Back amongst my people

By Thomas Attwood, Birmingham’s first Member of Parliament

I never thought I would one day become a symbol of my city’s resilience, yet this writer now finds himself in this rather unique position. Upon the return of the populous to the city after the recent lockdowns due to Covid-19, I have had this title thrust upon me.

Like my hometown and its people, I have been through a lot in recent times, and yet mixing with so many souls once more makes me feel positively human again (which is quite a task since my body is now made of bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, I am told).

The recent good weather reminds me of the spring of 1832 which ushered in a long, hot summer in which people power demonstrated its innate ability to highlight its cause in a peaceful, yet compelling way.

For years I had been writing – and some might say talking incessantly – about the rewards of amalgamating the efforts of the middle and working classes in a common endeavour to extend parliamentary representation to the new industrial cities of the Midlands and the North. Then, as now, the political power of the nation was concentrated in the capital.

The town of Birmingham (as it was then), along with others in Lancashire and Yorkshire such as Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds, had not a single MP between them. And yet these newly industrialised towns were home to more than half a million souls. More than that, they were helping this country lead the world in what would eventually be called ‘the industrial revolution,’ a process that started in and around our illustrious city and its environs.

I always believed in the premise of no taxation without representation, and fellow reformers organised many gatherings to spread this view. There was one such event at the top of Newhall Street in May that year at which 200,000 people gathered (I know not where they stood after looking upon the scene today) and another great assemblage alongside the Town Hall, which was still under construction on Paradise Street.

I was proud that the movement then took on a life of its own, uniting some two million people peacefully and legally in one grand and determined association to recover the liberty, happiness and prosperity of the country (and in the process remove the Duke of Wellington, our erstwhile, but wholly unresponsive Prime Minister).

So it was a huge privilege to become Birmingham’s first ever Member of Parliament following the introduction of the Great Reform Act of 1832. After the Whigs took over the mantel of government, Lord Grey – a man of his word, I must state – created more than 60 new members.

Overnight, Birmingham gained two members of parliament and the country got rid of the grievance of the ‘rotten boroughs’ that had previously returned MPs on the basis of just a handful of voters.

But my efforts that summer were more than just about representation, important as that is. It was also about increasing and sharing prosperity across our great country and recognising the toil of the many who were contributing to it. Full employment and free trade have always been, and remain, principles worth fighting for.

And lo and behold, these principles are just as relevant today as my city – now a spacious metropolis of more than a million souls – looks to the future after the challenges of the Coronavirus.

We have suffered, yes, but we must also look to joys to come. We are hosting the Commonwealth Games next year, which is an ideal opportunity to celebrate our common humanity with others from across the world.

From my new spot on the steps of Chamberlain Square, I can keep an eye on the comings and goings of the city and marvel at the grand buildings that have been newly constructed opposite the Town Hall, Council House and Museum & Art Gallery.

This is a very special corner of our city and I never tire of looking upon it, especially in the sun. It is certainly better than my previous abode of the last seven years – the inside of a crate!

Thank you to all who helped return me to my steps, including Ms Coppinger, the sculptor. From this vantage point I can now interact with the citizens of Birmingham once more as they create ‘Tik Tok clips’ or ‘Instagram reels’ on their portable telephony devices. I have absolutely no idea what these things are, but they certainly sound – and look – like fun.

Please feel free to drop by, sit a while, create a moment with me and share your secrets on how to conduct modern life – in that regard I know I have some serious catching up to do!