The positive aspects of ‘Greater Birmingham’ far outway the negatives – it’s time we all recognised that

We find our city region in national news yet again over the last few weeks. And as ever, in a media world that seems to think that nothing good happens outside the M25 until you get to Manchester, none of this reads well.

Birmingham’s reputational battering continues 

A shocking racially motivated rape case, allegations of drug and counterfeit merchandise sales in convenience stores. Each of these have joined the “hardy perennial” that is the ongoing saga of Birmingham’s bins and political upheaval in seeking to convince the nation and beyond that our city region is full of lawlessness, political extremism and rotting rubbish in the streets.

Frankly, this drives me nuts.

Of course, all of the above matters are cause for great concern but the positive news never gets reported. The vast majority of good people, who are friendly, live safely in harmony across communities. They look out for each other. They get bracketed as modern day successors to the media identity of Birmingham – the Peaky Blinders. 

Stereotypes of urban folklore

Talk to anyone from elsewhere in the country and they believe we all wade through piles of rubbish in overcoats and flat caps looking for someone to disfigure with a razor blade in a flat cap!

Of course, the reality, as we all know, is very different.

Our great region has an illustrious past, as well as an enduring present and an exciting future.

Celebrate and share it

We need to grasp it. Celebrate it. And share it.

From telling the world to come and see Ozzy the Bull come alive at Grand Central, to go have a fab ‘chippie tea’ in the Black Country Museum while walking through the ‘Shelby’s yard, ’and pointing out the stuff we make here when we see it around the world.  Street furniture from Dudley. Office furniture from the same town. Range Rovers from Solihull. Trailer components from Walsall. The best jewellery in the world has a little anchor on it saying it was “Assayed in Birmingham.” And much much more. 

We have so many people working hard in our region’s factories, labs and workshops, creating great stuff, adding value and innovating. And yes, as a died-in-the-wool baggie, it pains me to say: the Villa are a pretty good advert right now too, aren’t they? Credit where it’s due.

So much to shout about

We have so much to shout about and be proud of.

Enough of all this negativity, then.

‘Greater Birmingham’

Lots can be said about the inability and lack of leadership in our political classes locally, regionally and nationally, but to “big up” our city region we need to put aside our differences and rivalries. (Contrary to what many believe, this has much more to do with the town your from or the team you support than anything more sinister.) We must put “Greater Birmingham” where it deserves to be: the engine house of our country, a city region second to none and one that has lots to give.