Manchester Evening News

At least the ‘Greedy Six’ united the whole country

- Dr Marc Hudson, Manchester Climate Monthly

A HUGE Ee Aye Addio to the Super League!

It’s great – it would have meant my team, The Arsenal, are in the top six forever and no need to prove it against pesky inferiors like Wolves, Villa, Burnley and Fulham.

Just kidding. I’d have liked them to try it, flop miserably (nobody wants all jam without bread and butter) and have to come crawling back with tails between legs and sent down to League Two, if League Two will have them.

Meanwhile, the ‘Greedy Six’ united the whole country with Jeremy Corbyn and PM Boris Johnson marching side-by-side in protest.

Great fun and it’s brightened everyone up, though I suspect they’ll now squeeze some extra cash out of UEFA and the telly folk instead. Barry ‘On yer ‘ead’ Tighe, via email

Climate right for vacancy...

FOR a year-and-a-half Manchester council has been trying to appoint a director to its so-called Climate Change ‘Agency.’

It advertised in late 2019, extensivel­y and nationally. It didn’t appoint anyone (or announce that it hadn’t). It tried again in late 2020, extending the deadline at least once.

The interview panel included the deputy CEO of the council, and the executive member for the environmen­t.

The job was offered to someone, but the successful applicant withdrew.

The council is now trying a third time, but offering no additional money, with a disingenuo­us advert and a very tight deadline.

Presumably this is because they don’t want their ongoing failure to appoint anyone to be an election issue, and because they want someone, anyone, probably, at this stage – ‘nearest warm body will do’ – in post to spout nonsense during July’s two-year anniversar­y of the climate emergency declaratio­n, and to spout even more nonsense at November’s internatio­nal climate conference in Glasgow. If Manchester is – as various councillor­s keep insisting – the UK’s leading city on climate, how come nobody competent and serious wants the job?

Could it be that competent and serious people can see that the council has spent ten years spinning and taking claiming credit for carbon cuts caused by austerity?

Could it be they don’t want to tank their credibilit­y and self-respect by joining a sinking ship?

 ??  ?? Marsh marigolds in Styal Woods, by Peter Castree, of Sale
Marsh marigolds in Styal Woods, by Peter Castree, of Sale

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