Comments on: Birmingham Hall Green

By: Mo

Mo — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:55:45 +0000

I spoke to Roger this evening. I told him I heard about his daughter’s death, only to be told she is not dead. He was not out of the country for her funeral but her WEDDING in South Africa. I wonder where the Sunday Mercury got the information regarding the death then?

By: John Chanin

John Chanin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:57:26 +0000

This was Salma Yaqoob’s old seat. It is a shame to have lost her independent voice on Birmingham Council, although Respect are now a busted flush, even in Moslem East Birmingham. Labour got this large majority with a white candidate too.

By: Barnaby Marder

Barnaby Marder — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:10:50 +0000

Big gain for Labour in Sparkbrook ward last night, with a majority of 1,600 over Respect. The Tories were 5th.

By: John Chanin

John Chanin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:14:07 +0000

I was kind of hoping that Liam Byrne would fight Hemming in Yardley.

Not sure of his opinion on cats though

By: John Chanin

John Chanin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:04:40 +0000

Andy, yes I’m aware of the rules. However I’ve also read the Boundary Commission proposals, and noted that even in Birmingham and Leeds where wards are very large, no such proposals have been made, and indeed that nowhere in England have the Commission recommended splitting a ward. I deduce that it is quite hopeless for any independent observer to recommend such a solution. If all the parties combined, then it might be possible. Anyone who has ever attended a public enquiry knows that submissions from individuals are at best treated with condescension and at worst with contempt.

By: Andy JS

Andy JS — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:53:34 +0000

John: splitting wards has not been prohibited by the boundary commission so you can submit proposals which do so. It’s just that the boundary commission has decided not to split any when most people think it would have been reasonable to split a very small number of wards across the country in order to come up with better seats.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:47:03 +0000

If the proposals won’t be changed, it’s Byrne vs Mahmood for the nomination in Ladywood

By: John Chanin

John Chanin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:10:28 +0000

Pete, I greatly enjoy your well-informed comments. I don’t log in to this site very often, and am therefore slow to respond to comments.

Godsiff will of course move to the new Edgbaston seat if the Boundary Commission’s bizarre proposals for Birmingham hold. The problem is that withourt splitting wards it is virtually impossible to come up with alternatives in the Birmingham area. I am trying to work on a proposal I can submit, but all sensible alternatives are barred by teh Commission’s absolute refusal to split wards. It is a real feat to provide any solution for the West Midlands (however daft), and fills me with admiration, although it should never have been attempted.

Where will Liam Byrne go now?

By: Pete Whitehead

Pete Whitehead — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:37:23 +0000

I appreciate that John Chanin didn’t find my observations about Roger Godsiff all that useful, but I have to further observe that if he does continue his parliamentary career beyond 2015 he will likley add another two Birmingham wards to the myriad he has already represented. This seat will be broken up in two with Hall Green being reunited with Billesley and Brandwood to recreate something similar to the old Hall Green seat but which which will also take Springfield from this seat. If he were to follow this half of his current seat he would add Brandwood and Billesley to the list fo wards he has represented. But perhaps it is more likley that Steve McCabe would go for that seat as it will also include half of his current seat and all of the area he represented from 1997-2010. The other half of this seat (Sparkbrook and Moseley) will be joined with Selly Oak and Edgbaston so if he went for that he would be adding those two wards to his bow (Gisella Stuart would more likley follow the bulk of her electorate to the new Harborne seat).
On another note, regarding the new Edgbaston seat – each of the four constituent wards have at some time (including two currently) given their name to parliamentary constituencies.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:03:50 +0000

The Guardian figures refer to Jan-Feb 2011 period.
Overall Godsiff took part of 42% of the divisions from May 2010 to summer recess 2011.

In his reply to a local paper in an articled published on March 6th he said he has been out of the country for his daughter’s funeral “erlier this month” (I don’t know if he means March or February”. I don’t know the causes of her death and if they could have impacted his work duties (if she has been ill for some time, I guess he would have been reasonably distracted)