Results tagged “politics” from Birmingham Post - News Blog

I went to see Stevie Wonder at the NIA in Birmingham last Saturday night and I must say - though it might sound like a cliché - it was 'a truly incredible experience' in every sense of that phrase.

Arguably Stevie Wonder is - albeit it, now, in his twilight years - a legend in the world Motown and to see him perform was sheer magic. He is, after all, an iconic artist on par with Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Jim Morrison.

Not only did he perform non-stop without a support band, he even got the crowd - all 18,000 - singing to 'My Cherie Amour'. And, honestly, listening to a whole stadium singing in unison, was rather like experiencing a communal gathering of people from all walks of life - united solely in their love of the man and his music.

It was a moving experience - almost spiritual.

But despite all this Stevie Wonder did spoil it for me just a little.

While the media have been putting MPs' perks under the spotlight, some politicians have turned the tables.

A Commons motion signed by ten MPs has highlighted the privileges enjoyed by the journalists working in Parliament.

As the motion says, the Press Gallery - a series of offices in the House of Commons used by political reporters (who are also known as the Press Gallery) - has recently been refurbished.

The MPs also call attention to the Press Gallery bar, which apparently receives a subsidy.

Local newspaper hacks at Westminster are gearing up for the big announcement tomorrow, Thursday, when the Government will publish a shortlist of proposed eco-towns.

Ministers have left it to the last minute, as the Commons breaks up for the Easter recess tomorrow afternoon and most MPs will already have begun the journey back to their constituencies.

It means there will be little opportunity for Ministers to be questioned in the Commons.

But Housing Minister Caroline Flint has written to MPs explaining what happens next.

Of 57 proposals received by developers, 15 will be shortlisted tomorrow. Ten of these will eventually go ahead.

In the West Midlands, proposed eco-towns near Stratford, Warwickshire, and Lichfield, Staffordshire, are thought to be contenders. Another proposed development near Evesham, Worcestershire, is thought less likely to get the green light.

But the speculation will end tomorrow when the shortlist is published. Whatever Ministers decide, it's sure to be controversial.

It's clear that elections are looming, as the parties are pulling out the stops to get their messages across.

Labour are distributing a press statement boasting about councils imposing the lowest council tax increases for 14 years, complete with figures which apparently show Labour councils charge less tax.

Their press release even claims that half of all councils have introduced council tax increases below the retail price index - which is running at 4.1 per cent.

This is unusual, because the Government usually prefers to focus on a different measure of inflation, the consumer price index, which is much lower at just 2.5 per cent.

However, Labour concede that 85 per cent of authorities are imposing above-inflation tax hikes if this measure of inflation is used.