Birmingham debate: Football, Gaza and charisma

Left to right: BBC presenter Sarah Julian, Conservative Ashvir Sangha, Labour's Jess Phillips, BBC political reporter Simon Gilbert, Reform UK's Mark Hoath, the Green Party's Jane Baston and Liberal Democrat Lee Dargue.

The cost of living, healthcare, immigration, Gaza and even football were the issues raised during a head-to-head general election debate

The Your Voice, Your Vote Birmingham debate was hosted by BBC WM presenter Sarah Julian in Birmingham.

Here are three things we learned.

Not everyone wants a Gaza ceasefire

Gaza has been a major campaign issue here in Birmingham. While most of the parties are unified in their calls for a ceasefire, Reform candidate Mark Hoath had a different view.

Mr Hoath, standing in Sutton Coldfield, said: “I, personally, don’t think a ceasefire is right, I don’t think arms sales to Israel, ceasing them, is the right thing to do.”

He argued that would be “sending a signal that terrorism works” referring to the Hamas attacks in Israel on 7 October.

Jess Phillips, the Labour Party candidate for Birmingham Yardley, hit back at the suggestion. Referring to historic IRA attacks, she said: “Do you think we should have carpet bombed Northern Ireland after the bombings here?”

Green Party candidate for Birmingham Selly Oak, Jane Baston, said: “Most of the people who have died now, been killed, are not terrorists. They are civilians in Gaza.”

Ashvir Sangha, the Conservative candidate in Birmingham Edgbaston, praised the impact of Foreign Secretary David Cameron, but admitted: “It’s a very difficult issue and I don’t agree with everything the national government has done.”

Lee Dargue, the Liberal Democrat candidate in Birmingham Ladywood, said his party had been calling for a ceasefire in the region “long before any independent candidates swooped into the area claiming they were the first to mention it.”

Gaza has been at the centre of campaigning for candidates from the Workers Party of Great Britain as well as well as independent candidates endorsed by the party.

Some party leaders have more charisma than others

Conservative Ashvir Sangha conceded Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Workers Party leader George Galloway were “potentially more charismatic” than Conservative leader Rishi Sunak or Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

He said: “I think Rishi is a diligent man, but I don’t think either Rishi or Keir Starmer are going to win the charisma Olympics anytime soon.”

Labour’s Jess Phillips said Keir Starmer’s style was “never ever going to be the same as mine” and added “sometimes I’ve found that difficult.”

But she conceded “But he was right wasn’t he? Because look where the Labour Party’s fortunes are compared to where we were five years ago.”

Lib Dem Lee Dargue described his leader Sir Ed Davey as knowing “how to have fun” and added he “doesn’t take himself too seriously.”

Green Jane Baston talked up the prospect of her party’s co-leaders, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, becoming MPs while Reform’s Mark Hoath said Nigel Farage was “not afraid to tell it how it is, even though sometimes that might upset people.”

One candidate has a link to an England footballer

As the conversation turned to sport, Labour’s Jess Phillips revealed a family link to former West Brom, Aston Villa and Birmingham striker Kevin Phillips.

She said: “My husband’s cousin is Kevin Phillips” and added “I just say that fact and that’s enough to get me by as if I care about football.”

Conservative Ashvir Sangha cited England’s late comeback in their Euro 2024 match against Slovakia as evidence that “anything can happen at the end” in the run up to election day on 4 July.

Reform’s Mark Hoath said his tanned skin was down to his love of cricket, Lib Dem Lee Dargue revealed his love of motorsport, while Green Jane Baston conceded she wasn’t a big sports fan – but was looking forward to the 2024 Olympics.

A full list of candidates nominated in seats across Birmingham is available on the BBC website.

Polls open at 07:00 BST on Thursday 4 July, with coverage online, radio and TV from when polls close at 22:00.