‘I won’t perform stunts –I’m here for the hard yards’: West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker explains why he won't change his style

Lately, I’ve been struck by how loud politics has become. Every week there’s another row, another slogan, another promise of a quick fix. It’s easy to get swept up in the noise. But when you step back, you see how little, if any of it, helps people with the real struggles they face day to day.

It’s made me reflect on why I came into politics in the first place. It wasn’t for the noise or the limelight. It wasn’t to grab attention or win arguments. It was - and still is - to change lives in a region I call home.

My politics is straightforward. Work should pay. Families should feel secure. Communities should be proud of where they live. And government - whether it’s national or local - should back ordinary people trying to get on.

Too much of politics now is about gestures - acts, signals and words that spark headlines but don’t change lives or make things better. 

I understand why people want pride and recognition. 

But empty gestures from politicians doesn’t pay the bills, fix the boiler or help your kids get a job.