AUSTERITY is to blame for the Birmingham bin strikes, left campaigners told Wes Streeting today after he attacked the Unite union over the city’s worsening public health emergency.

The Health Secretary raised concerns over bin bags piling up and “rats and other vermin crawling around” as the all-out strike over swingeing pay and jobs cuts entered its fifth week.

“I think this dispute has escalated way out of hand,” he told Times Radio, adding that it was “totally unacceptable” that the dispute had seen bin lorries blocked from leaving their depot.