From a bin-suited candidate in Manchester to broken aircraft carriers, our politicians are missing what really matters

The by-election nobody asked for

So it probably serves me right, and I should really check into some institution somewhere “leafy,” but in the meantime, I have been provided with a constant diet over the last few weeks of news from a part of Manchester that none of us had previously heard of, nor cared about. A by-election with a list of candidates who all seem pretty uninspiring, apart from the bloke dressed as a bin, which we in Birmingham can all identify with, I’m sure!

Alarmingly, one version of the facts implies that the residents of this small corner of England’s third city could be voting to appoint our next prime minister, or not, in what passes for a very weird version of democracy.

If this was all happening during what the media terms a “slow news day,” epitomised by the excellent Drop the Dead Donkey satirical news comedy back in the day, this would all be fine.

But it’s not a slow news day. Or a slow month. Or a slow year, for that matter.

A nation unprepared

There are at least two major wars showing no sign of ending and likely to expand, dragging us into the fight. We, of course, are not ready. We do not have enough ammunition, equipment or personnel. One of our aircraft carriers is broken in a Norwegian fjord; five out of six of our destroyers are alongside in various states of disrepair and, apparently, all of our attack submarines are also currently out of action.

This would be fine if the world were a safe place and we were not an island nation dependent on pipelines and cables for our communications, and safe sea lanes for commerce and to feed our population. But it is not, and we are.

Political distraction at the worst possible time

At the precise moment that our political leaders should be putting aside their differences and dealing with the clear and present threats to our nation, they are focusing on infighting, point-scoring and manoeuvring for power. When Rome burned, at least Emperor Nero tried to make some music.

Defence experts of all political persuasions are desperately trying to get the government to finalise the Defence Investment Plan, now long overdue. Moreover, from July there is a further threat to our much-heralded industrial strategy from the introduction of a steel safeguarding plan that does exactly the opposite of what it says on the tin.

Add to this continued energy and labour costs far higher than the rest of the world, flat growth and rising unemployment, and it is easy to see that Westminster and the news media should be focusing on what matters to the nation, rather than what matters to politicians who purport to act in the public interest.

Birmingham points the way

Meanwhile, back in Birmingham, the new council will be led by a minority party collaborating with others to deliver the best for the city. Whilst this will be difficult, I am genuinely interested to see how it goes. The need for compromise will hopefully blunt some of the more extreme, politically motivated ideas and could actually prove to be the renaissance of the city council. I have witnessed first-hand politicians of all persuasions looking to make this work for the good of the city and our region. Nobody can exercise undue pressure and there will be a need to work as a team with common purpose.

The lesson for Westminster

Maybe collaboration and compromise is what we need in Westminster too, rather than what we have now and are likely to get whatever the outcome of the forthcoming by-election.

In these uncertain times we need strong and selfless leadership. Perhaps that is what the news media should be challenging our political protagonists to deliver, rather than peddling political agendas that will divide rather than unite. A unity of purpose, right now, surely has to be a priority. Whether you call it a coalition, a consensus or something else entirely, now is not the time for politics or power struggles. Birmingham could yet lead the way. We shall see.