The Dispatch

The search for Hall Green’s AWOL councillor 'I haven't a clue what he does'

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-search-f...

Monday Briefing out now:
⁉️AWOL cllr in Hall Green
🚨West Mids Police 'false intelligence' on Maccabi claims
🎲Cluedo comeback
+more

Che Guevara and the chief executive Cllr Ray Goodwin admires both Cuban rebels and sensible leadership. Can he lead a ‘quiet revolution’ in Castle Vale?

They talk Castle Vale, Cuban revolutionaries, and febrile communities. Read it here:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/che-guevara-...

'Good leaders don't have to be good people.'

In today's story, Ed King sits down with Birmingham Labour's chief whip cllr Ray Goodwin.

Porn stars: the Birmingham university leading x-rated academia With its porn studies strand, BCU earns its reputation for the radical

Find out how the institution got its radical reputation in today's story:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/porn-stars-t...

A cluster of Birmingham academics have made a Birmingham university a leading institution for porn studies in the UK.

Who knew BCU was home to such a spicy discipline?

The men who raised the flags Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found

Who knew, it wasn’t patriotism, it was money. And maybe a choice slot on GB News.

These amateurs learning that if you lie to a good journalist, they’ll just fact check you. Nice work @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-men-who-...

The men who raised the flags Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found

The men who raised the flags

Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found

Brilliant work from @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social and @manchestermill.bsky.social

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-men-who-...

The men who raised the flags Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found

Once again, @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social are getting to the bottom of the people behind the flags. Go and subscribe if you haven't already

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-men-who-...

Nice! Please can we feature in our photo of the week? Could you email us the photo if possible, to editor@birminghamdispatch.co.uk

Revealed: The 1,000 assets flogged off by Birmingham’s bankrupt council The city's green spaces could be the next to go

Find out what's gone - and what could be next to go - in today's story:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/revealed-the...

Data acquired by The Dispatch under freedom of information laws lays bare which assets have been sold since the council went bankrupt in September 2023. 💸

Over the last two years, a whopping 1,000 assets have been flogged for a total of nearly £230m. 🔨

Erdington: the truth about Birmingham's most stereotyped neighbourhood The Telegraph slammed the area and one local said it was on the ‘verge of civil war’. What's it actually like?

Dan Cave goes in search of the real Erdington.
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/erdington-th...

Earlier this year, The Telegraph slammed Erdington with one local labelling it as 'on the verge of civil war'. What's the area really like?

Absolutely fantastic story - highly recommend it

Sunday Special: How Jonathan Meades chronicled the West Midlands The Dispatch catches up with the creator of Birmingham: Heart By-pass, Severn Heaven and Worcestershire: Travels with Pevsner.

Great article on Jonathan Meades writing/ films about the West Midlands in @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/email/d4f083...

Au Pairs agreed to split everything equally. Now their frontwoman wants it all Birmingham's post-punk auteurs were the poster band for equality, but 42-years later they're embroiled in a bitter row

Today's story is about the mighty falling out between the lead singer and her former friends:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/au-pairs-agr...

Au Pairs were one of Birmingham's most iconic bands - beloved by the likes of Kurt Cobain.

42 years after they split, a bitter row has broken out among the members.

The numbers that reveal Birmingham didn’t have to go bankrupt New analysis by accounting experts has found that the council’s financial health was much better than reported when it raised the alarm back in 2023

👇
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-numbers-...

Recently released council accounts show Birmingham had hundreds of millions it could have used instead of going bankrupt & issuing extreme cuts, say 35 accountant researchers.

They're demanding an inquiry. Read the full story, in The Dispatch.

Starmer steps in — will he overturn Maccabi Tel Aviv ban? Plus, ripped bunting and boxing fight challenge made at Stirchley anti-flag demo

Read it here:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/starmer-step...

Monday Briefing out now, incl:
⚽️Will Starmer overturn Maaccabi fan ban?
🇬🇧Flagger challenges local to boxing match in Stirchley at weekend demo
🎭The return of Margaret Thatcher - on stage

The murder that never was: the strange story of Birmingham’s last public execution What really happened in 1806?

Read the real story:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-murder-t...

In 1806, a judge sentenced Philip Matsell to 'hang by the neck, until your body be dead, dead, dead'.

Matsell has gone down in history for murdering nightwatchman Robert Twyford. He is also known as the only man in Birmingham to face public execution.

But neither claim is true.

Our politics edition also includes:

🥀 Cllr Saqib Khan's deselection from the Labour Party after a Dispatch exclusive.

🌹Who are the Labour Old Right — and why are they so popular in the West Midlands?

🐂 West Midlands Politicos to Watch (Part Two).

Let the battle for Moseley commence! ‘Well, who's being divisive?’

The battle for Moseley is on! Will the south Birmingham suburb's byelection be a bellweather for the breakdown of the two-party system, or a flash-in-the-pan? Find out in our lastest politics' edition 👇

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/let-the-batt...

Thanks Jane. We will discuss in our meeting this week and try to make it if we can.

‘Small press, big dreams’: the indie that’s reviving publishing in Brum The Emma Press is run on a shoestring and raking in awards

Find out all about it, in today's story:
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/small-press-...

Why doesn't Birmingham have a publishing sector? And what would it take to get one?

The tiny Emma Press, which is run from the Jewellery Quarter might show us the way. "We say ‘small press, big dreams," says the director James Trevelyan.

A notorious Israeli football team is coming to town. Will unrest follow? When Maccabi Tel Aviv played in Amsterdam there was fighting in the streets. Now they’re heading to Villa Park.

Last year, there were violent riots in Amsterdam when Maccabi Tel Aviv played Ajax. Next month, the Israeli team is set to play Aston Villa. There is widespread concern. Read more, below 👇

www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/a-notorious-...