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Opinion

City 'garden tax' could lay waste to Labour as voters go to the polls

There were warnings that the decision to withdraw a universal garden waste collection service from 400,000 households would be hugely unpopular.

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Why every company needs its own Digby Jones

Running small businesses can lead to some cloistered views of the way forward.

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Aston Martin sales rise despite debt being downgraded

The luxury car firm's revenues topped £500 million. Profits were up by 22 per cent at £85 million

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Low pay, poor prospects and debt - welcome to contemporary Britain

Some might suggest that the bankers' bonus controversy is a storm in a - very expensive - teacup that has come in handy for George Osborne whose stock is rising on the back of good economic data

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Brian Dick chooses this season's Moseley RFC highlights

This has been an anxiety-free season and it must be cherished as such because there’s no guarantee when the next one will be along.

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Raise a glass to Birmingham's lost pubs

The tendency of closures and changes to pub names had been taking place long before the demolition of the dreadful Bull Ring Shopping Centre

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Manchester United need to keep an eye on share prices as well as league position

Anything capable of impairing a commercial organisation of such magnitude, or jeopardising an operation which grew commercial revenues by 65% between June 2011 and June 2013 could not continue.

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Trojan Horses and a school lesson from history

In 1870 England turned away from a secular model of education, and embraced instead one of religious diversity. And we have never looked back (or, indeed, forward) from that point.

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Britishness is so yesterday - now you're either English, Scottish or Welsh

Once upon a time, us Englishfolk preferred to think of ourselves as British – part of a family which included the Scots, the Welsh and whoever in Northern Ireland wanted to think of themselves as a member.

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Twitter gives politicians a new place to cry foul

Birmingham Conservatives have been queuing up to demand apologies after tweets by Labour opponents

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��Ƶ recovery may yet be a busted flush

It is not an export-led recovery but another consumer-led one. And we are all too aware that consumer-led recoveries tend to end badly.

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Goodbye Mondeo man, hello microtargeting

I don’t pretend fully to understand micro-targeting, but I do get, and somewhat resent, its democratic implications. First, though, as Mike Yarwood’s Max Bygraves would say: I wanna tell you a story

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If London Live doesn’t work, what hope for City TV?

The business model revealed by local TV operator City TV just never seemed to stack up

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Working a way through the holidays in China

The date of the Chinese New Year does tend to totter about somewhat uncertainly between late January and mid-February.

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Peugeot to go upmarket? No, not a belated April Fool's Day joke

I'm still trying to figure out how the Peugeot 308 won the car of the year title instead of the Nissan Qashqai, BMW i3 or Mercedes S class.

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We're in a NISA place now with our savings

Mr Osborne's recent budget certainly ruffled a few feathers in the pensions' arena and he is also trying to stimulate tax-efficient investing by way of the New Individual Savings Account.

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Important to be prepared for auto-enrol

It is anticipated that 30,000 SMEs will be affected by auto-enrolment over the next four months

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Get rid of Champions League and financial fair play has chance

Irrespective of how protracted the appeal process might prove, however, it looks as though UEFA is finally addressing a burgeoning problem first highlighted in this column in May 2008.

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Birmingham thanks its lucky stars as Barlow pops in for a quick bite

Lasan, the jewel in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter - its exceptional reputation attracted the patronage of Gary, after he performed to fans at the LG Arena.

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How war brought out the best in Birmingham

Adolph Scott did indeed possess a whole filing-cabinet full of papers concerning British Army regiments. Could there be an innocent explanation?

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We're in danger or missing the devolution ball

Miliband has said he wants cities like Birmingham and Manchester to become powerful urban dynamos, taking control of budgets for skills, housing, transport and the Work Programme so to boost their economies

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More pain means little gain for Labour as cuts temper election hopes

When Labour took control of Birmingham City Council after very successful local elections in 2011 and 2012, many assumed they were set comfortably for the long haul.

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An Easter message for politicians

Part of my work involves visiting the business shows at the NEC, which gives me an insight into other business owners’ thoughts.

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A plan for old age and retirement? Hope and pray

Just as the corporate and consumer reliance on debt and credit became the discredited vehicle which had driven so many close to the edge, something funny was going on in the pensions world.

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