Can Birmingham City Council evoke the spirit of the Lunar Society?
A fortnight after the seismic local council election results transformed local politics in Birmingham, Lunar Society Honorary Secretary, David Searle, and Lunar Society Hustings Host, Charmaine Burton, ask whether the Lunar values of collaboration and cooperation can ensure the second city thrives.
Birmingham’s local election results confirmed a major shift in the city’s political landscape. Rather than voters consolidating behind a single party, the election exposed a city politically fragmented across parties, personalities and protest votes, with support spread across Reform UK, the Greens, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and several independents.
The results drove a freight train through the traditional political dominance of our city, while also showing just how politically divided Birmingham has become over the direction we should be heading.
So, what does this have to do with the 18th Century Lunar Society? This group brought together exceptional individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, from entrepreneur Matthew Boulton, scientist James Watt, physician Erasmus Darwin, and master potter Josiah Wedgwood. And they didn’t always agree on things.
But despite these disagreements, members put their differences aside to drive forward the Industrial Revolution through the spirit of partnership – values very much shared by the modern-day Lunar Society.
The question now is, with a fractured group of councillors, and in a political system which has historically favoured a ‘winner takes all’ approach, can Birmingham City Council live by the same values?
Birmingham votes for change – but in different directions
Following years of Labour dominance, Reform UK has emerged as the largest party in Birmingham. However, the overall outcome produced a hung council, leaving no single party able to easily claim a mandate to govern the city alone.
This leaves Birmingham facing the challenge of governing through a far more divided political landscape at a time when the city continues to deal with financial recovery, ongoing fallout from the bin dispute, pressure on local services and difficult budget decisions.
Common ground
Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Roger Harmer called for cross-party cooperation, saying: “It’s clear from the election that no one party has the support to be in control of the city council, so those elected must work together, for the people of Birmingham. We have looked at the manifestos of the other political parties and believe there is sufficient common ground to work on this basis.”
Councillor Julien Pritchard, Green Party Group Leader, echoed these sentiments: “We have an opportunity to show that groups with different ideas can come together and work in the interest of the residents that we are lucky to serve. We are ready to work with parties who share our values.”
Councillor Robert Alden, Leader of the Conservatives Group, added: “The onus is now on all elected Councillors to use their mandate for their area to find where there is a way to produce a stable administration.” He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We’ll try and work with people across the political spectrum to try and deliver (our) priorities.”
The numbers don’t add up
While talk of common ground is welcome, no party has announced an official coalition, with Councillor Nicky Brennan, new Labour Group Leader, explicitly ruling one out: "Now is the time for us to reflect carefully on the result, listen to residents, and rebuild trust and support with our communities. For that reason, our group will not be entering into any coalition agreement or power-sharing arrangement with other parties.”
Cllr Jex Parkin, Reform UK Group Leader, spoke about his party’s position: “Unfortunately, other parties that now make up Birmingham City Council have made it clear - as they did repeatedly during the election campaign - that they will not work with Reform UK. This doesn’t provide us with a viable route to control the council. The numbers simply do not add up.”
A political system that doesn’t reward compromise
While the UK has experienced coalition government at both local and national level, Britain’s political system has historically been shaped by a more adversarial ‘winner takes all’ politics than the consensus-driven coalition cultures seen in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and of course Northern Ireland’s mandatory power-sharing executive.
Indeed, look at our fellow Midlanders at Worcestershire County Council, where the Conservative Party has suspended the leader of the council, Councillor Adam Kent, after he joined forces with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to end Reform’s minority control.
This is where it becomes a question of principle. Although collaboration can be powerful, would it be democratic to work with a political party that could have potentially very different policy ideas to you? Could it even be described as ‘betrayal’?
Emotive language aside, Birmingham finds itself in a situation where a fractured political make-up means compromise will now have to play a far greater role in shaping Birmingham’s future – whether you agree with that or not.
The challenge now will be whether Birmingham’s political parties can put aside their differences and work together to govern our city effectively. The numbers alone mean cooperation is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s a necessity.
The Lunar Society’s vision is to create a vibrant, inclusive society where diverse voices come together to spark ideas, challenge thinking, and shape a more understanding, equitable, and informed world. If ever there was a time for this vision to shine through and unite Birmingham, it’s now.