Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been suspended from Unite the Union following a vote by its membership, which condemned the Government’s handling of the ongoing Birmingham bin strikes. The union accused the Labour-led city council of deploying “fire and rehire” tactics against refuse workers involved in industrial action over pay and conditions. Although Unite announced her suspension, a source close to Ms Rayner claimed she had already resigned from the union months ago.
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The vote signals a deepening rift between Unite and the Labour Party, with the union also resolving to “re-examine its relationship” with Labour. This raises questions over its substantial financial contributions to the party. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said Ms Rayner had chosen to back a council that had “smeared” workers fighting against “huge pay cuts”. She criticised both the Government and the local authority, claiming their actions undermined promises made in the Employment Relations Act.
Unite also voted to suspend the union membership of Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton and several other Labour-affiliated council members. In response, Downing Street said the Government had prioritised the health and safety of Birmingham residents during the strikes, which have led to widespread waste accumulation. A spokesperson added that reforms to staffing structures were necessary to address equal pay claims that had left the council facing hundreds of millions in liabilities, contributing to its financial collapse in 2023.
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Elsewhere, the Labour Party faces mounting pressure over its stance on public sector pay. Health Secretary Wes Streeting indicated he might consider pay rises in exchange for less generous pensions, prompting fierce criticism from the Fire Brigades Union. General secretary Steve Wright warned that any such trade-off would be “outrageous” and vowed to resist any attempt to weaken pensions for firefighters and other public sector workers. Meanwhile, Downing Street called on the British Medical Association to re-enter talks as junior doctors prepare for further strike action.
