Sutton Coldfield

Tough Tory choices for a Sutton Coldfield by-election

Cameron must fear resurgent Labour and UKIP in the wings if Mitchell goes to EU

By:
Published March 4, 2013, in Opinion


suttonWith the Eastleigh by-election debacle still ringing around his ears, David Cameron can hardly be relishing another challenging electoral contest even in what may at first glance appear to be a rock-solid Tory seat.

But the prime minister’s reported intention to make ‘plebgate’ MP Andrew Mitchell a European Commissioner opens up the possibility of a tasty tussle for votes in Sutton Coldfield.

It is true that any election to find a replacement for Mr Mitchell would not have to be held until next year, but the benefit of having plenty of time to plan for a by-election does not necessarily mean that the Conservative candidate will be victorious.

After all, the party had many months to prepare for Eastleigh given the clear likelihood that Liberal Democrat MP and former Energy Minister Chris Hune would eventually be forced to resign. But the generous timescale appeared to make little difference to the Tory high command who allowed 2010 General Election loser Maria Hutchings, a most unsuitable choice, to be the candidate.

Ms Hutchings duly presided over a 14 per cent collapse in the Tory vote as Lib Dem Mike Thornton cruised to victory. UKIP candidate Diana James came second with the benefit of a 19 per cent swing against the Liberal Democrats.

It can safely be assumed there will be no shortage of Conservatives throwing their hat in the ring

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Tantalising Tory leadership contest: Alden and Alden, Bird, Rudge and Lines

City council Conservative group facing the Whitby succession question

By:
Published February 6, 2013, in Politics


toriesThe Conservatives on Birmingham City Council are mostly a pretty sorry sight at the moment.

Having been reduced to 28 members they are likely to be down to even fewer than that after the 2014 civic elections, barring some Lazarus-like recovery in the coalition Government’s fortunes.

The fact is that the Tories haven’t been able to command an overall majority in the council chamber for almost a quarter of a century, and it’s difficult to envisage any great recovery in the near future.

Birmingham’s changing demographics, the unstoppable shift to a majority ethnic city, may actually mean that the Conservative Party will never again be able to reach the 62-seat mark required for outright control unless the party can reach out to the new Brummies.

There are, though, amid the sea of despondency on the Tory benches, two people for whom the glass is always half full, their enthusiasm and optimism remains unbridled, and they are going to take the fight to Labour come what may. Yes, it’s the Aldens.

Deirdre and Robert, aka ‘Bobby’, mother and son, sit next to each other and whisper a lot, which is rather sweet. And at this week’s full council meeting they were, as usual, in overdrive.

To say that they dominated proceedings from the Opposition’s point of view would be understating the case. Up and down constantly at Question Time, salvo after salvo fired in the direction of Labour council leader Sir Albert Bore and his cabinet, the Aldens appeared to represent the last vestiges of life among the Conservative ranks.

Meanwhile, sat high in the back row casting a tired eye over proceedings, Conservative group leader Mike Whitby resembles more and more Ted Heath post-1975, or possibly Old Man River – He mus’know sumpin’ But don’t say nuthin’, He jes’keeps rollin’ He keeps on rollin’ along.

Just how much longer Mike Whitby can roll on for is a matter of very private debate in the Tory ranks, especially among younger councillors who feel that their time may have arrived. While no one is talking openly about a leadership contest, it’s acknowledged that Cllr Whitby has a tough fight on his hands in defending his Harborne seat against a resurgent Labour party in 2014.

Chamber POTY: Andrew Mitchell, by Paul Dale

His obvious enthusiasm for tackling third world poverty symbolised a new touchy-feely Tory party

By:
Published December 19, 2012, in The Chamber POTY


Whatever happened at the Downing Street gates, and we shall probably never know the whole truth, the fact remains that Andrew Mitchell was a first class International Development Secretary before becoming Chief Whip.

In fact, if Gate-Gate had never happened, Mr Mitchell would by now be viewed as one of the Government’s more successful operators and a likely candidate for one of the great offices of state. (BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Mitchell wants old aid job back)

Having cleverly rebuilt his career after backing the wrong candidate

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Chamber POTY: Sutton Coldfield, by Paul Dale

A pretentious middle class enclave - the perfect candidate for Irritant of the Year,

By:
Published December 17, 2012, in The Chamber POTY


Sutton Coldfield has always been an irritating and slightly pretentious place.

From the moment in 1528 when Henry VIII granted a charter, the Royal Town with its 2,200-acre park has looked down rather snootily at neighbouring industrial Birmingham.

Sadly, the world fell apart for Sutton in 1974 when local government reorganisation removed the borough from Warwickshire and placed it, horror of horrors, in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The joke was, of course, that the sweeping plan that created amorphous metropolitan counties and did away with the Little England of places like Sutton and Rutland was

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Birmingham in bold move to grab Sutton Coldfield green belt

Rapid growth in population puts 3,484 acres of countryside at risk

By:
Published October 22, 2012, in Politics


As many as 10,000 new homes may have to be built in the green belt in order to accommodate Birmingham’s rapid population growth over the next two decades.

The city council is seeking views on a Development Plan which identifies 3,484 acres (1,410 hectares) of protected countryside that could be earmarked for housing and major industrial development.

The proposal is likely to place further strain on the often tetchy relationship between Labour-led Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield since the sensitive rural sites suggested for development are all on the northern and north-western borders of the Conservative-controlled Royal Borough.

Environmentalists have fought for decades to protect the green fields of Walmley, Minworth, Langley, Thimble End and Over Green. All of these settlements are identified for possible development in a growth corridor between the Birmingham city boundary and the M6 Toll.

A consultation document released by the council predicts that Birmingham’s population will grow by

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