The ficus didn’t say much. But the 3ft tall pot plant did succeed in radically boosting voter turnout. With the Mayoral referendum rapidly approaching, is Birminghamin desperate need of a novelty candidate to bring us to the polls? 84% of the city’s young people are simply unaware that the referendum is taking place; could a comedy campaign be the way to engage a generation of voters and tackle Brum’s endemic apathy?

Voting in a comedy candidate has long been a powerful way for people to cast a protest vote. Electing animals, objects and bizarre human candidates offers voters an en masse opportunity to satirize the political system and let central government know people are disaffected.  Young Brummies are most certainly politically disaffected. Political apathy isn’t always simply not caring; it is a symptom of being consistently disappointed. Birminghamhas been let down. Young people in the city don’t care about the referendum, not because they don’t care about the city but because no decision makers have offered anything other than standard party political blustering.

In the 2011 Canadian elections ‘Ed the Sock’ of the ‘Fed Up Party’ ran a blistering campaign which struck fear to the heart of the Ottawa establishment. This comedy sock puppet who sported a semi-permanent scowl, cigar and had a rough gravelly voice was a 1990s TV personality.  Ultimately, Ed the Sock withdrew from the race, but hailed his campaign a success after a record turnout. Canadian voters laughed all the way to the polls and re-engaged with decision making.

Ed the Sock and senator Ficus are not alone. The Vote for Nobody campaign has been quietly mocking US elections since 1964. This campaign doesn’t endorse mass apathy but encourages individuals to protest against an establishment that has let them down by placing a tick by ‘vote none of the above’.  In London’s mayoral elections, Sir Ian Bowler is running a satirical campaign ridiculing the elitist candidates; likening them to ‘a right wing simpleton and an extremist who enjoys handling pond life’. While in Salford, the Knight Warrior aka 20 year old Roger Hayhurst is running to be elected mayor to unite the community and fight crime. This unitard clad young man may lack political experience, but his heart is most certainly in the right place. His love of his local area and desire to do right by the people that live there is evident; if I lived in Salford this masked avenger would have my vote!

Birmingham lacks a superhero. The mayoral candidates currently represent a rather bland buffet of the usual suspects. Voting for something different is usually positive when it comes to politics; but trashing out into the unknown without really understanding can also be a risky business. We should take heed from small town Picoaza in Ecuador. During the 1967 municipal elections, a foot powder mogul launched an unusual advertising campaign. Using the slogan ‘vote for any candidate, but if you want hygiene, vote for Pulvapies’ and circulated leaflets which looked very similar to the official election documents. The people of Picoaza unanimously voted for Pulvapies at the polls; and a foot powder became elected leader. A humorous tale indeed, but the foot powder company was sued and commentators claim this wasn’t a protest vote against local government corruption but a sad demonstration of the level of illiteracy in the economically deprived coastal town.

Thankfully I haven’t seen Bazuca that Verucca running for control of Birmingham but if the rest of the world is anything to go by there is still time. Brits are famed for their love of animals; which draws me to consider if we’d ever go so far as to elect one of our furry friends? Hartlepool did it; electing H’Angus the Money, Hartlepool FC’s banana loving mascot in as the city’s first directly elected mayor in 2002.(well this was a man dressed as a monkey, but still.) Animals have been a regular feature in elections all over the globe. In 2008, a shiny-coated Dachshund named Molly challenged Obama for Presidency from her dog-basket in Oklahoma. She didn’t get far; but where Molly failed, other animals have conquered.

The small town of Whangamoma in New Zealand has been represented by a string of four-legged friends. In 1999 Billy Gumboot, a goat ate his way to victory; succeeded in 2001 by Tai, a poodle who stood down about a terrifying assassination attempt in a local park. Whangamoma is currently led by Murtle the Turtle; serving a second term after a landslide victory in 2011. Utterly ridiculous; but the animal mayors of Whangamoma have proved a hit with tourists and have well and truly put this small, declining town back on the map.

The Yes to an Elected Mayor campaign claims a directly elected mayor would boost Birmingham’s prestige and attract international acclaim. None of the candidates seem clear on exactly how. So perhaps we Brummies should pick up a pot plant, befriend an owl, set them up in the Council House and watch the tourists flood in. Clay Henry III, a beer-drinking goat who moonlights as mayor has made small town Lajitas,Texas pretty popular; maybe we should give it a go?

As the cautionary tale of Picoaza and the foot powder demonstrates a vote for the unknown is a risky business; so whether you back yes or no on May 3^rd make sure you think about your vote; use it and use it wisely.

(Otherwise we risk being stuck with a pot plant and a beer drinking owl.)

 One thing football is not about is RACISM.

 2012 began very turbulently in regards to racism in football with huge, globally high profile media storms around a number of top flight clubs. It seems to have spilled over from last year, but the truth is it has always been there digging away, embedded within the world of football.

 To mention just a few incidents off the top of my head; there was the Evra-Suarez – Man Utd- Liverpool saga. England captain John Terry was involved in an alleged slur against Anton Ferdinand and in Russia, the stage of World Cup 2018; fans regularly throw bananas at players from overseas.

 Undoubtedly, the worst example was when young, talented footballer, Fabrice Muamba went into cardiac arrest whilst playing in a packed stadium and watched by millions on TV. As his life threatening condition developed, another young man, Liam Stacey, spent his Saturday night busily writing racially aggravated tweets about him on twitter. This week Liam Stacey was charged with racially aggravated public order offences, and is now serving a 56 day prison sentence.

 The question I ask is; what is the need for all this?

Did anybody gain anything from these comments? No

Did someone win the football match because of these comments? No

So why?

Is Liam Stacey a racist? Or just a sad student who got carried away with the anonymity offered by social media?

Twitter users leaving behind racially aggravated tweets are know as ‘Twasicts’.  Tweets appear virtually anonymous and are instant. Does this freedom open up a channel for offensive views?

 Regardless of debates about social media; individuals make choices to make racist comments. In person or online they are still wrong.

 So what drives the racism which lingers on in football?

Is it down to isolated individuals? Is it the culture and where they live?

The Club?

Or is it just the inhumane who fail to appreciate every form of human life?

What do you think? Should more be done to get rid of racism in football?

For more information on the Show Racism The Red Card campaign. @SRTRC

Tweet your opinionshttps @socialbreak #Twacists

Last night the A-Fund dished out the very first enterprise investment to Jak Uddin, from Great Barr, Birmingham. Following a gruelling series of pitches, Jak was awarded £1000 to boost his magazine, Update.  Update  magazine covers a huge range of up to date entertainment reviews, fashion and music, sport and local up dates specifically for young people.

 Entrepreneur Jak, 19 set up Update in 2011 hoping to make a significant contribution to revolutionising the way young people receive and share information.  Midway through a Media Production degree at Coventry University, but lacking guidance about a creative career path Jak set himself up in business; producing Update online and in print. Jak aims to become a powerful force in local media; helping turn Birminghaminto a city of 1000 entrepreneurs!

 The A-Fund is chaired by young Birmingham entrepreneur, Jamie Dunn. Jamie partnered in the development of the A-Fund as he is passionate about generating enterprise opportunities for young people in the West Midlands. Following Jak’s final successful pitch yesterday at the Custard Factory, he said ‘the pitch was very daunting; but it has been inspiring to be involved and learn from another successful entrepreneur. I feel like I have got the break that I have been working for’.

 Jak is the very first young entrepreneur to be awarded money from the A-Fund. As the A-Fund grows, it aims to distribute 50 awards to kick start new businesses created by young people in the coming year.  A-Fund Chair Jamie remarked ‘I am really pleased for Jak. He has been working so hard over the past year and it is good to see him getting the boost he deserves. I strongly believe that with a little help from The A-Fund, Update will go from strength to strength and develop into a really successful business’.

 Jak was awarded the investment byAkshay Parikh, Chair of the Accord Group.

 If you have an innovative business idea, why not get involved in The A-Fund too?

For more information visit http://www.a-fund.org.uk/

@theAFund

I have GCSE’s.
I have A-level’s.
I have a university degree.
I do not have a job. 

Taking a short break from the daily monotony of endless job applications and rejections politely informing me I lack the relevant work experience; I received a tweet telling me its global ‘Youth Employment Month’. An entire month dedicated to job and work rights for young people all over the world, who just like me are being left behind by a worldwide recession. 

Lost generation? Seems a bit extreme; well unless that is, your referring to the amount of time I’ve lost tweeting and that undoubtedly is pecking away at my life.Birminghamis the youngest city inEurope; and 1 in 10 young people here are claiming Job Seekers allowance. Youth unemployment is endemic; the number of 16-24 year olds out of work costs the government £62 million a year.  Not only is this a massive financial drain; it’s a ticking time bomb for the future as our potential and skill set is side-lined.

How will I ever expect to find a job, move out of home, have children and hold down a mortgage if no-one ever gives me a chance to get some real skills? While Anne Hathaway, a nacho hat and One Day made me feel like it was ok to have a job and figure out what I wanted to do as a career as I went along; not having a job at all is just plain soul destroying.

Those politicians (you know who you are) who lashed back saying young people lacked the skills needed to enter the work force; and worse still harked back to days gone by when ‘getting on your bike and finding work’ was helpful, failed to understand us. To notice that young people want to work. We’ve never done it before so its still interesting; we’re still ambitious, not jaded by office politics or clinging to the thread that’s its nearly the weekend (on Tuesday). We are keen to learn, test out our skills, progress and earn money for ourselves.

Take 20 year old Hugh Chadwick; the young guy who stood for hours by the road in Sutton Coldfield wearing a sandwich board stating ‘PLEASE GIVE ME A JOB’. Good on him, it paid off and his efforts were rewarded by a full time job at Rotech Laboratories. But everyone loves a gimmick, and I’m almost certain that if we all rushed out and did that tomorrow, we probably wouldn’t get jobs; instead we’d get accused of hanging about on the street. Probably with our hoods up.

I am well aware there is no magic fix. I’ll volunteer. I’ll try all the work experience schemes. But all of that won’t help if there aren’t any new jobs being created inBirmingham. Former Erdington MP Sion Simon  suggests that having an elected mayor in the city would tackle the city’s chronic unemployment. He believes, alongside his colleagues in the YES campaign, that an elected mayor would attract investment to the region from big business, boosting economic growth and generating new jobs.

His recommendations to government stated that an elected mayor in the city should take control of all manner of issues contributing to the smooth running of the area; which also include lobbying for money for infrastructure improvement projects, offer business start up bonds and create enterprise zone. Fundamentally it’s about taking control, demanding more money from central government inLondonand focusing on home grown talent.

It looks good on paper. And seems to makes economic sense. But these things don’t happen over night. Big changes need time and time is what I don’t have. Anyone who becomes an elected city mayor for Birminghamneeds to listen to its young people; and this time really listen. Not just visit schools and youth centres in thinly veiled drum-beating road shows which serve as a media moment to come out and say ‘ooh look at me. I’m hanging with the youth’, before reaching for the hand sanitizer.

Young people have questions. We’re still learning. How can we make informed choices if our questions are shot down because we ask too many? I don’t’ understand economics, I’m new to taxation, I don’t have a mortgage yet and I’ve never paid national insurance so forgive me if I am behind the pack when it comes to economic growth outlooks for Birmingham.

We’ve just left school. GSCE Chemistry taught me that you can only be certain once you have evidence; so where is the evidence that an elected mayor would generate growth and jobs?

 I’m desperate for this promise to come true, so please don’t go letting me down.  There may only be 3 days left in ‘Youth Employment Month’ but I am confident that sooner or later someone in the city will start investing in it’s young people.

What Gibson (well, William Wallace) really wanted was Scottish rule; the chance for Scots to rule themselves and defend their own regional interests. So, as I pondered the possibly of an elected mayor for Birmingham, I began to wonder if we Brummies should be painting our faces blue and crying freedom to.

Are we, like the Scots a region neglected, unfairly mocked for our accents and constrained byWestminster?

The Scots have long since laid down their arms, but the quest for Scottish devolution lingers on as Alex Salmond and the Scottish National Party push for full Scottish independence by 2014. It’s a long way to Glasgow, and I am not encouraging revolution but as the West Midlands have a population larger than that of Scotland, should Brummies be considering devolution too? Would an elected city mayor offer the home rule the region craves; Brummie solutions for Brummie problems?

Elected City Mayors are part of a government Localism Act; a series of processes which decentralise government control and give the regions more powers to govern themselves. An elected mayor for Birmingham would be a single person approved of by the majority of the city’s electorate. A single city-celebrity who could selflessly deliver efficiency, attract investment from big business and pack a serious punch on our behalf in London.

Birminghamhas endured its fair share of poor leadership and economic decline. Historically, it’s a city of industry; built on wheeling and dealing, hard graft and deals done in smoky rooms. My Mel Gibson loving- self quite likes this image of Brum as a melting pot of rugged opportunity and self-made men, this was until I realised how much second hand smoke I’d have to ingest to reap any kind of reward. Thankfully,Birmingham is no longer a city of industrial squalor and back room bargaining. It is a fast developing multi-cultural hub of migration and entrepreneurship, sadly overshadowed by leadership regimes riddled by party-political tribalism and alleged corruption.

Party political alliances and poor leadership have too often left the city struggling to spark positive change as city leaders succumbed to squabbling and waste. (and taking their ceremonial robes and body guards to family weddings overseas). A city mayor elected directly by the people could potentially give us the William Wallace figure we so desperately want; a politically-independent lone-wolf who rules in the genuine best interests of Brummies. Birmingham needs a lone-wolf; a charismatic, inspirational leader to boost our prowess nationally and internationally. An individual we can be proud to have represent us and whom we can protectively rally around like a swarm of bees.

Just as the Scottish Parliament proved in 1999, political change, like most things, often struggles to live up to the hype. Birmingham’s problems won’t be fixed overnight by a mayoral superhero. And be warned; elected city mayor’s reign supreme for 4 years and may not live up to their promises.  For Scotland, Wallace is a martyr; a folklore hero. But for England; he was a traitor who unleashed a campaign of vicious butchery across Northern England in the name of Scottish revenge. Birmingham will never be able to survive in the political wilderness; regardless of a city’s level of independence, it will always be reliant on peaceful co-existence with it’s neighbours.

So here’s hoping any elected mayor for Birmingham won’t end up like Wallace; hell bent on Brummie supremacy and too busy raiding Coventry to get anything done.

 British identity seems to pride itself on being a scrappy fighter and triumphing in the face of adversity. Look back through British history and it’s the moments were Brits dig in and band together against a greater foe that is remembered. We all do it- whether it be rooting for the lower league football team in a magical FA cup draw, urging on our Cheryl as she did battle with Mr.Cowell or all the way back to the Battle of Britain and knocking out the 1588 Spanish Armada. Appealing to our fighting spirit has long been a political tool to shoe horn us as a nation into backing a cause.  

 So when I noticed a poster popping up all over Brum claiming that ‘Brummies have ALWAYS fought back against dictators’ I got a little worried. And wondered who we were planning on invading next.

 But this poster isn’t about invading; its about defending. Defending, our apparently democractic, egalitarian and all round super city of Birminghamagainst the threat of a ‘power freak’. (Otherwise known as a directly elected city mayor). This Brummie Blitz poster was produced by Yardley MP, John Hemming. As a proud Brummie who can trace his family roots in the city back 500 years, I decided he would be a good place to start when exploring our city’s fighting spirit.

 John Hemming MP is part of a small, feisty band of decision makers who are urging us to vote NO on May 3^rd when Birmingham decides whether or not to create a city mayor- a ‘Brummie Boris’. The no campaign’s core argument is that an elected mayor will ‘concentrate the power in the hands of an individual who would rule as a dictator’. The referendum is expensive, a city mayor could award themselves a salary of £200,000 a year and a mayor could rule over our city for 4 years without challenge. The no campaign wants us to fight the threat of a dictator.

 But how attached to democracy are we? The mayoral referendum is just a few weeks away and a recent poll declared a staggering 84% of young people didn’t know the referendum was even happening. AsEurope’s youngest city this is pretty frightening. Are we, as a city uninterested in democracy? Or has the government failed to include us in its plans?

 Lord Adonis has highlighted a ‘lack of public debate’ around elected mayors; urging the government to post phone the Brum referendum for a year. Last month inSalfordjust 18% of the electorate turned out. Fearing that I probably sound like my grandmother, many people fought and died for our right to be heard; we are lucky enough to have a vote, so lets use it. Whether it’s a yes or a no, this should be a decision which every person in the city shares in.

 Now, Birmingham isn’t alone in this dilemma. 11 other cities will also decide on May 3^rd, it just appears that we care the least. Look at our nearest neighbour; Coventry, another example of a ‘little battler’ in the West Midlands. Coventry believes it already has strong leadership and does not need an elected mayor. But unlike Birmingham, the people of Coventry have united in their almost unanimous rejection of a city mayor. Dos this mean that Birmingham is simply more ambitious? Will Solihull, Bromsgrove and Tamworth become colonies of a dictator’s powerhouse as Birmingham seeks to carve out an empire of its own? Dictators create cults of personality; they rely upon ego of an individual. Say London in any corner of the globe and someone will recognise a strawberry blonde buffoon riding a bike and playing ping pong. Would a city ‘celebrity’ help our city perform on a global stage or is our love of celebrity culture now intoxicating decision making?

 It’s a massive debate. And an important decision.

 Like most of the city, I am undecided. I am lucky enough to have never experienced anything other than democracy and as a result maybe I take it for granted a little. I want to care. It’s just hard; I’m voting about something that I don’t really understand. When Brummie’s fought back in World War II there was no doubt about why they were fighting.

 The Vote Yes campaign is offering a heady mix of economic growth, improved transport and opportunity. In the current climate that’s hard for most of us cash-strapped young people to resist. We want a city we can be proud to call home; and fight tooth and nail to defend. But most importantly we want a city which is proud of us. Which listens to us. And helps us to understand just what it is that we’re fighting for. If we really are risking our democracy; it would be good to be sure what we’re sacrificing it for.

 And now that I’m waiting for the 5.32 to Moor Street, which is, as usual, delayed, I’m starting to wonder about Mr Hemming’s comments that Mussolini made the trains run on time.

 Maybe a Power Freak in Birmingham wouldn’t be so bad….

Rental Exchange includes tenants’ rental history in their credit history. 

The cost of the average house in Britain is now so expensive that many people are simply priced out of home ownership. First time buyers are getting older (into their 30s), and many young people are forced to stay with parents or rent with friends to spread the cost into their mid and late 20s. Shelter estimates there are around 3 million people living in privately rented accommodation in Britain. People living in rented accommodation are amongst the hardest hit by the economic downturn as living costs soar and many tenants face job insecurity.

 The failure to pay your rent; or falling into rental arrears is an ongoing issue throughout the country. The worst case scenario with rental arrears is eviction. But, renting can also have a surprisingly negative impact on those who never miss a payment as being a tenant makes it much more difficult to access low-cost credit. Home owners can access credit more easily as in the eyes of the lender, their property equates to financial stability and assets.

 Rental Exchange will enable landlords and letting agents to access the renting history of prospective tenants before leases are signed as information about renting history will now be included in credit files. Credit files store a range of financial information on us; everything from mobile phone contracts to credit cards. These files are used as evidence of our ability as consumers to make the payments we promised on time.

 Experian believes Rental Exchange will help to improve the credit ratings of tenants who keep up to date with their rent; improving their opportunities to access mortgages and other low-cost credit. For financial providers, Rental Exchange should help them make better decisions about offering credit as they will have access to more information about a person’s credit history.

 However, for tenants who miss payments, the Rental Exchange could make borrowing money even more out of reach.  This is a risky proposal for renters reliant on housing benefits; as late payment of rent is often out of their hands due to late payment of benefits and no fault of their own. Experian has responded to these concerns by promising to safeguard tenants and not publish rental arrears where the cause was delayed housing benefit.

 Missing a rent payment early on in your renting life-time could severely impact upon your opportunities later on. It is therefore vital that consumers are aware of this scheme; and the impact that missing rent payments could have.

 Rental Exchange will take time to get going as the credit information of 3 million tenants will be hard to gather. This might not affect you tomorrow, or even this month, but it’s likely that it will in the future. Missing a rental payment could affect your credit rating for a lifetime.

 What can you do? Ask questions. Check the status of Rental Exchange with your landlord or Housing Association provider. Find out how it will affect you as an individual.

Keep up to date with rent payments.

 And seek advice early if you’re struggling to afford your rent. You’re not alone.

Get free advice at Citizens Advice Bureau or Shelter, a  housing and homelessness charity.

In the UK’s debt statistics, 37% of debts are held by young people under thirty. Be that a student loan, overdraft or credit card, the ominous word DEBT screams out from newspapers and TV screens.

Unfortunately, businesses have cottoned on to this national empty- pocket dilemma and have found a way to profit from the desperate and the needy. Offering fairytale deals with wicked witch small print, smiley actors glow from the warmth that borrowed cash has given them on our TVs. It is the ease in which these companies allow you to borrow money that’s alarming. On one website I am told, ‘Get up to £1500 sent now!’ ‘Where do I sign up?’I hear you gasp, but although these adverts suggest loans are for short-term lending, even a short-term loan can ultimately leave you even more out of pocket.

Sadly, these businesses do not profess the same payback values of your family or friends – buying a payback pint at a staggering 4214% APR is…well, a fair few kegs. Apparently, since launching in 2007, one online lender has made 3.5million short-term loans; aided only by the promise of fast cash and some strange elderly puppets. (If miniature grandparent puppets don’t spring to your mind as gurus of finance, you aren’t alone.)

These non-threatening puppets advise us of the safety of borrowing without hidden charges and bragging how easy it is to borrow from them and mask the enormous interest rates and accusations of unethical lending. The widespread use of social media campaigns prove they are marketing for the internet savvy – young people, in need of money.
The purpose of lending is clearly stated in every ad as one online lender points out in its small print; ‘Payday advances should be used for short-term financial needs only, not as a long-term financial solution. Customers with credit difficulties should seek credit counselling.’ Great, NOW you throw the advice in!

 
However, when preying on a financially unstable consumer market, this fast food culture can only have a negative impact on young peoples’ economy. The APR is obviously sky high, yet it appeals for the ease and speed in which cold hard cash can be transferred into our bank accounts. A short-term loan is all well and good as long as we have a steady income, but otherwise there is the danger of being trapped in a borrow and payback monthly cycle, racking up interest payments as you go: borrow £100 for 30 days and you will pay £36.72 interest on top of the £100 you borrowed.

Short term loans have been criticised for irresponsible lending, but as long as young people are aware of the long term risks borrowing a quick buck can bring we can be financially savvy enough to manage our money without the aid of creepy OAPs. (No offence, Grandma).

To me, this just seems like another way that newsagents or shops can make more money out of us. They get a commission on every transaction that goes through the machine. So you’re not only getting charged to withdraw your own money, your actually paying somebody to do so.

It’s also strange when you can get charged a transaction fee for paying by your card for some items at a store. One of the thing’s that does drive me crazy though is when somebody purchases say a loaf of bread but pays by credit or debit card, the time it takes to pay for this item by card is ridiculous, and then sometimes the card will get declined or the person will forget their pin number, really? All this hassle for the sake of not taking out cash before hand?

Well, bank cash machines which offer £5 note withdrawals are getting more common. Having a crisp fiver makes carrying cash means less change weighing you down and makes managing your money easier. Withdraw a fiver and avoid the fee-charging irritation.

Surcharging cash machines handle about 5% of withdrawals; charging anything from 99p per transaction upwards. I think that banks should place free withdrawal machines in these newsagents and other outlets where you find cash machines because the banks are the one who are meant to look after our money, and that is what we pay for as a customer. Surely this makes sense?

Apparently not. All cash machines rely on the LINK network to process withdrawals. LINK charges fees; the banks currently pay this 20-30pm charge for us. But independently owned cash machine providers do not.

Avoid throwing your hard earned cash down the drain and avoid this money trap. Once the owners of the machine stop making money from them, they will get removed out of the venue then we will no longer have to pay for the privilege of using our own money.

The machines are taking over…

Y

 
On May 3^rd 2012 Birmingham (alongside 11 other cities, including Coventry) will be invited to vote in a mayoral referendum. If the vote is yes, an Elected City Mayor will be elected in Birmingham in November 2012.

 As a UK citizen (over 18) you have a right to vote. All votes are equal. This is your chance to have a say in who represents you and makes the important decisions which affect your area.

 Under 18? Your opinions still matter- get involved and let those who can vote know what you think and help them make the right choice for Birmingham.

 A referendum invites citizens to vote a clear yes or no to a single question. This sends a clear message to the government about what people in Birmingham want.

 Have some ideas about what issues need addressing in Birmingham?

Want to get involved in a real political change in your city?

 If the answer is yes; join the Social Breakfast campaign team.

 We’re looking for;

-Community Reporters: keen interviewers who would be interested in staging video interviews with the city’s prominent decision makers and gathering the opinions of their communities.

-Bloggers: individuals who want to share their own and their peers’ political opinions with the wider world.

-Social Media Enthusiasts: keen to spread the campaign and latest updates far and wide on Facebook and Twitter.

 To get involved e-mail volunteering@socialbreakfast.org or tweet us @socialbreak #BhamMayor