Home Blogs & Comment Post Comment

Road to hell

The road to hell is often paved with good intentions. European Commission proposals to limit motor vehicle carbon emissions are a good example. Read

Good Hope in rude health

Good Hope Hospital is finally getting the financial shot in the arm it has been crying out for as part of Heart of England's £190 million plans to refurbish and redevelop its three hospitals. Read

A long way to go but Lozells was exception, not rule

Anything that local authorities can do to reduce ethnic tensions in a community is clearly to be welcomed. Read

The thorny issue of free speech

There's no doubt that the views expressed by radical Islamic group Hizb-Ut-Tahrir will be repugnant to anyone in Birmingham of a liberal disposition. Read

Brummies give city top marks for race relations

For a change, some good news. A detailed study of attitudes towards integration and community relations in Birmingham has found that most of us believe the outlook is bright. Read

Jug's flat note

The announcement of the closure of the Jug of Ale in Moseley is another nail in the coffin of Birmingham's live music scene. Read

Businesses set to pick bill for new immigrant reforms

The latest reforms in Britain's immigration system are designed to make it much harder for foreign workers to come to the United Kingdom. Read

All Black Country needs is a little time and effort

In recent times, the Black Country has come to be regarded by some as an economic backwater, with the decline of manufacturing in this country intrinsically linked to its misfor-tune. Read

Time for Labour to look to the future

It must have dawned on even the most optimistic of Labour supporters in Birmingham that the party is highly unlikely to regain control of the city council for another five or six years, or perhaps longer. Read

Brown has chance to turn around poor results

Today's local election results are, predictably, not good for Gordon Brown. Read

Store's bad idea

It is difficult to see the application by Sainsbury's for a 24-hour alcohol licence at its Brindleyplace store as anything other than a hostile challenge to the recent successes enjoyed by businesses, the police and Birmingham City Council in reducing incidents of drunkenness in Broad Street. Read

Why we bother to vote with this election system

The screening of Birmingham City Council election results live on the internet tonight and tomorrow morning is, sadly, likely to have a very limited audience appeal. Council chief executive Stephen Hughes believes the webcast will be watched by those who have taken the time to vote, but even the optimistic Mr Hughes would be astonished and over-joyed if the turnout at today's polls is much more than 35 per cent. Read

Hold off on the 2p fuel tax rate to help embattled hauliers

These are undoubtedly tough times for road hauliers. A tractor and trailer unit can easily set them back £100,000 while a year's-worth of diesel, including that tax upon a tax, VAT, now costs more than £50,000. Read

We're in Europe so who are the immigrants

When Gordon Brown promised British jobs for British work-ers, he was greeted with claims that the policy was illegal and unworkable. Read

Political parties must put their houses in order

A major report today into the integrity of the UK electoral process makes for uncomfortable reading in a city where allegations of corruption at council elections have been rife in recent years. It is no surprise, therefore, that the report's authors single out Birmingham as an example of a local authority where political control could quite easily be manipulated by a campaign of postal vote fraud. Read

Teachers have lost patience after a decade of changes

Yesterday's public sector walkout comes in the wake of years of plenty. Read

More winners than losers in city pay reorganisation

Union leaders will of course want to put the bravest possible face on it, but there is clear evidence now that the appetite among Birmingham City Council workers for protracted industrial action over the pay and grading review dispute is diminishing. Read

Labour MPs have left it a bit late to rebel over tax

As the Government begins its charm offensive to win over tax rebels, it is sending out mixed messages. Read

Exorcising the demons to allow immigration talks

It is an extraordinary and regrettable paradox that the speech that did so much to harm race relations in the UK for 40 years was made in the city that is more often held up as a shining example of cohesion and integration. Read

Aston election allegations - not a pretty sight

Here we go again. The local government elections are looming and Birmingham's political classes are getting themselves into a right old lather over allegations of malpractice in, inevitably, Aston. Read

Quick Links

Get Involved

We want your local stories, videos & pics.

Contact Us

Get in touch

Useful details

Use our directory to find the telephone number or email address of the person you need to speak to at The Birmingham Post. Read