Frustration, apathy and hope: Birmingham divided as extraordinary election looms

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There is something in the air in Birmingham and it's not the faint whiff of overflowing wheelie bins.

The UK's second city could be about to see the biggest political shake-up in more than a decade.

Labour has been in power here for 14 years, but come polling day on 7 May that could all change.

The unresolved 14-month long bin strike and council bankruptcy - something the authority insists is now in the past - means confidence in the leadership is shaky to say the least.

Add in the political uncertainty nationally and what will happen in the local election is anyone's guess.

Polls suggest Birmingham's electorate has fully embraced five-party politics, with a healthy number of independent candidates giving city voters a sixth option.

Reform UK is feeling confident in several parts of the city, with the Green Party and independents anticipating gains amid a rising tide of frustration.

It means the make-up of the council - Labour currently holds 65 of 101 seats - could significantly change in just over two weeks' time.

However, it's possible that those who have always ticked Labour will continue to do so.

Mark Thomas

"That's what will happen here, I'm sure of it," says one man walking along Sparkhill's Stratford Road.

"I'm telling you, there are many older people here and they will see the red rose and they will vote Labour, because that's what they've always done."

This bustling thoroughfare is filled with independent south Asian shops, cars, shoppers and a strong community spirit.

There are several independent candidates running here, like other parts of the city; some with shared values have formed loose coalitions with each other.

'Fix our potholes'

Some independents hoping to represent areas with a large Asian population are pro-Palestinian, picking up on the frustrations of those unhappy at Labour's approach and response to the Israel-Gaza war.

But one Sparkhill shopkeeper says not everyone is not convinced by their arguments.

"The narrative is that the Muslim vote will go to the independents regardless, but that's not the case - we want whoever will fix our potholes and fight to get speed bumps in the area," they say.

"They can go on about Gaza - every single Muslim wants peace - but they're not going to sort that from Birmingham, are they?"

In a halal meat shop, the views of customers are varied, with people declaring support locally for the Greens, Lib Dems and Reform.

"I know that may surprise you," a young Asian man, in his 30s, tells the growing queue of how he is considering backing Nigel Farage's party.

"But I look around me and things have gone down hill since I grew up here in the 90s," he says, adding fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour are among the problems.

"I think we need change here and they might be the ones to do it."

Everyone in the shop says they're going to vote on 7 May, except one young man.

"Don't get me wrong, I've voted every year of my life, but not this time," he says.

"They're just in it for themselves and I don't see the point."

Just being visible in the community is what supervisor Tanveer Mahmood wants from his local councillors.

"They come here with their flyers - vote me, vote me - but will we see them once it's over?," he asks.

"A good councillor needs to be in reach when we have problems," he adds, citing illegal parking as a major local issue that is rarely resolved.

'Things seem worse'

Mohammed Sufyain has just returned from working in Qatar, where he has set up a tutoring company.

"I'm 28 years old and I've been out the country for two years, and I've come back and things seem worse," he says.

"Bins not collected and potholes are a huge problem. I don't think there's been any improvements here."

He's not decided which of Sparkhill's 14 candidates he will vote for.

"I want someone genuine, someone who cares and someone who wants to make a difference," Sufyain adds.

Six miles away in Northfield, shoppers flood in and out of Home Bargains and B&M, just a few metres away from each other.

It's a busy little high street despite some recent shop closures, including New Look and Bodycare. Union jacks hang from lampposts - this was one of the first areas in England to see that trend emerge.

Community spirit is strong here too, but residents speak of rising crime and fewer police officers, as well as having to make really tough decisions due to the growing cost of living.

Father-of-two Roger Hackley works in ward service at City Hospital, travelling across Birmingham for each four-hour shift.

His wife died seven years ago and he says he recently had his house repossessed because he was unable to pay the mortgage.

Hackley does not feel politicians locally or nationally represent him.

"I won't be voting," he says. "It's not for me. I just don't see how they can help me or my family."

Janet Walsh retired last week from a specialist dental surgery.

She says she is disillusioned by politics at the moment and doesn't think Sir Keir Starmer has made the best decisions for pensioners.

Husband Brian follows local politics closely, though.

"I think the council is too big - I don't think it's manageable, the largest council in Europe isn't it?" he says.

"There's a lot of complacency, they've also fallen foul of some fair pay issues in the past and that's taken us to the brink.

"I don't think it's as bad as the opposition and the media have been making out though. And I do feel we're on the road to recovery."

'Frankly embarrassing road conditions'

Labour insist they are the ones to continue the work to turn the city's fortunes around.

Speaking in February after delivering a balanced budget and declaring the "bankrupt Birmingham" tag no longer accurate, leader John Cotton said he was "determined the mistakes of the past will not be repeated".

Residents have had to endure council tax rises of more than 17% over two years to help the authority balance the books.

The acrimonious dispute with striking bin workers also continues - agency crews have been picking up the city's rubbish weekly, but recycling hasn't been collected in more than a year.

Nevertheless, the council has been forging ahead with a new waste system. From June, the rollout of new bins will begin including food waste containers, with general rubbish collections moving to fortnightly.

Other parties' electoral leaflets routinely cite the strike and financial woes as reasons to choose them instead.

The city's Conservative leader Robert Alden says they would keep bin collections weekly, introduce clean up crews for each ward and deal with the "frankly embarrassing" road conditions.

The Greens say they will prioritise cleaner streets with resumed recycling collections, protecting public services, road safety and building more council houses.

Launching the Lib Dem manifesto in Birmingham, leader Ed Davey said it was "time for change" and promised a cleaner city, safer streets and parks and work to end the housing crisis.

Reform UK held its conference in Birmingham last year, a sign it was building momentum for the forthcoming elections in the city, as well as in Coventry, Walsall and Sandwell.

On the campaign trail, Farage has said his representatives will "cut expenditures, find waste... keep your council tax rises to a minimum".

Independent candidates are united in saying it's time to ditch a large political party and instead follow the individual who cares.

With this many voices competing for airtime, Brummies have got a challenge on their hands in deciding the future.

• SIMPLE GUIDE: What elections are taking place in May?
• EXPLAINER: What can't you do at a polling station?
• LOOKAHEAD: When is the next general election?
• POSTCODE LOOKUP: Is there an election in your area?

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