January 07
31-01-2007
The leader of Birmingham's Muslim community is calling for a “wait and see” reaction to today's anti-terror raids, which saw eight people arrested in Sparkbrook and Alum Rock. more
BREAKING NEWS
EIGHT ARRESTED IN BRUM ANTI-TERROR OPERATION
31-01-2007
Eight men were arrested in dawn raids in Birmingham today under the anti-terrorism act. West Midlands police led the operation, whichalsoinvolved MI5. A number or premises in the city have been sealed off, but it's said that there is no specific or immediate threat to local citizens. More details as we have them.
31-01-2007
The good news that cars are rolling off the track at Longbridge again begs more questions than answers - questions which Rover's new owners Nanjing Automobile are currently unable or unwilling to answer. more
31-01-2007
West Midlands police insist they haven't abandoned a disabled Black Country man being targeted by local youths - amid claims that they are often "too busy" to respond to non-emergency calls. more
31-01-2007
Plans for a Birmingham Sports Village which could also provide a new home for Birmingham City will step up a gear now that Manchester has been chosen to host the country's first supercasino. more
31-01-2007
David Cameron's speech in Birmingham on Monday is continuing to reverberate…not least his comments that Muslim women should have the freedom to study and work. Derrick Campbell, chief executive of Race Equality Sandwell offers a personal view. more
31-01-2007
The Stirrer whipped up a storm recently when questioning the discrimination which allows Scottish students to study free while their English counterparts have to pay fees. Now John Mellor has spotted another favour to the celtic fringe. more
EXCLUSIVE
30-01-2007
The Stirrer can reveal that the Conservative Party is about to sign up for two party conferences in Birmingham - not just one as reported elsewhere. They'll commit themselves to 2008 and 2010, by which time they could be the party of government. more
TORIES COMING TO BRUM - IT'S NEARLY OFFICIAL
30-01-2007
Following David Cameron's visit to Birmingham yesterday, local media are reporting that the Conservatives are set to name Birmingham as the venue for their 2008 Conference. This is no news to readers of this website, who read all about it here a week ago (check the story here). It follows a campaign, kicked off in the Stirrer's Birmingham Mail column to bring all three party conferences to Brum.
30-01-2007
Solihull and Wolverhampton have both been granted a licence to host new casinos - but the Casino Advisory Panel has sprung a surprise by handing Britain's first “supercasino” to Manchester. more
30-01-2007
John Reid wants another two and a half years to sort out the Home Office, but victims of crimewant solutions to rising lawlessness today. People like thisdisabled Black Country man who's become a victim of bullying by street thugs who've been causing havoc, unchecked, for years. more
30-01-2007
Weird and wonderful just about sums up theFlatpack Festival, Birmingham's most innovative film event which runs from Thursday through to Sunday. Programmer Ian Francis recalls its origins in the 7 Inch cinema club, based in a Digbeth pub.
30-01-2007
Lynn Hawthorne joins in a great Britishevent -and ends up giving it the bird.
EXCLUSIVE
29-01-2007
Can you imagine the terror of being stuck 450 foot in the air on the London Eye when it's broken down? A Black Country councillor has been telling The Stirrer how she and her sister faced up to the ordeal for more than an hour after a sightseeing trip went wrong. more
29-01-2007
West Midlands police were hailing a successful operation after yesterday's Black Country derby at Molineux despite attempts by hundreds of fans to cause trouble. Unusually, the police put the blame for aggro fairly and squarely on the home supporters. more
29-01-2007
John Reid's misfortunes have got the Conservatives and their allies in the media sniffing blood - but The Stirrer's Westminster sources have rubbished rumours that the Home Secretary is in line for the chop. As one well-placed Labour insider bluntly told us: “Tony Blair can't afford for another cabinet member to go.” more
BLACK PATCH DEMO GOES ONLINE
29-01-2007
Campaigners against the decommissioning of Black Patch park on the border of Sandwell and Birmingham have launched their own online petition to save it. Check out the video here. And read ourrecent article about why the park is so important here. We are still waiting for Sandwell councillor Bob Badham to answer our enquries by the way, after contacting him last Wednesday. original article
29-01-2007
Organisers of the forthcoming London Fashion Week are still resisting calls for a ban on Size Zero models, even though Madrid and Milan have both taken tough action against anorexia on the catwalk. So will The Stirrer's resident poet Brendan Hawthorne be ogling the skinny birds? Fat chance. more
29-01-2007
Debutant Birmingham author Catherine O'Flynn has just received her first coverage in the national press, earning a rave review in The Observer for her novel "What Was Lost". O'Flynn can be seen reading extractson Stirrer TV. more
27-01-2007
West Bromwich Albion fans have responded with a mixture ofshockand angerat the club's decision to suspend goalkeeper Russell Hoult ahead of Sunday's Black Country FA Cup derby against Wolves. The Baggies acted after footage of the player havinga threesome was featured in The Sun. more
GetOut More.............................Gig Preview
27-01-2007
After a stonking showing at the Custard Factory last year, The Fall are back in the West Midlands in March, playing The Robin in Bilston on singer Mark E Smith's 50th birthday (and he doesn't look a day over 65!) Paul Samuels thinks of the present…and the past. more
27-01-2007
Far-sighted bosses of the new Morrison's store in Wednesbury are dipping into their pockets to commission some new public art on the site . TheStirrer's resident poet Brendan Hawthorne has been hired as the wordsmith and muses on the value of putting out your ornaments in public. more
EXCLUSIVE
26-01-2007
Battling Brummie pensioner Fred Grove has won an amazing victory by forcing Birmingham City Council to withdraw the Compulsory Purchase Order on his canalside cottage in Eastside. It means that Fred can continue living in the house that has been his home for more than 40 years. more
26-01-2007
The Stirrer's long-running campaign to get justice for Birmingham pensioner Fred Grove was ultimately successful due to the controversial Human Rights Act according to his lawyer. more
WAR OVER WHITBY “HYPOCRITE” CLAIM
26-01-2007
Birmingham Coucil leader Mike Whitby has been branded a hypocrite after voting for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq. Critics claim that as the boss of a Black Country engineering firm with defence links, he stands to profit from the conflict. Check out more in the Stirrer's weekly Birmingham Mail column (click here). There are also some puzzling questions to be answered about the merger of Moor Green FC and Solihull Borough.
26-01-2007
Despite it's name, Black Patch is actually a neglected patch of green on the Birmingham/Sandwell border, but it's got a fascinating history and was the place the ex-Baggies hero Darren Moore learned to kick a ball. Now though, as Simon Baddeley reports, it's future is uncertain. more
Get Out More ………………….Theatre review
26-01-2007
It finishes in the middle of February, so time's running out if you want to see it, but Paula Elenor has a hunch that the current Richard III will be remembered as a classic. more
25-01-2007
Consultants have told The Stirrer that the original vision behind the troubled Public Arts Centre in West Bromwich “is still sound” - even though Sandwell College has pulled out of discussions to lease an entire floor. more
25-01-2007
Birmingham education officials have apologised for misleading parents over the future of the city's special schools and giving the impression that closures were inevitable. They are insisting that the entire issue is still up for discussion. more
25-01-2007
Soulful Irish crooner Damien Rice has announced a Birmingham date on his forthcoming tour. Others coming to the city in the coming monthsinclude Simply Ballroom hoofer Lionel Blair and a musical by local lass Victoria Wood. more
25-01-2007
Tony Blair seems obsessesd with his "legacy". Well never mind his achievments in the Iraq war or reducing social mobility, Laurence Inman suggests a way the soon to be departing PM could really leave his mark on Britain. more
25-01-2007
Veteran broadcaster Les Ross ismaking a surprise return to full-time broadcasting by replacing Danny Kelly on BBC WM'safternoon show. With Ross, Doolan and Tony Butler all now frontline voices on the station, one insider commented "it's like BRMB 1974 all over again".
24-01-2007
Campaigners fighting to preserve Birmingham Central Library are warning that a replacement building in Centenary Square could be 14 storeys high - or else swallow up the nearby Peace Gardens. It's been announced that a major debate on the future of the library will be hosted by Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg. more
24-01-2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury who represents 77 million Anglicans has added his voice this morning to calls by the Catholic church for an opt out on new equality legislation which would otherwise force them to allow gay couples to use their adoption services. Birmingham psychologists Dr Mike Drayton prays for a religious conversion. more
24-01-2007
Campaigners for Birmingham's threatened special schools will be lobbying the Council's lifelong learning scrutiny committee today. In the meantime, we've discovered that parents in the London borough of Lewisham have been fighting a similar battle. Valentine Pelka shares some of their campaign strategy. more
24-01-2007
New Brummie author Catherine O'Flynn has her debut novel “What Was Lost” launched by Tindal Street Press tonight at the Jam House. more
24-01-2007
Just fifteen months to go until Dave Heeley attempts to become the first blind runner to complete seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. In the meantime, there's DIY to be done back home in West Brom. more
24-01-2007
The traditional blue of the Tories has been replaced by a distinctly greenish tinge since David Cameron took over the leadership. But as Barbara Panvel has discovered, the message still doesn't seem to have reached Solihull. more
23-01-2007
Birmingham's hopes of hosting a major party conference - as championed by this website - are moving ever nearer. Our sources tell us that the city is “very close” to securing the Conservatives, possibly as early as next year. more
23-01-2007
Wolves fanzine editor Charles Ross has branded his own club's directors “pillocks” for their handling of this Sunday's Black Country derby against Albion. more
23-01-2007
Regular Stirrer contributor Blind Dave Heeley can be heard in a BBC Radio WM documentary tonight, marking his decision to run seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. more
23-01-2007
Stung by the claim that "nothing much happens" in her ordinary Black Country street, Lynn Hawthorne reflects on police chases, burglary and open drug dealing during the day. And she wants your help. more
23-01-2007
Last night Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson apologised forany offence caused by the latest Big Brother series but insisted that "the show must go on" until its scheduled end on Sunday. DerrickCampbell reckons theprogramme is the symptom of a disturbingBritish condition - and he ain't talking about racism. more
GET OUT MORE………………………………………GIG PREVIEW
BRIAN ENO PLAYS MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sunday February 4th 2007
23-01-2007
Brian Eno's ambient classic Music For Airports gets a rare outing at Symphony Hall next month, performed by the Bang On A Can All-Stars - a US outfit described as "part rock band, part chamber orchestra. Steve Beauchampe assesses Eno's contribution...
22-01-2007
The architect of Birmingham Central Library has launched a passionate defence of the building - hitting out at the “disgraceful” council policies which allowed it to be surrounded by “cheap” shops. He also believes it can survive into the 21st century despite plans for demolition. more
22-01-2007
The leader of Wolverhampton Council has told the Stirrer he hopes there'll be no repeat of the away fan ban which saw Cardiff supporters barred from Molineux on Saturday. more
22-01-2007
Birmingham City chief executive Karren Brady is refusing to comment on the Big Brother racism row - despite being a non-executive director of Channel 4. more
22-01-2007
We all know that in these post 9/11 times there arerestrictions on the liquids we can carry thorugh airport security. But as Edward Cameron has been discovering, passengers have been legally buying booze for flightstaking off fromBirmingham International - only to have it confiscated atthe other end. more
22-01-2007
South Birmingham's most successful non-league football club Moor Green look to be heading for oblivion after a meeting at the weekend proposed a merger with Solhihull Borough. Can this really be the end for the team which "discovered", among others, Ian Taylor of Villa? Steve Beauchampé reports... more
22-01-2007
What curious times we live in.People around the globe are coping with unseasonal weather, while Britain isstill counting the cost of last week's freak storms. No one's sure if it's proof of climate change, butas The Stirrer's resident poet Brendan Hawthorne observesthing havedefinitely been hotting up in theBig Brother house. more
20-01-2007
One of Britain's leading police officers has criticised today's ban on Cardiff City supporters from their team's game atMolineux. More than 250 fans are expected togatherinstead for a protest meeting in the centre of Wolverhampton. more
NEW STIRRER TV
20-01-2007
PAUL MARTIN
Check out new footage on Stirrer TV. There's an amazing short animation by local film-maker Paul Martin called “William The Cog”.
20-01-2007
White British rapper gets up to some Yanky panky on the other side of the pond. So will we love her all the more because she's successul over there, or quickly diss-own her? Paul Samuels on the life and ryhmes of Lady Sovereign. more
20-01-2007
Happiness - it's the holy grail isn't it? But according to The Stirrer's resident psychologist Dr Mike Drayton it's not an uttainable goal. Here are his tips on getting a smile on your face. more
20-01-2007
Birmingham MP Lynne Jones has described the moment when she decided to quit parliament. In her first filmed interview since making the announcement, she tells Stirrer TV that Gordon Brown's support for replacing Britain's nuclear deterrent was a crucial factor. more
20-01-2007
Parents campaigning to keep open Birmingham's threatened special schools have responded with barely concealed anger to a condescending and frankly baffling letter sent them by the city's Cabinet member for education Les Lawrence. more
19-01-2007
TV and radio regulator Ofcom has officially announced plans for a new public service broadcasteron the internet- and The Stirrer's campaign to get it based in Birmingham has already won the backing of MP's and local politicians. more
19-01-2007
There's no doubt that if a TV show watched by millions of people gives a platform to bullies and racists, it deserves to be widely discussed. But are the shenanigans in the Big Brother house really this week's biggest news story? The Stirrer's got a few alternative tales worthy of the front page. more
GET OUT MORE……………………CONCERT NEWS
19-01-2007
Two important music updates today…tickets for legendary American singer songwriter James Taylor go on sale this morning at Symphony Hall, while at the same venue cut-price CBSO tickets are available for one week only from tomorrow. more
19-01-2007
Now here's something to complain about. The Stirrer's resident grumpy old man Laurence Inman is - just this once - in a good mood. Bah! I want my money back. (Well, I would if I paid him any). more
BITE SIZE REVIEW…
19-01-2007
The Stirrer tests out a lunchtime “dine with wine” offer at Raymond Blanc's gaffe, just across the road from the Ikon Gallery. more
GET OUT MORE……………………….GIG GUIDE
19-01-2007
Fancy yourself as a bit of a musical adventurer? Try Martin Longley on for size. This man could see three gigs before breakfast without batting an eyelid. Here's his selection of the best in weird jazz, alt. folk, and offbeat rock for the month of February. more
18-01-2007
Tributes are being paid to Richard Heard, the 49-year old Chief Executive of Birmingham International Airport, who waskilled this morning when high winds blew a tree onto his car in Bridgnorth. more
18-01-2007
Today's news that the BBC's licence fee settlement is less than it argued for is bad news for the West Midlands. But our local broadcasting sector shouldn't be over-reliant on the Corporation anyway. We've missed that bus…it's time to catch the next one. more
18-01-2007
Campaigners are giving a cautious welcome to an apparentU-turn by Birmingham's cabinet member for education Les Lawrence - in a meeting with head teachers yesterday he was heard to say that plans to shut half a dozen special schools "are history". more
18-01-2007
Listeners to BBC Radio WM on Friday will be able to hear a live debate between breakfast show presenter Phil Upton and his Mancunian counterpart Terry Christian over which is Britain's true second city. It's like two bald men fighting over a comb I hear you say, but Pete Millington knows which one will win it. more
GET OUT MORE………………….FILM REVIEW
18-01-2007
For Britons of a certain age Idi Amin was a curious mixture of hate figure and comic icon. The Ugandan despot was a mass murderer who expelled tens of thousands of his country's Asian population, yet in the dark days of pre-punk Britain he was also good for a tabloid larf. Natural material for a movie then. more
18-01-2007
The Stirrer has been reporting over the last week on Wolves decision to ban visiting Cardiff supporters on Saturday. Villafan Dave Woodhall will be joining the protests at 9 on Saturday in the piazza by St Peters Square in Wolverhampton. more
18-01-2007
Tony Blair has called for a debate on Britain's future role as a military power. Well, you asked for it, says John Mellor. more
EXCLUSIVE
17-01-2007
Birmingham police officer Mick Swindells who was killed in the line of duty is to be awarded the Queens Gallantry Medal - but The Stirrer can reveal that talks to get a memorial erected to him in the city have stalled. more
STAY IN MORE…….TV REVIEW
17-01-2007
In amongst the multi-channel dreck that passes for TV entertainment these days there are still some real gems to be found. Judge John Deed who came out of hibernation last week, and now the return of Paul Abbott's wonderful lowlife saga Shameless. more
17-01-2007
Some of the West Midlands biggest companies will pledge to introduce car-sharing schemes by the end of the year and BirminghamAirport willexplore a voluntary "green" taxon flights - that's if a new plan for combating climate change announced today gets the go-ahead. more
17-01-2007
Make a mistake in your tax return or forget to pay your VAT on time and youcould end up paying through the nose for it. But as Barbara Panvel observes there's one group of people who make costly errors which are never punished. Now who might that be? more
17-01-2007
The Stirrer has beenobtained exclusive pictures of Birmingham City's new pitch - now finally relaid at St Andrews after problems with the turf forced the postponement of last saturday's match against Leeds United. It certainly seems like an improvement. more
17-01-2007
Last Thursday, Black Country marathon runner Blind Dave Heeley announced plans to become the first disabled athlete to run seven marathons in seven days on seven continents - and The Stirrer will be with him every step of the way. Here's his latest blog. more
EXCLUSIVE
16-01-2007
The BNP councillor who runs one of the most notorious pubs in the Black Country has called time in his efforts to keep it open afterfights on the premises involving guns and machetes - news that will shake the party's claim to be tough on law and order. more
16-01-2007
The mosque at the centre of last night's TV documentary exposing Islamic extremism in Birmingham has hit back at Channel 4, claiming that the broadcaster had a “pre-determined agenda to create mischief”. more
16-01-2007
Today's Newsnight survey showing that 61% of the English want their own parliament comes as no surprise to The Stirrer. Here's his column from last week's Birmingham Mail which highlighted how Westminster politics is failing those who live south of Hadrian's Wall. more
16-01-2007
The government has announced plans for a giant national database which will allow its various departments to share the vast amounts of information they already have about us. Lynn Hawthorne wonders when it will start working the other way around so that we can know everything about them. more
16-01-2007
It's that time of the year when TV adverts tempt us with summer sunspots and the papers are full of supplements for trips overseas. Andy Goff reckons it's time to put away the brochures and start a war on tourism. more
16-01-2007
Birmingham fair trade campaigner MaggieJo St John is in Nicaragua teaching English to coffee farmers and seeing at first hand the impact of policies aimed at ensuring that those who cultivate our morning brew get a decent return for their work. She's just gone back after a spot of r n' r in Costa Rica. more
15-01-2007
Edgbaston's MAC Cinema re-opens tonight after a £60,000 refit - with programmer John Gore promising that the new seats will bring “relief to the buttocks of Birmingham.” more
15-01-2007
Retiring Birmingham MP Lynne Jones has been talking of her “weariness” at constantly battling against her own party - and has accused the Labour leadership of “laying down the foundations for the break-up of the NHS”. more
15-01-2007
Parents of children at Birmingham's threatened special schools have challenged the city's cabinet member for education Les Lawrence to fulfilhis pledge to consult with them before any major decisions are taken. more
15-01-2007
Eagle-eyed visitors to a scale model of Birmingham in the Pavilions shopping centre have noticed that the city's tallest building, the BT Tower has gone AWOL. more
15-01-2007
Think of the tune to "Imagine" as you catch up with The Stirrer's resident poet Brendan Hawthorne who's been contemplating, among other things, the colour of David Beckham's balls. It takes all sorts... more
15-01-2007
Stirrer readers have been calling on Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones to think again, after we revealed her decision to stand down at the next election. more
GET OUT MORE……………………….THEATRE REVIEW
15-01-2007
The Rep's much travelled Snowman returns home after a Christmas spent in London and Edinburgh - but how well has this festive standard stood the test of time? more
13-01-2007
Fellow Labour MP's have been paying tribute to Birmingham Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones who on Monday will announce her decision to stand down at the next election. more
13-01-2007
Leeds United supporters are calling for compensation after Birmingham City's newly relaid pitch failed to take root in time - forcing the cancellation of today's Championship game at St Andrews. more
13-01-2007
The Stirrer's musicologist Paul Samuels heads on down to pray at the Wesleyan chapel. Er, Fred Wesley that is.... more
13-01-2007
What might that be then- a desire to get thebest education for her son? Ora wish to keep bad publicity at bay? Ros Dodd ruminates. more
13-01-2007
Had one of those charityleaflets through the door lately,asking you to donate your old clobber?Edward Cameron notices that these days those old clothes collections aren't even being disguised as charity. more
13-01-2007
News that Blues official 2007 diary contains the honours list of another Birmingham club (the one based in Aston) has inflamed local football rivalries. Pete Millington issues a serious plea for calm. more
12-01-2007 16:00
Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones is standing down at the next election. Updated 17:44 more
12-01-2007
Claims by Birmingham Council that it has no confirmed plans to shut special needs schools have been undermined by documents seen by The Stirrer. They indicate that in an official funding bid to the Department of Education, the city anticipated shedding more than 1,000 dedicated places for youngsters with learning difficulties. more
12-01-2007
Plans for a protest by Cardiff City supporters in Wolverhampton next weekend in protest at their ban from Molineux have been given the blessing of West Midlands Police - contradicting claims made by the force's Chief Constable. more
12-01-2007
Nothing has stirred controversy on these pages in recent weeks as the future of Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath. Tomorrow, you can see what all the fuss is about for yourself on an organised tour. more
12-01-2007
The government has announced plans to scrap SATS tests for 11 to 14 year olds, but it's toughened up its approach to GCSE league tables. Mike Drayton wonders whether we ought to use a bit more brain power when it comes to assessing the talents of our children. more
GET OUT MORE................................................TRAVEL GUIDE
12-01-2007
It's off the beaten track, but surprinsgly easy to get to and real treat when you get there. Let Dave Woodhall introduce you to Ghent. more
12-01-2007
Tony Blair is calling for a debate on Britain's future in the world, and asking if we really want to be a military power. Whoops, it's a bit too late for the people of Iraq, but a worthwhile discussion nonetheless. We make no apology for re-printing a recent contribution from Andy Goff. more
11-07-2007
Dozens of protestors gathered outside the factory of Birmingham handcuff manufacturer Hiatt to mark the fifth anniversary of Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay - the US detention centre where four men from the West Midlands were held and later released without charge. more
11-01-2007
BBC bosses were due to hear today about the new licence fee settlement - though it now seems the decision has been delayed. The tragedy is that apart from finding out how much we all have to pay to watch telly, the news won't make that much difference to the West Midlands anyway. Compared to Manchester we've become a broadcasting backwater. more
11-01-2007
Birmingham mum Gemma Cartwright is hopeful of securing an extra £5million for the communities devastated by the closure of the Longbridge car factory after visiting Tony Blair in Downing Street yesterday. more
11-01-2007
Laurence Inman on the four-wheeled killers we take for granted - even tough they're slaughtering our kids and destroying the planet. Hmmm, I think I'll walk, more
11-01-2007
Proposals to fine bus companies for turning up late and running unreliable services have been greetedwith a lukewarm response after they were first revealed by Birmingham councillor Martin Mullaney on this site. Barbara Panvel reckons we need to change the terms of the debate (and bring back conductors, of course) more
10-01-2007
Black Country runner and Stirrer blogger Blind Dave Heeley has announced his most awesome challenge yet - he aims to become the first disabled athlete to run seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. more
10-01-2007
It will soon be illegal to discriminate against gay people when providing goods and services after attempts to overturn the new Sexual Orientation Regulations were defeated in the House of Lords last night. Pete Millington asks a few tough questions of the religious groups who opposed thelaw. more
STAY IN MORE……………………………..TV REVIEW
10-01-2007
Yes, he's back. Judge John Deed… the nation's randiest judge and the conscience of liberal Britain ready to stand up as a one-man opposition to the totalitarian excesses of New Labour. more
10-01-2007
Birmingham's Labour leader Sir Albert Bore led an astonishing walkout of last night's City Council meeting after being refused extra time to discuss the war in Iraq. more
10-01-2007
The decision by Communities Minister Ruth Kelly to send her son with special educational needs to a private school continues to attract comment. Derrick Campbell wonders what all the fuss is about. more
10-01-2007
Birmingham City's Zulu Warrriors were a notorious hooligan gang of the 1980's - but does the origin of their name lie buried deep in the club's history? Just check out this old programme cover. more
10-01-2007
John Mellor with a few radical proposals to tackle the ever growing mountain of unpaid council tax bills. more
09-01-2007
The editor of the Wolves fanzine A Load Of Bull has given a guarded welcome to news that Graeme Souness has lodged a £20 million bid for the Molineux club. more
09-01-2007
Another day, another government gaffe about the environment, this time with the Prime Minister insisting thathe won't be stopping his long-haul flights anytime soon. Andy Goff ponders where he'll go next... more
09-01-2007
Parents of special needs children in Birminghamboth condemned and sympathisedwith Communities Minister Ruth Kelly after it emerged that she's taken one of her youngsters - thought to have dyslexia - out ofstateeducation. more
09-01-2007
West Midlands nurses leader Ann Leedham Smith has warned of “job freezes like we've never seen before” as the cash-strappedHealth Servicestrives to reduce budget deficits before the end of the financial year. more
09-01-2007
It seems that even Christmas has been "lifted and shifted" to China muses Lynn Hawthorn, as she suggests a New Year's resolution for every Stirrer reader. more
GET OUT MORE............................GIG LIST
09-01-2007
Martin Longley offers his usual eclectic selection of musical choicesin the jazz/folktronica/plain old weird category more
09-01-2007
On Thursday Blind Dave Heeley, noted marathon runner of this parish will be announcing his next project - and it will become the talking point of the nation. Stay tuned for first news here on The Stirrer, but first here's his reflections on the 12 months gone by. more
08-01-2007
Desperate to cosy up to agri-business, dumb-ass environment minister David Milliband reckons organic food has no proven health benefits when compared to crops grown with pesticides. Hmm let's see which he'd rather eat then - an apple sprayed with dozens of chemicals, or one that's been grown naturally? more
STAY IN MORE……………………………TV REVIEW
08-01-2007
The Stirrer enjoyed areal comedy treat over the weekend, catching the first episode of US import Ugly Betty. more
08-01-2007
Birmingham Lib-Dem councillor Martin Mullaney wants the sale of aerosol and spray paints to be banned to under-18's - even though his own party opposed the measure in 2003. He made his comments as he released a video showing some of the damage caused by graffiti in his Moseley ward. more
08-01-2007
No apologies for another story about Birmingham councillor and transport watchdog Martin Mullaney - it's been revealed that the man who wants us all to travel by bus actually goes to work on a scooter. more
08-01-2007
Today (Monday) supporters of the reformed Birmingham Brummies speedway team get the chance to take part in a little bit of history by watching the ceremonial lifting of the first square of turf at their Perry Barr track. more
08-01-2007
The Stirrer's musicologist Paul Samuels is inspired by Jools Holland to explore the curious world of musicians who are few strings short of a full set. Seasick Steve and Morphine to name just two. more
08-01-2007
The Tories are demandingan enquiry into the cost of tarting up the Ministry of Defence's Whitehall offices - estimated at£2.3 billion over the next 30 years. Contrast that with the lousy conditions Forces families have to live in. Stirrer poet BrendanHawthorne goes to war. more
06-01-2007
Bob Piper, the Sandwell councillor who suspended his blog three weeks ago after a race-row when he “blacked-up” the face of Tory leader David Cameron is back online again. more
06-01-2007
The "guilty" verdict onBirmingham man Umran Javed, charged withincitement to murder, hopefully marks a turning point in Britain's attitude towards religious bullies of all kinds. more
06-01-2007
Top Birmingham psychologist Dr Mike Drayton reflects on the execution of Saddam Hussein, and the hidden bonds uniting the former Iraqi president and the current US head of state. more
06-01-2007
Local heroes Tamworth FC getnational attention this weekend when their match against Norwich is televised on BBC1. It can only mean one thing - the Third Round of the FA Cup is here. Damien Doran can't wait. more
06-01-2007
Don't complain about the council's inability totidylitter onthe streets writes Ros Dodd. It's time we cleaned up our own act. more
06-01-2007
The campaign to save Balsall Heath's Moseley Road Swimming Baths earned the contempt or Laurence Inman on The Stirrer this week. He accused those behind the rescue plan as "middle class tossers". Was he just swimming against the tide Steve Beauchampé reckons so. more
05-01-2007
The Environment Minister and Dudley South MP Ian Pearson has denounced major American airlines as a “disgrace” and called Ryanair “the irresponsible face of capitalism” for its attitude towards climate change. Yetless than a month ago, his own government re-affirmed its commitment to airport expansion. Baffling. more
05-01-2007
Edward Cameron onhow frittering away your fortune in online gambling can make you truly irresistible to the opposite sex. Honest. more
05-01-2007
The West Midlands most senior nursing union leader paints a bleak picture of a “dumbed down” NHS…and claims that the government was warned about a long term staffing crisis a decade ago. more
05-01-2006
One the very day that one of The Stirrer's contributors danced on his grave, Little Chef came - Lazarus like - back to life. more
STAY IN MORE……………………………….TV REVIEW
05-01-2007
Now that the dust has settled on the festive period, The Stirrer reckons that amid all those vast oceans of TV programming, there was so much flotsam and jetsam only two programmes actually justified the tag “essential viewing”. And one of those was a dud. more
04-01-2007
Wolverhampton Council is now denying that it's been running “apartheid” swimming lessons for members of various ethnic minorities - having previously defended the practice in a statement to The Stirrer. more
04-01-2007
Saving a landmark swimming pool in Balsall Heath has become an article of faith for many well-meaning Brummies. Laurence Inman isn't one of them. more
04-01-2007
The Stirrer's campaign to persuade the NEC to guarantee fair-trade tea and coffee on their menus strikes a chord with Barbara Panvel. But, she asks, shouldn't the milk you put in be fairly traded too? more
04-01-2007
The demise of Little Chef has had plenty of misty-eyedpundits crying into their (over-priced?) big breakfasts . Cool Hand Luke reckons the tubby cook only has himself to blame. more
GET OUT MORE.......................................................GIG PREVIEW
04-01-2007
All round nice geezer Lionel Richie has just been booked in for his third local date - with a show at the NIA to complement two earlier performances at the NEC. more
03-01-2007
Birmingham's bus watchdog has called for fines for bus companies who consistently run late or who miss out services altogether. more
03-01-2007
Pete Millington offers a personal tribute to Brum's two tone musical heritage more
03-01-2007
Have you seen it yet? Even if you haven't chances are that someone you know will have done, and Edward Cameron is one of them.We're talking of course about Saddam Hussein's execution. But what purpose does it serve to watch the desktop death of a tyrant? more
03-12-2007
More on Saddam'shanging,filmed on a mobile phone and watched by tens of thousandson theinternet. Derrick Campbell writes.... more
03-01-2007
Calls for the sacking of the so-called “BNP ballerina” are growing ever louder, but Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg - who lost his grandparents in the Holocaust - reckons she should keep it. more
02-01-2007
As a keen culinary trend-spotter, The Stirrer brings you first news of something cooking in Birmingham's legendary balti belt - back to basics Pakistani cooking that revives memories of the city's original budget eateries. more
02-01-2007
Here it is at last... just 28 years late ...Brendan Hawthorne's thank you letter to his Great Aunt Sis, for the present he didn't get in 1969. Not that he's one to hold a grudge or anything.. more
02-01-2007
News of a great initiative by Sandwell Council - a webcam designed to stop queuing at one of their tips in Oldbury. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on my (relatively) top of the range computer. more
02-01-2007
The Stirrer's boy in blue, retired copper John Mellor, reports on the strange disappearance of a suspect in one of Britain's biggest robberies. more
01-01-2007
Our elected representativesoften get a bad press but at least three local figures have shownover the last year that they're willing to stand up andbe counted. The Stirrer gives praise where it's due and names his West Midlands Politician Of The Year. more
01-01-2007
Marking the New Year, Lynn Hawthorne details the ten most irritating things about 2006 that she'd like to see the back of. more
01-01-2007
The Stirrer reflects on Bono's honorary knighthood and suggests another deserving candidate closer to home. more |
WIN ….WIN…..WIN….
THATCHER THE MUSICAL
The Stirrer has two tickets for the Gala Performance of Thatcher The Musical at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre to give away. The show was created by thenationally renowned but locally basedFoursight Theatre group, and marks their 20th anniversary. The performance is at 7.30 on Thursday February 8. Just tell us the name of Mrs Thatcher's husband. Entries to [email protected] by noon on Friday 2nd Feb. For more details of the performance see www.grandtheatre.co.uk
Personal Best - The Stirrer's inspirational movie
To see the movie click here: Personal Best - The story of Blind Dave
We would like to thank the following for their financial assistance:
West Bromwich Building Society,
The Black Country Consortium,
Wood Green High School College Of Sport-Wednesbury
BITE SIZE REVIEW…
19-01-2007
The Stirrer tests out a lunchtime “dine with wine” offer at Raymond Blanc's gaffe, just across the road from the Ikon Gallery. more
DAD QUESTIONS SPECIAL NEEDS STATEMENT
Birmingham father Mike Reynolds is questioning how his autistic daughter's statement of special educational need was dramatically altered - after he'd agreed what it should contain with her school.
Mike reckons that the council's Special Educational Needs Assessment Service (SENAS) has shifted the goalposts to make it easier for youngsters like 14-year old Dorinder to be moved into mainstream education - fitting in with a pre-determined agenda to reduce the number of kids in special schools.
11-10-2007
Workers at Birmingham City Council are trying to sabotage plans to end wage discrimination. The Stirrer has seen documents from an unofficial staff group which is encouraging staff not to co-operate with jobevaluation questionnairesdesigned to ensure that men and women get the same pay for work of equal value. more
FILINI AT THE RADISSON SAS HOTEL, BIRMINGHAM
The new Radisson SAS Hotel in Beetham Tower has already carved out a distinctive niche on the Birmingham skyline, but how does the in-house restaurant Filini measure up? The Stirrer's been tucking in. here
WHY ARE WE WAITING?
Residents in a Birmingham suburb are still waiting for sports facilities promised two and half years ago when local allotments were bulldozed to make way for a posh housing estate.
Campaigners fought a long and ultimately unsuccessful battle to preserve the Victoria Jubilee Allotments next to Handsworth Park, but were guaranteed football and cricket pitches to make up for their loss. So where are they?
To find out more check out The Stirrer's regular column in the Birmingham Mail.
SUMMER DREAMING
Okay, so England's cricketers aren't exactly covering themselves in glory at the moment, but come next summer it's possible they could be Ashes winners and World Champions. Well, we can dream can't we.
Anyway, their two one-dayers against West Indies on July 4 and India on August 27 are likely to sell out, somake sure you don't miss out. Tickets go on sale, Thursday December 7.
Book ahead at www.edgbaston.co.uk
Just what the West Midlands needs - another giant supermarket. Residents in Shirley are fighting back against plans for a new Asda which will see precious parkland gobbled up, and couldthreatenthe local traders who havealready survived the onslaught of more than half a dozen large stores. Here's their story. more
A TASTE OF SPAGHETTI
Pete Millington is a one-man writing factory. Not content withregularoutput for The Stirrer, he's found time to pull together the latest edition of his excellent magazine Spaghetti Gazetti, dedicated to local life and culture.
Check it out here
It's seriously good. |
