Manchester Town Hall - freefortourists.com
'Devolution or (R)evolution?', a panel discussion held at Manchester Metropolitan University, was the culmination of a series of events on city devolution in Manchester. This series was underwritten by the need to 'consult', but the history of consultation in Manchester is wrapped in a thick layer of Mancunian cynicism.
For once, this is justified. Manchester didn't vote for city devolution, but got it. Manchester was asked if it wanted a Mayor and said no, but got one anyway. But the roots of the cynicism run much deeper. For instance the public 'consultation' after the 1996 bomb is still seen by many as being completely token.
