Blairite loyalist Liam Byrne, the Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Immigration Minister, might do well to search for a safer seat before the next General Election if this week's city council election results are anything to go by.
The parliamentary constituency has long been targeted by the Liberal Democrats, and it appears that the party's hard work over many months is beginning to pay off. Labour officials were stunned when veteran councillor Mike Nangle was beaten by the Lib Dem's Gwyn Neilly on Thursday night, in what is surely a sign of things to come.
The victory was even more remarkable given the failure of local Lib Dem councillors to vote against a controversial Tesco planning application, which would see a superstore built on council-owned playing fields at Brockhurst Road.
Residents leader Roger Gordon, who is leading the anti-Tesco campaign, stood in Hodge Hill ward as an Independent but managed to poll only a mediocre 509 votes.
The big question for the council's ruling Tory-Lib Dem coalition, with the elections out of the way, is do they agree to sell the playing fields to Tesco thereby allowing the superstore to be built. The cash for the sale of the land, certain to be several million pounds, would be useful . . . but is it a wise move politically?
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Tory Birmingham council leader Mike Whitby was in good form as Labour's poor city elections performance began to filter through late on Thursday night.
A beaming Whitby and bag-carrier James North, chief of staff to the leader, toured the Council House press centre early doors securing interviews with bored hacks who, as is usual in Birmingham had to wait hours for anything of interest to happen.
Of Labour, there was no sign.
North was, as ever, immaculately turned out.
A pin-striped suit, definitely not off the peg, subtle blue silk tie and the inevitable braces gave the distinct impression of a mannequin on the run from Gieves & Hawkes' front window.
Whitby, as is his want, was not quite so well dressed. Indeed, his suit gave the impression of having gone through an exhausting election campaign.
But a better standard is on the way, I hear.
Having lost more than a stone in weight during the campaign, Whitby plans to slim down even further before ordering "the finest hand-made suit you can imagine".
We shall wait and see. But I very much doubt that Mike will wear his new clobber as well as James.
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The subtle change in strength between Birmingham's Tory-Lib Dem coalition following the elections will call for some difficult leadership decisions.
The Tories ended the night three seats up, with 44 councillors, while the Lib Dems remain on 32.
This means that the cabinet split, with four Lib Dems and six Tories, is likely to be changed to better reflect the new make-up of the council. Who, then, is in line for the old heave-ho?
It will boil down to a straight choice between kicking either leisure member Ray Hassall or local services member Jim Whorwood back to the backbenches. Hassall will fight like mad to stay, but don't put your money on him succeeding.