Council leader quits as bin strike ‘harms party’

Birmingham’s council leader has quit after coming under pressure from a trade union over the city’s bin strike, saying speculation over the dispute was harming the local Labour Party.

John Clancy said he felt honoured to have led Birmingham City Council since December 2015.

His resignation came 10 days after Unite raised the prospect of streets being “piled high” with rubbish until the New Year.

Mr Clancy said: “It has become clear to me that frenzied media speculation about the Birmingham waste dispute is beginning to harm Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Labour Party.”