Trolleyed, boozed up, smashed and receptions that start just short of midnight- welcome to the party conference circuit
Will Mapplebeck, a Newcastle-based lobbyist, attends the party conferences. Here, he drinks in the Tory knees up
The IDS of March
Steve Beauchampé considers what’s behind Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation
Not at all like local democracy
Allowing local authorities to retain business rates only rights one of many wrongs imposed on them by central government writes Steve Beauchampé
Mitchell police “no further action”
Officers will not be disciplined as a result of Plebgate meeting.
No foreigners, no gays, no benefit claimants
Steve Beauchampé on Britain’s fractured political machinery….
That nice Mr Gove
Laurence Inman is in love, but it’s a very weird kind of thing.
Lessons from the Eastleigh by-election for the West Midlands
John Chubb’s thoughts on last Thursday’s unexpected call to a ballot box in the south.
Conservative party conference to return to Birmingham in 2014
City’s events strategy to target growth sectors in line with investment drive
Conservative MPs and Digbeth businesses get creative
Fazeley Studios in Digbeth played host to a fringe session with an array of Conservative MPs and local creative Birmingham businesses
Tories Arrive in Birmingham
The Conservative party conference has got underway, accompanied by protests and several no-shows.
Security operation begins for Tory Conference
Details of measures to be implemented ahead of the events at the ICC have been released.
Carry on during the conference
There will be minimal disruption while the Tories are in Birmingham.
City awaits the Conservatives
ICC staff are ready for Cameron & co.
Tory candidate for Deputy Police Commissioner supports Labour campaign against police privatisation
Walsall Labour have welcomed the support of the Conservative candidate for the role of deputy Police Commissioner
Birmingham welcomes back Conservatives for Autumn Conference
Birmingham is gearing up to host the Conservative Party for an unprecedented third Autumn Conference in five years, when it returns to the city next month.
The Old Etonian and the refugee
Steve Beauchampé still doesn’t like David Cameron, or much of the press.
Mayors – New Labour/Con Trick
Elected Mayors – a New Labour/Cameron fix, with precious little support from Birmingham councillors, reckons Steve Beauchampé
Cowardly Cameron
David Cameron was ‘a bit busy’ and didn’t make it to The Commons yesterday to defend his party’s behaviour over the cash for access scandal. Richard Lutz has this to say: So, let me get it straight. The Conservatives get radical over allowing Prime Ministerial access for six figure sums. They get caught red handed…
Walsall Labour report Lib Dems join Tories in attack on the most vulnerable
Lib Dems and Tories on Walsall council joined together last night to vote through a budget that will reduce social care in the borough by £22 million over three years.
Sutton MP wins website Usability Award
Andrew Mitchell, MP for Sutton Coldfield, has received the Usability Award in the MP Web Awards organised by BCS
The Self-Importance of Being….
Dave Woodhall wonders whether local Tories know what they’re doing – or whether they know exactly what they’re doing.
The Mushroom: On politics, conferences and Cameron…. and P45s
The Mushroom reckons it’s been a long time since politics was actually discussed at party conferences
“No Hidden agenda on planning changes” FoE respond
The coalition government is hoping to push through changes to planning regulations
Late accounting for Birmingham Council
Councillors should be scrutinising the process leading up to major decisions not reacting to decisions that have already been made when it is too late to change them.
New Twist in Sandwell Politics
Nominations for the 2011 local elections, due in today, have seen a new party emerge from the ranks of local Conservatives.