sector) came with a new “Support A Green New Deal” banner.
Trade union speakers making the link between the climate crisis and poverty and the need for workers to transform industries to environmentally useful production got a really great response.