Iain
@iainbhx.bsky.social
Former politician, keen psephologist, cat dad, Germanophile, likes traveling by train, average cook, occasional writer. Oh and I do things with SQL for coin.
Cllrs Chris and Paul Bott (Walsall MBC, Darlaston South) have left the Labour party over the representation on the board for the £20m Town Regeneration fund. They have gone Independent, the Bott's were long term Independent councillors for this ward until they joined Labour in 2019.
November 11, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Cllrs Chris and Paul Bott (Walsall MBC, Darlaston South) have left the Labour party over the representation on the board for the £20m Town Regeneration fund. They have gone Independent, the Bott's were long term Independent councillors for this ward until they joined Labour in 2019.
In west midlands news - Cllrs Jason Thorne and James Clinton (Dudley MBC, Pedmore & Stourbridge East) have defected from the Conservatives to Reform. Pedmore is historically the Tories strongest ward in the Stourbridge constituency.
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 AM
In west midlands news - Cllrs Jason Thorne and James Clinton (Dudley MBC, Pedmore & Stourbridge East) have defected from the Conservatives to Reform. Pedmore is historically the Tories strongest ward in the Stourbridge constituency.
Just waiting for this idiot government to appoint Darren Grimes as the next DG.
November 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Just waiting for this idiot government to appoint Darren Grimes as the next DG.
So, no new local government elections announced in the West Midlands this week. However there have been some councillors changing their colours all of them on Stoke-on-Trent UA - Cllr Daniel Jellyman (Hanford, Newstead & Trentham) - Conservative to Reform 1 / 2
November 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
So, no new local government elections announced in the West Midlands this week. However there have been some councillors changing their colours all of them on Stoke-on-Trent UA - Cllr Daniel Jellyman (Hanford, Newstead & Trentham) - Conservative to Reform 1 / 2
Always worth remembering that both billion and trillion have short forms and long form. Billion is now accepted as 10⁹ but was 10¹² in my youth and Trillion is now accepted as 10¹² but was 10¹⁸ in those distant gilded days. 10⁹ was a thousand million or if your were really antiquated a milliard.
November 7, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Always worth remembering that both billion and trillion have short forms and long form. Billion is now accepted as 10⁹ but was 10¹² in my youth and Trillion is now accepted as 10¹² but was 10¹⁸ in those distant gilded days. 10⁹ was a thousand million or if your were really antiquated a milliard.
Feeling a bit full of cold and not wanting to mess cooking too much - so tonight was sausage, egg, beans and chippings.
November 6, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Feeling a bit full of cold and not wanting to mess cooking too much - so tonight was sausage, egg, beans and chippings.
It's been quite a week for councillors moving parties, but not in the West Midlands. With the vacancy filled on Worcestershire CC by Sam Ammar(LDm) winning Bromsgrove South. that leaves two vacancies on Stratford DC which will be on the 20th of November both are contested by Con/Grn/Lab/LDm/Rfm.
November 2, 2025 at 7:56 AM
It's been quite a week for councillors moving parties, but not in the West Midlands. With the vacancy filled on Worcestershire CC by Sam Ammar(LDm) winning Bromsgrove South. that leaves two vacancies on Stratford DC which will be on the 20th of November both are contested by Con/Grn/Lab/LDm/Rfm.
I'm just an ordinary member, but after some consideration I've decided to give my first preference to @joshbabarinde.bsky.social to be the next president of the LibDems.
November 1, 2025 at 10:27 AM
I'm just an ordinary member, but after some consideration I've decided to give my first preference to @joshbabarinde.bsky.social to be the next president of the LibDems.
In West Midlands politics news - the Liberal Democrats won the Worcestershire CC by-election in Bromsgrove South from the Reform Party with the LibDems increasing their vote share to 50% of the poll.
October 31, 2025 at 6:00 AM
In West Midlands politics news - the Liberal Democrats won the Worcestershire CC by-election in Bromsgrove South from the Reform Party with the LibDems increasing their vote share to 50% of the poll.
So in the West Midlands, the Moseley by-election last week was won by the LibDems, this week is the Bromsgrove South by-election for Worcestershire County Council. The two Stratford by-elections are scheduled for the 20th Nov. 1 / 2
October 26, 2025 at 6:38 AM
So in the West Midlands, the Moseley by-election last week was won by the LibDems, this week is the Bromsgrove South by-election for Worcestershire County Council. The two Stratford by-elections are scheduled for the 20th Nov. 1 / 2
Falls victim to a half bottle sale - now where am I going to put it all. Half bottles are good, I can no longer do a full bottle on my own without consequences and HWMBO is on duty so often he can't help out and there were some nice little temptations.
October 25, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Falls victim to a half bottle sale - now where am I going to put it all. Half bottles are good, I can no longer do a full bottle on my own without consequences and HWMBO is on duty so often he can't help out and there were some nice little temptations.
So, the Moseley by-election for Birmingham MBC has been counted and it was a LDM gain from LAB with the following count:
LDm 1634 Lab 1149 Ind 923 Grn 474 Rfm 345 Con 101 BCI 80
That's roughly what I expected except I expected Lab and Ind to be the other way around. So what does it mean 1 / ?
LDm 1634 Lab 1149 Ind 923 Grn 474 Rfm 345 Con 101 BCI 80
That's roughly what I expected except I expected Lab and Ind to be the other way around. So what does it mean 1 / ?
October 24, 2025 at 5:58 AM
So, the Moseley by-election for Birmingham MBC has been counted and it was a LDM gain from LAB with the following count:
LDm 1634 Lab 1149 Ind 923 Grn 474 Rfm 345 Con 101 BCI 80
That's roughly what I expected except I expected Lab and Ind to be the other way around. So what does it mean 1 / ?
LDm 1634 Lab 1149 Ind 923 Grn 474 Rfm 345 Con 101 BCI 80
That's roughly what I expected except I expected Lab and Ind to be the other way around. So what does it mean 1 / ?
As much as the Tories like to pretend the State Pension isn't a benefit because it offends their only remaining reliable voters of 2024, their new IRL proposal surely means if you have ILR you get deported after six months of State Pension. Just not a serious party anymore are they?
October 22, 2025 at 5:35 AM
As much as the Tories like to pretend the State Pension isn't a benefit because it offends their only remaining reliable voters of 2024, their new IRL proposal surely means if you have ILR you get deported after six months of State Pension. Just not a serious party anymore are they?
I can't help but feel that V-levels is going to be a really unfortunate name.
October 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I can't help but feel that V-levels is going to be a really unfortunate name.
Meanwhile in West Midlands local council news, the Birmingham MBC, Moseley by-election is this Thursday and the Worcestershire CC, Bromsgrove Sth by-election is on the 30th. Two byes have been called on Stratford on Avon DC for the Quinton & Salford Priors and Alcester Rural on the 20 Nov 1 / 2
October 19, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Meanwhile in West Midlands local council news, the Birmingham MBC, Moseley by-election is this Thursday and the Worcestershire CC, Bromsgrove Sth by-election is on the 30th. Two byes have been called on Stratford on Avon DC for the Quinton & Salford Priors and Alcester Rural on the 20 Nov 1 / 2
So, there was an election petition in The Littletons Division of Worcestershire CC after the election where the result was tied between the Green candidate and the Reform UK candidate and it was decided by, as is the tradition, the drawing of lots. 1 / 3
October 19, 2025 at 7:48 AM
So, there was an election petition in The Littletons Division of Worcestershire CC after the election where the result was tied between the Green candidate and the Reform UK candidate and it was decided by, as is the tradition, the drawing of lots. 1 / 3
Oh yeah, if Slimy Jenrick went to Villa Park in the away end whilst he was growing up in the 80's, assuming he was a Wolves fan and assuming he wasn't a babe in arms, that would be once in 1989 when he was 7. I'm calling it pants on fire.
October 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Oh yeah, if Slimy Jenrick went to Villa Park in the away end whilst he was growing up in the 80's, assuming he was a Wolves fan and assuming he wasn't a babe in arms, that would be once in 1989 when he was 7. I'm calling it pants on fire.
So I put the fire on one bar late this afternoon because it was getting a bit nippy, I would normally turn it off now, but the cat is sprawled full length in front of it asleep so I dare not.
October 15, 2025 at 6:37 PM
So I put the fire on one bar late this afternoon because it was getting a bit nippy, I would normally turn it off now, but the cat is sprawled full length in front of it asleep so I dare not.
Six of the Independent Group on Walsall MBC have announced that they are joining "Your Party" but they will stay in the Independent Group on the council at this time.
October 9, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Six of the Independent Group on Walsall MBC have announced that they are joining "Your Party" but they will stay in the Independent Group on the council at this time.
There has been a small raft of about 20 Councillors defected from Con to Rfm today, no doubt to cause disconfiture during the Conservative conference. This means that Reform now have more councillors on Principal Authorities than the Green Parties.
October 7, 2025 at 12:12 PM
There has been a small raft of about 20 Councillors defected from Con to Rfm today, no doubt to cause disconfiture during the Conservative conference. This means that Reform now have more councillors on Principal Authorities than the Green Parties.
I went up to Handsworth to deliver something I'd sold the other week, I didn't see many other white faces, but I did see some. However, I did see lots of Brummies of all different races and creeds, those who were born here and those like me who have made it their home. But I'm not Slimy Jenrick.
October 6, 2025 at 7:12 PM
I went up to Handsworth to deliver something I'd sold the other week, I didn't see many other white faces, but I did see some. However, I did see lots of Brummies of all different races and creeds, those who were born here and those like me who have made it their home. But I'm not Slimy Jenrick.
So, I'm writing an Azureverse piece and I think, yes, this will be biggish one, about 5-6k words mainly because its an area I've only touched on a little bit in previous work. Six days in, we are at nearly 8k words and I've not even got to the most complex bit yet. It's gonna be a monster.
October 5, 2025 at 9:17 AM
So, I'm writing an Azureverse piece and I think, yes, this will be biggish one, about 5-6k words mainly because its an area I've only touched on a little bit in previous work. Six days in, we are at nearly 8k words and I've not even got to the most complex bit yet. It's gonna be a monster.
No new vacancies or by-elections announced in the West Midlands this week. One defection, Cllr Jeyan Anketell (Lichfield DC. St Johns) has defected from Labour to the Green party. 1 /3
October 5, 2025 at 6:44 AM
No new vacancies or by-elections announced in the West Midlands this week. One defection, Cllr Jeyan Anketell (Lichfield DC. St Johns) has defected from Labour to the Green party. 1 /3
I'm not a big fan of capeshit, but what stood true about Brexit applies even more strongly about zero-immigration. It's not that all these people are stupid, they at least in part understand the consequences but to borrow from The Dark Knight Returns "Some men just want to watch the world burn."
September 30, 2025 at 8:09 PM
I'm not a big fan of capeshit, but what stood true about Brexit applies even more strongly about zero-immigration. It's not that all these people are stupid, they at least in part understand the consequences but to borrow from The Dark Knight Returns "Some men just want to watch the world burn."
Ming was the only LibDem leader I have met who didn‘t scab a fag off me.
September 26, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Ming was the only LibDem leader I have met who didn‘t scab a fag off me.