Labour’s commitment to create Sutton Coldfield Citizens’ Senate and a new vision for the town

For the first time in decades, Labor believes it has a chance of taking the “forever Tory” seat of Sutton Coldfield – and the polls agree.

For Labour’s Rob Pocock, it would be a case of the third time as he battles again to unseat Andrew Mitchell in an area some call “posh Birmingham”. He promises to bring “real democracy” to Sutton Coldfield by introducing a “Citizens’ Senate” to hold their next MP to account properly, with powers to demand answers from their MP – something he believes very lacking in the area.

He is also committed to doing what he says Mitchell has failed to do for years – revitalize Sutton Coldfield town center and increase employment prospects locally.

READ MORE: Sutton Coldfield Tory Andrew Mitchell makes bold prediction despite falling odds

But whether he likes it or not, he will probably need Reform UK’s help. The party now led by Nigel Farage is on the rise and its candidate, Mark Hoath, could take enough Tory votes to close the gap to a manageable distance for Labor to close.

Pocock hopes he can win on his own, however, backed by the Labor Manifesto and the leadership of Keir Starmer. “It’s time for a change,” says Pocock. “Sutton Coldfield needs a fresh face and new ideas. It’s going backwards.”

As for his plan for the Citizens’ Senate, he says he’d like a group of residents who “develop a real collective sense that people can influence their city and their own neighborhood and, most importantly, their MP.” He describes the current setup of accountability as one based on “benevolentness” with all interaction “on the MP’s terms”. A 21st century version of a living and thriving local democracy would hold him accountable every day, he says.

We meet in Communitea, a cafe and community pub in Boldmere, in the Sutton Vesey ward that Pocock represents as a councillor. He is quickly accosted by people who recognize him and come to thank him for it or remind him of it. A corner women’s group says a big election issue for them is protecting pensions and getting a fair deal for WASPI women.

Cost of living is also a concern. “Everything grew, but got smaller,” notes one. They lament the lack of services locally, describing the cafe we ​​are in as their only lifeline. “It’s the only place I come and feel really comfortable,” says Lin. Battles are being joined to save the library and police station, both threatened with closure.

Lin later comes over with her friend Liz to talk to Pocock about a problem they’re having with cars driving in a lane outside their houses at all hours. They also want to flag the ongoing problems with late payments through the West Midlands Pension Fund. Pocock promises to check the latest and they leave, pledging to vote him out on the 4th of July.

He will need thousands more to do the same. “It will take ‘only’ a 19% shift in favor of Labour,” he says optimistically. “In the past we haven’t even come close. This time, we might.”

Pocock, a long-serving councillor, was recently elevated to the Labor Cabinet at Birmingham City Council with responsibility for overseeing its transformation after a year of tumult. Mitchell traced Pocock’s role in the council’s de facto bankruptcy, saying of the Labor leadership: “Birmingham Labour’s problem with their financial mismanagement and their incompetence has hurt the electorate. I was totally delighted to hear a Labor city. The counselor was against me because of it. One of my slogans, if you like Birmingham work, you’ll love a Labor government.

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Pocock naturally dismisses jibes about Birmingham City Council’s financial crisis as opportunistic. “We don’t elect local councillors, people elect their MP to represent them in Parliament.

“This is a battle about the future of Britain and our society and it is a testament to the defensiveness of the Tory campaign that they have retreated into attacks on the city council because they have nothing positive to say. We have to re-engage with people throughout the year, not just when there’s a vote and not just talking to them. Attending photo calls and visiting garden parties and events is a mock democracy – we need someone to get involved all year round. in a collaborative way”.

Also in Sutton Coldfield

• Ben Auton, Green Party
• Wajad Burkey, GB Labor Party
• Mark Hoath, Reform Britain
• Andrew Mitchell, Conservatives
• John Sweeney, Lib Dems