Bloggerheads is creating mayhem. Sarah Teather is my MP. She isn't but you know what I mean.

The Liberal Democrats have just signed up to a back room deal with the Tories to carve up Birmingham City council. 190,000 odd people voted for the Liberal Democrats a week and a half ago.They came third in the total number of council seats won. I would say that for at least two thirds of the people who voted lib dem, the prospect of a Tory administration is their worst nightmare come true. Already, lib dem John Hemming is talking about recruitment freezes. He's going to be deputy leader. There'll be hell on when the word gets out.

Oh, and his party have just launched a web site for Birmingham Hodge Hill where they don't even know the spelling of the neighbourhoods! "Boardsley Green" for example. I hope that they don't take the education portfolio.

Meteorite the size of a house lands in Australia and vanishes.

Free beer if you register. Vintage port and brandy if you vote?

Newt Gingrich is tied up with tales of murder, deception and intrigue

The number of people in work in the UK is at record levels, up a quarter of million in the last twelve months and 1.9 million over the last seven years.

Unemployment is the lowest for about thirty years and continues to fall. There has been a major improvement in long-term unemployment, which is a quarter of the level it was seven years ago.

The latest labour market statistics show continuing growth in employment. In February-April 2004 there were 30 thousand more people in work than in the previous three months and 246 thousand more than a year ago.

There are now 28.3 million people in work in the UK and the employment rate is 74.8 per cent, up from 74.6 per cent a year ago.

Don't take this situation for granted. This has been made possible by hard fought economic success combined with policies such as the New Deal that have given new opportunities to those who find it difficult to get back to work. In my area, long term unemployment is nearly an historical footnote. The New Deal is now focussing intensely on those that it has proved very difficult to get into work.

Its been hot the last few days. We've gone to bed with every one of our very well double-glazed windows open. Then at somwhere between sunrise and 6am it begins. PADDADWACK, PADDADWACK, PADDADWACK. The sound of heavy machinery pounding down on hot metal at two second intervals. This is metal bashing country.

After a while the noise enters your half-sleep and you can count sheep to the rythmn.

Schools minister David Milliband visited my constituency yesterday. He visited Ferndale school, held a forum with secondary heads, visited Friar Park Sure Start event and then met councillors in our back garden. He must have worked an 18 hour day the poor soul. Very impressive indeed.

How did I miss this online community blog from near my own neck of the woods in Sandwell? The Tipton Herald.

Please welcome David Taylor, Young Labour activist to the blogging community.