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Post by mattbewilson on Apr 3, 2024 17:48:38 GMT
I didn't know Adrian Hughes is no longer a councillor. His venture into politics was very short lived. I wonder if the online bullying he was subjected to played a part in that Edit. On googling it appears he has not done himself any favours Is this the same Adrian Hughes (ie the tweeter) who is a currently suspended Labour councillor in Dudley? that is the news that passed me by, bo longer a councillor though and no longer in dudley
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Post by carolus on Apr 3, 2024 19:47:14 GMT
I understand that Andy Street is reasonably popular, and has kept himself somewhat apart from the national party. But as an external observer, I don't have much of a sense for him as a mayor. So my question is, what has he done? What would he point to as his significant achievements?
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Post by Yaffles on Apr 3, 2024 19:53:55 GMT
I understand that Andy Street is reasonably popular, and has kept himself somewhat apart from the national party. But as an external observer, I don't have much of a sense for him as a mayor. So my question is, what has he done? What would he point to as his significant achievements? He has single handily revived the high viz jacket and hard hat industry in the midlands.
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Sibboleth
Labour
'Sit on my finger, sing in my ear, O littleblood.'
Posts: 15,372
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Post by Sibboleth on Apr 3, 2024 20:00:22 GMT
there has never been a large Jewish community in Birmingham and there is not today. If you exclude Sutton Coldfield the community is smaller still. I know one prominent figure in the Birmingham Jewish community but he is an "immigrant" from Manchester. The main concentration historically was Edgbaston proper, and it still is (at least if you ignore the students at Selly Oak). Never a large community, as you say, and very heavily involved in medicine.
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Post by batman on Apr 3, 2024 20:08:43 GMT
Is this the same Adrian Hughes (ie the tweeter) who is a currently suspended Labour councillor in Dudley? that is the news that passed me by, bo longer a councillor though and no longer in dudley he's still on the council even though he's moved away from Dudley. currently shown on the council website as an Independent
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Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,241
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Post by Chris from Brum on Apr 3, 2024 20:22:37 GMT
there has never been a large Jewish community in Birmingham and there is not today. If you exclude Sutton Coldfield the community is smaller still. I know one prominent figure in the Birmingham Jewish community but he is an "immigrant" from Manchester. The main concentration historically was Edgbaston proper, and it still is (at least if you ignore the students at Selly Oak). Never a large community, as you say, and very heavily involved in medicine. Moseley is the other concentration, and is where there is a Jewish voluntary aided primary school, King David, though the majority of its pupils these days are gentiles of one type or another. To its deep shame, Moazzam Begg attended the school in his early years.
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Post by No Offence Alan on Apr 3, 2024 20:58:29 GMT
there has never been a large Jewish community in Birmingham and there is not today. If you exclude Sutton Coldfield the community is smaller still. I know one prominent figure in the Birmingham Jewish community but he is an "immigrant" from Manchester. True but there are two synagogues and a small Jewish cemetery in Kingstanding. Politically the Conservative’s had a couple of Jewish councillors historically but I think the last was a Labour member - Barry Henley. Sir Bernard Zissman (Conservative) was Lord mayor of Birmingham 1990/91. Zissman Bros were in the "rag trade". In my gap year, I worked for a few months in 1978/79 as a sales assistant at their long-gone Evesham store "Piccadilly Man's Boutique".
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Post by london(ex)tory on Apr 3, 2024 21:22:41 GMT
I understand that Andy Street is reasonably popular, and has kept himself somewhat apart from the national party. But as an external observer, I don't have much of a sense for him as a mayor. So my question is, what has he done? What would he point to as his significant achievements? He has single handily revived the high viz jacket and hard hat industry in the midlands. That is a good thing though - we’d be in a much better place across the board if more politicians wanted to be associated with things getting built (whether or not they had much real involvement in making it happen) rather than championing the NIMBYs all the bloody time.
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Post by Yaffles on Apr 3, 2024 21:25:47 GMT
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 36,819
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Post by The Bishop on Apr 6, 2024 8:58:31 GMT
Yes it has been noted that many Muslim voters care a great deal about Gaza but not so much about Yemen or Syria or Sudan. It is indeed, as far as it goes, a perfectly fair observation. But they did also get very exercised about Iraq a generation ago, and "its all about the Jews" isn't really applicable as an explanation for that one. This is true, but doesn't that simply bring us the conclusion that as long as its Muslims killing Muslims it's fine but no one else should? Fair point, and I suppose that explains the interest in Kashmir as well. On that metric you might also expect them to be more widely invested in Chechnya and Xinjiang, though.
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Post by michaelarden on Apr 6, 2024 20:53:23 GMT
Street is surely toast here - regardless of any foreign policy sideshows?
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Post by mattbewilson on Apr 6, 2024 21:03:51 GMT
Street is surely toast here - regardless of any foreign policy sideshows? I have heard otherwise but no little to nothing about it
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Post by John Chanin on Apr 7, 2024 5:03:04 GMT
Street is surely toast here - regardless of any foreign policy sideshows? I think not. He has widespread name recognition whereas the Labour candidate has none. He is not associated with any unpopular policies, but rather has used every publicity opportunity available to act as cheerleader for the West Midlands. He is not widely seen as a Conservative partisan, and has been publicly critical of the government, while working well with Labour councils as well as Conservative ones. So it's likely to be close. The leaders of Labour councils have started the campaign by a critical statement on Street's achievements, but this doesn't seem to have got a lot of attention. There have been no leaflets from Labour yet (there may be activity on social media which I don't use) while Street's green ones come regularly. Birmingham, which is the Labour stronghold and has nearly half the electorate, has no local elections this year, and its crashing incompetence and bankruptcy and huge council tax increase accompanied by service cuts is not going to conduce many residents to vote Labour. Some muslim disillusion with Labour nationally won't help either. Still Street is going to have to get a plurality in the Black country, and that won't be easy, with opinion polls showing almost all the parliamentary seats going back to Labour with comfortable majorities, and closely contested local elections. Coventry is also a certain Labour victory. He won't have my vote, but I'm not a fan of metro mayors and am unlikely to vote for anyone. While I don't claim typicality, I'm hardly unique.
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Post by iainbhx on Apr 7, 2024 7:28:55 GMT
I sort of agree with John Chanin about this.
Street is popular, he's not seen as a Tory, people have heard of him.
The Labour candidate is invisible, once again the campaign at least out here in Acocks Green looks to be non-existant. I presume they are sticking with their tried and tested strategy of nice backslapping events in the city centre and having cups of tea with so-called community leaders. After all, it's worked so well for them the last twice hasn't it?
I remain conflicted on this one, I won't be voting in the PCC ballot, I think they should be abolished, I can't think of a single positive thing the current PCC has done and I think he's a massive hypocrite for opposing the merger where they have been done in other Mets where there's a Labour mayor. The only reason he's done it, is that he thinks Street would win the combined role and stop his ride on the gravy train.
Generally, I think Andy has done a good job and I'd like to see him carry on, I have some criticisms of the role generally and I think some of his plans aren't viable but in general he's been a good thing. He's ended up with my vote the last twice, however, we no longer have SV and also I'm afraid that it is important that the Conservatives, even the good Conservatives and there are a decent number of them still lose in these elections.
So I suspect I will possibly join John in sitting this one out which will save me the battle at the polling station to only get a Mayoral ballot and not a PCC one - they don't like that, upsets their system or something.
I'm still thinking about it.
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andrea
Non-Aligned
Posts: 7,283
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Post by andrea on Apr 7, 2024 7:54:59 GMT
IThe only reason he's done it, is that he thinks Street would win the combined role and stop his ride on the gravy train. He tried the Labour mayoral selection. He did terribly and couldn't reach the shortlist. IIRC he had something like only 2 CLPs nominations (Coventry South and Birmingham Hall Green IIRC).
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Post by gaitskellite on Apr 7, 2024 8:07:41 GMT
Street undoubtedly has a personal vote (as shown in the Mayoral vs PCC results last time) and has attempted to distance himself from the Tory party nationally, suspect he's also outspending Parker considerably, whilst the Section 114 notice is a major albatross around the neck of the Labour brand.
In May 2021 the Tories had a 10% lead in the national opinion polls and in April 2024 Labour has a 20% lead. Labour needs a 4.5% swing to defeat him.
Presumably there'll be some polling out soon? Opinium, R & W and FindOutNow were all reasonably accurate last time
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Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,241
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Post by Chris from Brum on Apr 7, 2024 8:11:22 GMT
IThe only reason he's done it, is that he thinks Street would win the combined role and stop his ride on the gravy train. He tried the Labour mayoral selection. He did terribly and couldn't reach the shortlist. IIRC he had something like only 2 CLPs nominations (Coventry South and Birmingham Hall Green IIRC). Hall Green is where he lives.
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
Posts: 36,819
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Post by The Bishop on Apr 7, 2024 9:13:37 GMT
Labour having an anonymous candidate is arguably an advance on an actively disliked one (as in 2021 and especially 2017) however.
Anyway, still no SOPN for this one?
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Post by iainbhx on Apr 7, 2024 9:27:46 GMT
Labour having an anonymous candidate is arguably an advance on an actively disliked one (as in 2021 and especially 2017) however. This is a fair point. He is an advance on that pair of plonkers. It could have been worse.
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Post by heslingtonian on Apr 7, 2024 15:58:31 GMT
Labour having an anonymous candidate is arguably an advance on an actively disliked one (as in 2021 and especially 2017) however. This is a fair point. He is an advance on that pair of plonkers. It could have been worse. Yes, I suppose he could have been an actual tiger.
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