Former Conservative MP Edwina Currie has claimed is "time to bring in the army" resolve Birmingham's bin strike crisis.
She emphasised the public health implications of the situation, warning about "rats and rubbish" potentially "spreading serious disease like Lyme disease."
Birmingham City Council has declared a major incident as the bin strike enters its fourth week, with an estimated 17,000 tonnes of waste remaining uncollected across the city.
The council described the mounting rubbish as posing a significant public health risk.
Edwina Currie said its is time for more drastic measures
GB NEWS
The industrial action began after Unite union members walked out in protest over contract restructures. Workers claim these changes have left some staff thousands of pounds worse off.
The dispute specifically involves the scrapping of waste collection and recycling officer roles. Talks between Birmingham City Council and Unite have failed to resolve the standoff.
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Former Conservative MP Edwina Currie told GB News: "I tell you what I would do if I was in charge right now, I would do two things.
"I would talk to West Midlands Police and point out that the bin men, who had been walking slowly in front of the lorries attempting to disrupt any kind of collection, are in exactly the same situation as the Just Stop Oil people.
"Just Stop Oil, just stop bin lorries, arrest them. They're causing a public nuisance. You don't have to address very many to make your point.
"I think that might actually put a stop to it. It sounds as if it's actually not very many bin men causing real trouble, but they are a few causing real trouble.
"The other thing I would do is I'd have a quick word with the Secretary of State for Defence and I would get the army in.
"It wouldn't be the first time that the army has been called in similar circumstances.
"In 1970 there was a bin strike in London, and the army was called in to clear the rubbish from the streets.
"It's a public health issue, it's not just politics.
Birmingham has been swamped with rubbish
PA"Rats and rubbish and all that sort of stuff. You're talking about spreading serious disease like Lyme disease. And really, it's up to the council sort it out.
"I don't care if they've got the biggest debt of any local authority in the country.
"They have an eye watering £3billion, and they've got themselves into a pickle."