HomeBlogs & ViewsBirmingham Mail ColumnistsJon Walker

Easier targets

EVEN the mightiest warrior can mellow as the years go by. So it is with John Spellar (Lab Warley), one of the most battle-scarred figures on the Labour benches. Read

Home truths from Liam

A REPORT by the House of Lords warns that immigration does not bring economic benefits to existing residents, and can help create a housing shortage. Read

Roger raps T5 blunders

RECENT events have made MPs less forgiving than ever towards corporate executives who reap huge rewards for failure. Read

Tom fixed it for Bevin Boy Jim

NOT many people can say they fixed it for Jimmy Savile. But Black Country MP Tom Watson made the television celebrity's dream come true. Read

The price of independence

BEING independent has its advantages and its pitfalls. Read

You may speak - whoever you are

THE Speaker of the House of Commons is supposed to know the name of every MP and recognise them instantaneously. Read

Could have been a dragon

YARDLEY MP John Hemming narrowly avoided becoming a television celebrity, he reveals. Read

Togetherness set to pay dividends

THE Birmingham Mail's campaign for a referendum on a directly-elected mayor has re-awakened interest in the issue at Westminster. Read

Hullabaloo over number 10 toilets

CONSERVATIVES are up in arms over reports that the gents in 10 Downing Street are being refurbished. Read

No blanket support for Digby

LORD Jones of Birmingham, Digby Jones to his friends, was in his home city as Labour held its Spring Conference at the ICC this month. Read

The less serious side of the budget

POLITICS is a serious business. When Chancellor Alistair Darling delivers his Budget speech today, he will hold Britain's future economic prosperity in his hands. Read

Whitehall rap over foreign vehicles

THAT doughty campaigner John Spellar has branded a government department "a disgrace" for failing to buy British vehicles. Read

Between a rock and a hard place

THE decision to throw billions of pounds at Northern Rock has been causing rumblings in the West Midlands. Read

Loneliness of a Euro rebel

IS GISELA Stuart feeling the heat? Read

Jacqui finds terror law bid tough going

DIFFICULT battle lies ahead for Jacqui Smith, the Redditch MP and Home Secretary, as she attempts to convince MPs to back tough new terror laws. Read

MP hits out on clampers

A MIDLAND MP is leading a minor rebellion against the government's failure to clamp down on clampers. Read

Gamblers hit by two fat payments

THE campaign to save our bingo halls is growing in strength. Yardley MP John Hemming (Lib Dem) has led the way, calling on ministers to exempt the bingo industry from VAT to save 200 clubs which are under threat. Read

MPs urged to quit the bottle

WHILE politicians are busy dreaming up ways to make as all go green - charging us to put out our rubbish or drive our cars, for example - they are slow to change their own habits. Read

First the bad news, minister...

TERRORISM is going to get worse, the gap between the rich and the poor will grow and children will become involved in gun crime at a younger age than ever before. Read

Tories caught out on station

AS THE city celebrates the government's decision to approve the refurbishment of New Street, Conservatives are none too happy about the way the announcement was made. Read