Birmingham Post

Support for United East and West Midlands

The West Midlands should join forces with the East Midlands to form one giant economic region in a bid to stop the wealth gap with London growing even larger, a new study suggests. Advantage West Midlands, the pounds 300m government quango set up to boost the local economy, should merge with its East Midlands counterpart to create a giant regeneration body, according to a leading think tank.

Diesel Below Pounds 1

Supermarket Morrisons has slashed the cost of diesel to below the pounds 1- a-litre mark in a move likely to intensify the forecourt price war. The retailer said that all its pumps will be selling diesel at 99.9p a litre - a drop of 34p from its July high.

Could Local Councils Do the Job of Rdas? ; Birmingham Post Comment 24 Hours

We don't hear much about the north-south divide any more. Which is odd, because it's just as wide as ever.

Jewellery Quarter Proposal Would Set Dangerous Precedent ; 24 Hours

Strict planning rules enforced in Birmingham, restricting the demolition of buildings in conservation areas, make for sound common sense. It would be extremely unwise to allow developers to bulldoze structures in areas of special importance on a vague promise that a replacement of equal merit will be built at some unspecified future date, when money allows. It is precisely because construction companies, albeit with the best of intentions, cannot always be relied upon to keep their word that ...

City Is a 'Jewel in the Crown' - Lord Coe ; Birmingham's Sporting Prowess Will Boost Olympics

The legendary athlete and head of Britain's next Olympic Games, Seb Coe hailed Birmingham as "one of the jewels in the crown" in the sporting world. Lord Coe visited the city to meet members of the West Midlands Youth Parliament and tour the new pounds 7.5 million Gymnastics and Martial Arts Centre, at Alexander Stadium, yesterday.

Pounds 8.8bn Network Rail Upgrades Arrive On Time

Network Rail has completed pounds 8.8 billion of engineering works on schedule - and is set to unveil boosted capacity. The transport body which was tasked with upgrading the West Coast Mainline is set to introduce a new timetable on Sunday which will see train operators running more services.

Missing Jet-Skier Found Dead

A father-of-four from Redditch who went missing after a jet- skiing accident has been found dead. West Mercia Police confirmed that the body of a man believed to be Michael Hudson had been discovered by French coastguards off Baubigny, near the port of Cherbourg, on Friday.

Soldier Makes 52-Hour Trek Home - but Baby Kiera Just Couldn't Wait

When Birmingham soldier Tom Williams flew home from Basra he knew he faced a frantic race against the clock. Waiting for him back in Druid's Heath was his pregnant fiancee who was due to give birth to their first child just hours after he touched down in Britain.

Call to Train Staff Up If Output Falls in Recession ; Politics

Firms which cut production should sign staff up for training courses instead of sending them home, according to the Skills Secretary. John Denham held up Staffordshire firm JCB as an example of good practice, as he spoke in the House of Commons.

East of City Will Benefit to Tune of Pounds 50m Regeneration ; Politics

Investment of almost pounds 50 million will be poured into the poorest parts of east Birmingham to tackle unemployment. The cash, from the European Regional Development Fund, city council and other public bodies,has been ear marked to transformtheA34 Stratford Road corridor, which a report described as blighted by high levels of business failures and social deprivation.

Minister 'Error' On Public Funds ; Politics

Justice minister Bridget Prentice is to pay back part of a Commons allowance after a standards watchdog ruled she had inadvertently misused public funds. Parliamentary Commissioner John Lyon upheld a complaint about a newsletter sent by the Labour MP to voters outside her Lewisham East constituency using the Communications Allowance.

Balls Pledges to Transform Social Work in Wake of Baby P ; Politics

Children's secretary Ed Balls said he wanted to "transform" the role of social workers as the government prepared to launch a root- and-branch overhaul of the profession in the wake of the horrifying death of Baby P. Officials confirmed Mr Balls and health secretary Alan Johnson will this week announce the formation of a new task force to look at every aspect of social work in England, including leadership, training and recruitment.

Smith Backs Action On Bad Neighbours ; Politics

New powers to evict families who make their neighbours' lives hell were hailed by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. She said the new orders would help families to live in "peace and quiet".

Crackdown On Cash-in-Hand Economy

It's not unknown for builders to offer a discount to customers able to pay cash. Grateful homeowners rarely question how the arrangement works - even if they have a sneaking suspicion it involves a tax dodge.

Brown Belt for Following Scots

Gordon Brown was once beaten with a belt by his headmaster for wanting to watch a Scotland football match in school hours. The thrashing happened after Robert Adam, headmaster of Kirkcaldy High School, discovered that some boys planned to sneak off to watch Scotland play Italy in a 1966WorldCupqualifying match on television.

Rescue Package Trebles Labour Advantage in Poll

The Government's rescue package for the economy received another boost from voters yesterday with a new poll showing Labour is increasingly trusted as the party to steer the UK through the recession. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling command a nine-point lead over their Tory counterparts, by 40 per cent to 31 per cent, according to the Populus survey for The Times.

Benefits Only If Work Accepted

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell has warned that virtually all welfare claimants will have to do some work or prepare for a job if they are to carry on receiving state benefits. He is due to outline his plans in a white paper to be published this week. He said: "Virtually everyone will be doing something in return for their benefits."

Midlands Mp Hits Out at 'Cack-Handed' Police ; Conservative Critical of Arrest of Damian Green

Birmingham MP Andrew Mitchell has expressed fury at the treatment of the Conservative colleague arrested in a police leak inquiry. The shadow cabinet minister and MP for Sutton Cold field said the arrest of Tory immigration spokesman Damian Green left Jacqui Smith (Lab Redditch), the home secretary, in "a very difficult position".

'Token' Warning On Tesco Turbine

Food giant Tesco aims to cut its carbon footprint by installing a 10m high wind turbine at a Sutton Coldfield store. City planners are yet to decide if permission will be granted to build the turbine at the New Oscott store in Princess Alice Retail Park.

A Rare Pygmy Hippopotamus has Been Born at a Uk Zoo.

A rare pygmy hippopotamus has been born at a UK zoo. Now Marwell Zoo in Hampshire is inviting visitors to name the new arrival, born as part of a European conservation programme.