Just another false alarm...

The Birmingham Post reported today that David Miliband - that Blairite sell-out of a son to Ralph Miliband - thinks Birmingham is still failing to reach the "premier league" of European cities:

“Britain’s cities were once a by-word for decline and depopulation but, in the past 20 years, business is better, quality of life is better, services are better. However, the European premier league for cities has very high standards, and we have got to ask ourselves what gets Britain’s cities to the top of the premier league.”

He goes on to say:

“The Birmingham renaissance happened rather earlier than in other British cities. The commitment to arts and culture put Birmingham on the map – but you can’t live by culture alone.”

This, of course, must be why Birmingham seems intent on destroying anything remotely cultural it has to offer (other than the CBSO and the Birmingham Royal Ballet - and if those weren't named after the place, they'd probably go too) closing down jazz venues in favour of strip clubs, making every cinema a multiplex clone, letting theatre shows get shut down thanks to ignorant intolerant bastards etc. And what do we have in place of culture? Shopping. Hurray! Because having three HMVs instead of two, and a massive Selfridges selling things no one wants to buy, is just bound to show people how important we are.

Anyway, Miliband has suggested, following the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry (which naturally has the customer's interests at heart), that the way to get Birmingham into the Premier League of cities (where is this league? who sponsors it?) is for the city to have an elected mayor. Because copying London is of course just the way to prove that Birmingham's a vibrant and interesting city in its own right...