Two naturalised Brummies were on top of the world this week: one at the summit of Everest, the other leading the UK’s investment ambitions.
Vets Minister Al Carns flew a Birmingham flag at the top of the world’s highest mountain yesterday after conquering the peak in record time, just five days after leaving London.
And as the Birmingham Selly Oak MP took in the view, Birmingham City CG chairman Tom Wagner was leading the agenda at the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) outlining his vision for Birmingham’s Sports Quarter.
Honorary Brummie unfurled Brummie flag at Everest summit
Carns and his three ex-UK Special Forces pals are on course to complete Mission Everest – London to the summit and back – in a record seven days.
The quickest anyone has done that to date is 21 days.
Scots-born Carns, who describes himself as “an honorary Brummie” due to the warm welcome he received after being elected last summer, is doing Mission Everest to raise £1m for veterans’ charities. And at the summit he unfurled the Brummie colours.
“Al waved a Union Jack at the summit, which he had carried on all of his military tours, including multiple combat trips to Afghanistan,” said Claire Lishman, his spokeswoman.
“He also waved the flag of Birmingham, featuring the city’s iconic bull. The team spent about half an hour on the summit, and are now on the descent of the mountain before starting the journey back to London, aiming to arrive on Friday, exactly seven days after they left.”
Wagner leading the way on ambition and vision
Meanwhile Wagner, co-founder of Knighthead Capital, which owns the Blues, outlined ambitious plans for the £3bn Sport Quarter, including a new 60,000-seater BCFC stadium on land acquired in the east of the city. The scheme promises to create thousands of new jobs and to be a world-class facility for staging international sports fixtures and other events.
Deputy PM Angela Rayner and WM Mayor Richard Parker were present at the UKREiiF forum in Leeds as Wagner said the Sports Quarter was an important project not just for Birmingham City, back into the Championship next season, but for the whole of the wider Midlands region.
“We recognise the fiscal realities the Government is facing but this is an unusual project in so far as the prospective return so vastly exceeds the investment,” said Wagner.
“We need to work collaboratively to ensure this one doesn’t slip through the cracks.”
Parker and Rayner were both eager to match Wagner’s ambition and clarity of vision, each voicing full-throated support.
Viewpoint: Brummie leadership in full technicolour
Al Carns is a Scot. Tom Wagner is an American. But they’re both Brummies.
Birmingham doesn’t care what your creed, colour or background is. If you show honestly, loyalty and integrity, this city welcomes you in immediately. And both Carns and Wagner have show those qualities in spades in their respective leadership roles.
Various squeaky naysayers are moaning about Carns and his three team mates using xenon gas to help condition themselves for the record-breaking rapid ascent and descent of Everest. Frankly, that’s embarrassing – and to be ignored.
This moment is about celebrating a leader, who previously won the Military Cross for valour, and who has now achieved the seemingly impossible on Everest.
Alistair Carns, the city of Birmingham and the wider UK salutes you.
And similarly, Tom Wagner, whose vision for Birmingham, and the wider UK, is shaming national political leaders into action.
Tom Wagner, we salute you too, sir.
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