Professor John Robertson OBA

The BBC reporting above does mention ‘Labour’ but

• never in the headline;
• only in 2 out 5 mentioning the council;
• never blaming or quoting others blaming the council;
• mostly in referring to local Labour MPs protesting against strike but never exposing the in-party nature of this

Imagine this was in Scotland, say Glasgow, a whole year of ‘SNP bin strikes?’

There would not, of course, be a look back in history because, in Scotland, is mostly Labour history like this:

The Glasgow binmen (refuse collectors) strike began as an unofficial walkout on January 6, 1975, involving around 350 workers protesting pay disputes with Glasgow Corporation. It ended on April 14, 1975 [13 weeks], when strikers returned to work after negotiations, leading to over 70,000 tons of uncollected rubbish piling up in streets and backcourts. The Glasgow binmen (refuse collectors) strike began as an unofficial walkout on January 6, 1975, involving around 350 workers protesting pay disputes with Glasgow Corporation. It ended on April 14, 1975 [13 weeks], when strikers returned to work after negotiations, leading to over 70,000 tons of uncollected rubbish piling up in streets and backcourts.

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/history/glasgows-rubbish-strikes-1975-kicked-24877335

Only half as long.

OK then, what about a more recent one?

In the Express on 29 October 2021, Anas was keen to talk.

Even more recent?

Scotsman 1 August 2024 – Anas keen to talk again despite:

Recent Scottish Bin Strikes

As of September 11, 2025, there are no ongoing or recent bin refuse strikes in Scotland. The most notable recent dispute was in 2024, where planned strikes by waste and recycling workers (members of Unison, GMB, and Unite unions) across 26 of Scotland’s 32 councils were suspended before they could begin. These were set to last 8 days (from August 14 to August 22, 2024) in a pay dispute with COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities). An improved pay offer (averaging 4.24% for the year April 2024–March 2025) led to the suspension on August 12, 2024, with unions balloting members instead. No actual industrial action occurred.

Is there anything else where Labour in Birmingham need further media protection? Yes, this:

SNP-run Glasgow City builds more than SIX times as many affordable homes as Labour-run Birmingham City thanks to £94 million from SNP Government

In 2023/2024:

Glasgow City Council’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) helped to build over 1,000 [1 011] additional affordable homes in the city in the past year. The original £78.687million grant from the Scottish Government was bolstered during the year by an additional £11.544million to focus on Strategic Acquisitions, and a further £3.825m from the Scottish Government to a final budget of £94.056million.

https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/12891/Glasgow-s-Affordable-Housing-Supply-Programme-delivered-over-1000-new-affordable-homes-in-last-year

Birmingham City has nearly twice the population [1.16m] , thus revenue, of Glasgow City [622k], so all things being equal, might be expected to have built at least 2 000 new affordable homes, in the same year, but only built 312, between 6 and 7 times fewer:

https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/birmingham-city-council-announces-plan-to-use-200-vacant-new-build-homes-for-social-housing/5130643.article#:~:text=During%20phase%20one%20of%20the%20regeneration%20scheme%2C%20four,968%20homes%2C%20312%20were%20designated%20as%20affordable%20housing.

If Labour cannot run a major city how can they be expected to run a country?

Anything else? Yes, this:

Glasgow’s SNP council to increase council tax by far less than Birmingham Labour council AND increase staff and free school meals while they impose ‘devastating cuts’

The Herald in February 2025:

Biggest council tax rise in years for Glasgow as deal agreed – A Budget deal has been agreed between the SNP and Greens in Glasgow that will see a council tax rise of 7.5%. The parties have decided on a budget that will see council tax payers pay more but it will increase staff for cleansing and provide free school meals for more pupils.¹

How are big city Labour council’s doing?

Birmingham City Council has signed off a deal to impose tax hikes of 21 per cent and devastating cuts to public services.²

What level are the increases from?

In November 2023, from Policy Mogul, an AI enhanced blog:

Scotland could do more to put money in pockets with full powers of independence New figures from the House of Commons Library show Scotland has had the lowest council tax for 16 years under an SNP government, when compared with England and Wales.

Whilst the average amount of council tax in Scotland has decreased by -7.1% (around £101) in real terms since the SNP came to power, in Labour run-Wales it has increased in real terms by 31.6% (around £445). In England under successive Tory and Labour governments, it has slightly increased.

Council tax is also cheaper in every Band (A-H) in Scotland, when compared with England and Wales, and will likely remain so given the Council Tax freeze the SNP Scottish Government has recently announced, which has not been replicated elsewhere in the UK. The figures come after reports revealed the Labour Party’s ‘shocking’ plans to raise council tax by 32% in East Lothian, which has been stopped in its tracks by the SNP’s council tax freeze.³

Sources:

1. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24949616.biggest-council-tax-rise-years-glasgow-deal-agreed/?ref=ebbn&nid=1388&u=54f15f1382a35160f5f9fbd9de82faff&date=200225
2. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/birmingham-council-tax-vote-latest-b2507136.html#:~:text=Birmingham%20City%20Council%20has%20signed%20off%20a%20deal,to%20public%20services%20over%20the%20next%20two%20years.
3. https://policymogul.com/key-updates/32461/new-figures-scotland-has-lowest-council-tax-every-year-for-16-years-under-snp

Let’s stop there. Work done I think.