Home Blogs & Views Birmingham Mail Columnists The Stirrer

Boarding tickets plan set to spark a rail ding-dong

VIRGIN Train passengers will be seeing red tomorrow night as they try to head home on the busiest service of the week from London to Birmingham. Read

Tories show their softer side

WHATEVER happened to the Conservative Party? Read

Fake cards help kids get booze

WANT to know how drunken teenagers on the streets get hold of cheap booze? Read

Websites action call

BIRMINGHAM Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood was shocked by our revelations about fake ID cards and called on Home Office Minister Tony McNulty to crack down on rogue websites offering them for sale. Read

Now I can wear shirt with pride

WITH the new football season looming, I've just had a pre-season bonus - the news that my beloved Baggies haven't attracted a shirt sponsor. Read

Where will city's future heroes play?

THE Fat Lady would like to announce that her farewell performance in Birmingham has been cancelled. Read

Blunder McCanns must live with

NOW the Portuguese police have officially removed the finger of suspicion from Kate and Gerry McCann, maybe the hateful whispering campaign against them will finally end. But somehow I doubt it. Read

Food for thought on store we hate to love

WITH profits of more than £2 billion a year, Tesco lays claim to the title of Britain's most popular supermarket - but my hunch is that they're the most unpopular too. Read

What a drain on our council's resources

Taxpayers beware! The Stirrer has discovered that Birmingham Council is locked in a race against time with Birmingham University to build the ultimate white elephant – a grandiose £40 million Olympic-sized swimming pool. Read

Baths plumbing the depths of despair

BIRMINGHAM City Council's press release about Sparkhill Swimming Baths last Friday was, shall we say, economical with the truth. Read

Stan's call for cheaper games

ONE of the joys of my current stint presenting the overnight show on Talksport is having a regular chat with Cannock's former England international Stan Collymore who hosts a regular football phone-in on the station. Read

Sacked workers' fury at fraud allegations

UNION officials have condemned the "scandalous" sacking of 15 workers at Birmingham's troubled Astonbrook Housing Association, which is at the centre of a fraud investigation. Read

Dramatic twist in library saga

PRINCE Charles reckoned it looked like a place more suited to incinerating books than reading them, but Birmingham's Central Library at least has the approval of architecture watchdog English Heritage. Read

So where's the Justice in that, Jack

JACK Straw's official title is Justice Secretary. Read

Brum's missing the bus

BIRMINGHAM council leaders have been talking up the prospect of a high speed rail link to the Continent, but when it comes to public transport the city is still travelling in the slow lane. Read

For only metal, what a bore...

HERE'S a dare for the DJs at BRMB or Smooth - slip on Queen's Radio Ga Ga over the next few days and dedicate it to your bosses. Read

Another fine mess they've gotten into

QUICK! Dial 999. There are people on the streets of Birmingham impersonating police officers. Read

Help get rid of the evil clampers

WE LAUNCHED a campaign to get rid of car clamping in Birmingham in this column a few weeks ago - and it had a terrific response from readers. Read

Rid this city of car clampers

HAVE a dream - that Birmingham will become the first English city free of car clampers. Read

Saved from modern day 'Dick Turpins'

BIRMINGHAM City Council will be targeting rogue clampers in the city's gay village this weekend during the annual Pride Festival. Read