Dear Editor, I was interested to hear that Councillor Robert Alden, the deputy leader of the Conservative group on Birmingham City Council, state recently at the Erdington constituency public meeting that he favoured Sutton New Hall Ward becoming part of Erdington constituency under the new boundary proposals.
The reason for my surprise was that his colleague Coun David Barrie of the Sutton New Hall ward was quoted saying “I can see no benefit whatsoever for residents in these proposals. Walmley has always been a part of Sutton Coldfield”.
I thought the reason given for this huge redrawing of the nation’s constituencies was to make them equal in size, but moving New Hall to Erdington, and Kingstanding to Sutton makes a difference to the electorate of only 301 – so why change them at all?
Could there be another reason for the change perhaps – to make the constituency of Erdington a winnable Conservative seat?
That would certainly explain Mr Alden’s position, being last year’s prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate... but I’m sure that is just speculation on my part.
However, with his party colleague and Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell also quoted last week as saying “a change like this would need a very strong justification, which I certainly haven’t seen so far” it is certainly going to be most entertaining watching Mr Alden and his party friends all being in this together.
Laura Palmer
Erdington
