Selly Oak is a potential swing seat. It was held by the Conservative Sir Anthony Beaumont-Dark from 1979 until 1992 when Dr Lynne Jones won it for Labour.

In May 2010 Dr Jones stood down and the current MP Stephen McCabe, who had previously represented Birmingham Hall Green, held the seat for Labour.

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Stephen McCabe (b 1955) held Birmingham Selly Oak for Labour in May 2010 after Dr Lynne Jones, the previous MP, stood down.

Born in Port Glasgow, he is a former social worker who became a shop steward for the National and Local Government Officers Association; he has an MA in social work from the University of Bradford and lectured in social services at North East Worcestershire College.

Before entering parliament in 1997, he was a child care worker in Solihull and sat on Birmingham City Council from 1990-98.

Stephen McCabe won Birmingham Hall Green for Labour in 1997; he held this seat in 2001 and 2005 but stood down in 2010 after the boundaries were changed. He was then selected to contest Birmingham Selly Oak which he held for Labour.

Stephen McCabe has been parliamentary private secretary to the Home Secretary and to the Education Secretary, has served in the whips office, and sat on the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee and Home Affairs Select Committee.

The result of the May 2010 poll was:

Steve McCabe (Labour) 17,950, Nigel Dawkins (Conservative) 14,468, David Radcliffe (Liberal Democrat) 10,371, Lynette Orton (British Nationalist Party) 1,820, Jeffrey Burgess (UK Independence Party) 1,131, James Burn (Green) 664, Samuel Leeds (Christian Party) 159.

Stephen McCabe held the seat for Labour with a reduced majority of 3,482 on a turnout of 62.2%. There was a swing of 4.8% from Labour to the Conservatives.

Birmingham City Council delegates some local powers to this committee.