As Birmingham Fights Rats, Local MP Escapes to Japanese Holiday
A senior Labour The MP has ignited anger by allowing his constituents to handle bin strikes alone while he was enjoying an extravagant trip. Japan .
Liam Byrne, a Birmingham The MP, who also chairs the business and trade committee, traveled 6,000 miles to Tokyo for a 'fact-finding' mission along with seven other parliamentarians at the end of last month.
However, instead of joining others who were returning on Friday following the conclusion of official meetings, he opted to prolong his journey for a personal vacation.
This indicates that his constituents, who are among those most impacted by the city's unmatched refuse collection strikes, now lack their local Member of Parliament to advocate for them against the labor unions during this conflict.
Mr. Byrne similarly skipped multiple important committee hearings in the House this week as the economy struggles due to pressure. Donald Trump 'S tariff assault, which includes an urgent question in Parliament on Monday regarding the struggling British Steel.
He is a ex-Treasury minister who notably left a message for his successor. Tory In 2010, he told his successor: "Unfortunately, there is no money."
The stated purpose of the trip by the committee members to Tokyo and Osaka was to 'gain insights into global export markets and possibilities.'
The leaked schedule for their journey indicates that the Members of Parliament traveled in business class to Tokyo and were accommodated at the luxurious five-star Hotel New Otani within the city.
This opulent hotel features an impressive array of amenities including 37 dining venues and bar spaces along with 33 event halls. It also includes a stunning 400-year-old, 10-acre Japanese garden adorned with flowing waterfalls and serene lagoons—a highlight often recommended for guests exploring the area.
The party also enjoyed meals at the glamorous Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu eatery, known for its pricey wines priced as high as £650 per bottle. This venue served as the muse behind the 'House of Blue Leaves' club featured in Quentin Tarantino’s 2004 film "Kill Bill." The location boasts expansive two-story interiors adorned with signature yellow lanterns.
It seems Mr. Byrne might have lengthened his stay to align with the Commons' Easter break, starting from today until April 22.
According to the disclosed schedule, Friday was designated as the 'departure day' for just three Members of Parliament, excluding himself.
A person close to Mr. Byrne stated yesterday evening that he had left Japan, but they refused to disclose his current location or provide information regarding his precise whereabouts since Friday.
Rubbish collectors initiated their strike on March 11, with Birmingham City Council being affected. announced a significant emergency on April 3 - three days following Mr Byrne’s departure - due to public health worries.
Today, in Mr. Byrne's constituency, firefighters were working diligently to contain a fire that appeared to have originated from a large collection of discarded trash bags situated behind a line of stores in the Alum Rock area.
The neighborhood has been among the hardest hit by the bin strike, with enormous piles of putrefying garbage evident on nearly every block and locals worried about rodents roaming freely.
Qurban Hussain, aged 62, commented about his Member of Parliament saying, "He’s completely ineffective. We only spot Liam Byrne during elections when he shows up. During crises in the region, he’s nowhere to be found."
A different constituent named Steve, who is 66 years old, stated: "He never should have embarked on this journey initially, and prolonging it just exacerbates the issue. It’s concerning that I’ve only recently begun hearing about the bin strike being discussed in Parliament; it feels like it should have been addressed much earlier."
The Conservatives' representative for community affairs, Kevin Hollinrake, criticized sharply: "This is entirely incorrect. The head of the business and trade committee is nowhere to be found as crucial statements and urgent inquiries are taking place in Parliament, covering issues like an escalating global trade conflict that could impact whole industries."
It's equally neglectful towards his local constituents in Birmingham, who are dealing with a public health crisis and encountering rats as big as cats, while their Member of Parliament remains absent.
He ought to carefully consider his actions and question whether spending taxpayers' money on leisure trips instead of fulfilling his parliamentary responsibilities is a worthwhile way to spend his time and their resources. No wonder he previously penned a message informing the public that 'there is no money left.'
It is known that three additional Labour Party MPs—Rosie Wrighting, Sarah Edwards, and Sonia Kumar—and Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds likewise lengthened their visit.
It remained uncertain tonight as to how long they lingered, since a committee spokesperson declined to comment citing 'security' concerns.
A representative for Mr. Byrne also stated that his "personal trips were financed privately."
Nevertheless, the MPs seem to be returning via aircraft that are financed by public funds as part of the budget allocated for their official journey.
Members of Parliament who serve on committees frequently embark on official visits as part of their 'fact-finding' efforts to gather information for any investigations they are conducting.
Nevertheless, critics have formerly expressed reservations that some of these appear to be nothing more than 'decorations.'
The spokesperson for the business and trade committee mentioned that the journey to Japan was "a highly fruitful visit...tied to their ongoing investigations into trade."
The schedule featured a session on Japanese politics led by Professor Kensuke Takayasu from Seikei University, along with a discussion with their counterparts serving on the corresponding committee in Japan.
They boarded a Japanese shinkansen to reach Kyoto where they explored a Panasonic facility. Later, they made their way to Osaka to visit the UK pavilion at the Expo 2025 tech show.
The spokesperson for the committee further stated: "A return trip is included within the budget allocated to the committee’s program. The timing of when members chose their flights did not result in extra expenses being incurred by the general taxpayer."
'Members traveling for personal reasons beyond their official duties should do so independently.'
'The only expenses covered are those related to participating in the committee program.'
The representative for Mr Byrne stated: "Since last Friday, Mr Byrne has overseen the significant unveiling of the Committee’s preliminary report concerning the UK-EU reboot; outlined a five-point strategy for handling tariffs; interacted with various ministers regarding the most recent Post Office Horizon statistics; participated in casual discussions with Japanese enterprises; informed the Head of the Liaison Committee about inquiries related to steel and duties for the Prime Minister; alongside his team, structured the session plans for the fresh Inquiry into Economic Security and took part in cabinet-level talks addressing the Birmingham waste collection dispute."
Additionally, the local campaign group has been active in the neighborhood, gathering input on waste removal needs.
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