The nation must start paying proper attention to the tragic disintegration of Birmingham. There was a time when the city’s canals promised to make it a Venice of the North. It was the engine room of the UK, a town of a thousand trades producing everything from guns to buttons.
Even as industry began to crumble, it showed promise to pivot into a cradle of innovation. Not only was it the birthplace of heavy metal and the Odeon cinema chain, it was also once the crucible for creative giants, from J R R Tolkien to Robert Plant.
Today it is the poster child for national decline. The mention of the city evokes images of striking binmen, rats as big as cats, “no-go” Islamic enclaves, “slum” neighbourhoods and a stillborn city centre strangled by a ring road. The city is a cautionary tale in the perils of Left-wing complacency and the follies of progressive utopianism – one the nation must heed to move forward.
