Comment

By turning the West Midlands blue, Andy Street showed there are no no-go areas for the Tories

Andy Street takes Theresa May on a tour of the UTC Aerospace Systems factory in Wolverhampton
Andy Street takes Theresa May on a tour of the UTC Aerospace Systems factory in Wolverhampton Credit: Jack Taylor/PA

After a nail-biting count last Friday – first Labour were ahead with a massive win in Birmingham, then the Conservatives when the Solihull result came in – Andy Street was elected the first Metro Mayor of the West Midlands.  A Conservative, in what was previously considered to be no-go Labour heartlands.  A region of just under 3 million electorate, second only to London.

When George Osborne proposed Metro Mayors, Labour’s MPs were ecstatic. They enthusiastically supported the move in a packed meeting held at No 11 Downing Street and chaired by the then Chancellor. They were supremely confident of victory. 

After all, just 12 months earlier, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner had been elected with a 130,000 Labour majority  And of the region’s 27 MPs – many of whom were sitting round the table -  21 were Labour.  It was going to be a shoe-in.

Their confidence was reflected in their choice of candidate engineered by Tom Watson the “don” of the midlands Labour mafia. He chose a compliant but ineffectual party hack who had been an MP, but left the House of Commons after having to repay £21,000 expenses, and who was subsequently eased into the European Parliament as the West Midlands’ Labour representative.  It was going to be all so easy.

The mood at Conservative Party headquarters was understandably glum.  No major metropolitan area was likely to be winnable by the Conservatives.

But they hadn’t counted on the ‘pocket dynamo’ as Birmingham newspapers have branded him.  I’ve known Andy Street since 1990 and his new nickname is apt. He may only be a slim 5 foot 5, but his enthusiasm is enormous.

Born in Oxfordshire almost 54 years ago, he moved to the West Midlands when 10 months old. Andy attended local schools and learned of civic pride and of giving back to the community.  In his teens, he joined Birmingham Young Volunteers and took deprived children to adventure camps in Wales and continued to do so each year until his late 40s.  His interest in politics and history made him aware of the father of modern Birmingham:  Joseph Chamberlain.  It further inspired him to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford.

While at Oxford, Andy defeated the Thatcherite "Magdalen Machine" to become President of the University’s Conservative Association with the support of the left-leaning Tory Reform Group of which he was a member.

So after graduation, after having been rejected by Birmingham Social Services - “You need to see some life first, son” - and Marks & Spencer, it made sense for him to join The John Lewis Partnership – Britain’s most successful co-operative where he rose inexorably to the top. Following the economic crash in 2008, he famously took the bold decision to invest in increased advertising and store openings while rivals retrenched. His near 10 year legacy as managing director is increased market share, Britain’s great tradition of anticipating the John Lewis Christmas advert, and the biggest John Lewis store outside London above Birmingham’s airy new central railway station.

Then in 2010 while still negotiating with Network Rail, he became Chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership turning it into one of the most successful in the country. As chair, he built links with local council leaders – Labour and Conservative – as well as with local businesses and academic institutions.

So when in July 2016, the new Prime Minister encouraged Andy to stand as mayor of the West Midlands, few thought he would agree or succeed. When Andy asked one senior cabinet minister what they thought of his decision to leave John Lewis to run for mayor, they replied  "I think you must be f***ing mad!” adding hastily “though we are all very grateful.”

Building up a campaign team from scratch and raising nearly a million pounds in funding from mainly local donors was not easy. The campaign was run from a converted Victorian house in Birmingham and completely independently from the Conservative Party in London. But this was all grist to the mill for Andy Street who had been responsible for tens of thousands of employees at John Lewis.

Andy was aided in part by the lack of enthusiasm in the Labour candidate, Sion Simon, by Labour MPs and councillors. They claimed he was lazy, inarticulate, and badly researched.  Many refused to deliver leaflets for him and bang on doors. At hustings attended by Andy Street and the other candidates, Sion Simon was often absent. And while Andy Street was mentioned 31 times in Parliament by Conservative MPs including the Prime Minister, Sion Simon was mentioned just twice.

As one Labour MP told me “Sion was a failed MP, a failed MEP, and now he wants to fail the West Midlands as mayor.  I won’t help him.”

In contrast, Andy Street is energetic, quick witted, does his research, and is highly articulate. He and his campaign director, Mike Dolley, devised a battle plan which neglected no area but focused resources on getting out the vote in targeted areas where there was known support.

While Unite refused to back Sion Simon – he and Tom Watson had backed Len McCluskey’s rival, Gerard Coyne – and Labour activists stayed at home, the "Andy4WM" campaign built up rapid momentum.

Enthusiastic volunteers for Andy emerged from all parts of the West Midlands. I have rarely seen such unity and sense of purpose which reflected not only our multicultural society but a common cause for Andy Street and our modern Conservative Party under Theresa May.

The chants of “An Dee, An Dee, An Dee” from a crowd of Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and white supporters at the count last Friday reflected how times have changed in this country of ours.

Labour thought it could take the West Midlands vote for granted. “It’s in the bag” one Labour MP told me months ago. It wasn’t. There are now no no-go areas for the Conservatives.

Michael Fabricant, former MP and now candidate for Lichfield, coordinated support for the Andy4WM Campaign in Parliament

License this content