Fine obituary. He was someone who presented ministers with solutions to problems before they knew they had them. The way he built the case for devolution was instructive arguing that Manchester had the strategy (the Manchester Independent Economic Review), the governance structures (AGMA, where I think everyone has forgotten the role of the late Peter Smith) and track record (the Bomb, CG 2002 etc) to deliver growth. All this was done patiently behind the scenes. The other thing he did, which I haven’t seen mentioned, was to construct a cadre of officers within MCC who have gone on to greater things with other - not just - GM authorities.
This is a good read but I think your final paragraph is off kilter. Howard’s colleagues totally respected his religion and knew he would be buried very quickly surrounded by his family. His family meant everything to him. When I was doing the media around his knighthood , he told me he thought of his parents every day, but never more so than on that day. I have spent many evenings with him at events where he never failed to phone his loved ones no matter how critical the discussions or negotiations ongoing. I am sure there will be an appropriate service for the great and the good to formally pay their respects: he was held in the highest regard by so many for his rigour, his attention to detail and his passion for our city. Everyone in the council and corporate world is devastated to lose him. And we feel desperately sad for his family . It’s a good piece that you’ve written but I think that final paragraph doesn’t represent the tremendous respect he earned from everyone in his professional life.
Fair enough Janine, thanks for reading. My impression speaking to people about him for years is that his Jewishness was poorly (or perhaps, vaguely) understood, which perhaps was his choice. Being Jewish is more than cheap clichés and gags, so it felt worth pointing out. The funeral comment was a passing remark pointing to a bigger theme. Jews achieve great things in this country in a society that barely grasps what their identity means. I'm sure the same goes for other immigrant groups.
He said himself - and it’s quoted in other obituaries - that he’d never experienced anti semitism in Manchester. He was so proud of his faith and took it so seriously . We all respected him and it was such a strong part of who he was. He told great stories about growing up in a Jewish family … everyone who worked closely with him was in no doubt about his beliefs… I have no idea who you’ve talked to who “poorly understood” his Jewish background but I suggest they didn’t know him very well.
Sorry just replying to this bit: My sense having read your comments is that you think I was saying his colleagues/associates were antisemitic or bigoted. That's not at all what I meant, so if you had that impression, I must have expressed myself poorly.
What I meant is this: as a journalist in this city, I've spoken to dozens of people about HB over the years, and not once have I heard anyone emphasize his Jewish cultural background. Which is strange, because almost ALL of them talk about what an unusual and extraordinary figure he was, but Jewishness is often mentioned in very shallow ways or via stereotypes. So in my piece, I'm trying to suggest maybe those two things are linked - perhaps he was extraordinary because he came from a very different cultural world than most people who find themselves working for Manchester City Council in the 1980s. Jews of that generation seem to have hugely over-achieved - could it be because they are outsiders who don't feel bound by the same stultifying conventions of British middle class and professional life? Or because their families have (in different ways) lost everything in recent memory and they feel they have less to lose? I've thought about this a lot and I felt it was a relevant way to frame this piece - and by the way I'm talking here mostly of culture, not religion.
On Sunday, I was told by someone who works at the council that no one from the council or GMCA was at the funeral and it seemed an interesting illustration of my wider point. It's not an accusation or a major point, but the idea of Bernstein being buried surrounded by hundreds of Jews, without any official presence, shows what a distinct universe he came from. And I felt that was worthy of comment. All I can do is write what feels most authentic to me... (sorry for the very long message!)
Thanks for an insightful and nuanced appreciation of a fascinating and idiosyncratic character . Also an interesting contrast to that other giant of local government Sir Bob Kerslake of Sheffield, a near contemporary. Such very different personalities but both blessed with ruthless focus and huge presence. I was lucky enough to hear Howard expound his regeneration ideas for Manchester in the 90s through a haze of cigar smoke, blissfully untroubled by the Town Hall's No Smoking rules.
That's a cheap and unworthy observation, Michael. The city was fortunate to have such a visionary at its helm for so many years. I hope I'm not the only reader of this piece to judge your inappropriate remark as wholly unnecessary.
Oddly I thought that this comment column was about public debate Mike...I stand by my comment and its not just because I saw Jack Bruce there in 1975..
I was (still am) part of Manchester's voluntary sector during the whole of Howard Bernstein's tenure. It felt to me and my colleagues that he had no interest in us, despite the money we bring into the city, the jobs, the volunteers, and the social good we do. I thought, at the time, and still do, that there was a different way of running the city that could have embraced active citizenship as well as public/private partnerships. Once he and Richard Leese left there was a very noticeable change.
Fitting that this most insightful obituary should be in The Mill.
Thanks Michael. There are some nice pieces out there already but I appreciate this.
Fine obituary. He was someone who presented ministers with solutions to problems before they knew they had them. The way he built the case for devolution was instructive arguing that Manchester had the strategy (the Manchester Independent Economic Review), the governance structures (AGMA, where I think everyone has forgotten the role of the late Peter Smith) and track record (the Bomb, CG 2002 etc) to deliver growth. All this was done patiently behind the scenes. The other thing he did, which I haven’t seen mentioned, was to construct a cadre of officers within MCC who have gone on to greater things with other - not just - GM authorities.
Perfect piece.
Thank you Emma.
This is a good read but I think your final paragraph is off kilter. Howard’s colleagues totally respected his religion and knew he would be buried very quickly surrounded by his family. His family meant everything to him. When I was doing the media around his knighthood , he told me he thought of his parents every day, but never more so than on that day. I have spent many evenings with him at events where he never failed to phone his loved ones no matter how critical the discussions or negotiations ongoing. I am sure there will be an appropriate service for the great and the good to formally pay their respects: he was held in the highest regard by so many for his rigour, his attention to detail and his passion for our city. Everyone in the council and corporate world is devastated to lose him. And we feel desperately sad for his family . It’s a good piece that you’ve written but I think that final paragraph doesn’t represent the tremendous respect he earned from everyone in his professional life.
Fair enough Janine, thanks for reading. My impression speaking to people about him for years is that his Jewishness was poorly (or perhaps, vaguely) understood, which perhaps was his choice. Being Jewish is more than cheap clichés and gags, so it felt worth pointing out. The funeral comment was a passing remark pointing to a bigger theme. Jews achieve great things in this country in a society that barely grasps what their identity means. I'm sure the same goes for other immigrant groups.
He said himself - and it’s quoted in other obituaries - that he’d never experienced anti semitism in Manchester. He was so proud of his faith and took it so seriously . We all respected him and it was such a strong part of who he was. He told great stories about growing up in a Jewish family … everyone who worked closely with him was in no doubt about his beliefs… I have no idea who you’ve talked to who “poorly understood” his Jewish background but I suggest they didn’t know him very well.
Sorry just replying to this bit: My sense having read your comments is that you think I was saying his colleagues/associates were antisemitic or bigoted. That's not at all what I meant, so if you had that impression, I must have expressed myself poorly.
What I meant is this: as a journalist in this city, I've spoken to dozens of people about HB over the years, and not once have I heard anyone emphasize his Jewish cultural background. Which is strange, because almost ALL of them talk about what an unusual and extraordinary figure he was, but Jewishness is often mentioned in very shallow ways or via stereotypes. So in my piece, I'm trying to suggest maybe those two things are linked - perhaps he was extraordinary because he came from a very different cultural world than most people who find themselves working for Manchester City Council in the 1980s. Jews of that generation seem to have hugely over-achieved - could it be because they are outsiders who don't feel bound by the same stultifying conventions of British middle class and professional life? Or because their families have (in different ways) lost everything in recent memory and they feel they have less to lose? I've thought about this a lot and I felt it was a relevant way to frame this piece - and by the way I'm talking here mostly of culture, not religion.
On Sunday, I was told by someone who works at the council that no one from the council or GMCA was at the funeral and it seemed an interesting illustration of my wider point. It's not an accusation or a major point, but the idea of Bernstein being buried surrounded by hundreds of Jews, without any official presence, shows what a distinct universe he came from. And I felt that was worthy of comment. All I can do is write what feels most authentic to me... (sorry for the very long message!)
👍 Interesting thoughts!
Ps. The rest of the article is great, he’d enjoyreading it very much 😉
Haha thanks. Glad you think so.
Proper writing. Proper person.
Thanks for an insightful and nuanced appreciation of a fascinating and idiosyncratic character . Also an interesting contrast to that other giant of local government Sir Bob Kerslake of Sheffield, a near contemporary. Such very different personalities but both blessed with ruthless focus and huge presence. I was lucky enough to hear Howard expound his regeneration ideas for Manchester in the 90s through a haze of cigar smoke, blissfully untroubled by the Town Hall's No Smoking rules.
Interesting comparison. Thanks Simon
He sold off the historic Free Trade Hall, the symbol of Manchester's recovery from the WW2 bombing, to a hotel chain ...not something I can forgive
That's a cheap and unworthy observation, Michael. The city was fortunate to have such a visionary at its helm for so many years. I hope I'm not the only reader of this piece to judge your inappropriate remark as wholly unnecessary.
You are being ironic aren't you Mike... ? surely..?
I'm not getting into a public debate with you, Michael. If you're not embarrassed at the crassness of that contribution, you should be. That's all.
Oddly I thought that this comment column was about public debate Mike...I stand by my comment and its not just because I saw Jack Bruce there in 1975..
Thank you, Joshi. So well-researched, and beautifully written.
Thanks very much Angela.
I was (still am) part of Manchester's voluntary sector during the whole of Howard Bernstein's tenure. It felt to me and my colleagues that he had no interest in us, despite the money we bring into the city, the jobs, the volunteers, and the social good we do. I thought, at the time, and still do, that there was a different way of running the city that could have embraced active citizenship as well as public/private partnerships. Once he and Richard Leese left there was a very noticeable change.
Superb overview of the achievements of a man who had a great impact on the city but left many with mixed feelings about the cost of progress.
Thanks Judy