Business
The fall and future of Manchester Pride
Jasmine Sandhar,BBC Newsbeat and
Pete Allison,BBC Newsbeat
Getty ImagesWhen Saki Yew stepped off stage at this year’s Manchester Pride, she felt “joyous”.
The former Drag Race UK queen had spent weeks rehearsing and creating costumes for the performance at the city’s Sackville Gardens in August.
It was effort she was happy to make for one of the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ events, and the reaction from the crowd made it worth it.
But when she asked Pride’s organisers for her payment, she says there was silence.
The charity behind Manchester Pride went bust this week, leaving dozens of performers, vendors and backstage workers unpaid.
In a statement confirming it had gone into liquidation, bosses blamed a “combination of rising costs, declining ticket sales and an ambitious refresh of the format aimed to challenge these issues”.
But some believe repeated warning signs about the sustainability of the event weren’t heeded.
Warning signs
Manchester Pride started in 1985 as a two-week fundraising event.
Since then, it’s grown in size and influence, becoming the first UK organisation to add black and brown stripes to the rainbow flag to represent LGBTQ+ people of colour.
By 2025 Manchester was one of the biggest Pride events in the UK, alongside London and Brighton’s annual celebrations.
With its increasing size came bigger names, including Ariana Grande, Sophie Ellis-Bexter, Anastacia and Zara Larsson.
This year’s star-studded line-up featured Nelly Furtado, Olly Alexander, and former Little Mix star Leigh-Anne.
But behind the scenes there were signs all was not well, according to people who worked on this year’s event.
Abbie AshallEvent manager Abbie Ashall had worked for Manchester Pride since 2023, and was a project manager for this year’s parade.
She tells BBC Newsbeat many charities were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, and there was evidence Manchester Pride had also been affected.
Abbie says she was given strict budgets to stick to, and noticed that former colleagues who left were not replaced.
Yet, at the same time, Abbie says, Pride’s organisers launched Mardi Gras this year – a two-day, ticketed event at Manchester’s high-capacity Mayfield Depot.
Attendees reported that crowds were small, and Abbie says the event was not considered successful.
Contractor Chris O’Connor worked at Manchester Pride for five years as a runner, a role he describes as a mixture of organisation and “troubleshooter-slash-firefighter”.
He says working in the run-up to previous Pride weekends had been “a joy”, but that 2025 had presented “red flags” and “major issues” for him to resolve from the start.
He believes Manchester Pride, which reported a loss of about £468,000 in 2023, should have had better control of the finances.
‘I rely on that money to live’
Both Chris and Abbie say they are still owed money for their work on 2025’s event.
In Chris’s case, he says not being paid prevented him visiting his son, who has just started university in Ireland.
Saki Yew tells Newsbeat she has “a life outside of drag” and “bills and groceries to pay for”.
Like Chris, Saki believes Pride’s organisers could have been more transparent about their financial troubles while people waited for payment.
“It’s highly disrespectful,” says Saki.
“You’ve kept us in the dark, you’ve just disrespected every single person on what they do and what they provide for you.”
Getty ImagesSome suspect the lack of communication from Manchester Pride’s organisers over payment is linked to its failed bid to host 2028’s Europride.
The international event usually attracts huge crowds, and Abbie believes Pride bosses were banking on “the funding that would have come with that from Manchester City Council and beyond”.
When it was announced that Limerick and Clare, in Ireland, had won the bid earlier this month, hopes for potential Europride investment disappeared.
“I think they took a massive swing and it was a miss,” says Abbie.
The exact details of the circumstances leading up to Manchester Pride going into liquidation aren’t yet known.
However, the Charity Commission, which works to ensure organisations in England and Wales comply with the law, is “assessing concerns” after Pride’s bosses submitted a “serious incident report relating to its finances”.
There are also questions about future events in Manchester, and what shape they will take.
Getty ImagesOn the streets of the city, it’s not hard to find people who attended this year’s Pride and want to see the celebration return.
Kieran, 24, from Oldham, believes “it’s something that everyone in Manchester looks forward to”.
“It brings all types of culture and people together,” he says.
Lexi agrees Pride is “a big part of not only the culture of this city, but so important for the community itself”.
“If we don’t have Pride, what else do we have?”
Lexi says attending Pride events after she’d just come out was “a really important time” and “it would be horrible for people to lose that opportunity”.
‘A new chapter’?
Manchester City Council has said it will “support a new chapter for Manchester Pride weekend, which will take place next August”.
Lexi is optimistic.
“I would be happy to put my money into something, especially if it’s going to go back to the community,” she says.
There had been complaints about staging events outside Manchester’s gay village and focusing on spectacle over supporting LGBTQ+ causes.
“Maybe there’s a way around it in creating a cheaper, more sustainable Pride,” Lexi hopes.
But for the workers that may depend on, trust has been lost as well as money.
“This charity is there to platform and support queer artists and practitioners,” says Abbie.
“For all of those people to be at a loose end when this is the charity that is meant to raise them up more than anybody – that’s where it’s deeply frustrating and really upsetting.”
The BBC approached Manchester Pride for comment but it did not respond.
In a statement shared on social media, Manchester Pride’s Board of Trustees expressed “regret” for delays in communication, but said it was “keen not to jeopardise financial opportunities while our discussions were ongoing”.
It said it had hoped to find a way to continue to support those who had contributed, and was “sincerely sorry for those who will now lose out financially from the current situation”.
“We have put our hearts and souls into the celebration and community activities over two decades,” it added.
“We hope and believe that this leaves a positive and lasting legacy for the Pride movement in Greater Manchester.”
Additional reporting by Georgia Levy-Collins.
Gold and silver prices have continued to drop sharply in a “brutal” sell-off after hitting record highs in recent weeks.
The precious metals began falling on Friday in response to US President Donald Trump’s nomination for the incoming chairman of the Federal Reserve.
His choice for former Fed governor Kevin Warsh to replace current chairman Jerome Powell when his term ends in May soothed some investor nerves, which boosted the US dollar but saw appetite for safe-haven investments gold and silver slump in response.
Gold and silver suffered their worst trading days for decades on Friday and were down heavily again on Monday, with spot prices off by another 7% and 11% respectively at one stage.
Silver had plunged by nearly 30% on Friday and gold dropped over 9% in its worst one-day drop since 1983.
Gold and silver had been enjoying a record breaking rally as investors sought refuge amid global geopolitical uncertainty, conflict and tariff woes.
Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said: “The sell-off has been far more brutal than I, and many, expected.”
He added: “For silver, the rally on the way up was faster than gold’s, so the correction on the way down is faster too.”
Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, added: “If the sell off continues, then gold and silver are at risk of eroding their losses for the year so far.
“The historic move lower in silver prices has not stemmed a fall at the start of this week.
“Traders have not yet found a level that they are happy to buy the dips, and the timing of Chinese Lunar New Year in mid-February could accelerate the sell off, as Chinese traders reduce risk ahead of the holiday.”
UK and US stock markets are expected to open in the red on Monday, as the gold and silver rout has a knock on effect on mining giants, while Brent oil was also 5% lower.
Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Mining stocks are likely to feel the heat as metal prices scramble to find a floor.
“Oil prices are also trending the wrong way for investors in commodity-focused companies.”
Mumbai: Lower revenue as a share of GDP has been more than offset by cuts to subsidies and spending on current schemes, leading to the smallest fiscal consolidation in six years, likely positive for growth, a new report has said.
The fiscal consolidation for FY27 is the slowest in six years. And the budgeted disinvestment, which is a below-the-line funding item, is likely to see the highest rise in six years, the report from HSBC Global Investment Research said.
“The central government continues with fiscal consolidation, though signing up for a gentler path for FY27; the fiscal impulse will likely turn neutral after several years in the negative, and this should be good news for GDP growth,” the research firm added.
The report said that the services sector was the focus of the Budget, “with ambitious plans and increased outlays for medical institutions, universities, tourism, sports facilities, and the creative economy.”
Urban infrastructure saw a renewed push with each City Economic Region (CER) set to receive get Rs 50 billion over 5 years.
Seven new high-speed rail corridors will connect major cities, the report noted, adding large cities will also get an incentive of Rs 1 billion if they issue municipal bonds worth more than Rs 10 billion.
The report highlighted policy priorities, saying, “new manufacturing sectors were given incentives, namely biopharma, semiconductors, electronic components, rare earth corridors, chemical parks, container manufacturing, and high-tech tool rooms.”
Direct taxes are expected to grow faster than nominal GDP while indirect taxes will expand more slowly, with gross tax revenues budgeted to rise about 8 per cent year‑on‑year, the report said.
Central government set a fiscal deficit target of 4.3 per cent of GDP for FY27 after a 4.4 per cent estimate for FY26, and nominal GDP growth was pegged at 10 per cent.
Business
India’s $5 trillion economy push: How ‘C+1’ strategy could turn country into world’s factory
New Delhi: India is preparing for a major economic transformation. The Union Budget 2026-27 lays out measures that could make the country the top choice for global manufacturing using the popular ‘China +1’ (C+1) strategy. This comes as international companies rethink supply chains after COVID-19 disruptions, rising trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions.
India has positioned itself as the backup factory for the world that is ready to absorb international demand in case of any crisis in China or Taiwan.
The government has offered tax breaks for cell phone, laptop, and semiconductor makers, making India more attractive to foreign investors. Reducing bureaucratic hurdles for global firms, the budget also strengthens the National Single Window System to simplify business procedures. The message is clear: India is ready to step in as a global manufacturing hub, ensuring supply continuity for the world.
The expressway to a $5 trillion economy
China presently dominates about 40% of global manufacturing. Its factories supply critical products worldwide, but 2026 is expected to be a turning point. Expanding influence and economic opacity have made global companies seek alternatives.
India has leveraged this moment, offering a comprehensive incentive package for foreign manufacturers. Analysts call it more than policy; it is a blueprint to become a $5 trillion economy and reclaim India’s historic position as a global industrial leader.
Why the world needs India now
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangers of over-reliance on a single supplier. When China halted medical exports, nations realised the need for diversified supply chains. Major companies such as Apple and Samsung now see India as a dependable alternative.
China’s aging workforce and rising labour costs further enhance India’s appeal. With 65% of its population under 35, India offers a vast, skilled and affordable workforce for decades. The geopolitical uncertainty surrounding Taiwan, which produces 90% of advanced chips, has also created demand for a secure manufacturing backup. India is stepping in to fill that gap.
How India stands to gain from China’s challenges
India’s budget, 2026-27, slashes import duties on cell phone and laptop components, turning the country into a hub for component manufacturing, not just assembly. Electronics exports are projected to cross $120 billion by 2025.
The government has also launched a Rs 1.5 lakh crore semiconductor mission, attracting companies like Tata and Micron to establish advanced chip plants in India. In the chemical sector, stricter environmental regulations in China have shut down several plants, benefiting Indian companies such as Privi Specialty and Aarti Industries, which are now filling gaps in global supply chains.
Incentives for companies
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme promises cash rewards for output, covering over 14 sectors. This is India’s answer to Chinese subsidies. From land acquisition to electricity connections, the National Single Window System now enables businesses to clear all approvals through a single portal.
Infrastructure investment has also received a massive boost, with Rs 11.11 lakh crore allocated under PM GatiShakti. New ports and dedicated freight corridors are being built to ensure that exports from India reach the world faster and cheaper than ever before.
India’s moves points to a strategic shift in global manufacturing. By rolling out the red carpet for foreign companies and investing heavily in infrastructure, technology and policy reforms, the country is poised to become the go-to destination for global supply chains. The C+1 formula is not only a concept; it is a roadmap to turn India into the next industrial superpower and a $5 trillion economy.
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