Labour is calling in the Army in a bid to clear Birmingham's rubbish crisis after more than a month of strikes.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has invoked powers known as Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (Maca) to enlist Army experts after a strike by bin workers following a council dispute has left over 17,000 tons of waste in the second city's streets.
A small number of military personnel with operational planning expertise are said to be offering specialised logistical support to tackle the crisis.
And sources told The Telegraph that there are contingency plans in place to increase the number of personnel involved if necessary.
One Government source told the newspaper that the Army will be in place for a "short, time-limited period to support the council with making sure its response to the ongoing public health risk is as swift as possible".
But it follows former Army chief Lord Dannatt's warning that involving the military will not come cheap.
"We are the nation's reserve pool of trained manpower and will do whatever the Government of the day decides," he said.
"But it is not a cheap option. If saving life is not involved, the Ministry of Defence will charge whichever Department of State had requested help - and we charge at full rates."
LATEST ON THE BIRMINGHAM BIN STRIKES:
While ex-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: "The very idea that we need to call in the British Army to clean up rubbish on our streets is nothing short of appalling. It's a damning indictment of Labour's total failure to govern effectively in Birmingham.
"This crisis is not the result of an unforeseen emergency, but of chronic mismanagement and a Labour council beholden to their union paymasters. Residents are now facing a mounting public health emergency, while the council dithers and the unions dig in.
"The Armed Forces are there to protect the nation in times of true need - not to bail out politicians who can't even keep the bins collected. Labour need to get a grip, stop the excuses, and sort this mess out."
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Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has invoked powers known as Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (Maca) to enlist Army experts after a strike by bin workers following a council dispute has left over 17,000 tons of waste in the second city's streets.
A small number of military personnel with operational planning expertise are said to be offering specialised logistical support to tackle the crisis.
And sources told The Telegraph that there are contingency plans in place to increase the number of personnel involved if necessary.
One Government source told the newspaper that the Army will be in place for a "short, time-limited period to support the council with making sure its response to the ongoing public health risk is as swift as possible".
But it follows former Army chief Lord Dannatt's warning that involving the military will not come cheap.
"We are the nation's reserve pool of trained manpower and will do whatever the Government of the day decides," he said.
"But it is not a cheap option. If saving life is not involved, the Ministry of Defence will charge whichever Department of State had requested help - and we charge at full rates."
LATEST ON THE BIRMINGHAM BIN STRIKES:
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- Bins on Birmingham street go uncollected for TEN weeks as council 'buries its head in the sand'
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While ex-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: "The very idea that we need to call in the British Army to clean up rubbish on our streets is nothing short of appalling. It's a damning indictment of Labour's total failure to govern effectively in Birmingham.
"This crisis is not the result of an unforeseen emergency, but of chronic mismanagement and a Labour council beholden to their union paymasters. Residents are now facing a mounting public health emergency, while the council dithers and the unions dig in.
"The Armed Forces are there to protect the nation in times of true need - not to bail out politicians who can't even keep the bins collected. Labour need to get a grip, stop the excuses, and sort this mess out."
More to follow...
Find Out More...