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RANDAL BREWS UP CHALLENGE FOR WHITBY

03-05-2009

Word reaches The Stirrer that former Lord Mayor Randal Brew is planning to challenge to Mike Whitby for the leadership of Birmingham City Council at the Conservative AGM later this month.

As we’ve chronicled on this website, Tory backbenchers have grown increasingly restless about what they perceive to be Whitby’s high handed attitude – especially the recent announcement about the creation of a Municipal Bank for the city which they were never consulted about.

Now the genial Brew has decided to step forward, and we understand that “The Leader” - as his council groupies call him - was made aware of his decision to stand late on Friday.

The deciding factor was apparently Whitby’s encouragement of Keith Barton’s ambitions to become Deputy leader in place his existing right hand man Len Gregory - although Barton recently told us that any suggestion that he might be nominated for the role were “absolute bollocks”.

Brew was also known to have been upset by what he saw as Whitby’s efforts to upstage him during his mayoral year.

So how would the voting line up? At the moment it could go either way.

Brew’s supporters are claiming the support of 20 councillors, and say that 14 are certain to back Whitby – leaving 15 up for grabs. It promises to be a close contest.

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