Man dressed as a rat sparks outcry at Birmingham Council meeting as strike chaos continues

Birmingham’s ongoing bin strike took a surreal turn this week during a heated city council meeting—complete with angry exchanges, political fallout, and a protester dressed as a giant rat.

It was the first full council session since a major incident was declared over the waste crisis, and the atmosphere reflected the frustration simmering across the city.

Watch the video.

The strike began after union Unite raised concerns about the proposed removal of a waste collection role—a change they say would leave some workers earning near minimum wage. The council, however, maintains it offered a fair deal and insists that no employee will lose pay.

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While the stalemate drags on, the city’s streets are still strewn with uncollected rubbish. Efforts to clear the backlog are under way, with more refuse trucks now dispatched and street-cleaning teams tackling rising levels of fly-tipping.

The council says most homes should now receive at least one collection a week—but warns it could take days before the situation stabilises.

Inside the chamber, however, the debate escalated into chaos. One man, wearing a rat costume, stood to question the cabinet member for environment on the city’s growing rodent problem.

The symbolic protest wasn’t lost on residents—especially after a councillor read a letter from a local whose car wires had been chewed by rats, leading to nearly £300 in repair bills.

Adding to the drama, one Labour councillor resigned from the party over the council’s decision to introduce charges for pest control, slamming the move as a “rat tax”.

Opposition leader Robert Alden warned that the council’s credibility is “hanging by a thread”, while Labour’s cabinet insisted the major incident status has allowed faster intervention.

Still, for many residents living next to overflowing bins, the response hasn’t been fast enough—and patience is wearing thin.