Birmingham City Council should be held accountable - PM

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has accused Birmingham City Council of huge mismanagement of its finances, after it declared itself essentially bankrupt.

Emergency measures have been announced by the government, including commissioners overseeing the authority.

Mr Sunak told BBC West Midlands Political Editor Elizabeth Glinka that city residents were rightly frustrated about it and the council should be held accountable.

The local authority has apologised to staff and residents and pledged that it would protect "the things that matter most".

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has said the crisis in local government has been caused by the Conservatives' "wrecking ball" and local authorities reporting distress needed support from the Department for Levelling Up.