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Waste Collection: Birmingham and the West Midlands

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 4:58 pm on 21 January 2026.

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Photo of Tahir Ali Tahir Ali Labour, Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley 4:58, 21 January 2026

Does the right hon. Member agree that it was under the previous Government that unelected commissioners were imposed on Birmingham city council by a previous Conservative Secretary of State, Michael Gove? Since that day, it has been run by unelected commissioners. She is trying to blame the political leadership, which in effect is held to ransom by the commissioners. Is she saying that it was the wrong decision to impose unelected commissioners on Birmingham?

Secretary of State

Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.