tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post7157534810280366623..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: A New Job for Digby Jones: Selling BirminghamIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-53336946321677615172009-09-23T22:45:55.287+01:002009-09-23T22:45:55.287+01:00Ralph Heaton was a pioneering man born in Birmingh...Ralph Heaton was a pioneering man born in Birmingham because he was largely responsible for creating the Birmingham Mint. Furthermore Heaton's employees set up mints in Imperial China and in South America amongst other places. Heaton also patented a button-shank machine in 1794, one of the first to perform a whole series of consecutive operations without human intervention. 4 of his sons developed a steam-driven vehicle, and it was driven between West Bromwich and Birmingham in the 1830's. Clever Birmingham innovators!richienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-92202041344789244772008-08-14T18:17:00.000+01:002008-08-14T18:17:00.000+01:00I left Birmingham four years ago having lived ther...I left Birmingham four years ago having lived there all my life. I was disgusted with how the city has changed into the dump it is now with all the ghettoes, shootings and stabbings. Best thing I ever did!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-76915424996000719992008-05-25T19:47:00.000+01:002008-05-25T19:47:00.000+01:00Let's have Digby Jones for London. Birmingham can ...Let's have Digby Jones for London. Birmingham can have completely useless five-jobs Johnson.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-87369563323879438982008-05-25T09:54:00.000+01:002008-05-25T09:54:00.000+01:00Where is Birmingham?Where is Birmingham?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-64936356521222455782008-05-24T13:15:00.000+01:002008-05-24T13:15:00.000+01:00Anon. 11.16am - prat - you want real knife crime (...Anon. 11.16am - prat - you want real knife crime (with an 'f'), try London.<BR/><BR/>Political Hack - Yeah, the city council is so bereft of competent leadership that it went from zero stars under Labour (with Social Services and Housing about to be taken over by the government) to 3 stars in less than 4 years under the Conservative/Lib Dem administration. For the avoidance of doubt, Political Hack (aka John O'Shea - he's outed himself) is a (perennial?) failed Labour candidate in Birmingham, and, to be open, I'm a Conservative Councillor.<BR/><BR/>At the recent Mayor-making, I did a straw poll of the table I was on - 3 (perhaps 4 - they didn't stop talking so I couldn't ask) were born in the city; 6 (perhaps 7) had moved into Birmingham over a period from the early 1960's to the mid-2000's. Most of the arrivals are, or have been, pretty successful businessmen or professionals.<BR/><BR/>For Birmingham to be attracting people of this (and higher) calibre, it's clearly doing something right - but maybe we locals (new and old) want to keep it a secret from London. Quality of life's pretty good too.<BR/><BR/>FergusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-74496248885845891612008-05-24T13:09:00.000+01:002008-05-24T13:09:00.000+01:00England's secound city.England's secound city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-51616561475467860942008-05-24T11:16:00.000+01:002008-05-24T11:16:00.000+01:00Birmingham. What a place.It's got a branch of Sel...Birmingham. What a place.<BR/><BR/>It's got a branch of Selfridges that seems to be more expensive, and is certainly a whole lot more snotty, than the one in London. The rest of the shopping centre isn't bad (for those unfortunate enough to live any near the place) for a quick visit. But you need to make sure you leave town before nightfall otherwise you'll probably be knived. Though if you're lucky you may get a quick glimpse of the local peasantry stabbing each other - always fun.<BR/><BR/>As for the price, on this occasion I am amazed to find myself agreeing with 'Enemy of the People' Gary Elsby.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-51511216682936140232008-05-24T10:58:00.000+01:002008-05-24T10:58:00.000+01:00And if you want scientific achievment, the atomic ...And if you want scientific achievment, the atomic bomb was invented at the University of Birmingham...<BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_PeierlsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-19686870763155220352008-05-24T09:20:00.000+01:002008-05-24T09:20:00.000+01:00We're not talking about "famous Belgians" here! Bi...We're not talking about "famous Belgians" here! Birmingham has a huge number of distinguished people past and present. Nobody's mentioned David Lodge who, although from London, is synonymous with the place and its university ("Changing Places", Nice Work"), Louis Macneice taught in Brum, W. H. Auden grew up there, Cardinal Newman founded the Oratory, Gerard Manley Hopkins taught in Birmingham, Dr Johnson lived there for a while etc...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-7201182249030955522008-05-24T00:01:00.000+01:002008-05-24T00:01:00.000+01:00If it's good enough for Kojak, eh Iain? http://www...If it's good enough for Kojak, eh Iain? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxZ1xn2ml10<BR/><BR/>I'm just going to echo what many people on here have already saod - Birmingham doesn't need to boast like Liverpool or Manchester, it's a lovely place. As are the outlying areas. <BR/><BR/>As a Coventrian, I must say, however, that Two Tone music is from Coventry, not Brum. And further to what an anonymong put, Coventry is fast improving too - The Enemy (a popular beat trio some of you may have heard of!) have put us back on the map. And they're great lads too!<BR/><BR/>As well as Coventry, Birmingham isn't too far from Stratford which is a beautiful town, as is Warwick. On top of this we have some absoutely gorgeous countryside too.<BR/><BR/>The Midlands is shockingly overlooked, but maybe it's a blessing in disguise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-19725984282240138442008-05-23T22:55:00.000+01:002008-05-23T22:55:00.000+01:00Very unfair Birmingham has something for everyone ...Very unfair Birmingham has something for everyone - cannot do much better than Neville Chamberlain for all the useless Tories out there.<BR/><BR/>BTW who counts that they have been six times to a particular city - how sad is that.tory boys never grow uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11172736984147732661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-16945666088097475682008-05-23T22:50:00.000+01:002008-05-23T22:50:00.000+01:00So nice to see the traditional Tories looking down...So nice to see the traditional Tories looking down on us in Birmingham. I'm only an adopted Brummie - unlike PragueTory, I chose to live here - but I love my city. I don't need to feel superior to anybody else. <BR/><BR/>As for a mayor - we don't need one for Birmingham. The recent pressure has arisen because the Tory/Liberal council is so bereft of competent leadership that people are getting desperate, but despite demands from Cameron and yourself - surely the royalty in the party - the local Conservative leadership just don't want to go there. Maybe they are scared of losing....<BR/><BR/>And if you've only been to our city six times, Iain, then that's your loss.PoliticalHackUKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415484385177871124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-55465577860592808932008-05-23T22:10:00.000+01:002008-05-23T22:10:00.000+01:00Bit disappointed you didn't warn me you were comin...Bit disappointed you didn't warn me you were coming up to Brum, Iain! :)<BR/><BR/>Understanding that the city has identity problems, Birmingham's Tory council recently launched the (rather cumbersome) Big City Plan. See: http://dadge.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/big-city-plan/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-64631307141940978302008-05-23T21:54:00.000+01:002008-05-23T21:54:00.000+01:00And yet for me, it somehow has the feel of a major...And yet for me, it somehow has the feel of a major city, with neither Liverpool or Manchester, nor Leeds or Newcastle do (and these are all places I have connections with and have a lot of affection for. My wife is, however, a Brummie...)<BR/><BR/>Maybe they need a major infrastructure project - sort out the tangle of motorways and expressways, dig some tunnels, create a tram or metro system: these always make a city seem grown up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-42085573034270157852008-05-23T20:33:00.000+01:002008-05-23T20:33:00.000+01:00As a Brummie from Moseley who used to work in the ...<I>As a Brummie from Moseley who used to work in the Prince of Wales in the early 90s </I><BR/><BR/>I was more of a Fighting Cocks and Malt Shovel man myself. Still, I was around the PoW for the spontanious snowball attack on the police station. Good times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59032915256349376352008-05-23T20:31:00.000+01:002008-05-23T20:31:00.000+01:00Stuff the elected mayor idea..... it's a gimmick w...Stuff the elected mayor idea..... it's a gimmick we don't need. Brum is a fantastic place, and doesn't need to jump up and down about it like Manchester and LiverpoolQAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-14543541032765948002008-05-23T19:26:00.000+01:002008-05-23T19:26:00.000+01:00I don't agree that Birmingham, where I worked for ...I don't agree that Birmingham, where I worked for 3 years, has no self-confidence. It is a prosperous, thriving and entrepreneurial city - all credit to the Conservative/LD administration that runs it. <BR/><BR/>As for Manchester and Liverpool, despite some regeneration, the dominance of Labour means that they are a shadow of their former glory.Armchair Sceptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06700172701458170654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-30499615262748742962008-05-23T19:21:00.000+01:002008-05-23T19:21:00.000+01:00I am highly amused to read that Praguetory is a Br...I am highly amused to read that Praguetory is a Brummie. (I guess Moseleytory doesn't have quite the same ring.)<BR/><BR/>I can cheer myself up when reading his short-sighted and tendentious posts if I can do so in a Brummie accent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-16845598053276496962008-05-23T18:27:00.000+01:002008-05-23T18:27:00.000+01:00Lot's have people have pushed for a referendum in ...Lot's have people have pushed for a referendum in Birmingham on the subject of an elected mayor but despite massive support from the local paper they couldn't get signatures of 5% of the electorate. The people of Brum do not need a mayor and we certainly want don't want one. Furthermore we couldn't give a toss what the rest of the country think about us. Brummies do not lack pride or confidence in our city we just don't feel the need to shout about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-78146097367826178272008-05-23T18:00:00.000+01:002008-05-23T18:00:00.000+01:00Good things about Birmingham.1] it's not Coventry2...Good things about Birmingham.<BR/><BR/>1] it's not Coventry<BR/>2] erm that's it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-15123441412719358742008-05-23T17:57:00.000+01:002008-05-23T17:57:00.000+01:00Gosh, are we that hardup we are now contemplating ...Gosh, are we that hardup we are now contemplating selling Birmingham? Who will buy this wonderful city which for as long as I can remember -too long I am afraid- it has been a building site!<BR/><BR/>Will the Barclay Brothers purchase it?<BR/>Will a rich Sheik? or Rusiian come to that!<BR/><BR/>I spent many happy hours working in Birmingham and commuting from Wolverhampton. Who will ever forget Marlene from Dudley?<BR/><BR/>Perhaps, Iain, you could organise a whip round!strapworldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18228784526399929300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-22504671453269089242008-05-23T17:55:00.000+01:002008-05-23T17:55:00.000+01:00Iain, I'm in the market for buying up Birmingham a...Iain, I'm in the market for buying up Birmingham and my final offer is £152.00 (+VAT).<BR/><BR/>But if Sandwell is part of the deal,my offer is £0.27p all in.<BR/><BR/>This going to make Bob Piper very angry indeed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-20846695688070663792008-05-23T17:53:00.000+01:002008-05-23T17:53:00.000+01:00Oh and forget the Mayor idea. We've got 49 elected...Oh and forget the Mayor idea. We've got 49 elected Conservative councillors. The last thing we need is another layer of bureaucracy/alternative power base. We've seen what happened to council bills in London since 2000.Praguetoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16520923731691837948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-25780587468456437752008-05-23T17:50:00.000+01:002008-05-23T17:50:00.000+01:00Lots of interesting contributions here. As a Brumm...Lots of interesting contributions here. As a Brummie from Moseley who used to work in the Prince of Wales in the early 90s it is interesting to see how many contributors have lived there. <BR/><BR/>Moseley is quite a political place. Despite the fact that we are fourth in the local elections across the new Hall Green constituency we still have 200 or so members. <BR/><BR/>Brum would be more well known if it wasn't for some unfortunate oversights. Many people have mentioned our unique musical heritage - if we had a music museum it would attract enthusiasts worldwide. <BR/><BR/>Re literature think of Shakespeare's Stratford and then consider Tolkein's Birmingham. I live a stone's throw from the cottage where Tolkein grew up (and drew the inspiration for his books), but the building doesn't even have a plaque. There are embryonic attempts to make more of the Tolkein brand, but apparently his family is a bit of a roadblock. <BR/><BR/>The Jewellery Quarter is unique and the council has recently applied for it to receive Unesco World Heritage Site status and Cadbury's factory and surrounding estate is a superb example of civic heritage. <BR/><BR/>As you can see, I could go on. Comparisons with the educational slum, suicide and street crime hotspot that is Manchester are laughable.Praguetoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16520923731691837948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-71913600258863905812008-05-23T17:21:00.000+01:002008-05-23T17:21:00.000+01:00Interesting post Iain. Has anyone seriously pushed...Interesting post Iain. Has anyone seriously pushed the idea of a referendum in Birmingham to see if they want a Mayor? Seems like a very good idea to me. <BR/><BR/>Digby Jones would certainly be an interesting candidate. If he stood as an Independent, he might find himself in the unique position of having Tory support and Labour support (well, I doubt they would really support him but how could Brown oppose him).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com