Jay Singh-Sohal

Originally published on Conservative Home

In the West Midlands local Conservatives can feel optimistic about what 2025 holds. With a year free of council elections across our seven metropolitan boroughs, we now have time to regroup and focus efforts on all-outs in 2026 as well as develop our candidates and campaign activity on those local issues residents care about. No doubt we’ll also be supporting party colleagues across our borders when there are elections, including in Staffordshire and Warwickshire counties.

The West Midlands Mayor may now be Labour, after Andy Street’s narrow loss, but six months on there is already a feeling of regret amongst voters who now feel the squeeze on their wallet with both increasing council tax and policing precept on the horizon and the high likelihood a Mayoral tax will be introduced in our region for the first time to meet Labours ever-increasing local financial exposure.

In my hometown of Sutton Coldfield, we are buoyed having held back the advancing tide of red Birmingham Labour during the General Election and have done well to address Reform’s light blue appeal to those dissatisfied by our approach in government (it works well to not engage on their terms). But it was a close call to get Andrew Mitchell re-elected, albeit with a 22 per cent drop for our incumbent to leave a majority of 2,543.

We won because of three values-based propositions, which have long been in our DNA as a traditional Conservative association but continue to appeal to and point the way for future growth as Sutton Coldfield diversifies and is ever-firmly fixed in Birmingham Labour’s crosshairs as a constituency they are desperate to flip (the seat has been Conservative since its creation in 1945!).

Firstly, the hard work and boundless energy of our MP who not only champions local issues that matter to residents (as would be expected of a veteran MP who’s held the seat since 2001) but has also helped develop association members and officers alike, to be force multipliers that increase the effectiveness of our Conservatism.

Secondly, providing a strong voice against Birmingham Labour bankrupting the City Council and what this means for our local service provision and established community assets including our police station and our park.

And thirdly, a dynamic and collegiate association, regularly enriched with new enthusiastic campaigners, that reaches out and reflects well on the doorstep the changing nature of our prestigious yet growing Royal Town.

With these at the fore of other qualities, we have continued to be on the winning side of the argument and successfully defended our incumbency. They highlight ways in which Conservatives regionally and nationally might develop effective long-term communications and engagement strategies for similar success.

Our MP of course provides support and encouragement, but also uniquely a means of effectively communicating our activism. Sutton Coldfield no longer has a local newspaper so Andrew Mitchells weekly “Message”, which was started up during lockdown, affords residents access to community stories as well as his work in Westminster. It highlights conservative leaders locally, town and city councillors as well as activists, and what we’re doing to protect our traditional values and spaces.

Sutton Coldfield attracts people from diverse backgrounds who come here for its traditional setting. I myself, born and raised in inner-city Birmingham and living in London for work; moved my family here many years ago because of the quality of life and local heritage. From excellent schools to good commuter links, child friendly options for local amnesties and green spaces; it’s what continues to attract young families from across the country looking for clean, respectful neighbourhoods to raise children. In recent times we’ve warmly welcomed BNOs (British Nationals Overseas) from Hong Kong in great numbers.

Birmingham Labour is threatened by our success, and no longer hide their attempts to try and reshape the demographics of our affluent and aspirational area. We face thousands of new homes in a development to the east of the Royal Town as well as increased social housing as part of our town centre regeneration. All pushed by central Birmingham Labour councillors with a view of unbalancing the constituency with new voters they hope to attract.

Our police station is one which Labour West Midlands PCCs have long sought to close (indeed, it was the reason why I ran for PCC myself in 2021); they are now shamefully pushing ahead and downgrading our police presence without a public consultation and without presenting a plan for how a growing constituency of 100,000 residents will be effectively policed.

To give locals a voice, I designed and led an independent residents survey so that people could express themselves, without the politics which puts them off. It was a great success in highlighting Labour’s failure to engage with communities – 97 per cent of respondents said they did not feel that the PCC had treated Sutton Coldfield and its residents fairly and respectfully (see my website).

Cash-strapped Birmingham City Council have pushed to introduce parking charges at Sutton Coldfield Park, one of the largest urban parks in Europe and a Nature Reserve which is enjoyed by people from far and wide. It’s a cynical move, the measure would not generate much in funding but would grossly affect those from less privileged backgrounds who visit, impact local business tenants within the park and cause congestion on the nearby affluent Four Oaks estate.

Like most Conservative associations, we are challenged by an ageing membership. But in Sutton Coldfield we have done very well to bring in new blood – both young members as well as those from non-traditional political backgrounds. That we do well because we are a welcoming and pragmatic group, espousing strong English values that appeal to those moving here. We project diversity in our executive council and reach out with ease to communities who come and support us based on those issues we fight on, rather than political labels or dogma.

My record from my PCC run in 2021, contributing to gaining more than a quarter of a million regional votes including around 18,000 in Sutton Coldfield; was the tactical utilisation of diverse grassroots networks of supporters who fought for the individual and cause. Focus was on shared values and candidate authenticity, transcending politics and party labels, resulted in dozens of people from black and Asian inner-city communities coming with their families and friends to campaign. It was a powerful approach based on understanding cultural dynamics, so I branded it up (as “Masala Monday”, based on the day we asked people to turn out) which has gone on to contribute to campaigns locally and regionally.

In Sutton Coldfield we know that such outreach should never stop after elections; those who support us and align with our values should be encouraged to continue to do so by becoming candidates or supporting association functions. We don’t take them for granted, we do treat them with respect and courtesy, and they become assets when they knock on doors to find people whose mother tongue may not be English.

We gain new support and supporters by reflecting our local communities well as campaigners. Its what Labour have typically always done to great effect in inner-city areas with communities like mine. But where we now naturally fit better as these communities become more affluent and seek greater standards of living for their children.

As a party we must focus nationally on our values proposition, there are many small c conservatives’ who have not traditionally tended to support or vote for us, but we can give them a political home if we only just get our approach right with authentic leaders. This we have done to great effect in Royal Sutton Coldfield, with strong leadership from our MP and association officers, boundless energy on our local issues which attracts new support and for standing up for what hard working local people care most about.