Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) is calling out for volunteers to help with a clean up of the Central Square atrium on Thursday 24 September – starting from 12 noon.
If you have a couple of hours to spare, and would like to help make the High Street a bit brighter anc cleaner, then please head over to Central Square at midday on Thursday – or email Erdington BID at: erdingtonhighstreet@hotmail.co.uk
The Central Square clean up team will be sweeping up rubbish from the concourse, wiping down the pillars, and putting up battery powered fairy and festoon lighting.
Hand crafted decorations made by Arts All Over the Place / Photograph by Ed King
Once cleared, the BID and any volunteers will then assist Arts All Over the Place – a local arts and crafts group – to hang handmade decorations they have been producing in weekly workshops at their community space in Central Square and from the High Street Hut outside Wilton Market.
All equipment will be provided, and Erdington BID will arrange for light refreshments for all volunteers from shops and outlets on Erdington High Street – such as House of Chai or the recently opened Love Patties.
Hand crafted decorations made by Arts All Over the Place / Photograph by Ed King
A spokesperson for Erdington BID told: “Sometimes a good clean up can make a place that feels forgotten come back to life, and we want to see Central Square become the hive of activity that it once was. So come and join us – great a broom and a bin bag and let’s do something positive.”
They added: “Erdington High Street is facing two possible futures, and we firmly believe there is enough community spirit to make it a bright one. But we need to chip in; we need to see and say the positive more than the negatives. And if we do it together it will transform our Town Centre.”
CELEBRATE ERDINGTON – events and activities across the Town Centre from 27-31 October
The Central Square clean up and hand craft decorations are part in preparation for a weeklong programme of events and activities taking place at Central Square from Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 October, as part of the CELEBRATE ERDINGTON October programme.
Arts and crats workshop at the High Street Hut – led by Arts All Over the Place, as part of the CELEBRATE ERDINGTON programme of events and activities / Photograph by Ed King
CELEBRATE ERDINGON events will also be taking place at St Barnabas Church, Oikos Café, the High Street Hut, and on the wider pedestrianised area from B&M down to the Village Green.
On Saturday 31 October, there will also be a special Halloween themed High Street Community Market – with a friendly competition for the best dressed ghouls and goblins.
Poster for weekly arts and crafts sessions at the High Street Hut – led by Arts All Over the Place, as part of the CELEBRATE ERDINGTON programme of events / Photograph by Ed King
CELEBRATE ERDINGTON is a campaign to encourage positive engagement around Erdington Town Centre – led by Erdington BID and supported by local community groups and partners including Erdington Lunar Society, Erdington Artists Conversations, Erdington Arts Forum, PFG Consultancy, and Arts All Over the Place.
CELEBRATE ERDINGTON is further supported by Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Erdington Local is expanding its LOCAL AMBASSAODRS team and will be looking for new members to join their free monthly creative writing and community journalism workshops.
Held at Oikos Café on Erdington High Street, on the last Saturday of each month – between 11am and 1pm, the next LOCAL AMBASSADORS workshop will be on Saturday 26 September.
The workshops are completely free, and no previous experience is necessary – just a keen interest in creative writing, journalism, and media.
All ages are welcome to attend the LOCAL AMBASSADORS workshops, although under 16s will be asked to attend with adult supervision.
Places are limited and will be allocated ahead of each workshop, with free refreshments provided.
The Erdington LOCAL AMBASADORS are a group of writers and creatives who are regularly published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper – submitting stories and features about everything from UFOs and gothic fiction to local profiles, local sports teams, mental health, community events and activism.
The monthly workshops are led by Portland Jones, who currently writes a regular series in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper about living with unseen disabilities – as well as working with new and emerging writers, helping them shape their stories and navigate the editing process.
LOCAL AMBASSADORS pages in Erdington Local – May to June ’26 edition
Portland lives with prosopagnosia – a serious memory impairment she now has after suffering an undiagnosed stroke – and also runs the Inkwell Writing Group, using creative writing to help people in recovery.
During the LOCAL AMBASSADORS workshops, Portland will help those taking part to find what interests them – and learn how to tell their stories to other, in a way that grabs a reader’s attention.
Inviting people to join the workshops, Portland explains: “Your voice matters. Get involved by writing for your local newspaper and help shine a light on the people, places, stories, and issues that matter most in your community.”
She adds: “You will find out how to spot local stories that matter, how to write clear news reports and community features, understand the basics of local journalism, and work with others to celebrate and support your area.
“Meet new people, build your confidence, and tell the stories that make our community special.”
LOCAL AMBASSADORS pages in Erdington Local – August, September ’26 edition
The LOCAL AMBASSDORS workshops will also feature guest speakers from the local media and creative industries, as well as a look at the history of news and journalism and where digital media could take journalism in the future.
There will also be practical exercises with attendees set mini-assignments, where the LOCAL AMBASSADORS will go out and actually report on a local news story.
There will also be a chance to have your work published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper, helping to build a portfolio for anyone looking to take their writing and journalism to a more professional level.
Oikos Cafe on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
LOCAL AMBASSADORS is hosting its monthly workshops at Oikos Café on Erdington High Street to support the CELEBRATE ERDINGTON and LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaigns – encouraging positive engagement in Erdington Town Centre.
For more information, or to secure a place at the LOCAL AMBASSAODRS workshop on Saturday 26 September email: la@erdingtonlocal.com
James Cockerill and Frankie the dog / Photograph supplied by James Cockerill
Words by Nicola Murray
James Cockerill was 21 when he was diagnosed with cancer.
After beating it initially, it came back as stage four just before the start of the first lockdown. James decided to get a dog, Frankie, who was around 16 weeks old.
While Frankie was beginning her new life, James was facing his own battle. Eventually, he underwent a stem cell transplant that, thankfully, was successful in getting rid of the cancer.
But receiving the all-clear brought on its own unexpected challenges.
James & Frankie company logo
“It was harder after getting the all-clear because of the constant fear that the cancer would come back,” said James. “I would stand in front of the mirror for hours and hours prodding at my neck for signs that it had come back.”
He was struggling, until one night Frankie intervened. “She came up to me and started barking at me,” tells James. “Then every time I touched my neck, she would grab my hand.”
For James, Frankie gave him something that cancer had taken away: a sense of purpose.
“It wasn’t the drugs that saved my life, it was Frankie,” he adds. “She gave me something to get up for.”
It was this experience that would ultimately change the direction of his life.
Frankie the dog snuggling with toys / Photograph supplied by James Cockerill
Once his body had recovered, James began a dog training business, James and Frankie.
Over half of his clients are from Erdington, where he has family and spends much of his time; often sparking conversations with fellow dog owners.
With the business, his motivation was not simply to teach obedience, but to help owners understand their dogs on a deeper level. James believes that dogs can often be misunderstood, with behaviours dismissed as stubbornness or boredom when they may actually be signs of fear or stress.
His approach, which he calls the Communicative Learning Theory, focuses on understanding the reason behind the dog’s behaviour before trying to change it. He doesn’t believe in aversive training. “My training is about learning a different language. Not Commands. Not Corrections. Communication,” he says. “Understanding why your dog is scared or anxious helps build a stronger connection.”
James’ philosophy is explored further in his book, Beyond Obedience, which he said he wrote to “raise awareness to the alternative approaches to dog training.”
For James, this philosophy is personal.
Frankie as a puppy / Photograph supplied by James Cockerill
When Frankie first arrived, she was frightened and shy and would hide from anyone carrying a walking stick. On her first holiday to Newquay, she was particularly scared of people carrying surfboards. Rather than simply correcting her behaviour, James adapted his approach to understanding why she was reacting that way and why she had these fears.
Today, Frankie would be unrecognisable from that frightened rescue dog.
“She is the most confident, independent and funny dog you could meet,” tells James.
This experience has also inspired James to work with rescue organisations, including Paws Help in Burton and Brighter Days Rescue in Penkridge, supporting dogs that have been displaced by war, as well as dogs that have been abandoned or abused.
“I want to help give all dogs a chance at a better life because Frankie saved mine.”
Frankie as a more mature dog / Photograph supplied by James Cockerill
James has seen first-hand how dogs can benefit the mental health of owners. He has seen how dogs have helped his clients too, especially with grief.
Research supports the idea that pets play an important role in people’s wellbeing. The PDSA’s 2021 PAW Report found that 87 per cent of pet owners agreed that having a pet made them mentally healthier.
For James, the bond between dog and owner is something that should not be underestimated. “Dogs are part of the family,” he states, “not just a pet.”
James reiterates the importance of patience when it comes to building a connection with your dog. “You need time to understand each other,” he adds. “Dogs are not judgemental, so we should see them the same way.”
A psychological study from 2018, published in BMC Psychiatry, corroborates this. It found that pets are ‘non-judgemental’ and that they ‘provide unconditional love and affection.’
James and a grown up Frankie playing in the snow / Photograph supplied by James Cockerill
Looking to the future, James is hoping to expand his business and is looking for land to create a permanent base for clients, and where he can continue to do what he loves.
But despite his lofty ambitions, his message remains simple.
“Progress isn’t linear. You have good days and bad days, and your dog would never abandon you because you’re having a bad day. Sometimes a dog doesn’t just live with you. Sometimes a dogholds you together.”
Paulette Hamilton MP at constituency office in Erdington / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP’s constituency team
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 14 August. Be the first to get your local news delivered through your door, support independent community journalism, and email us at: subscribe@erdingtonlocal.com
Words by Paulette Hamilton MP (Birmingham Erdington, Labour)
Protecting our communities remains one of my top priorities, and this summer I’m stepping up my campaign to stop more family homes being lost to poorly managed HMOs and fight for stronger safeguards against exempt accommodation.
Here’s an update on the work I’m doing on your behalf.
I’ve recently been made aware of a planning application for a new 7-bedroom HMO on Tyburn Road. Our area already has far too many poorly managed HMOs, and I don’t believe we need another. That’s why I’ve launched a campaign opposing this application.
I’m also continuing my fight to close the loophole that allows some failed HMO applications to become exempt accommodation.
If you’d like to support these campaigns, please sign my Tyburn Road HMO and exempt accommodation petitions at www.paulettehamilton.org
It was wonderful to welcome so many residents to my recent community coffee morning at Maryvale Community Centre in Oscott. These coffee mornings are a great opportunity to hear your concerns, answer your questions and discuss the issues that matter most.
Paulette Hamilton MP at Maryvale Communty Projectr / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP’s constituency team
I look forward to my next coffee morning on 14 August in Kingstanding as I continue meeting as many of the 122,000 people I represent as possible.
Finally, I hope you’re enjoying the summer holidays and spending quality time with family and friends.
With the Government’s August free bus travel scheme for children aged 5 to 15, I hope many families have been able to make the most of the opportunity to explore and enjoy everything our region has to offer.
Cllr Ray Goodwin on Castle Vale High Street / Photograph supplied by Birmingham Labour
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 14 August. Be the first to get your local news delivered through your door, support independent community journalism, and email us at: subscribe@erdingtonlocal.com
Words by Councillor Ray Goodwin (Castle Vale Ward, Labour)
We are now four weeks into Birmingham’s new household waste collection pilot, and while there are some positive changes, there are still significant issues that need to be addressed.
I have been speaking to residents across Castle Vale who genuinely want this pilot to work. They welcome the return of recycling collections, weekly food waste collections and additional street cleansing.
But many are frustrated that they are still waiting for bins to be delivered, while others have told me that their bins have not been emptied as expected.
Four weeks in, these problems should be being resolved. Residents should not be left wondering when their bins will arrive or whether their waste will be collected.
I will continue speaking to residents and raising these issues with the Council. I want this pilot to succeed, but that means listening to residents and putting things right when they go wrong.
There is also some positive news. I’m pleased that the Mobile Tip Truck is returning to Castle Vale on Monday 24 August at Castle Pool car park.
This is another useful service that helps residents dispose of unwanted items responsibly and keeps waste off our streets.
Cleaner streets are something we all want. Residents are doing their bit — now the Council needs to make sure the service delivers for them.
I’ll keep listening, keep raising the issues and keep pushing for Castle Vale.
Reform candidates on campaign trail in Kingstanding, ahead of May ’26 Local Elections / Photograph supplied by Reform UK Erdington Branch
This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper on 14 August. Be the first to get your local news delivered through your door, support independent community journalism, and email us at: subscribe@erdingtonlocal.com
Words by Councillor Jex Parkin and Councillor John Lambert (Kingstanding Ward, Reform UK)
There is something deeply insulting about suggesting thousands of people across Erdington voted the way they did because they suddenly became racist.
They didn’t.
They voted because they are fed up.
Fed up with immigration they believe is out of control. Fed up with pressure on housing and public services. Fed up with Birmingham’s finances. Fed up with broken promises, rising costs and neighbourhoods that too often feel neglected.
And fed up with politicians who only seem to discover these concerns after an election defeat.
Nobody should defend racism. If someone genuinely abuses another person because of their race, that is disgraceful.
But there is a world of difference between racism and asking legitimate questions about immigration, borders, housing, public services and the pressures placed on local communities.
That distinction matters.
Because if every uncomfortable question about immigration is dismissed as racism, politicians never have to answer it.
If every criticism of Labour is dismissed as hatred, politicians never have to accept responsibility.
And if every Reform vote is explained away as bigotry, perhaps nobody in Labour has to confront the uncomfortable truth.
People voted Reform because they wanted change.
Oscott, Kingstanding, Perry Common, Pype Hayes and Stockland Green did not collectively lose their minds.
They exercised their democratic judgement.
The answer isn’t to insult them, patronise them or lecture them.
It is to listen.
Because when politicians start blaming the voters rather than asking why they lost them, they haven’t learned the lesson.
Shisha Shop at 280 High Street, Erdington, with shutters down after Closue Order issued / Photograph supplied by Erdington BID
Words by Erdington Local Editorial Team
Shisha Shop by Six Ways Island has been officially closed down, after West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council’s Trading Standards found the business was selling illegal vapes.
Promoting itself as offering ‘E-Cigs, Tobacco, Shisha & Accessories’, the business located at 280 High Street, Erdington, was targeted as part of the Operation Fearless initiative that started in Erdington Town Centre in January 2025.
Having accumulated enough evidence to establish the independent retailer was selling illegal vapes, West Midlands Police and Trading Standards finally secured a Closure Order from Birmingham Magistrates Court to force down the shutters on 11 August 2026.
Under Section 80 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, a Closure Order can be issued to shut down a business for up to three months if it is believed anyone at the address ‘has engaged, or is likely to engage, in criminal behaviour on the premises’.
Operation Fearless and Council notice on shutters at Shisha Shop, 280 High Street, Erdington / Photograph supplied by Erdington BID
The enforcement at 280 High Street, Erdington, was based on evidence gathered by Operation Fearless and enacted as part of Operation Cloud.
Public Health were also consulted, likely due to the potential health risks around the sale of illegal vapes, which are produced and sold without regulation.
Illegal vapes have been known to contain excess levels of nicotine, exceeding the legal UK limit, and can emit hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein from cheaply produce heating coils.
A study into the dangers of illegal vapes at the University of Dery also found the under the counter products can contain dangerous levels of lead, nickel, chromium, and cadmium – which can impair brain development.
Erdington Wrad Councillor Robert Alden on Erdington High Street with police / Photograph supplied by Cllr Alden
Following the closure of Shisha Shop, Erdington Ward Councillors Robert Alden and Gareth Moore told local residents through social media: “We have been pushing for tougher enforcement on Erdington High Street from Birmingham Police and Birmingham City Council, therefore we are delighted to see this enforcement action being taken.”
They added: “We will continue working with the Erdington BID to help hold the Council and Police to account and ensure that the enforcement action needed is taken to keep our High Street safe for local residents.”
Erdington Town Centre and BID Manager, Ed King, also told: “The sale of illegal vapes and smoking related products pose a real threat to people’s health – as well as the potential for children to access products legitimate and ethical business would not sell to them.
“Any business on Erdington High Street selling illegal products must stop or be forced to stop. It’s that simple.”
They added: “Operation Fearless showed what robust policing in the area can achieve, but when they left some of the problems started to return – with no effective strategy in place for the local team.
“Although, thankfully, Erdington’s new Sargeant [Sgt Millard] is now in post and has been rebuilding a strong Neighbourhood Police Team – cracking skulls and just getting on with the job.
“Erdington BID, working alongside Councillor Alden and Councillor Moore, will do everything to support Sgt Millard and her team – and we hope West Midlands Police are prepared to do the same.”
(l-r) Erdington Neighbourhood Police Seargent Millard, Town Centre Manager Ed King, Erdington BID events team and Community Market stall holders / Photograph supplied by Erdington BID
Directors of M1 Shisha Shop Ltd and A1 Shisha Shop Ltd, both registered at Companies House as retailers with the trading address 280 High Street Erdington, were issued with the official closure order.
Two Directors of Starborn International Limited, a property firm based in West London, were also issued with the closure order – alongside two further individuals, one based in Great Barr and one in Erdington.
On Friday 14 August, Northside Welcome Centre will celebrate 20 years of community support and services.
Located at 176 Streetly Road, Stockland Green, the local community hub runs a varied programme of activities to encourage social inclusion, positive health and wellbeing, and learning new skills.
The weekly calendar hosts sessions including exercise classes, advice surgeries, walking groups, coffee mornings, arts and crafts and computer skills workshops.
Through funding from the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme (ENNS), which supports many community groups and projects across the constituency, Northside Welcome Centre has also recently launched a Cooking Club – where a professional chef will lead workshops on how to prepare food that helps challenge arthritis and inflammation.
Promotional poster for Cooking Club at Northside Welcome Centre
The Cooking Club will run alongside a series of weekly session giving advice on how to manage arthritis and promoting good joint health – as well as a regular gentle movement class to encourage suppleness and mobility.
Held on Tuesdays and Thursday, the new programmes are being promoted as part of Northside’s ‘Move well, eat well, live well’ project – with all activities funded by the ENNS.
Launched in 2006 by Sikh Nari Manch UK, Northside Welcome Centre grew from the registered charity’s work supporting women in the local Sikh community.
Craft and knitting session at Northside Welcome Centre / Photograph supplied by Northside Welcome Centre
Sikh Nari Manch UK was founded in 1998 by Bibi Gurdev Kaur OBE, but built the Northside Welcome Centre so it could operate a wider network of support and services for all faiths and genders.
A spokesperson from Northside Welcome Centre told: “Since opening Northside Welcome Centre in 2006, we have been proud to provide a welcoming space for local people, offering activities, friendship, wellbeing support and opportunities to bring our community together.”
They added: “Over the past 20 years, thousands of local residents have benefited from the Centre and we are looking forward to celebrating this journey with our volunteers, Centre users, supporters, partners and funders.”
Computer and digital skills session at Northside Welcome Centre / Photograph supplied by Northside Welcome Centre
The 20-year anniversary celebration on 14 August will take a look at the centre’s two decades of support, with special recognition of Northside’s volunteers and supporters.
There will also be live Indian classical music and Tabla, as well as a special lunch for invited guests.
Following the significant investment secured from central government earlier this year for Stockland Green Health Centre, it was a pleasure to mark the start of the new 32-bed purpose-built facility at the Highcroft site.
This long-awaited investment is a major step forward, and I’m proud we’re now seeing real progress.
Our faith and community groups play a vital role in bringing people together. That’s why it was a pleasure to join Pastor Aaron and the congregation at Charlton Road Church as they celebrated their 90th anniversary in Kingstanding.
It was a wonderful reminder of the dedication of volunteers, faith leaders and local organisations that make our area special. With Kingstanding benefitting from £20 million through the Government’s Pride in Place programme, I’m determined to ensure local people are at the heart of shaping that investment for years to come.
(l-r) Church Elder David Read, Paulette Hamilton MP, Pastor Aaron Reyes / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Alongside securing investment, I’m continuing to campaign on the issues that matter most.
I recently challenged the Prime Minister in Parliament over the loophole allowing some landlords, whose HMO applications have been refused, to convert properties into exempt accommodation with far less scrutiny.
Our communities deserve a proper say, and I’ll keep pressing the Government for stronger protections. You can support my campaign by signing my petition at www.paulettehamilton.org
Finally, as schools break up for the summer, I hope you and your family enjoy some well-earned time together.
Whether you’re staying local or heading away, I wish everyone across Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale and South Oscott a safe, happy and relaxing summer.
(l-r) Paulette Hamilton and Keir Starmer at Tia’s Hair Salon on York Rd, Erdington – on the campaign trail for the 2022 Parliamentary by-election / Erdington Local archives
The recent Local Elections in May saw Labour lose six local councillors across the Erdington constituency and get propelled out of power across the wider city – with many blaming a toxic national brand and blind hate for anyone wearing a red rosette.
The once safe labour seat was now, on a local level, overwhelmingly represented by Reform UK. And on the doorsteps, it seems the public ire was aimed at one politician – Sir Keir Starmer.
Erdington Local sat down with Paulette Hamilton MP to ask just how bad it has become for Labour and why she was so publicly vocal about the need for change at the top.
Paulette Hamilton MP looks tired, sounds tired, and is hastily eating lunch on the go as we sit down to discuss the thrashing the Labour candidates in her constituency took at the recent Local Election – which saw several longstanding Labour seats go over to the new kids on the block.
An hour behind schedule, she’s been at “big roundtable in [Birmingham] City Centre looking at supported exempt accommodation” – an issue that often dominates both public and political discourse in the city – and is “not in Parliament today because I am, as I’ve always said, I’m more interested in the local things.”
Breakdown of Birmingham City Council seats won in May ’26 Local Election
And it would be pertinent to be present in Erdington right now, for a Labour MP. In May, mirroring results from across the country, Reform UK smashed down Erdington’s red wall to take all the ward seats in Oscott, Kingstanding, Pype Hayes, and Perry Common, and one in Stockland Green. A tough night for Erdington Constituency Labour Party (CLP), no doubt.
And in her own patch, this Labour MP now has only two of her own party as elected officials: Cllr Ray Goodwin on Castle Vale and Cllr Mick Brown in Gravelly Hill. Both whom carried themselves through with fiercely fought for local support, winning despite of their national party.
“I’m a bit of a hands-on MP,” begins Paulette Hamilton, explaining her own experiences on the campaign trail, in both the recent Local Elections and the last General Election. “I don’t just send people out to do things I won’t do myself. And I’ll start by prefacing everything I’m going to say. I really like Sir Keir Starmer.”
You can sense what’s coming. But the rumbling beneath the surface back in 2024 seems to have erupted into something much more unpleasant in 2026.
Local election count at Utilita Arena / Photograph by Ed King
“We noticed it during the General Election” continues Hamilton. “People were saying, yes, they would give us a chance, but they don’t like our leader. And what we were finding [during the campaign for the Local Elections] was in areas like Castle Vale, Kingstanding, in Erdington, and other places, people started talking about national issues at the door.
“So at the door, we were getting national issues, not local ones. And it all ended with – we don’t like your leader. Some people were literally slamming the door in my face.
“In Oscott [the Labour candidates] had a really difficult time. It was all about immigration. They don’t want the boat people, the black people. I had people at doors. saying to me, are you black? Where are you from?”
Image from Adobe Stock Images
Paulette Hamilton became Birmingham’s first ever Black MP, coming comfortably first across the finish line in the 2022 by-election, triggered by the untimely death of Jack Dromey MP.
“Where is your mum from? Where is your grandmother from?” continues Hamilton, describing the racism she experienced ahead of the May elections. “And when I said the Caribbean [they said] well, you’re not British then.
“You’re not white. You’re not white. You’re not… your family history doesn’t come from England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. And this is what your party is about.”
Abhorrent, no question. But how different was this to campaigning for the Parliamentary seat in 2022 or 2024, when it was about national issues?
“Much more hostile, but it was definitely on national issues. Don’t get me wrong, [people] talked about the bin strike, which was relatable. They talked about Birmingham being bankrupt. But you’d have expected to hear far more of that, considering it was [a Local Election].
“And everything was being blamed on Labour, even though Labour had only been in power for 18 months. And it was all our fault.”
(l-r) Keir Starmer and Paulette Hamilton at press conference in Erdington during 2022 by-election / Erdington Local Archives
There is little doubt that the political landscape has changed, with more popularist parties – both left and right leaning – gaining momentum and seats in the House. And with such vitriol for the leader of your party, as Hamilton admits “we were going to lose” at the next General Election.
“If I hadn’t experienced it, I wouldn’t have believed it could have happened,” adds Hamilton, “but I knew the Labour Party was headed in the wrong direction.
“We’d got the policies, we’ve got the people, but unfortunately the public have stopped… had stopped listening to us and we needed a reset.”
And that reset came, eventually, after an increasing number of Labour stalwarts began to come out and call for Keir Starmer to lay out a timeline for his resignation – the message, received sometimes so aggressively on the doorstep, was clear. A change was needed at the top.
(l-r) Keir Starmer and Paulette Hamilton meet CLP members on Erdington High Street during 2022 by-election campaign / Erdington Local archives
Paulette Hamlton took several interviews on high profile national news outlets, being very clear that Sir Keir needed to go. As risky move for a backbencher, but “I just knew that I had got nothing to lose at that point” she explains.
“I was always going out and I was always spouting the party lines,” continues Hamilton. “But it came to a point where I had to look at my constituency… I had got an Asian part of my constituency that had disengaged. They’d just disengaged with Keir Starmer, the Labour Party, the whole lot.
“Black community stayed at home, disengaged, because Derek (Douglas, who lost the race for the Stockland Green Ward by one vote to Reform’s Manni Butt) would have won that seat if the Black community had engaged enough, right?
Cllr Manni Butt at Utilita Arena after winning Stockland Green Ward by one vote / Photograph by Ed king
“White communities split to hell between reform, Labour, Greens, left, right. And then we’d got a leader that was just carrying on and not listening to what was going on out in the country. And I just felt I’m of an age where I can either carry on hoping for some big Cabinet position that was never going to come, or I can be true to what residents are saying to me.”
Backs against the wall, perhaps. And whilst the very public move, and being one of the first to make it, may have garnered Paulette Hamilton “a lot of hugs” from some in Westminster, she hasn’t got “Andy’s (Burnam) number in my phone book or been promised some position”.
“[People in Erdington] need to feel that the voices they are hearing, they can trust,” adds Hamiton. “They need to feel better that they are… They’re getting the change that they were promised. They’re getting the finances in their pocket. They feel better when they wake up compared to when they went to bed. They have seen improvements in the area where they live.”
And now that the King is dead, and the national Labour Party is on the cusp of crowning another, does our battle weary Erdington MP believe the gamble paid off?
“I actually do. And I have… you’ll be the first to know, but I have nominated [Andy Burnham. This man has done 20 odd years in Parliament. He went to Greater Manchester and learned those skills that sometimes parliamentarians haven’t got. And that is local community and what local communities need.
“And when you combine all those skills and plus his personality… He doesn’t forget a name. You know, he really is a people’s person. And I think it shines.”
