Rayner faces call to say whether Army could help clean up Birmingham bins

Angela Rayner has faced calls to say whether the Army could be deployed in Birmingham to help collect bins during a strike.

Independent MP Ayoub Khan asked the Deputy Prime Minister whether Army personnel could “assist the local charities and organisations that are helping” to clear up waste left in the streets during the ongoing dispute.

Members of Unite launched an all-out strike last month over pay and jobs which has led to tonnes of black bin bags not being collected.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has since offered its support to the strikers, saying it will advise members not to carry out any strike-breaking work.

Mr Khan, the MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, told the Commons: “This morning, the firefighters in Birmingham have made it plain that they are going to stand in solidarity with the bin strikers in Birmingham, so they’re not going to collect the rubbish.”

He later added: “Given what this Government has said, that they will do all that they can to bring this strike to an end, would the Deputy Prime Minister confirm that they will force the council to make that payment and deploy the Army to assist the local charities and organisations that are helping themselves in clearing – they need the extra support?”

Answering at the despatch box, local government minister Jim McMahon replied: “He does very well to go from zero to 100 pretty quickly on that issue.”

The minister said the Government wanted a “sustainable deal that can hold”, adding: “Clearly, we want all parties to be in the room, having the negotiations to deal with the underlying pay and terms and conditions dispute that’s at play.

“But to be absolutely clear where there has to be a red line, that cannot stray into potentially compromising the equal pay settlement that has been agreed, so that all that begins to unravel, bearing in mind that’s already £1 billion of cost to the local authority.”

Ms Rayner, who is the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary, had earlier told MPs: “Our priority is tackling the misery and disruption for residents.

“Government has consistently urged the council and Unite to sit down and resolve the dispute.

“I welcome that they met yesterday and that further talks are taking place today, and we continue to press all parties to negotiate an urgent resolution.

“It is essential to protect public health by tackling the backlog of waste, and my department is in close contact with the council.

“This weekend, I met with the council leader (John Cotton) and the managing director (Joanne Roney), and we’re providing ongoing support to address the public health emergency.

“Collections took place over the weekend and will continue this week to clear the backlog and protect the public health.”

The Conservative shadow secretary Kevin Hollinrake described the dispute and scenes in Birmingham as “a national embarrassment” and added that “with 21C temperatures forecast later this week, (it) will become a public health emergency”.

Ms Rayner replied: “This is a local dispute and it’s right that the negotiations are led locally.

“We’ve been clear that both parties should get round the table and I’m pleased that this happened on Sunday and talks continue today.”

FBU general secretary Steve Wright has declared his organisation’s “full solidarity” with waste workers, adding: “Birmingham bin workers are public servants who provide an essential service.”

He said he supported them “in their fight to defend their pay, jobs and conditions”.

Andrew Scattergood, FBU executive council member for the West Midlands, said: “It is laughable to suggest that firefighters would be brought in to collect bins during a strike by refuse workers.

“Firefighters are humanitarians and trade unionists – we do not break strikes. The FBU would advise members to refuse to carry out such work.”