Jon Silver

Professor of Urban Geography | Deputy Director @Urban_Inst |

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

It's fascinating that the local newspaper terms our academic work on the Abu-Dhabi/MCR deal as 'ideological' but not the partnership between the powerful neoliberal growth regime and an authoritarian Emirate state, let alone its own claims of 'the truth'

https://t.co/TymyXXzv4n

[Peer Schouten @peer_schouten]

Burundi, Uganda, & Rwanda have long considered specific parts of eastern DRC "their" economic hinterland. After acts of 'hinterland piracy', in 2021, they each put boots on the ground; Uganda and M23 also rehabilitated roads.
This has turned into a regional trade war.

[Middle East Eye @MiddleEastEye]

"Burnham has staked his reputation on Manchesterism and now we see the compromises that have been involved in that" - Richard Goulding, University of Sheffield

https://t.co/xiCnHH5jRM

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

🚨New Paper in ADP
"New geographies of the special economic zone? Infrastructural bundling and local contingencies on the China-Pakistan economic corridor"
Written w/ Amna Shoaib as part of GlobalCORRIDOR project
https://t.co/nFmXKegwRH

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

Bad deal for the public? Given most profits flow to Jersey it remains hard to assess but…

Manchester Council has made just under £3m from a deal to share in the so-called "super-profits" from developments built on its land by Manchester City's owners

https://t.co/VL1JsnsGPC

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

The Warsaw Ghetto was made significantly smaller over time. Established by the Nazis in October 1940 and sealed on November 15, 1940, the ghetto's area was reduced multiple times, while its population density was kept at extreme, inhumane levels

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

Israel has expanded its military occupation of the Gaza Strip in violation of the ‘ceasefire’, forcing Palestinians into an ever-smaller area of the besieged territory.

Here is how much of Gaza Israel has seized since the ‘ceasefire’ ⤵️

🔗: https://t.co/cg7IBUB4TZ

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

Final Call for Papers
AAG 2027 // NYC
Critical Geographies of the Infrastructure Corridor

Alan Wiig + I are excited to bring together a dialogue centring corridors in geographic scholarship + debate.

Deadline is 14th Oct.

See here👇
https://t.co/Iy8jwF18LG

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

Reminder that Manchester City Council also actively went out their way to silence criticism of the deal + Abu Dhabi more generally...

That is not a functioning democratic city and shows how regulatory/financial + legal transparency is required around these agreements

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

"Manchester council bound by gagging clauses in City property deals"

Lack of transparency in the Abu Dhabi-Manchester deal was built in. I suggest we need government reform to ensure public accountability of property deals/ 'investments'

In Sunday TImes https://t.co/VEyjRb6T69

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

Burnham oversaw £55m taxpayer loan to UAE businesses

https://t.co/ScTx0lZy4Z

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

In 2017, £55 million of approved loans were drawn down from Mayor Burnham's GMCA 'GMHILF' by Abu Dhabi United Group controlled companies based in Jersey to develop apartments in Manchester

If ADUG were bringing 'investment' to Manchester why did they need public financing?

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

The model focused more on short-term, immediate need to attract ‘investment’ - Its weakness is neglecting pressing societal issues such as housing + climate crisis. The same approach to GROWTH by Burnham will simply accelerate a RENTIER CAPITALIST economy in UK cities

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

The Abu Dhabi partnership represents 'Manchesterism' and the 'Manchester Model' because it shows the redevelopment of the city Burnham celebrates was dependent on rentier capitalism...but it's part of a bigger story which we explore in this report 👇

https://t.co/Dec4wIlevM

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

- The production of new financial and social pressures on working class, inner- city neighbourhoods through state-led demolitions, displacement, social housing losses leading to massive GENTRIFICATION

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

@eamonncanniffe No way! Was in good shape up until a few years ago

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

Manchester LIfe outline their tax policy here
https://t.co/YFefGXzSWv

We have an in-depth discussion in our 'Offshored Report' in the section 'Where Does The Rental Income Go (And Is It Taxed)?" - p40-43
https://t.co/CVSRnDAcRQ

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

How much tax do Manchester Life Management Company pay? (the UK company owned by Abu Dhabi controlled Jersey companies + that collects rental income)

Between 2019-2025 the company turnover is £46,857,891, the admin expenses £46,366,004 and the total tax on profit paid £112,316

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

@Citywatcha I’m sure it’s coming sooner or later to South Africa but I’d assume the ‘risk’ to investors has not been fully addressed by the state (yet) although maybe apparent in some industrial sectors?

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

Manchester Offshored

Why did Manchester Council allow Abu Dhabi to 'offshore' the 999 year leaseholds for land, property assets, rental + sales income rights, and ultimate joint venture control through entities ultimately owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, often via Jersey?

[Jon Silver @InvisibleMapper]

@andy_overs From our report...

https://t.co/CVSRnDAKHo