
Politics

When is the West Midlands mayoral election and how can you vote?
The Government have now confirmed that the Local, Combined Authority Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections that were due to take place on 7 May will now take place on 6 May 2021. The West Midlands Combined Authority are still awaiting additional advice and guidance from the Government and Electoral Commission on some of…

Joe Biden sworn in as the 46th President of the United States
Joe Biden has officially been sworn in as the 46th US president at the US Capitol in Washington and Kamala Harris as Vice-president. Upon taking her oath, Harris became the first woman to hold that position, as well as the first person of African-American heritage and South-Asian heritage.

Donald Trump permanently banned from Twitter to prevent “further incitement to violence”
US President Donald Trump has been permanently banned from Twitter “due to the risk of further incitement of violence”, the company has announced. According to the global social media website, the decision was taken “after close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them”.

PM Boris Johnson announces third national lockdown amid surge in coronavirus cases
A new lockdown for England will be enforced from midnight, the UK Prime Minister has announced. In a bid to curb the continued and increasing spread of COVID-19, everyone in the country must stay at home except for especially permitted reasons, according to a statement from Boris Johnson this evening.

Thousands of British Sikh protestors attend solidarity rally for Indian farmers in Brum
Thousands of British Sikh protestors arrived in cars and tractors outside the Indian consulate today in the Jewellery Quarter to show solidarity with Punjabi farmers who are battling against controversial new laws in India which threaten livelihoods and human rights. People drove to the rally in cars, trucks, and tractors to show their support for…

Councillor calls on Brummies to end COVID-19 “fake news” and “conspiracy theories”
A Birmingham councillor has released a video message urging the city’s Pakistani community to stop the spread of “fake news” around coronavirus. Warning about the dangers of sharing and spreading false COVID-19 information across social media platforms, Cllr Waseem Zaffar has suggested unverified and inaccurate information about the virus is putting lives at risk.

Birmingham leaders demand government support to protect businesses during lockdown
Birmingham business leaders and politicians are demanding greater support from the government for city traders amid the coronavirus crisis and impending second lockdown. City MPs including Liam Byrne, Preet Kaur Gill and Shabana Mahmood have added their names to an official letter from Birmingham City Council and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce requesting additional support for local…

Hundreds gather in Birmingham for ‘Women’s Strike’ against abortion legislation in Poland
A rally of around 500 women has taken place in Birmingham, campaigning in defence of abortion rights in Poland. The pro-choice protest was held in response to Poland’s constitutional tribunal declaring that abortions in instances where a foetus is diagnosed with a serious and irreversible birth defect were unconstitutional.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces month-long national lockdown for England
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a second national lockdown for the whole of England, as the UK exceeds one million COVID-19 cases. Lockdown rules to be enforced from Thursday 5 November will include the closure of non-essential shops and hospitality for 30 days, but will aim to protect workers through the return of the Government’s furlough…

West Mids mayor Andy Street pledges to adopt new boardroom racial equality scheme
West Midlands mayor Andy Street has pledged to adopt a new scheme tackling boardroom inequality, following the decision by Birmingham City Council to embrace the same initiative to tackle racial prejudice in the workplace. The new scheme – named the RACE code – aims to encourage race equality in the boardroom and is being piloted by the West Midlands…