Black Country news and blogs Saturday 15 November 2014
Sleaze
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News
PM ‘weak’ over Mitchell – Labour 
BBC News 20 Oct 12
Labour accuses David Cameron of weak leadership for failing to dismiss Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell as government chief whip before he quit on Friday.
News
Mitchell resigns over police row
BBC News 19 Oct 12
The Sutton Coldfield MP and quits his role as Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell over rude remarks he made to police officers in Downing Street three weeks ago.
Comment
Andrew Mitchell
The Plastic Hippo 26 Sep 12
Last Friday afternoon this humble blog published a hastily cobbled together post that requires an unreserved apology. It had been a long and extremely frustrating day but that is no excuse for poor grammar and shoddy sentence construction. This blog did not use the words that have been attributed to it…
Comment
On yer bike
The Plastic Hippo 21 Sep 12
Before we all get carried away and grab the pitchforks and flaming torches and lay seize to Sutton Coldfield, let us consider which “news” outlet ran the story of Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell`s rather predictable behaviour…
Comment
Vote rigging: blame the Martians
The Mushroom 3 Dec 10
So it’s the fault of the 'others'
That’s the verdict of Mike Bird on electoral fraud by Conservative Party members in Walsall. Mike’s amazing conclusion was aired on the BBC WM’s Drivetime programme on Thursday…
Comment
Russian guitars
Nige Come the Revolution 3 Dec 10
So Qatar – will be fun to watch football played at walking pace in 40 degrees, no football stadiums, no hotels, no roads, no alcohol – the perfect place!
News
Calls for inquiry on vote rigging at Walsall Council
Express & Star 3 Dec 10
Calls were today made for an investigation into vote rigging at Walsall Council after a Tory party member and son of a councillor was locked up for electoral fraud…
Comment
Vote rigging: will Cameron act?
The Mushroom 1 Dec 10
The conviction of Ali Munir, businessman and Tory Party member, for electoral fraud is very worrying. He is the son of Palfrey councillor Mohammed Munir, who was cleared of similar charges in September after telling the court that he had unknowingly filled in forms for 11 illegal immigrants to register them as voters. He was found not guilty and Cllr Munir is innocent…
News
Son of Walsall councillor jailed for forging votes
Birmingham Post 1 Dec 10
The son of a Tory councillor who forged proxy votes in a bid to help his father in an election has been jailed for three months…
Comment
Turn, turn, turn…
BrownhillsBob 10 Nov 10
Something odd is happening at the moment. I’m not sure quite what’s going on, but it’s very interesting and I think it might be positive. It seems the Cabinet – those leading Walsall Council – have become aware of the adverse publicity they seem to be creating out here in cyberspace…
Comment
Walsall councillors’ allowances frozen – with a twist
Cllr Ian Shires: LibDem - Willenhall North 9 Nov 10
Last night’s full meeting of Walsall Council saw the controlling Tory administration doing an about turn on the proposals to increase councillors’ allowances…
Comment
All hits radio
The Plastic Hippo 7 Nov 10
What better way to enjoy Saturday morning brunch than to gather around the radio-gramme to benefit from the wise words of our avuncular council leader Mike Bird…
Comment
Bird eats crow
The Mushroom 6 Nov 10
Listened to Radio WM this morning and had the pleasure of hearing Mike Bird eat crow over the pay rise to cabinet members he was so enthusiastically supporting last week…
Comment
Mike Bird bows to pressure
Pheasey Park Farm Labour 6 Nov 10
On Adrian Goldberg’s BBC Radio WM show, Walsall Council leader Mike Bird confirmed that on Friday night the Tory group bowed to the obvious public pressure and delayed any decision on pay rises until next year…
Comment
But I’m worth it!!!
The Mushroom 5 Nov 10
Mike Bird is to defend his proposed pay rise on Radio WM tomorrow morning (10am on Saturday I believe), a feat of back flips propelled by blasts of hot air…
Comment
I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok…
The Bookworm Turns 4 Nov 10
This week it was revealed by the local press that the legendary Mike Bird of Walsall Council and his ‘Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ would be voting themselves a fat pay rise for all the hardships they endure in their hard-pressed non-stop 24/7 jobs serving the public of Walsall…
Comment
Mike Bird and the hypocrisy of ‘all in it together’
Ian Robathan Labour News 2 Nov 10
In Walsall we are quite used to Mike Bird after many years of seeing him in and out of charge of the Tory party here. I am ‘lucky’ enough to have him as my local councillor after some Tory gerrymandering a few year back and wouldn’t it be good to see him suffering from cuts as we all do (though he lives nowhere near our estate)…
Comment
If you’re not outraged, then you’re not paying attention
BrownhillsBob 3 Nov 10
If you’re not aware of the story, it has recently been reported that despite making huge cuts to services provision, budgets and soon jobs too, Mike Bird and his pals at Walsall Council see nothing wrong with voting to increase their allowances…
Comment
Qu’ils mangent de la brioche
The Plastic Hippo 2 Nov 10
There is absolutely no evidence that Marie Antoinette, at the height of the bread riots during the French Revolution, ever suggested that baguette-less citizens should eat brioche let alone cake. Reports of her mocking cruelty were pure invention unlike in Walsall where there are sticky fingers kneading the dough…
News
Fury over Walsall councillors’ pay rise plan
Express & Star 1 Nov 10
Senior councillors at Walsall Council, which must save £65 million, will give themselves pay rises under controversial new plans revealed today…
News
New Essington home for MP scandal duckhouse
Express & Star 17 Sep 10
The most infamous floating duckhouse in the country is now safe and sound in its new home alongside the M6…
News
£10m payouts for former MPs
Express & Star 8 Jun 10
Former MPs who retired or lost their seats at the General Election were revealed to be sharing more than £10m in golden goodbyes..
News
Cameron probe call into Walsall “fraud” claims
The Stirrer 27 May 10
Walsall Council’s Labour Group is demanding Prime Minster David Cameron launches an investigation into the running of the local Conservative Party after a second Walsall Tory has been arrested in connection with electoral fraud…
News
Tory candidate held in police probe on Pleck election fraud
Express & Star 26 May 10
A Tory election candidate has been arrested on suspicion of postal vote fraud in the first West Midlands Police operation of its kind linked to the 2010 polls…
News
Tory councillor suspended over Walsall electoral fraud claims
The YamYam 31 Mar 10
A Walsall Conservative councillor has been suspended from his party following allegations of electoral fraud…
Business
Mandelson close to taking legal action against Phoenix Four
Alun Thorne Birmingham Post 26 Feb 10
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is on the verge of taking legal action against the ‘Phoenix Four’, who oversaw the collapse of MG Rover. But the legal action means a parliamentary investigation into the collapse has been called off. The Business Innovation and Skills select committee will now be looking into Lord Mandelson’s handling of the […]
News
WM MPs told to pay back over £50,000 after expenses scandal
Jonathan Walker Birmingham Post 4 Feb 10
MPs across the West Mids have been ordered to repay almost £50,000 in illegitimate expense claims. Richard Shepherd (Con Aldridge Brownhills) has repaid a total of £3,191.88 whilst Walsall’s other two MPs, Bruce George (Lab Walsall South) and David Winnick (Lab Walsall North) have been told their expenses claims were valid and have to return […]
News
Tribunal legal costs questioned
Adam Lumley The YamYam 9 Jan 10
Councillor Anne Young, who represents Blakenall for Labour, has tabled a question for next Monday`s meeting of the full council demanding to know the cost to council tax payers of the latest unfair dismissal tribunal to hit Walsall Council. Former highways manager Carl Teesdale, aged 52 and of Birmingham Road resigned from the authority after […]
Automotive news
Phoenix Four face payout delay
Jon Griffin Birmingham Mail 5 Jan 10
A last-minute government claim has delayed the Phoenix Four a multi-million pound windfall from MG Rover. The distribution of yet more millions to John Towers, Peter Beale, Nick Stephenson and John Edwards looks set to be delayed for several more months after a last-minute notice of a potential claim – believed to be from a […]
Business news
All aboard the gravy train
Express & Star 30 Dec 09
A quango set up to bring investment into the West Midlands has spent £75,000 of taxpayers’ money letting its staff fly business class, it was revealed today. Advantage West Midlands also spent £31,000 on first class rail travel but claimed today the costs were justified so that staff can “arrive fresh” for meetings…
News
Bishop of Lichfield talks of trust ‘betrayals’
BBC News 26 Dec 09
High-profile breaches of trust could lead people to turn to the Church, the Bishop of Lichfield has said. The Right Reverend Jonathan Gledhill said there had been so many “shocking betrayals of trust” this year, which included the MPs’ expenses scandal…
Automotive news
Former Rover bosses pay back £3m
BBC News 26 Nov 09
The company owned by the ex-bosses of MG Rover has paid back some of the millions of pounds taken out of the car maker, the BBC has learned. Phoenix Venture Holdings, the firm owned by the so-called “Phoenix Four”, paid £3m to the liquidator almost five years after the firm’s collapse…
Business
Phoenix four “should hand back £11m windfall” says MP
Stirrer 23 Nov 09
The directors who took MG Rover into liquidation have been urged to plough an £11million windfall from the collapse of the company into the local community. Northfield MP Richard Burden says it would help restore their tarnished reputation…
Automotive news
MP calls for Phoenix Four to reveal Rover trust fund details
Jonathan Walker Birmingham Mail 3 Nov 09
Former MG Rover directors must reveal how much cash will be distributed through a long-awaited trust fund for staff who were made redundant, the House of Commons will be told today…
News
Court worry for MPs forced to sack family members
Birmingham Mail 26 Oct 09
MPS could face legal action from their own wives and husbands if they are forced to sack them under new anti-sleaze rules, according to a West Midlands MP. A review published next month is expected to order up to 20 MPs in the region to stop employing family members as secretaries and researchers…
News
Sandwell Council leader resigns after theft charge
Express & Star 23 Oct 09
The leader of Sandwell Council, Bill Thomas OBE, resigned today after being arrested and charged with theft. The 69-year-old was arrested following an investigation by a police economic crime team. Councillor Thomas, a former headteacher, represents Rowley ward on the council which he has led since 2001…
News
MPs stay silent on expenses’ letters
Express & Star 14 Oct 09
Seven MPs from across the West Midlands were today failing to reveal the contents of letters sent out telling them if they have to pay back any expenses….
Business news
BAE Systems face SFO prosecution in bribery of ‘millions’
Graeme Brown Birmingham Post 2 Oct 09
Defence giant BAE Systems is to face prosecution over bribery allegations following a long investigation. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) confirmed it is to pursue claims that the firm paid out millions of pounds to win contracts from a number of countries…
News
Winnick welcomes Speaker call for shorter MPs’ summer break
Express & Star 26 Sep 09
West Midlands MPs have defended their lengthy summer holidays after House of Commons Speaker John Bercow called for the recess to be cut back but Walsall North Labour MP David Winnick welcomed Mr Bercow’s remarks…
Automotive news
Professor David Bailey’s reaction to MG Rover collapse report
Anna Blackaby Birmingham Post 14 Sep 09
Car industry expert Professor David Bailey, of Coventry University Business School, expressed hope that the inquiry may lead to greater accountability and transparency in the business world.
Automotive news
MG Rover inspectors open door to legal action against the Phoenix Four
Ian Griffiths & Tim Webb Observer 13 Sep 09
West Midlands car industry activists are poring over the fine detail of the government report into the collapse of MG Rover to establish whether there are grounds to bring a civil action against the so-called Phoenix Four, the executives who bought the car company from BMW for £10 in May 2000…
Automotive news
MG Rover director paid his lover £1.7m for consultancy work
Jon Griffin Birmingham Mail 12 Sep 09
Firms linked to Phoenix Four director Nick Stephenson’s Chinese lover Qu Li received nearly £1.7 million over a 15-month period for consultancy work, the report reveals…
Comment
Rover over
Pig Blog 11 Sep 09
Is it just me, or is the fuss and the 16million quid report into MG Rover going under a total waste of time?
News
Heated exchange at Walsall MDC meeting
Zim Diaspora 25 August 09
There was heated debate at a district meeting of the Movement for Democratic Change (UK) in Walsall on Saturday where financial irregularities in the party were discussed…
Media business
Screen WM CEO claimed Ivy membership on expenses
Birmingham Post 31 July 09
Membership of The Ivy and over £5,000 in dining out costs were among the expenses claimed by the chief executive of the region’s screen media quango last year. Suzie Norton, chief executive of Screen WM, which exists to support the film TV, games and interactive media sector in the area, claimed £12,500 in expenses in […]
News
Labour crushed by Tories
Telegraph 24 July 09
Norwich North by-electionLabour have suffered a crushing defeat in the Norwich North by-election to the Conservatives – defeated by a majority of more than 7,000 votes. The Conservatives’s candidate Chloe Smith overturned the 5,459 majority won in 2005 by Ian Gibson, the Labour MP who quit the Commons after being controversially banned from standing again […]
News
‘Rushed’ expenses law enters the statute books
Telegraph 22 July 09
A law intended to clean up Parliament after the MPs’ expenses scandal has been passed, amid complaints that it was rushed through with the most crucial measures watered down…
Financial news
Nationwide bosses face fury over pay
Mail on Sunday 19 July 09
Bosses at Nationwide Building Society were grilled by members over their six-figure bonuses at a marathon annual meeting last Thursday. Saver Stewart Prebble from Walsall won applause for his comments…
Business
When will the penny drop over all these pounds claimed by MPs?
Birmingham Post 13 July 09
Over the recent months, the expenses scandal has meant politicians streaking ahead in the race to become the most despised profession. But for some, the public reaction to moats, duck houses and nudie films has yet to sink in. So when new foreign office minister Chris Bryant got in touch with Birmingham University academic Andrew […]
News
Peter Francis replies to Mike Bird
Express & Star 7 July 09
Walsall Council whistleblower Peter Francis has responded to the implication that he was personally responsible for the EU cash crisis made by Walsall Council leader Mike Bird at Monday night’s council meeting, saying that he was only in post for part of the time and had raised concerns about the management of the EU funds […]