NEWS THAT MATTERS, CAMPAIGNS THAT COUNT for Birmingham, the Black Country and beyond
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Former Warwickshire all-rounder Paul Smith talks candidly to Stirrer TV about his book "Wasted" click
Medal winning athlete Tanni Grey Thompson introduced a new line for wheelchair users and other disabled people. click
Watch the Stirrer's interviews with Gary Taylor click here and John Madin click here
Rageh Omaar explains why Bush and Blair were good for Bin Laden click
Fred Grove talks to The Stirrer about his battle to keep his house in the face of redevelopment. click
The Stirrer talks to Ron Watts about starting The 100 Club in London 30 years ago click
Excuse our breathless enthusiasm, but we've just seen the presentation for the VTP 200 - the most eye-catching building in Birmingham for years. And yes, it's got us excited. See for yourself why it's got us all aquiver more
Today marks the final Stirrer “front page” – at least for the time being – but our popular Forum will continue as the place to break and discuss all the news that matters in Birmingham, the Black Country and beyond. Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg will also be posting regularly on his own blog. more
Exclusive
BRUM LINES UP STARRING MOVIE ROLE
02-06-2010
Hopes that Birmingham might become a major centre of movie production move a step closer today – and it’s all thanks to Stirrer blogger and Forum regular Jonathan Stuart Brown. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT......................ON DR NASEEM
02-06-2010
The Secret Service’s alleged links with radical Moslems, Tony Blair as Adolf Hitler and the whole British political system out to sell the UK down the river. The leader of Birmingham’s Central Mosque, Dr Mohammed Naseem, sits down with Richard Lutz. more
METAL HEADS
02-06-2010
For too long Birmingham and the Black Country have failed to celebrate what is rightfully theirs, to claim the city and the region as home of Heavy Metal - but now the folk at Capsule are determined to change all that. more
Get Out More....................................Gig Review
BRITISH SEA POWER
02-06-2010
Paul Samuels enjoys a top show by British indie stalwarts BSP at the Glee Club in the Arcadian Centre - and a bit of a bonus with a fine support turn by John and Jehn. more
"CANADIAN QUEEN OF SPIN" STEPS DOWN
01-06-2010
Birmingham Council’s £100,000 a year PR boss Debra Davis – aka the “Canadian Queen of Spin” - has announced that she’s stepping down today to become Director of Communications at the new City TV venture run by her partner Alan Grindley. more
Gaza Flotilla 1
“OUT OF CONTROL” ISRAEL “MUST BE PUNISHED”
01-06-2010
Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood has said Israel is “out of control” and must be punished following yesterday’s attack on a humanitarian aide flotilla approaching Gaza. He warned that failure to act might spark acts of terrorism. more
Gaza Flotilla 2
PROTEST OVER AID MASSACRE
01-06-2010
Dozens of protestors gathered in Birmingham last night to condemn Israel’s slaughter of nine pro-Palestinian activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. Birmingham blogger and former councillor John Tyrrell was among the demonstrators. more
Get Out More.........................Gig Review
NATALIE MERCHANT
01-06-2010
Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg revels in a Symphony Hall show by one of his favourite artists – currently performing a unique selection of childrens’ songs and verses. more
Get Out More....................................Gig News
THE VORTEX
01-06-2010
Former Oasis guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs who played on all the band's classic albums returns to sweaty local gig roots with a show on Saturday at The Public in West Brom. more
OH TILSLEY, WHERE ART THOU?
31-05-2010
With David Laws sudden departure from frontline government, Richard Lutz tries to meet up with Birmingham’s Lib Dem deputy council leader Paul Tilsley. He fails. more
LIBEL LAW AND THE PIGGY BANK RAIDS
31-05-2010
As we reported at the weekend, Lord Lester is introducing a private members bill to amend the libel laws. George Makin argues that change is long overdue. more
COMMERCIAL BREAK
31-05-2010
Most music-based local radio is in decline - and no wonder argues legendary jock Robin Valk. But in this passionate polemic taken from his excellent Radio To Go blog he argues there's plenty of scope for hope. more
END OF AN ERROR?
31-05-2010
Budget constraints have seen staff at Birmingham Council’s planning and regeneration department switch from Alpha Tower in the city centre to Lancaster Circus on the edge of town. One worker – let’s call her Molly Malone – is strugglomg to adapt to her new surroundings. more
WHO ARE THE SCROUNGERS?
29-05-2010
Spongers and scroungers, the feckless and the reckless…yep the usual suspects were rounded up and paraded in full tabloid view this week, as the new Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith unveiled plans for a crackdown on benefits cheats. But who are the real scroungers? more
Birmingham Central Library
CHANGING TIMES – PART II
29-05-2010
The building of the new Library of Birmingham was predicated on the sale of the current site in Paradise Circus, which would help fund the new project. Alan Clawley claims the sums no longer add up, leading to the creation instead of a “cosy” relationship between local authority and favoured developers. more
Get Out More....................Gig News
JONSI
29-05-2010
The former frontman of Icelandic oddballs Sigur Ros heads to Birmingham’s 02 Academy in the autumn on his first solo tour. Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg catches him in action at London’s Kentish Town Forum. more
CUTS BLAMED FOR MUSEUM JEWEL THEFT
29-05-2010
Thieves stole jewellery from Birmingham's Museum and Art Gallery yesterday afternoon from under the noses of security staff who've been complaining about cuts in their budget. more
IT'S LIBEL TO CHANGE
29-05-2010
Changes to the libel laws were one of the hottest topics of the last session of the new parliament - before being scuppered by West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson among others. Now new legislation has been launched in the Lords. more
Get Out More.........................................Film News
BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL FILM SOC
29-05-2010
2010 marks 50 years of independence for 15 African nations and the ever enterprising BIFS - based at Birimingham's Library Theatre - are showing a film each from two of them. Here are next week's selections. more
“OBSERVER” CALL FOR BRUM ELECTIONS
28-05-2010
The Stirrer recently reported on calls by Birmingham councillor Ayoub Khan to introduce photo ID at the ballot box to combat postal voting fraud. Local Conservative blogger Guy The Mac reckons the city might need independent observers after a day spent touring the city’s polling booths which revealed numerous abuses of the system. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT......................ON POGUS CAESAR
28-05-2010
Birmingham photographer Pogus Caesar talks to Richard Lutz about his latest exhibition, his days filming the Bullring under construction and how his snapper-career all started. more
BEER GOGGLES?
28-05-2010
The Stirrer’s less than flattering review of the Toby Jug in Rubery on a recent pub crawl has drawn a polite but firm rebuttal from landlord Robert Cornwell. more
Doc Dave's Blog
THE KILLER INSTINCT
28-05-2010
Neurophobia - the ‘disease’ you have never heard of, and its more dangerous than swine flu says Dr David Nicholl. more
RUPERT MURDOCH: HERO OR VILLAIN?
27-05-2010
Is it time to re-evaluate the British media’s “Mr Nasty” Rupert Murdoch? You bet says Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg. more
I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE
27-05-2010
Residents of Walsall are the third most likely in Britain to be snooped upon by Town Hall officials, but that doesn’t trouble Council leader Mike Bird – in an astonishing interview this week he said he was aiming for top spot. He’s now been given a national “Bad Boy” award and been compared to M in James Bond. more
JOBS' WORTH?
27-05-2010
Is this a sign of things to come at cost cutting Birmingham Council? New Tory Cabinet member Tim Huxtable will have to grapple with three top jobs instead of just one. more
EDL WALSALL DEMO CANCELLED
27-05-2010
The controversial English Defence League have called off a planned demonstration against a proposed mosque in Walsall after learning that the biggest single group opposed to the scheme are Muslims. George Makin reports. more
Get Out More....................................Theatre Review
OKLAHOMA
27-05-2010
The classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is at the Alex in Birmingham until Saturday. Terry Wills goes wild for the wild west. more
CAMERON PROBE CALL INTO WALSALL "FRAUD" CLAIMS
27-05-2010
Walsall Council’s Labour Group is demanding Prime Minster David Cameron launches an investigation into the running of the local Conservative Party after a second Walsall Tory has been arrested in connection with electoral fraud. more
CLAMPER IMMOBILISED FOR TWO YEARS
27-05-2010
Congratulations to Birmingham Council's ferocious anti-clamping watchdog Neil Eustace and his colleagues at Trading Standards - they've claimed their biggest scalp yet with a two year jail sentence for Andrew Baker whose notorious Inter Park company bedevilled innocent motorists across the West Midlands with unfair penalties. more
ALL WHITE NOW - WELL, ALMOST
26-05-2010
Birmingham Council's reshuffle of Cabinet and Scrutiny positions has left the "Progressive Partnership" echoing the make up of the coalition government - it's mostly male and almost exclusively white. more
UAF "APPALLED" BY BNP TEACHER VERDICT
26-05-2010
West Midlands Unite Against Fascism has said it's "appalled" by the decision of the General Teaching Council to clear BNP activist Adam Walker of racial intolerance at a hearing in Birmingham yesterday. Walker had used a school laptop to post vicious comments condemning immigrants. more
Get Out More....................Gig Review
CROWDED HOUSE
26-05-2010
The needle on the rock n’ roll cool-o-meter barely rises past mildly chilled for these mild-mannered antipodeans – but Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg reckons they’ve clocked up more great tunes than the Stone Roses. And even from the Grand Tier at Symphony Hall, he knows talent when he sees it. more
BOSSES CALL FOR MORE MIGRANTS
26-05-2010
Birmingham business leaders have hit out a plans - outlined in yesterday's Queen Speech - to cap the number of non-EU immigrants. They warned that it could hinder their development. more
IKON REMEMBER THAT
26-05-2010
An archivist at Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery has uncovered original images showing the aftermath of a 1970s terrorist bomb blast. The gallery is now asking members of the public if they have memories of the bombing, which tore out their front window. more
Martin Longley's Music Blog
NEW YORK SOUNDS: PART 28
26-05-2010
Martin Longley syringes his ears once again in NYC. He was able to hear Acid Mothers Temple, the monstrous Japanese psychedelicists, who are crashing into Kings Heath tonite (followed by Coventry on Saturday). He also eared Pere Ubu, Manorexia and Growing. Now he has made another appointment with the specialist... more
Exclusive
CITY TREES CONTRACT BOTCHED AND AXED - IN SECRET
25-05-2010
Bumbling officials at Birmingham City Council has been forced to re-tender the city’s £20 million a year trees maintenance contract – but won’t tell taxpayers how much it spent fighting a lengthy court case which forced it to scrap the last one...more
NO CUTS HERE - AID ESCAPES THE AXE
25-05-2010
At a time of savage cuts across Whitehall – with much, much more to come – Sutton Coldfield MP and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell is entitled to a moment of smug satisfaction. His department is one of the few to escape the spending axe. more
Stay In More..........................Book Review
SCARY BONES
25-05-2010
Brummie in exile Ron Dawson's latest kids' adventure gets a warm welcome from Andy Goff. more
COLLEAGUES “DEVASTATED” BY COUNCILLOR’S DEATH
25-05-2010
Friends and colleagues have been left “absolutely devastated” by the death of Wolverhampton councillor death Gill Fellows on Saturday morning – news which, as well as the undoubted personal tragedy, leaves the authority in a state of political turmoil. more
A TASTE OF SPAGHETTI - Pete Millington is a one-man writing factory. Not content with regular output for The Stirrer, he's found time to pull together the latest edition of his excellent magazine Spaghetti Gazetti, dedicated to local life and culture.
The Secret Service’s alleged links with radical Moslems, Tony Blair as Adolf Hitler and the whole British political system out to sell the UK down the river. The leader of Birmingham’s Central Mosque, Dr Mohammed Naseem, sits down with Richard Lutz. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT:POGUS CAESAR
28-05-2010
Birmingham photographer Pogus Caesar talks to Richard Lutz about his latest exhibition, his days filming the Bullring under construction and how his snapper-career all started. more
“EVICTION NOTICES” ON WOLVES COUNCILLORS
27-04-2010
“Eviction notices” have been served on eight Wolverhampton councillors in an emotive video posted on youtube designed to highlight the forced removal earlier this year of 106-year old Louisa Watts and other residents from Underhill House. more
Richard Lutz gets the lowdown on the reopening of the MAC from the powerhouse behind the project...Dorothy Wilson. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT ON....JOHN LINES
03-04-2010
Richard Lutz interviews Birmingham housing boss Councillor John Lines who has been in charge of the city’s 65,000 council houses for the past six years. And he leaves the session with more questions than answers. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT ON...... THE BISHOP OF BIRMINGHAM
31-03-2010
The Bishop of Birmingham sits down with Richard Lutz and talks about unemployment, Birmingham’s future and how you can help. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT............ON DAVID EDGAR
27-03-2010
Legendary Brummie playwright David Edgar talks to Richard Lutz for Stirrer TV about the issues raised by his new production at the Birmingham Rep - a production that summons up a murky chapter in the city’s past. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT....ON SOWETO KINCH
22-03-2010
Musician Soweto Kinch talks to Richard Lutz about growing up in Handsworth, sticking to his jazz and hiphop roots and why he won’t leave Birmingham. more
Stirrer TV
THE LUTZ REPORT…ON SALMA YAQOOB
In the first of a series of interviews with the movers and shakers around the West Midlands, Richard Lutz discovers that Respect Party leader Salma Yaqoob likes rock climbing and old movies - and was a mean footballer on the streets of Alum Rock while growing up. more
Fred Grove talks to The Stirrer about his battle to keep his house in the face of redevelopment. 
