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BNP chief never on 'foreign time'

SIMON Darby, the Black Country-born Deputy Leader of the BNP who stood as a West Midlands candidate in last year’s European elections, has been telling readers of his blog about a recent trip to Brussels.Read

Jon Walker

Byrne in Brown’s sights

HIGH-flying Birmingham MP Liam Byrne seems to have got on the wrong side of Gordon Brown.Read

Jon Walker

Is Sir Patrick in line for a lordship?

STAFFORDSHIRE MP Sir Patrick Cormack is quitting the Commons after 40 years, but he’s never forgotten some advice he was given on the first day.Read

You couldn't make this one up...

TOP columnist Richard Littlejohn has been reminiscing about his days on the Birmingham Mail.Read

Jon Walker

Just how deep are non-dom pockets?

LABOUR seems convinced that Lord Ashcroft, the wealthy Tory peer, is using his fortune to give the Tories an unfair advantage in the General Election.Read

Edgbaston down, Erdington to go...

THERE’S nothing like being confident, but it’s possible to go too far.Read

Money up in smoke

WE ALL know smokers cost the NHS millions of pounds each year – not to mention all the money the Government spends on adverts telling us to quit.Read

MP wants more fun and games

GOOD news for the thriving computer games industry, as Rare Games confirms plans to open a new facility in Digbeth.Read

Jon Walker

Right-on Harriet's plan a write-off

HARRIET Harman, the right-on Leader of the Commons, proposed a series of reforms to Commons rules this week – to replace the phrase “chairman” with “chair”.Read

Politicians turn fire on the newspapers

POLITICIANS have been in the doghouse for a while now, but they turned the tables today when they criticised the media.Read

Jon Walker

Sion's resignation stirs up old memories

DEJA vu for Labour activists in Erdington, with Unite deputy general secretary Jack Dromey emerging as the favourite to replace outgoing MP Sion Simon as the party’s general election candidate.Read

David suffers hi-tech woes

COMPUTERS are scary machines and particularly difficult for MPs to get to grips with, as Telford MP David Wright has discovered.Read

Mandy had 'no control' over buy-out

TRADE Secretary Peter Mandelson faces a Commons inquiry after he spoke out against food giant Kraft’s plans to buy Cadbury.Read

Jon Walker

Birmingham's new charm offensive

BIRMINGHAM City Council has taken out a full page advert in the internal magazine delivered to all MPs, telling them what a great city Birmingham is.Read

Hemming's respect plea

YARDLEY MP John Hemming (Lib Dem) is still angry that Gordon Brown mocked him for asking about the No 41 bus service, which has been cancelled by National Express.Read

Rail link's benefits to society - Adonis

TRANSPORT Secretary Lord Adonis is keen to get every party signed up to plans for a high speed rail line between London and Birmingham.Read

Jon Walker

Gisela's American angel of mercy

KNOWING people in high places can have all sorts of benefits, as Edgbaston MP Gisela Stuart discovered.Read

Tories keeping firms guessing

WITH the economy barely out of recession and the West Midlands still suffering from high unemployment, you might think the Tories would be ready to explain how they will help local businesses.Read

Can Gordon hang on by fingertips?

WITH the polls showing the next election could result it a hung Parliament, will Gordon Brown cling on after all?Read

Jon Walker

Blockbuster down to MP’s Ingenious help

THE success of James Cameron’s epic film Avatar is good news for the British film industry as it was funded by British-based film finance house Ingenious Media.Read