After last week's review of Cllr. Mike Leddy's blog, it seems that he is somewhat reluctant to tell us about his adventures last week.
I am assured by Mrs Kelly, that the above location isn't in Brandwood.
Or is it? Who knows? Perhaps he has just popped round the offy for a Malibu.
Rest assured, I will update you all on the hard toil that is being Labour's spokesman for housing, as soon as Mike is back.
Later tonight, the annual sick-inducing festival that is the Oscars takes place in Los Angeles. On display as usual will be the usual display of fake emotion and over the top tear bursts.
Back in here in Birmingham, many observers are wondering whether Cllr. Zoe Hopkins, Labour councillor for Kingstanding, is perhaps a little guilty of such attention seeking behaviour herself.
Hopkins was seen at the first February meeting of the city council sobbing in full view of her fellow councillors and the public.
Naturally, this has generated considerable debate amongst opposition councillors and activists. What could the matter be?
Well, according to contributors to The Stirrer forum, Zoe has apparently been deselected. Hopkins herself has done little to dampen down such speculation and in fact is alleged to have confirmed what has happened to opposition councillors.
This afternoon Adrian Goldberg, the left-wing editor of the Stirrer Website has issued something of a rebuttal to these claims. However, as PragueTory points out on the discussion thread, no one trusts any denial issued by the Kingstanding Labour Party.
You see these people have "previous". Last May, Cllr. Catharine Grundy was given the shock of her life after scraping re-election by just 80 votes over the local Tory wunderkind Gary Sambrook. Grundy's campaign was dogged by accusations that she wanted out and was not committed to the ward.
It is one of the worst kept secrets in Kingstanding that Kane & Grundy can't stand the sight of Zoe. They can't work together, which is bad news for the long suffering Kingstanding electorate. Hopkins is also a Bore/Ward loyalist, which of course Kane and Grundy are not.
All this constitutes a crisis for Labour in a ward they have come to believe is their own.
With no elections in Birmingham this year, the infighting in the Erdington Constituency Labour Party should generate considerable interest.
Of course principled politicians would do the decent thing, call a by-election, and allow the people of Kingstanding the opportunity to elect people who want to serve them, and not gauge each other's eyes out.
Alas, they are not that way inclined.
Monday.
Leddy says that he started his week by looking at the Planning Portal of Birmingham City Council's website for items impacting on his Brandwood ward. Although there were a couple of items affecting Brandwood, our eagle eyed councillor saw no need for any personal action. Let's hope so, eh Mike!
He then tells us that he took on the might of Severn Trent Water over the parking of their plant and equipment. I might call him him the next time the woman across the road parks her Ford Focus across my driveway.
Tuesday.
Cllr. Leddy then informs us that he is a mover and shaker behind the Druids Heath Festival (eat your heart Michael Eavis). June 20th is the big day and he asks us all to put it into our diaries. Consider it done Mike!
Our Michael bemoaned the lack of local enthusiasm amongst local people to get involved in the organisation of the event. Perhaps they haven't got the time Mike! I mean they probably just want to turn up and enjoy the festival. That's how these things work Mike, the public turn up, and the "martyrs" who organise things get their egos massaged for 2 minutes. Leddy tells us that he has been given some responsibilities. Therefore, I look forward to seeing him on the day providing directions to the onsite Portaloos.
Cllr. Mike then tells us that he is preparing to brief "Sir Albert" on housing matters ahead of the next meeting of Cabinet. That's funny, I thought it was Albert who told his spokesmen what to say and think!
In what was obviously a "packed" Tuesday, Mike tells us about how he took on the might of the West Midlands Police (Severn Trent, then WMP, tomorrow the World?). He was dealing with a problem that a resident was experiencing over a parking issue. He tells us that he hates such "jobworths" and that "he'll sort them out". Tell me Mike, why do you think that these days there is a tendency amongst public servants to boss people about? Why do they think that they ALWAYS know best than the rest of us? The answer is simple Mike, your Labour government - never happy than when they are telling us that they know best how to run our lives.
Wednesday.
Nothing down for Mike today. What was he up to? I really think we should be told. Has he gone on short-time like the thousands of others in the this country who are having to suffer as a result of Gordon Brown and the Labour Party's incompetence? The chances are, Sir Albert wasn't happy with the housing briefing and demanded that it be resubmitted with all truthful facts about Cllr. Lines' performance removed.
Thursday.
Routine day as a councillor he tells us, whatever that means? You really are a tease, councillor. Apparently he went to a house meeting. House meeting? Whose house did you meet in? Is it an event where drum n' bass fills the room, and Labour activists pop coloured smarties into each others' mouths to give them that political high?
Sadly not, for it seems the event was with David Blunkett, you know the bloke that made the Police go around bullying people over parking matters, Blunkett was discussing Labour tactics for the future with a room full of Labour Party members. At the end of the session a full list of approved suppliers for white flags was drawn up and circulated amongst those in the room. Some however have had them hoisted for sometime...try driving around Kingstanding, they are everywhere.
Anyway, Mike proceeds to tell us that remarkably they managed to sign up new members. He asks us, "Who said The Labour Party was unpopular?"
The electorate are Mike.
Friday.
Now this is quality. Cllr. Leddy "having a go" at the Tory-led council about borrowing! He also tells us that he is trying to influence his Labour Party colleagues to campaign for a zero Council Tax increase.
You couldn't make it up!
Burden has let the people of Northfield down, he should spending his time campaigning for an improvement to their lives, yet the only thing that energises him are the plights of people who don't vote for him and who don't pay his wages.
This man epitomises all that is wrong with British politics.
Click this link to see how Palestine is high on Burden's list of priorities.
