Labour should raise national insurance in autumn budget, says Ed Balls – UK politics live

Former chancellor says employees' contributions should rise to help address a 6bn shortfall caused by recent U-turns

The Unite union has voted to re-examine its relationship with the Labour party in the light of the government's failure to support its members in the Birmingham bin strike.

It has also said it was suspending Angela Rayner's membership, given her role as minister in charge of the department that oversees local government. The union is in dispute with Birmingham city council over proposals to reorganise waste disposal services in the city, and Unite has repeatedly said the government should step in and force the Labour-led council to settle.

Unite is crystal clear it will call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette. Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts.

The disgraceful actions of the government and a so-called Labour council, is essentially fire and rehire and makes a joke of the Employment Relations Act promises.