HomeBlogs & ViewsBirmingham Mail ColumnistsJon Walker

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

Don't care who you are

BLACK Country MP Tom Watson is enjoying his new job as a government minister - but it's already had its pitfalls. Read

Not so multi-tasked

GORDON Brown made history when he appointed Redditch MP Jacqui Smith as Britain's first female Home Secretary. Read

You can't say that here - whatever it means

NEW controversy about bad language in the Commons, after Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland insulted a Minister with a word which shall not be repeated here. Read

Jon Walker

EU winners may be losers

A MINOR victory for the indomitable Gisela Stuart, who is leading calls for a referendum on the European Treaty. Read

Tea trolley call to ease airport fatigue

AS BIRMINGHAM Airport presses ahead with plans to extend its runway, a West Midlands MP proposes something even more important - a nice cup of tea and some biscuits. Read

Daniel's quip is the height of wit

MERRIMENT in the Commons after this column reported on the ongoing row between Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill), Minister for the West Midlands, and Shropshire MP Daniel Kawczynski (Con Shrewsbury). Read

Euro-sceptics enlist hi-tech aid

GORDON Brown has signed the controversial European Treaty, but opponents of ever-closer-union with our European brothers are continuing the fight. Read

You win some, you lose some

LORD Taylor of Warwick, a former pupil at Moseley School in Birmingham - back in its grammar school days - likes to look on the bright side. Read

Getting his fingers Byrned

LIAM Byrne, the Minister for the West Midlands, doesn't pull his punches. Read

Out with the old, in with the... old

THE more things change, the more they stay the same. Read

Peer's slogan sounds familiar

BLUES fans will be familiar with the British motto proposed by a Midland peer. Read

Drinks warning has ring of truth for MPs

YARDLEY MP John Hemming (Lib Dem) is campaigning for the right to have a few drinks at Christmas. Read

Life really does begin at 40 Tom!

POOR Tom Watson (Lab West Bromwich East). The Black Country MP has reached his 40th birthday and, like any sensible human being, welcomed the milestone with a period of introspection and gloominess. Read

The meaning of life for Jacqui

THE government hopes to convince MPs to back its plans to let police detain terror suspects without charge. Read

Thumbs up for Digby

LORD Jones of Birmingham, otherwise known as former CBI boss Digby Jones, was given a real grilling by the Trade and Industry Committee when he was summoned to give evidence to them back in July. Read

What the Sugababes didn't know was......

OOH er missus, watch me ballcock... Read

Minister stumped by timely question

SO HOW long, exactly, does the Minister for the West Midlands spend on his important work representing our region? Read

The word is prioritisation, MP is told

WORCESTERSHIRE MP Richard Taylor (Ind Wyre Forest) tried to hold a debate on "healthcare rationing" in the House of Commons. Read

No rush for Lord Rooker in debate

BACKBENCH politicians like nothing better than putting ministers on the spot with difficult questions, but it can backfire...as Lord Hamilton recently discovered. Read