Good morning Patchers — welcome to Thursday’s Dispatch.
It’s the last you’ll hear from me until next week with Dan back at the reigns on Tuesday. Ahead of the bank holiday, we’ve got a couple of politics stories about Labour/Tory bust ups (does anything ever change?) and Andy Street has responded to those calls of no-confidence we reported yesterday. To keep things somewhat light there’s a Kirsty Bosley special about CAMRA’s pub of the year (the Hop and Scoth in Kings Heath) and a couple of April events you won’t want to miss out on.
Apart from that, enjoy your Saturday read from us at the usual time of 7am, and have a great long weekend.
Brum in brief
🗣️Starmer drama: Sir Keir Starmer was in Dudley yesterday to launch Labour’s local election campaign and take a dig at the Conservatives for ‘failing’ to address regional inequality. In a speech which drew on Boris Johnson’s 2020 levelling-up speech, also made in Dudley, Starmer promised a Labour government would deliver greater powers to regional mayors via a new bit of legislation: the Take Back Control Act. He called it a “full fat” approach to devolution, saying: “It wasn't a big politician that made Stourbridge famous for glass production,” or the “Black Country and Birmingham the workplace of the world,” but local people. However, he has been criticised for failing to finance the plans — The Times reports he has told local councils there is no “magic money tree”.
🚨Disorder at The Den: Police have released images of 11 people they are on the hunt for following violent clashes after a Millwall v Birmingham City match in London on 9 March. One arrest was made in Birmingham earlier this week but detectives want to speak to others they believe have information about the incident. The fighting broke out outside Millwall’s home ground The Den following the team’s 1-0 win against Blues.
🍻Two pints and a packet of crips: Real ale dons CAMRA have named Hop and Scoth in Kings Heath their pub of the year. Kirsty Bosley visited the little bar that is tucked on a side road just off the High Street, tried new beers and made friends with a man called Bird. “I'd gone into a place I didn't know, full of people I didn't know, and had managed to not only make a friend, but I was leaving with new ideas and inspiration too,” she writes. Sounds pretty good to us.
🚮In the gutter? Andy Street has responded to a letter of no confidence sent by leaders of four Labour councils on the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), calling it a “desperate attempt at gutter politics.” He also pointed to public reaction to the letter, which it’s fair to say went down like a sack of bricks, judging by most of the responses The Dispatch has seen online. Fynn Rose said it was “partisan and unhelpful” and Mark Hipwell-Scholes pointed out the next WMCA Christmas party would likely be a little awkward. However, Philip Burrows called for a “plague on both their houses”. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
⚽Claret and Blues: This sweet video of a young fan teasing ex Blues’ star player turned Real Madrid mid-fielder, Jude Bellingham is super cute. “You’re an Aston Villa fan!” he yells, delightedly.
🏃♀️Instacalm: Taraki, the mental health support service for the Punjabi community, is fundraising for a new project: Using Social Media for Good. They want to fund grants for innovative and inspired Punjabi youth to start positive initiatives using social media — which so often fuels anxiety and depression, especially among youngsters — to improve mental health and wellbeing. Gurpreet Singh will run three (three?!) marathons for the cause and you can donate to their £10k target here.
🖼️Art for all: One for the diary — Stryx is a new, women-led art gallery of affordable contemporary art. Stryx opens on 13 April but co-directors Anna Katarzyna Domejko and Karolina Korupczynska are hosting a private viewing and panel discussion on Thursday 25 April at 5pm. The topic is: How to Start Collecting Art?
🎭Playing Perrault: Emma Rice’s stage adaptation of dark French folk tale Blue Beard begins its run at The Rep on Tuesday 9 April. “It leaves you absolutely struck with horror,” says the Guardian. Book now for eerie entertainment.
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