Money Struggles Are Still Seen As A Taboo In The North West of England, Puts Strain On Relationships

ALMOST all of us will have some kind of money trouble in our lives:- depleted savings, bad credit, or unexpected costs that derail our plans. When these problems occur, the fastest, simplest, and most sensible option is always to borrow money from friends or family. But borrowing money is still a taboo topic, and our reluctance to talk about our own money troubles is having a dramatic impact on our relationships.

New research shows that borrowing money is still a tricky topic, with 62% of respondents in the North West embarrassed to ask for money from friends and family, even when they really need it. Women are more likely to be embarrassed than men, with 70% of women saying they would be too embarrassed to ask for money compared to 54% of men. 20% of respondents in the North West said they wouldn’t feel like they’d be able to enjoy themselves in front of the person they would borrow from.

While the reasons for this can come from a good place, with 25% not wanting to break family or friends’ trust, this can end up doing more harm than good as those money troubles spiral out of control. 29% of us keep credit debt a secret from our partners, which undermines trust and can lead to relationship breakdown.

Credit expert Katre Kaarenperk-Vanatoa offers this advice:- "It’s hard to talk about money troubles, especially if you’re in a relationship. But keeping secrets can cause lasting harm to a relationship, not to mention your credit rating. Facing the problem, talking about it, and working on a solution is the best way forward, and a loan can be a reasonable place to start taking back control."

Money trouble is the number one cause of divorce in early marriage, and while 41% of us are worried about awkward conversations about money, it can often be the start of a solution. The best way to deal with money trouble is to talk about it, get advice, and deal with the problem head on.

Manchester Pride ousted from iconic location as Council approves yet more private development

MANCHESTER'S world famous gay Pride Festival is being forced out of its iconic Canal Street location in a bid to make way for more private development, the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

Prominent gay rights campaigner and Manchester's Opposition Leader John Leech said the plans were at risk of:- "ripping the heart out of Manchester."

Just weeks before the international festival is due to begin, recommendations for 4 sites have been approved by Manchester Council, meaning the annual festival will be ousted from its world famous Canal Street venues, in 2019.

This is despite Labour's City Centre spokesperson, Councillor Pat Karney, saying in January 2017:- "Pride is not moving anywhere. Full stop." and claiming the rumours were:- "Fake facts."

The Liberal Democrat opposition have slammed the Labour group for being in "complete confusion" over the plans, which are vague and lack any clarity on plans to re-home the festival.

John Leech, who led the successful campaign to pardon Alan Turing, said:- "Manchester provided a home and a sanctuary for the oppressed to express their love, and begin their long fight for equal rights. Removing this international celebration from its home will rip the heart out of Manchester. There has also been no consideration for local businesses and the impact that removing the main Pride stage from Canal Street will have on independent traders. Labour have not properly consulted local people at any stage of this process, they have disregarded the views of those that have raised concerns and are themselves in complete confusion, unable to guarantee any firm home for the 2019 festival, just weeks before this year's is due to begin. They must halt these greedy plans until they come up with something concrete they can propose to the community."

John Leech is no stranger to the LGBTQ+ community; he designed the Bill and led the successful campaign to pardon:- 'war hero' Alan Turing, whose conviction for homosexuality he slammed as:- "utterly disgusting and ultimately just embarrassing." He secured the pardon for the 75,000+ other men convicted of similar offences, led calls to outlaw homophobic chanting at football matches, helped design the Equal Marriage bill and most recently launched a campaign to tackle the rise of homophobic and transphobic bullying in Manchester High Schools.

The Council, however, has insisted developments will not lead to displacement of the LGBTQ+ community from the iconic Gay Village despite major regeneration in the area, including plans to build on the car park that currently hosts the main stage...