Birmingham Post

I expect they'll be chuckling at Conservative Central Office over that one.
If only Dave had asked Mike's advice first before announcing the findings of Tory policy thinktanks.
No one could be bothered to ask Whitby a question at this week's full council meeting, although he almost managed to hijack a question aimed at the absent education cabinet member Les Lawrence until the Lord Mayor ruled him out of order.
Iron Angle attempted earlier in the week to elicit the great man's views (Whitby, not the Lord Mayor) on the latest state of play with regard to the redevelopment of New Street Station.
According to West Midlands Minister Liam Byrne, the saviour of the New Street project, there are no problems whatsoever apart from one teeny thing. If the redevelopment turns out to be a "sandcastle that falls over when the tide comes in", who picks up the bill?
Who indeed? Might Mike be left writing a hefty cheque to cover Network Rail's shortcomings?
I spoke to a charming new girl in the council press office, by the name of Deborah Harris, who has come from Telford Council to be Birmingham's head of news. It is rumoured that Deborah once worked for John Prescott, so she knows all about the smack of firm leadership.
Deborah promised to speak to Mike and report back.
Four hours later...... council chief executive Stephen Hughes rang offering a "briefing" on New Street.
That was fine, for one is always happy to pass the time of day with Mr Hughes.
But was it really wise, or ethical, for Mr Hughes to suggest that his comments could be attributed to Coun Whitby? After all, we know from long experience that Mike Whitby is quite capable of speaking for himself.
Are you out there, Mike? Have they gagged you and locked you in the umbrella cupboard? Try to send a signal and I will arrange a rescue.
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Government approval for the £550 million redevelopment of New Street Station may or may not be forthcoming by the end of this month, but even if the go-ahead is given there remains a substantial minority of critics who fear the much-hyped scheme amounts to little more than a new shopping centre and cosmetic improvements to passenger waiting areas.
The 150 per cent increase in capacity that is regularly boasted about refers in fact to an increase in passenger capacity in the new waiting areas, not to additional train services.
An interesting letter in this newspaper on Tuesday from a certain Charles Barwell, of Edgbaston, making the point that only by building an entirely new station at Eastside will Birmingham ever be able to solve the track capacity problems at New Street. As Mr Barwell puts it: "Curzon Street has to be the site for an iconic design."
What makes the letter even more interesting is that the author is none other than Charles Barwell, the Vice-President of the National Convention of the Conservative Party. When it comes to Tory grandees outside of Parliament, you don't get much grander.
While Barwell was undoubtedly writing in a personal capacity, his sniffy attitude to the New Street plan and his enthusiastic support for a "Grand Central" station at Eastside is likely to infuriate Mike Whitby, the Conservative leader of Birmingham City Council.
Barwell has close connections with Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell and Tory Party leader David Cameron - the two have been known to lunch together - and will no doubt be keeping Dave informed of city council matters in Birmingham.
Whitby, it will be remembered, chairs the New Street Gateway steering group and was largely responsible for pushing through with the project after becoming council leader in 2004. He is unlikely to take kindly to criticism from within his own party.