Seventeen years after losing her council job due to needing endometriosis surgery, Michelle Dewar’s campaign for paid menstrual leave gained 50,000 signatures in a week, reports ELIZABETH SHORT

RECENT waves of far-right-fuelled riots have shaken many of the country’s most vulnerable areas. Yet, despite being one of the most deprived local authorities, Salford has thankfully avoided such unrest.
The reasons why Salford remained calm are debatable, especially considering past far-right rallies led by figures like Tommy Robinson. However, one thing is clear — complacency is not an option.
This is why many Salfordians are campaigning for a monument to honour the city’s volunteers who fought fascism during the Spanish civil war as members of the International Brigades.

LYNNE WALSH tells the story of the extraordinary race against time to ensure London’s memorial to the International Brigades got built – as activists gather next week to celebrate the monument’s 40th anniversary


