MANCHESTER City Council has been accused of showing “embarrassment” over the city’s history after a £1 million memorial to the Peterloo massacre was made public without a formal unveiling.

The monument, which was designed by the artist Jeremy Deller, had its metal hoardings removed on Tuesday — three days before the 200th anniversary of the massacre.

It was expected that the memorial would be unveiled with a formal ceremony but the council spared itself the trouble.

Peterloo Memorial Campaign chairman Paul Fitzgerald said: “The fact that there’s this strange embarrassment and nobody really wants to go anywhere near the memorial is a testament to their lack of democratic participation.

“I cannot think of a single excuse for them leaving the announcement of the design until so late that it couldn’t be changed. That’s a mockery of the democratic process and we’re extremely angry with them about it.”

The monument has been criticised for poor disabled access. It is currently comprised of steps with no ramp or other alternative method for reaching the top.