Labour names vying for Dromey seat after death
THE Labour contest to fill the shoes of late Erdington MP Jack Dromey was due to be held last night (Wednesday) with two influential local politicians vying for the candidacy.
Paulette Hamilton, who has overseen the city’s public health and social care response to Covid-19, and Ashley Bertie, former Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and a onetime researcher in Jack Dromey’s office, were both taking part in the selection hustings for Labour members.
Whoever is successful will then go up against Tory, Lib Dem, Green and other selected candidates in what is likely to be a closely watched by-election to decide who replaces Mr Dromey, who died suddenly at his flat in Erdington earlier this month.
At the last election, in December 2019, Mr Dromey held the previously secure Labour seat with a margin of just 3,601.
It was a victory greeted with relief amid fears it might have joined Northfield in turning blue as part of a red-wall backlash linked to Brexit.
In a Birmingham Post interview in 2021, Ms Hamilton told of the discrimination she encountered in her early years – but how she has since been fuelled by those barbs to carve out a career as a councillor and activist, drawing on her nursing background in her role as Cabinet member for health and social care.
She has led the response to the Covid-19 pandemic on behalf of the
city council, and recently won a national Councillor of the Year award in a category recognising work on resilience and recovery through the pandemic.
Ashley Bertie was recognised in 2019 as one of Birmingham’s “30 under 30” young people who gave real hope for a bright future.
He was the country’s youngest deputy police and crime commissioner under previous PCC David Jamieson, focusing on youth and drugs issues, before moving on to
lead on campaigns for online petitions
organisation 38 Degrees.
He is currently chief executive of the Independent Custody Visiting Association.
Mr Dromey, married to fellow Labour grandee Harriet Harman and a proud father-of-three and grandfather, died suddenly while carrying out constituency work.
Last week hundreds gathered to pay warm tribute at a community event in Erdington High Street to celebrate his life. Mr Dromey’s funeral takes place at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, on Monday.