Erdington: the candidates standing in 2022 by-election

Voters will choose a successor to the late Erdington Labour MP Jack Dromey tomorrow (3 March).

Labour chief whip Sir Alan Campbell issued the writ for the vacant seat in the House of Commons on Monday, January 31.

Mr Dromey, a 73-year-old father-of-three, who had represented the electorate since 2010, died on January 7 from natural causes.

Residents will head to the polls tomorrow and it is expected that results will start to be declared in the early hours of Friday morning (4 March).

Here are the candidates standing to contest the late Mr Dromey’s seat

Paulette Hamilton, Labour

Paulette Hamilton was chosen ahead of Ashley Bertie, a former Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, to contest the seat for Labour.

Ms Hamilton, who worked for the NHS for 25 years and re-joined the healthcare frontline during the pandemic to support the vaccine rollout, has been a local councillor for over 17 years.

She’s currently the cabinet member for Health and Social Care on Birmingham City Council.

A proud born and bred Brummie and mother of five, Paulette said she wants to tackle the key issues affecting the area such as food and fuel poverty, community safety and fly-tipping.

Robert Alden, Conservative

Robert Alden is a veteran city council Tory group leader, and said he is up for what he has acknowledged will be a “difficult” fight against Labour, boasting his “strong track record” campaigning on local issues as a ward city councillor for the past 16 years.

Mr Alden said “hard work” could see him become the first Conservative to win the seat since 1936.

He was selected by local party members on Wednesday to challenge for the Labour-held seat – a constituency Mr Alden has stood for in the past four General Elections.

Mr Alden, who has lived in the area for 17 years, said constituents wanted somebody with a “proven track record” of action on local issues.

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party

Siobhan Harper-Nunes is a businesswoman and community animateur.

She has over 20 years’ experience of forging partnerships and supporting community organisations to secure funds for local projects in Birmingham.

She said: “My entire career has been about supporting communities of space and place to flourish.

“My offer is simple, I will put the needs of Erdington residents first and work tirelessly to get things done.”

Jack Brookes, Reform Party

Local postman Jack Brookes has been chosen to contest the Erdington seat by the Reform Party.

The 23-year-old grew up in nearby town Sutton Coldfield and studied economics with finance at university.

Posting a video on his Twitter page, Mr Brookes, said: “I’ve been speaking to residents on behalf and they are furious with the situation with immigration and the rise in energy prices.

“So if you want things to change, you want lower taxes, and you want your freedom back then vote for me in the upcoming by-election.”

Michael Lutwyche, Independent

Michael Lutwyche is intending to stand as an independent candidate in the by-election.

On his GoFundMe page, Mr Lutwyche says he has been a campaigner for Justice for the 21 for the last decade, which works with the families of the victims of the Birmingham Pub Bombings.

Mr Lutwyche lives in Erdington and on his fundraising page, he said he wants to “represent the people of Erdington as one of them”.

You can see his GoFundMe page, here.

Dave Nellist, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)

Dave Nellist is standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC).

Mr Nellist was the MP for Coventry South East from 1983-1992, and was also a Coventry city councillor for the Socialist Party until 2012.

He is also the National Chair of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

Lee Dargue, Liberal Democrats

Lee Dargue previously stood for Ladywood in the 2017 and 2019 general elections.

Mr Dargue is from Birmingham and works in the rail sector and environmental management.

David Bishop, Militant Bus-Pass Elvis Party

Clifton Holmes, Independent

Thomas O’Rourke, Independent

Mel Mbondiah, Christian Peoples Alliance

Sir Nos Da The Good Knight, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party

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