The Stirrer

I've not done this before, but can I break an EXCLUSIVE?
The editor of the Birmingham Mail today sent this email to all city councillors (a 'friend' of mine received one)... I think it indicates that the paper HAS launched a petition in today's Birmingham Mail!

Dear Councillor:
I wanted to email you directly about the elected mayor issue.
The Birmingham Mail is today launching a formal petition calling for a referendum on elected mayors (March13, 2007).
Please make sure you purchase today's paper and fill in the petition with your details if you agree that the people should decide this issue.
Please urge any relatives, friends or neighbours who are interested and eligible to also take part.
The form, which can easily be cut out of the paper, can be returned free of charge. The FREEPOST address is alongside the form in today's paper, as are the simple rules that ensure the petition is valid.
Please remember - support is only valid if the petition form is signed and completed.
For information, you might be interested to know that the Birmingham Mail is tomorrow meeting with the Department for Communities and Local Government in London to discuss the petition details further.
And next week, on March 20, the grassroots community group Birmingham Citizens meet to decide on making the petition their specific 2007 campaign. More than 700 delegates are expected at their assembley at the Great Hall of Birmingham University to discuss this issue.
The petition form will be in-paper for the next few days. A downloadable version can also be printed from our website at birminghammail.net, or I can send you fresh forms in the post if you ask.
Please feel free to send me any comments or ideas direct (marking them 'for publication' if you wish, or 'private' if preferred).
Thanks very much for your attention.
Best regards

________________
Steve Dyson
Editor, Birmingham Mail

'Breaking news six days a week
and campaigning for local people'

Yes I had one too.

When the Mail originally asked me about a referendum I said I didn't object if that's what the people want. Well if they can get 30,000 (I think) valid signatures then that would suggest it IS what the people want.

Some poor junior at the Mail is presumably going to have to have the really boring job of checking each and every signatory to ensure they are on the Birmingham election roll. Rather them than me.

cllr. Emily cox

This is what I've been waiting for.... I'm off to get the paper. (Is it in the early edition?)

I think 35,000 is the target figure. Not to be under-estimated. BUT if they do get that amount it would be hard to argue against the validity of it.

Yes, it is in first edition. I've got it. p1 Kitchener stance 'YOUR CHANCE TO DECIDE', full spread on pp4-5 with cut-out petition form.
Filling mine in now.
And it's a freepost return address.
This is the paper putting its money where its mouth is!
Be v. interesting to see how many they get.

Here you go, Mayor referendum fans, courtesy of a pal of mine who's a bit whizzo on the computer!

You'll find a front page image of the Mail here (bear in mind this link will vanish tomorrow): http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/collectio ... ntpage.jpg

You'll find the lead story here: http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mai ... _page.html

And for those needing extra forms. here's a pdf to print of the petition form itself: http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/docs/icBi ... 812694.pdf

And here's a blog explaining why: http://birminghammail.midlandsblogs.co. ... ecide.html

All very impressive.
The number of signatures needed is a huge task, though. A total of 36,249! (Exactly 5% of the electorate as at a certain Feb date). And they all need to be checked for validity.
The Evening Mail ain't doing anything by halves!

Indeed, Wobs, a huge task.
Several councillors I've heard are actively taking out the petitions to local areas to gain signatures, though, so it won't just be in the Mail.
Plus it will get v. interesting if the Birmingham Citizens vote to campaign at their March 20 meeting...

Game on - If I weren't blowing all my money on Cheltenham I'd bet on them hitting their figure.

Oh what fun it will be to watch Whitby explain why his judgement isn't reflected in public opinion.

True, that would be interesting. But it's rather short-term, and surely this is not all aimed at hapless Whitby & co.
This petition, if it succeeds, changes Birmingham forever (well, for at least a number of years).
Yes, those who are against Whitby will be pleased.
But to succeed, it's crucial that people see this petition for what it is... not anti-Whitby, but pro-electors deciding on the city''s future themselves.
Blimey... I feel quite worthy now....

Er, nice updates on this and the other two mayor trails, Popeye, but let's not diminish today's thread...

Can anybody confirm 100 per cent whether (a) the citizens of Birmingham alone can sign the petition and (b) whether there is a checking and verification process.

Otherwise Mr M Mouse and Mrs D Duck of Borsall Common are going to be having a field day!

From what I understand from the Mail's 'how it works' box published in today's paper:
a/ anyone can sign the petition, BUT only people living in the Birmingham City Council area and on the current electoral roll are VALID
b/ I guess the Mail will try to verify the petition, but if they don't I'm pretty sure the council will.
Any more details from our man in the know... Mr Hemming?

He hasn't sent an email to ALL city councillors.

Iain: the copy I've seen on my partner's email appears to have been copied to all councillors... it certainly looks as if it's an all-rounder.
Anyway, are you gonna sign up? We're out this Saturday with petitions the editor's sending through to sign up some voters.

The more I think about this, the more I think this is a wonderfully bold and brilliant move on the part of the Mail which will either be an exemplar of campaigning journalism or the biggest flop since the 'Let's Get Brum Moving' slog.
35,000 names in 12 months, as is my understanding. That's about 100 signitures per day EVERY DAY and they have to be within the boundaries of Birmingham City Centre.
From what I can tell, there's no on-line means of signing the petition so it's all going to have to be quite cleverly co-ordinated.
Plus, with all the will in the world, it's not a year's worth of stories. Ok, all 35,000 names might be collected in six weeks, in which case, brilliant. I may well be wrong, but I can't see it.
The Mail itself sells less than 100,000 these days, some of which will be outside the city boundaries, so it means one in three readers taking the trouble to sign it - if they care.
I really will watch this one with interest.

Well I'm going to do my bit, and I didn't even read the Mail until recently! (Well, not since my Chipper days).
Can I ask you to print this attachment off, Ulysses, and to complete it with your real name, to ask friends and family who are eligible, and to send it FREE OF CHARGE to the address shown?
Thanks... let me know if I can claim you as mine!
(I do think that freepost input is a good idea from the Mail)

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/docs/icBi ... 812694.pdf

Nice one Popeye!
That's the spirit... nothing will happen if the likes of us Stirrer bloggers just sit and watch (some cynically).
Let me tell you my story (as far as her indoors will let me).
We're committed Lib Dems (surprise, surprise), and she's a councillor. Officially, some higher up the chaim are telling us to stand firm, and not to take part... and to simply challenge the Mail to pay for the referendum if they want one (otherwise it's taxpayers who have to pay).
But do you know what? The longer this debate has gone on, and the more I've read the Mail's coverage (again, it wasn't our daily read, just occasional, but it is now in the house three or four days a week) we now feel very strongly that the electorate should have the decisive say. Yeah, that's Liberal DEOMCRACY!
And we might even disagree in our house on whether we actually say 'yes' or 'no' in the referendum (1-1, I reckon). But we feel it is our and our electors' right (esp. when I listen to those councillors in positions trying to poo-poo the Mail... they're just protecting themselves).
And re. the petition, Ulysses might be right re. the numbers challenge. But our form from today's Mail is already full, and we're receiving more from the paper to fill in this weekend. I don't think we're the only ones...

I'm going to have to sit and watch cynically.

I live in Gornal.

My view has always been that there is a scheme to identify if there is sufficient support. If there is not enough support to get the referendum 5% then there won't be enough support to change the system.

A postal ballot is about 300K and a ballot boxes system costs more than that.

People need to be on the electoral roll in the city and only sign once.