Labour Lives went recently to the Moseley home of Cllr Tony Kennedy & had a warm & welcoming interview. The builders were in so apologies for the odd background 'noises off’.

Tony Kennedy is a controversial character within the Labour Party. The present Cllr for Sparkbrook Ward, he is an ardent supporter of Cllr John Clancy in his bid to be Leader of the Birmingham City Council. Mind you he was a flag waver for Sir Albert Bore in the past. I get the impression there are still issues there to be resolved.

Tony Kennedy has been arrested & convicted arising out of his university activities. He is  not afraid to say what he believes.  He has lived in Birmingham since he was a child.

His family were Labour & Union activists. He was a former Liberal candidate & has been expelled from the Co-Operative Party in what appears to have been somewhat dubious circumstances. Google his name & one is alerted to many posts that clearly are controversial - like this interviewee.

At the end of a long interview he confessed that he was to be the consigliere to Cllr John Clancy in any Clancy administration. For those too young to love & admire the film ‘The Godfather’ I suggest you Google ‘consigliere’ & see what it throws up.

As to whether Cllr John Clancy knows that he has appointed Cllr Kennedy as his consigliere we will see. But if any Horse Heads end up in any beds please contact Labour Lives.

So we will live in interesting times wherever Tony Kennedy is about. This is just a snap shot of what he says.

Ian Ward speaks on the record to Labour Lives. He has been a Birmingham City Councillor for more than 20 years. He has worked closely with the outgoing Leader of the Council Sir Albert Bore for the last 15 years.

He has held high office for many years in the Council. From being  an elected Chair of the Leisure Services committee (a wide ranging brief covering Parks, Libraries, the Arts & Sport) he has always been at the heart of the Labour administration in recent years whether in opposition or in office.

Ian Ward is the Deputy Leader. He wants to step up to the plate. He says he has the skills. In a measured interview he set out his stall.

He says that he has the support of the Chair of the Government Improvement Panel. He tells Labour Lives, exclusively, that he nearly resigned this summer due to the tone of the letter issued by John Crabtree, the Chair of that committee. He tells Labour Lives that in a telephone call he made to John Crabtree about resigning, he was told that resigning would be wrong. He indicates that John Crabtree said the letter did not reflect upon him and that he was  "part of the solution" not the problem". Some may find this extraordinary. So the Improvement Panel want him. Is their approval a poisoned chalice?

He was hard hitting about reform. He said that Birmingham Labour Party needs quality councillors & the city deserved them. This was code for the Labour Party watchers. The skill-set of some of our councillors is not good enough. Change is needed.

He noted that when he became Deputy Leader in 2005 he beat Cllr John Clancy then.  He believes he will win again. Will history repeat itself?

He speaks  warmly about Sir Albert Bore as a "Giant" of Birmingham Politics. He expects to win. He was calm & generous with his time given that the very day he was interviewed (Friday 13th November) he had had to endure the naked political ambitions of Cllr Tahir Ali in a Scrutiny committee meeting that had him (Cllr Ward) as 'points winner'. Cllr Ali is a cheerleader for Cllr Clancy.