The atmosphere at the Utilita Arena on Friday is more like a wake than an election count. This is thanks to the large Labour contingent; glum-faced councillors pinned with red rosettes are hunched over at secluded tables or braving the main hall, huddled in large groups for comfort.
One lone Labour figure strides purposefully down the lines of busy tables. It’s Sir Albert Bore. Set to retire, this is his last count after 46 years as the member for Ladywood and his solitary march seems to symbolise the gravity of the situation for his party. Overnight on Thursday, Reform have seen sweeping success across various West Midlands councils including Redditch, Tamworth, and Dudley. From the off at the Birmingham count, there’s a consensus from candidates across all parties that a Reform majority is likely. Even if they don’t win, Labour’s leadership of Birmingham City Council looks set to end after 14 years in charge. What comes next is anyone’s guess.
Reform’s would-be reps are talking a big game: Alan Feeney, standing for double seats in Solihull and Birmingham, proclaims at 11.30am he’s confident he’s won, hours before any results are due to be declared. At the other end of the optimism spectrum is Labour councillor for nearby Sutton Vesey ward, Rob Pocock, who tells The Dispatch he doesn’t think he’ll hold that job title for much longer. He puts on a brave face, saying it’s “all part of the game”.
Hi, thanks for reading. I'm Madeleine and I was at the count yesterday, working from the morning well into the night.
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But Pocock is clear on one aspect: this local election has been deeply influenced by national politics. The turnout in his ward is nearly 50% higher than the last local contest. Reform and the Greens have pitched this as a “get Starmer out,” campaign, he notes. The unsaid bit is that voters in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands have really responded to such a call.
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