Birmingham University Labour Students

I’ve just got back from the double David Miliband event, and just wanted to write a report.

I thought the crowd during the first part (In Conversation with David Miliband – in the great hall) was fairly tough, there were questions about Palestine, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and Guantanemo Bay. One of the best questions was “What would you say to David Eastwood about the Browne Review?” and David replied in a very diplomatic manner, ending with the comment that he didn’t think it was “all Professor Eastwood’s fault”. I for one hope that Eastwood noticed the resentment in the room and the general jibes against tuition fees and millionaires.

The second part (The Living Wage Launch with David Miliband) was more relaxed and entertaining. Luke asked a great question about solidarity with potential allies and recognising the real enemy. David replied “kicking Lib Dems is pleasure, kicking Tories is business. Politics is business”. He also highlighted the work of his “Movement for Change”, responding to comments that it seemed similar to the Big Society by stating that society is our turf, we have always been known as socialists not statists, and the Tories are only developing policies to promote society because they are terrified of being known as the “there is no such thing as society” party. I’m sure many of us can see through their Big Society strategy to a purely Thatcherite idealism, and recognise that grass roots activity and community organisation always has been and will remain a Labour policy area.

In conclusion, congratulations to the BULS members who helped to organise the talks, and I hope those who missed out come to the upcoming great events!

Suzy

It seems I picked a bad week to break with my “current affairs” abstinence. I’m thoroughly sick of the news. I’m sick of the politics. I don’t care who’s on holiday and who isn’t. I don’t care who’s coming back, and who said what about who. I don’t believe that one event can make a crisis. I don’t believe that the riots are the fault of any one person, or of any one policy. They are not an argument against police funding cuts, nor against EMA cuts. They are not an excuse for pointing fingers, or for scoring points.

I despair for humanity. We may only have about sixty years left, but is there really need to accelerate it? Why? Why is that happening to my people?

Ask yourself this; why aren’t you rioting?

How alienated and desperate would you have to be to smash up your own town? How limited would your life prospects have to be for looting to be worth the risk? What if the only “legitimate” channels appear to have failed you, and your parents before you.

I argue for compassion, and for understanding. But for mere quirks of fate – the circumstances into which I was born, and those which followed –  I could have been one of those rioting and looting tonight. Comfortable people don’t riot. People with decent jobs, and stable incomes, and education, and quality housing; these people do not riot. The triggers may be recent, but the root causes go back decades.

I know many, perhaps most, will disagree. So little is known for certain. So many are eager to fit narratives. Some will blame “mindless thugs”, and resort to comfortable stereotypes; where facts are bent to fit theories. These are the easy answers, the lazy unthinking reactions. Blame the troublemakers. Blame the degenerates. Blame the chav.

I have more faith in humanity than that. Maybe I’m misguided, but I would much rather be wrong than I would unnecessarily condemn. We must all of us ask ourselves “Why?”

By Chris Nash, former BULS member

This is an issue that’s very close to our hearts and many hearts of those in Birmingham University. It was revealed by the Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8274663/Row-over-hike-in-university-vice-chancellors-pay.html)  that the University of Birmingham’s very own Vice-Chancellor, David Eastwood, was, including pension contributions, paid £392,000 last year. That’s right, nearly £400,000 a year! Not only that, this is (I think) twice as much as the Prime Minister is paid and it is also a 11% rise on the year before. 11%!! Now after proposing the new fees system that makes 77% of students worse off (that’s official numbers coming from the Institute of Fiscal Studies after much “number crunching”), he is has the audacity to award this astronomical pay rise. This is in contrary to budget cuts the University has made even long before the Browne Review in the Humanities departments and many of the lower paid staff (correct me if I’m wrong on this one) receiving a 1% pay rise. But with inflation rising this equates to a rather substantial cut.

Now I accept Eastwood can’t stop the imminent cuts coming from the government to the Higher Education budget and I accept Vice-Chancellors should be paid a decent wage (so to speak) for their job. But at least have the grace to truly be “all in this together” and stop this obscene display of out-of-touchness (if you get what I mean) with the rest of the student population at whole. It won’t stop the cuts either way, but the message is blatantly and strikingly clear David Eastwood. Make your choice for 2011.

Max Ramsay, Vice-Chair-elect

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12324225

It took me a long time to decide which issue to discuss on my first blog for Birmingham University Labour Students, as there are a myriad of things to be angry and anxious about at the moment thanks to the Con-Dem coalition. I pondered the dismantling of the NHS; the upcoming AV referendum and the scrapping of EMA, however an article which popped up on the BBC News website meant it had to be the tuition fees rise and its ramifications – BULS is, after all, a university society.

The latest development in this sorry saga is today’s latest UCAS admissions figures for 2011 entry, the last year before the trebling of fees in many instances alongside the ten per cent rise in salary of our Vice Chancellor. They reveal the stark reality that – despite what the government assures us – people are being turned off the idea of higher education in large numbers, most of whom will undoubtedly be from less privileged backgrounds. In the year that was supposed to be the ‘boom’ year of applications to beat the raising of the threshold in 2012, the number of applications only rose by five per cent, which in comparison with recent years and predicted trends is a sharp decrease in interest in degree courses.

Most disturbing of all was the plummeting of applications to -2 per cent in December, as the protests raged in central London and the heir to the throne’s wife was nudged with a stick. A brief fillip this may have been, but it demonstrates clearly that sixth-formers and school-leavers are seriously reconsidering their futures, weighing up whether it is really worth that much in debt only to come out jobless at the end of it. Just like the growth statistics, the figures are shocking, but not surprising considering the coalition’s arrogance and dogged determination to see through their most regressive and unpopular policies – which affect the poorest hardest – before the public realise what has hit them.

By Luke Jones, Communications Officer-elect

School children at a protest march against the swingeing cuts and rising fees join hands to prevent any more damage being done to a police van that had already almost been tipped over onto other protesters. These girls represent one side of the student protest, and one we can all be proud of.

A more difficult, but very real element is the violence, from those whose anger has been brewing long before any cuts to spending or raising of fees were confirmed. Some young people seem to have joined in partly for the sake of having a go at the police, the everyday face of the state.

Imagine you’d developed a suspicion of authority because your family had been falling through the cracks for decades. Then suddenly EMA arrives, you’re entitled to it, and you decide to go on to 6th form. You feel like maybe things are changing, maybe the government cares about you after all.

Now that it’s being scrapped the damage won’t just be seen in our schools and universities but in our social cohesion, our sense of possibility and social mobility. Dialogue about yobs hijacking middle class protests and disgraceful schoolgirls wreaking havoc is threatening student unity before we’re even getting started.

Our young people need to acknowledge the anger but keep it peaceful, and stay united. We want equal treatment, we should extend it to each other.

Suzy

How I voted as the Campaigning and Political mini-forum representative on the Guild Council on the 18/11/2010

In the interest of transparency I have decided to publish how I voted in the motions at Guild Council on Thursday. All items listed below were the only ones which were starred, which means they got debated in council, the un- starred ones got passed automatically.

Motion: Cuts and Fees vs. Motion: Birmingham Students say NO to cuts and fees (later carried)

I voted for the 2^nd motion, (Birmingham Students say NO to cuts and fees)

These two items were taken together, in the interest of sparking debate within Guild Council. This is the NUS line and keeps representatives of the Guild in University meetings and committees, which if we directly challenged the university on things like the Brown review, we would not have a voice in. Better to be inside the meeting arguing students case than being a fringe party on the other side of the door; shouting not being heard.

Motion: Changing the name of the HSBC room to the Harvey Milk room (carried)

I voted in favour

This motion got amended slightly to include the room being used for student purposes in the future and to withdraw the clause to denoting some kind of capitalist agenda with calling it the HSBC room in the first place. It was called the HSBC room because no one had put forward an alternative name. It seemed sensible and it allows a great man to be honoured in our Guild.

Motion: Ethical Investment (not carried)

I voted against this motion

This motion proposed to include tobacco, alcohol, gambling, arms manufactures, and pornography into the guilds ethical investment policy, excluding the Guild investing its surplus in these industries. I thought students would find it hypocritical of the Guild to sell a lot of these items within the union and then have an investment policy against that. With arms manufactures as well, some students with engineering degrees etc will be looking to work in these sorts of legitimate industries and the guild would then be hypocritical to let them on campus in the jobs fair for example.

Motion: Guild Council frequency

I voted against this motion.

This motion called for more Guild Council meetings in the term similar to what the Guild Council did before the referendum. I voted against this motion because it would be contradicting the referendum where nearly 2000 students voted in favour of changing the structure of Guild Council to have less formal meetings replaced by open forums where any student can come along and express their issues and concerns. This is to give the average student more of a voice in the Guild, in theory. I think students would like to let this policy bed in, no matter what there view on the referendum; seeing as there have only been one round of open forums as of yet, it would be premature in before changing anything.

Motion: Amendments to the suppliers list (carried)

I voted against this motion.

This motion called for the RA’s suppliers list to become a recommended list rather than a mandatory list of companies that they can work with. This is to drive down costs and make sure RA’s are not being manipulated by companies. I voted against this motion although it went through because it was evident there had been problems with the suppliers list previously but the officer team seemed to have reformed the list prior to the motion going to Guild Council. Reforms such as if a company can give a cheaper cost; they can be placed on the list instead of another etc. This motion might be subject to legal issues in the future due to the University demanding things like a mandatory suppliers list in financial audits.

Motion: Disability policy (carried)

I voted in favour.

This bill was amended and re-named the mobility and access policy. The motion calls for the Guild to establish a mobility and access policy working group, to monitor access to the Guild and its events and to ensure all disabled facilities are working.

If anyone has any issues with the way that I voted please get in touch at the committee e-mail address or my number 0752513519.

Full detailed minutes of the meeting will be published on the guild website soon.

Remember that know your world is next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sam Murphy

Autumn 2010 Campaigning and Political miniforum minutes 19.10.10

Attendees:

Matt Lamb – VPSAD

Jo Ormond – Student Activities coordinator

Benjamin Mee – Atheists, Agnostics and Humanists

Labour Students – Sam Murphy

United Nations – Anna-Kaisa Polojarvi

Socialist society – Vicky Taylor

Debating society – Rachael Twumasi

Take Back Parliament – Charlotte Galpin

1. 1. VPSAD introduction to his role and miniforums

Matt explained that mini forums are a chance for groups of similar interests to discuss issues, ask questions and be given information from the Guild.

1. 2. Open Forums

Open forums have replaced Guild council and are a less formal way for groups to bring issues/motions/feedback to the VPSAD. Two representatives from each miniforum will be elected to attend Guild Council on behalf of the miniforum

Student Groups:  Thursday 21^st October, at 6.30pm; venue to be confirmed

19^th Guild – 5.30pm,– for any issues relating to the Guild as an organisation and/or building

20^th Education and University– 5.30pm,– for academic issues

21^st Sports– 4.30pm,– for anyone involved in sport, at any level from occasional gym user to club captain.

22^nd Welfare– 4.00pm,– any welfare issues.

1. 3. Challenge VPSAD / Feedback from groups: activities so far/coming up; successes and challenges/issues

Socialist – Focus on Fees and would like as many societies as possible to get involved.  Providing transport to the Education Action Network national conference and rally if anyone wants to join us 31^st October. (Matt also suggested getting in touch with Rob Hunter VPEA about fees campaigns).

UN – Have a yearly theme related to the Millennium Development goals.  Have events for climate event in Mexico and Stop Violence Against Women day.

Take Back Parliament – We’re a new group and we campaign to change the voting system.  At the moment we’re focusing on getting membership and have a couple of events lined up.

(Matt mentioned that the box office space outside Spar is now bookable by student groups and is an ideal place to promote your society / have a bake sale etc.  Book through reception.)

Labour – Have an event planned with Lib Dems, a trip to Brussels for European Parliament.  Want to start a living wage campaign (Take Back Parliament would like to work with Labour on voting reform.)

Atheists, Agnostics and Humanists – Have a screening of The Life of Brian on Thursday, also have events with Aston Humanists and Birmingham Humanists.  Have had some problems with paperwork with uni room bookings – Matt asked for details to be emailed to him so he could follow it up.

Debating – Had a public debate on the day of the Browne review.  Also have a debate on Thursday ‘This House would abolish the Monarchy’.  Also have debates coming up on Afghanistan and God.  Please email us with any suggestions for debates that you would like.

1. 4. Know Your World promotion; need replies by Fri 22^nd.

1. 5. Get Involved (brief mention, not in detail, initial sign-up for interest

1. 6. Guild Council elections

Standing candidates:

Anna-Kaisa Polojarvi

Sam Murphy

Rachel Twumais

RON

Brief summary of speeches:

Anna

• Have experience of attending Guild Council and good perspective of what’s going on.
• Feel that the new system will improve the way Guild Council runs
• Believes it is very important to have representation at GC
• Not running just to fill my CV – we need to raise issues concerning our groups
• Will ensure good communication between groups
• Also recognise there will be differences of opinion between C&P groups

Sam

• Believe GC should expand to deal with campus wide issues
• I am transparent, open, amiable, not scared to represent the needs of the miniforum
• Experience of councils: local council and campaigning and representation

Rachael

• Good at putting forward what people want done
• Have responded to feedback from members within own society
• Have experience of attending GC and have drafted a motion
• Able to take a neutral stance

Sam Murphy and Rachael Twumasi elected

1. 7. Any other business/comments

Anna – a what’s on calendar on the website with everything that’s going on across campus would be really good

Matt – I am on the working group to rebuild website and this is definitely something we want.  We are also trying to get some temporary measures in place.

The month is April 2010. The location is Joe’s Bar in the Guild. A lively debate is taking place over four pints of beer.

“So you’re trying to tell me that the Conservatives are anti-poor, anti-gay, anti-women, anti-public services.”

“Basically, yeah.”

“Well then you’re full of **** because I heard Cameron’s speech on the NHS and he says he’s gonna protect it! They haven’t mentioned anything about punishing the poor either, you’re just making that up, cos we’re all in this together. And they have gay front-benchers, and JUST in case you’ve forgotten Thatcher was a woman.”

How many times have we experienced this rebuttal? This battle for hearts and minds, with us hungover in scruffy jeans on one side and Cameron’s big air-brushed face on the other?

And how many people came back to us over the following months and said “Mate, I’m sorry, if I’d known they were gonna cut my cousin’s benefits I wouldn’t have voted for them.”

But by then it’s too late. We need a shorthand, to unpick all the rhetoric, all the speeches, all the elaborate policies with questionable motives. Left and Right.

To say that a party is right wing is to know its history. Its history of opposing measures for the greater equality of gender, race and sexuality. Its financial backers in big business, its think tanks and advisers comprising the bigoted, the religiously extreme, the regressive. Its instincts to offload responsibility, make a profit, and favour choice over health and happiness. How it will respond in a crisis, where its priorities will lie, what it wants to achieve and the kind of country it’ll leave behind as its legacy.

Right wing and left wing speak for themselves.

And once you understand the divide you can read between the lines of speeches, because you know the place they are coming from in the first place. Ed Miliband declaring that he’s not in the pockets of Unite isn’t going to scare the Unions because they also know that they share a common, left wing, goal with Ed to defend workers against cuts. Whereas Cameron promising not to include the NHS in his cuts was a plea to those old enough to remember the last Tory government for another chance.

Right wing and left wing are more important than election promises. Years after everyone has forgotten that speech that leader made at conference the backbone of the party is still the same, and will react to each new problem in an essentially typical way. Giving credit to the Tories for cutting child benefit for the relatively wealthy is to silently acknowledge that it’s a surprise, that it’s essentially out of character, that it’s even a little bit left wing, because the true right-wing instinct would be to just scrap it altogether.

But that would make them unelectable.

Suzy

After a very long final session of Guild Council, in the immortal words of Fabian, I’ll try to keep this brief…

Each of the officers made a leaving speech looking back on the year and offering advice to the new team. These are some of the highlights.

VPSAD Emma “pacman” Packham has effectively showcased student groups to the Uni administration (the Vice Chancellor’s dad nows wants to join BUDS  dance soc) and worked hard to make herself known and approachable. She said that despite the Guild’s under resourcing, few staff and erstwhile joke status among the students it achieves incredible things. She made the point that professional relationships are crucial; and gratitude and banter are useful to grease the cogs.

VPEA Brigid “remarkable” Jones: widely regarded as a model representative of students due to her commitment and dedication she was yesterday awarded honorary life membership of the Guild. Fabian asserted that this “girl, sorry, woman” has been patronised by the bigwigs up at the Uni during her massive campaign against the closure of the sociology department.

VPHC Ed “the smallest man that I look up to” Sparkes has worked hard to calm the housing terrors among first years by making everyone feel included in halls and pushing back the housing rush til after Christmas. He thinks that fun is the most important element in life, and that we should all change something if we’re not having enough of it, and to that end he’s run for nearly every position possible within the Guild.

VPW Johnny “idiotic but popular” Davis is the first ever re-elected officer, he’s determined, innovative to the point of requesting a condom cannon and a penis-shaped bucking bronco for AIDS awareness, and wants to encourage anyone who doesn’t think they’re “political” enough to get involved anyway, because all you really need is the desire to make things better. He’s proud of U of B’s record of supporting student parents, the “hidden gems” of our community, and is excited about carrying on next year, reminding us all to protect our welfare with a Johnny.

VPS Katie “fordy fail” Ford had a hard time splitting commitments and was initially a guild outsider, but has managed to conquer the laddish element of the Sports teams with tact and skill and embed the Guild in the minds of our sportspeople. The Lion sports pull-out in RedBrick, a successful healthy living campaign, a brilliant Sports Ball, increased involvement in Sports Forums and inclusion of Sports RAs are just some of her many achievements.

VPDR Tom “comrade” Guise has come a long way but never forgotten his BULS roots, wearing a rose on his lanyard at all times. He’s delivered Joe’s Bar, not on time but on budget, and been a supportive friend to the rest of the team. He also had a serious message of support for everyone involved in student politics and a warning for the naysayers who ignore the historic importance of our institutions.

President Fabian “that geeky Austrian guy” Neuner has managed to develop from an inexperienced cynical outsider into a positive, passionate, diplomatic, reliable and genuine leader. Following a jibe from Lynne Jones he’s been spending a lot of time convincing outsiders that students do care about politics, has been active in the Vote4Students campaign and wishes to further reform the Guild Council procedure to improve transparency. Among his many other achievements he recently won a game of Lash of the Titans, wearing Johnny Davis’ underwear on his head in victory.

The motion to express GC support for wheelchair ramps in the law library was passed unanimously, which is apparently a first!

Further…

Everyone decried the lack of recognition given to the non-sabb team and then carried on ignoring them…shout outs and praise were given to the guild staff, housemates and girlfriends, Carnival Rag, RedBrick, the notorious Ed Bauer, Tom Marley and Wes Streeting as well as all of the new officers…there used to be an official bar crawl called “Chamberlain Chunderfest”… that once you’ve been elected you have to do your best both for those who elected you but also for your rivals…the library WILL be open longer next year…Ed Sparkes is the best person to bring you tea when you’ve fallen asleep on your desk…

Labour had 191 women PPCs prior to this election, which has translated into 81 women MPs – 31% of Labour MPs.

For comparison:

Labour had 101 women MPs in 1997, 24% of the total.

And the tories in 2010?

48 women MPs. 15% of the total.

Labour have also provided parliament with its first 3 muslim women MPs – Rushanara Ali of Bethnal Green and Bow, Yasmin Qureshi of Bolton South East and Shabana Mahmood of our very own Birmingham Ladywood!

And 12 other black or ethnic minority MPs – Diane Abbott kept Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Keith Vaz kept Leicester East, Marsha Singh of Bradford West, Sharma Virendra of Ealing Southall, Gavin Shuker of Luton South, Khalid Mahmood of our own Birmingham Perry Barr, the great David Lammy of Tottenham, Sadiq Khan of “yes we Khan” fame and Tooting, Mark Hendrick of Preston, Anas Sarwar of Glasgow Central, Chuka Umunna of Streatham and Dr Chinyelu Susan Onwurah of Newcastle Central.

That’s 5.8% of Labour MPs. We’re almost there on representation, at least as regards sex and ethnicity!

So proud to be Labour. Our party prioritises equality. You can’t say fairer than that.

Suzy

The Birmingham Post has revealed that no one likes the new library design! 100% of the five letters published were against it!

Also in our uber-scientific poll 0% of our readers voted for the library to get redeveloped! Scandal!

Honestly, why? It looks like any other modern building, bland. The current one is loved by architects and the new one is just a nice modern structure that barely stands out. Improve the old one. I like it.

How wonderfully amused I was to learn today of the existence of the Apostrophe Protection Society!

Tory commentators love to pull us up on our grammar on this here blog, in fact after Thatcher I’ll wager its their second favourite thing to comment on. How aghast they must have been to note that their own Tory council leaders here in Brum are ditching that beloved bastion of the educated!

I know you guys aren’t that well acquainted with the Guild but if you want to start up a uni branch of the APS you only need twenty members, I can help with the forms if you like: just get in touch.

Speaking of education, I was most interested in the new Tory ad that informs us the UK is now 24th in the world at maths, (not sure what kind or level of maths as it didn’t specify), behind both Canada and Korea. Last time I checked Korea was in fact two separate political entities, North and South Korea; where pray does the UK come in the world geography championships? I personally am wondering why I ought to be surprised that both these places have reasonable education systems, but would like to congratulate them both all the same.

The snow on my street has turned into sheet ice. Thick, solid ice. Half the neighbourhood is covered it. Half the neighbourhood is also on an incline, making walking frankly terrifying. I have taken to wearing wellies in the vain hope it will make walking easier. So far I have narrowly avoided falling flat on my arse/face, but I know some of my friends have not been so fortunate. If I’m slipping and sliding all over the place it must be hell for those slightly less physically able.

So as my housemate pointed out the other night, where on Earth is the grit? Why haven’t our roads been gritted and why is there nothing to grit our pavements with? Who exactly is in charge of all this? I guess that’s a council issue…

One of our esteemed colleagues in BULS recently said to me that there was little point in going campaigning for an election we’ve already lost.

Tomorrow BULS will be heading to Erdington, where we face significant challenges over the next two years, it is a seat the Tories will find ever more attractive now that they hold 4 of the 12 council seats, one being Lib Dem.  A little over 3 years ago the Labour Party could boast holding all council represenatives and ofcourse its Member of Parliament.  The Tories have also, effectively made Kingstanding and Tyburn three-horse races, these were previously thought of as safe-labour wards.  Erdington constituency has clearly moved into the marginal, and that is a prospect that has put fear into the minds of CLP members.  That fear though, thankfully, has been transformed into determination and it is promising to see that the general election campaign and the local election campaign has already begun in earnest.

BULS will be getting to know Erdington very well, as we will in other key seats.  So the attitude expressed by one of our colleagues was bitterly dissapointing, but it’s by no means their fault.  There is a distinct lack of morale in the party, it’s quite blatant.  Yet, it is that attitude that hands the Tories a victory, I don’t know any conservatives who believe it is in their hands just not.  So surely it is ours to lose.

The party has large national problems, but that’s not for us to theorise and gossip about.  Locally we members need to be on the ground, in communities talking to people about their concerns because it’s what we do best, not navel-gazing.  Let’s get off our backsides and get out and spread our positive message about social justice and economic prosperity.  The best way we serve our party is by delivering on the ground, not by wallowing in self-pity and anguishing over defeat.

BULS will be meeting outside the Guild tomorrow at 10.30am for anyone I’ve managed to guilt into attendance.

Congratulations to all newly-elected Birmingham City Councillors.  I happened to be browsing through the Birmingham Conservatives website, and found a page containing lovely pictures of all Conservative Birmingham City Councillors, sorted by ward.  I would encourage everyone to go and take a look – it appears not to have been updated with the new councillors yet, but please check back once it has been updated.  Notice anything?

I wonder if any of the Conservative Group plays chess.  Hmmm.

Kathryn Woodroof of BULS reports back from the event “Labour, The Women’s Champion” in Washwood Heath

A few Sundays ago a contingent of us BULS women went over to Washwood Heath to show our support for the local Labour candidate Mohammed Rasib. Birmingham’s Labour Party had originally intended to put forward an all-women shortlist for this ward, but following a shortage i.e. complete lack of female candidates, was forced to put forward Mr Rasib, a worthy candidate for the position nonetheless. Some of those present expressed disappointment that no woman had come forward and others anger that it was still proving difficult for women, especially Black & Minority Ethnic women, to get into politics, local or otherwise. We listened sympathetically to the thoughts and frustrations of those present, and the “women need help to get into politics” line of thought was starting to grate a little, when suddenly a young woman stood up and said that if women wanted to get into politics they should quit moaning about it and just do it. Hear hear! Councillor Anita Ward of Hodge Heath ward admitted she too disagreed with all-women shortlists and that women should be put forward as a candidate based on their ability and not their sex. Furthermore, why should a good male candidate such as Mr Rasib be rejected in favour of a woman who might not do the job as well? Sadly it is not quite as easy as all that, but it was refreshing to hear women speak out against the all-women shortlists, which are frankly insulting and ignorant of our strengths and abilities. To foster higher female and BME representation, we must firstly provide more information about how you go about standing as a local councillor, or supporting your preferred party. Young people in particular know very little about local politics and this is a barrier to participation. Following that, women need to hold more meetings like this in order to meet female MPs and councillors who have succeeded in the political arena, hear their stories and gain inspiration from them.

… and do does campaigning season!

Opportunities abound in Selly Oak, Bartley Green and Quinton. Drop me a shout to labour@guild.bham.ac.uk if you’d like a leafleting round, locally or further afield

Every once in a while an announcement is made by the Government that raises a smile.  It’s a gesture of self-satisfaction, encouraging you that you did indeed do the right thing when you joined the Labour Party, it truly speaks for your issues.  Curry has a special place in Birmingham and a special place in BULS. That is why I am so pleased to see Gordon Brown working hard to make sure that curry houses don’t need to shut-down if they’re hit hard by a new EU points-system for employment.

My faith in the movement has been slightly bruised in the last couple of weeks but I truly want to thank the PM for keeping an industry going, and ensuring that BULS will never be without venues for endless Curry-nights.

Rod Dungate our candidate in Edgbaston for this May’s local elections has started his own blog which I thought I’d share with you.

Edgbaston Ward is held by the Conservatives but I really think we can give them a run for their money this May and we wish Rod the best of luck.  Happy reading!

Tom Marley, chair of BULS has recieved a positive boost from the visitor numbers for last month.  BULS’ blog attracted 4515 visitors during one of the busiest periods in Guild politics.  Marley will be cheered by the figures which will be a clear sign that, despite further allegations of sleaze, he has full control over the club and its members. 

One senior committee member has spoken to BULSinside accusing Mr. Marley of assault and forcing them to write more posts.  Mr. Marley’s top aides deny such claims and suggest that Marley has a very diplomatic and consensual style.  In response to the numbers Mr. Marley said;   “In what will be my final month as chair I intend to make sure that we recieve over 5000 visitors.”

The statement of resignation will send a lightning bolt through the BULS committee who have been positioning themselves for the top job.  It is still expected that John Ritchie, former chair, will be returning at the annual general meeting to take over the club.  After Fidel Castro’s resignation letter it has also been muted that the former Cuban dictator will be spreading his brand of socialism to the West Midlands, Jim Murphy MP has also expressed an interest.

I don’t care what they say, that was not a tremor it was an earthquake and it was freaky!

I have never had to pay council tax, and recently had to investigate it for some friends. I don’t think the way that the amount to pay is decided is fair, and I’ve read tons of letters to papers and tabloid front pages moaning about how it was going up and up. So I figured out how much a couple living in an mid rate Birmingham house would pay, expecting it to be shocked and appauled…

It came to about £10 a week each.

Ten quid? For police, fire service, street lighting, rubbish collection, roads, pest control, schools, parks, libraries, sports centers… two hours of minimum wage?

I realise that figure is subsidised etc etc, but that sounds like a bargain to me.

While I should have been working I came across gaybirminghamremembered. This project fascinatingly chronicles a the often unspoken history of Birmingham’s gay scene since the 1940s and how life has changed for the city’s lgbt community over the decades, really interesting, and at times sad stuff.

Sir Dick Knowles, former Labour leader of Birmingham City Council, died yesterday at the age of 90.
 
Dick was leader of the Labour Group from 1984 to 1993, and brought in many of the changes which saw Birmingham get back on its feet and feel the sense of pride in itself that many regarded as lacking throughout the country but especially in Birmingham during the mid 1980s.  Dick took over the leadership of the council at a time when much of the country and especially areas like Birmingham were on their knees, with average unemployment throughout the city of 25%, rising to 50% in some wards.  Despite a lack of support from the Thatcher government, the Labour administration, under Dick’s leadership, pushed forward plans for the ICC, undoubtedly planting the seed for the vast regeneration that Birmingham City Centre has enjoyed over the last 10-15 years.
 
Dick lived with his wife, Anne, in Bartley Green, the Birmingham City Council ward for which I was candidate last year.  Even at the age of 90, Dick’s drive and enthusiasm never ceased to amaze me.  He and Anne embodied what it means to me to be a member of the Labour Party – the true spirit of comradeship, and the tremendous will to fight against the nasty side of politics that we see all too often in Birmingham.  Even at the age of 90, Dick could still stuff envelopes faster than I could deliver them.
 
As a true comrade (who would address you as such, and never flinch when you returned the compliment, as so many of today’s Labour Party members might), Dick will be sadly missed, and Birmingham University Labour Students conveys its most deepest sympathies to Anne and the family.

 Because I am not at all bitter about being stuck in my house with an exam in the morning and no one to watch Super Tuesday coverage with, I am going to blog about something entirely un-Super Tuesday related.

 So, yeah, three thousand people. That’s how many council staff flooded Birmingham’s Victoria Square today in protest over the new pay scheme being introduced by Birmingham city council. The issue seems to be a tricky one; while the pay shake-up is designed to bring balance to the gender pay gap by valuing male and female jobs equally (hurrah) allegations abound that it will not in fact achieve that. Also, and highly significantly, many staff are set to lose life-changing amounts (up to twelve grand in some cases).

 The issue has been dogged with controversy, not least the binmen pay deal, which was accepted against union advice. It has also been alleged that the council has long since spent the money set aside to neutralise the pay cuts on other things.

 What has really interested me here is the position of the unions. As the Birmingham Post points out, less than 1/4 of members voted in the strike ballot and the binmen rejected union advice… Still, three thousand people took to the streets today.

 Which is the number needed for a quorate referendum in my own union this week, the Guild of Students. I wonder how this union will fare? Since there is no money at stake here I fear far less well… but I hope I’m wrong.

 The bin-men of Birmingham have dismayed unions by voting to accept a £8000 a year pay rise, which coupled with the cancellation of bonusses means in real terms a £2000 a year cut.

 The Labour group on the Council had accused the Tory administration of “holding a gun to their heads” over the pay deal, and it has been suggested that the bin-men had voted to “cut their losses”. The Tory administration meanwhile believes the workers have “seen sense” in accepting reformed working practices, which come with the deal.

 There have been anonymous (and entirely unconfirmed) suggestions that the pay ballot was somewhat dodgey… we’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of that or if it’s just disgruntled rumour.

 This is all part of the ongoing row over the council workers pay shake up, which will see thousands of council staff walk out on Tuesday in protest over pay cuts…

Apparently New Street is… old! and pleasent!

Shamelessly nicked from the front page of the Birmingham Post (picture actually taken by Iain Findlay, before I get sued)

Thinking back to Tom Geese’s blog on community spirit, I came across this when I should have been doing something more productive. The original article is a pile of shite, but the comments below give an interesting if depressing glimpse of the two Selly Oaks- the permanent comunity and the student bubble…

I see that Birmingham College of Food and Tourism has re-branded, as the imaginatively titled University College Birmingham.

This means our great city is now graced with Birmingham City University, the University of Birmingham and University College Birmingham.

…Anyone else think people are going to find this ever so slightly confusing?

Whilst phone canvassing today I spoke to a lovely lady who told me that the biggest problem living in Selly Oak were all the students.  This rant lasted for about 10 minutes and, without telling her my educational status, I was happy to give her a sounding board for her concerns.  One thing she mentioned to me was the feeling of a lack of community, she pointed out that there were no christmas lights in Selly Oak over the holiday season. 

I thought little of this at the time, until this evening, when I went into every pub on the Bristol Road attempting to watch the West Brom Vs Hull match on Sky Sports.  I was convinced I would find it but I was mistaken, every pub was showing Newcastle Vs Man United.  It struck me that this could be further evidence of the lack of community within Selly Oak, that none of the pubs were showing the only local team on TV.   I am of course completely turn off by Kerron Cross now, who I discover is a Watford fan.  I would encourage all Birmingham students to adopt a local team whilst at Uni, West Brom’s antics will never fail to entertain. 

P.S. I double checked the picture was Selly Oak, for fear of making a similar mistake to the Tory MEPs, commented on brilliantly by Tom Watson and our very own Ingrid Jones.

One of the essential parts of BULS is campaigning throughout Birmingham.  We’ve got some very important local elections coming up this May so what better time to start grinding the campaign gears than at the start of the New Year.  Today, comrades travelled to Kings Heath to help Labour candidates Nathan Matthew and David Williams in their respective seats of Bournville and Selly Oak.  We primarily did telephone canvassing making over 80 brand new contacts.  Afterwards we were invited back to Steve McCabe’s house for some bloody nice food and a few beers. 

We had a great chat with Steve and his wife, Fiona (who incidentally is the Director of the Political Office at Number 10), talking about a number of issues like neighbourhood regeneration, the race for the White House in America and how to get students involved with the political process in Selly Oak.  Due to boundary changes Steve will become the new MP for Selly Oak, at the next General Election.

Stay tuned for more news from the campaign trail across Birmingham and in other key areas in the country.

 Am loving this story from Tom Watson, who spotted that instead of their own city, Tory MEPs had displayed their wealth of local knowledge by illustrating their website with pictures of Birmingham, Alabama.

(Ironically my dear parents made the same mistake at Christmas, when they gave me a book entitled A Photographic History of Birmingham.)

The Birmingham Post has carried two headlines this week that prompted me to shell out 70p for it. The first, on Monday, was in the fall out of the Enoch Powell Tory row… like the Post correspondant, I had already googled the speech, only to be led straight to the National Front website which carried it in its entirety. Reading it left me feeling cold and unsettled, particuarly the anecdote about the “only white woman left in a street”. Yesterday it was suggested Hastilow could still be asked to return by local party activists…

Later in the week it was reported that the pay cuts for Birmingham Council workers could disproportionately affect women. While many female workers will indeed recieve rises, an awful lot of traditionally feminine jobs will be devalued… as if the pay gap wasn’t bad enough. The council has defended itself, saying that the new pay system was meant to make things more fair and equal. I’d be very interested to see who is right- did the council get it badly wrong or is the headline misleading?

On the equal pay front, it was also reported this week that women with degrees earn less than men right from their first jobs after graduation. What a bright hopeful future I have ahead of me.