United Kingdom: Birmingham City Bankrupt
The United Kingdom's second-largest city has declared bankruptcy, unable to pay its bills after spending spiraled out of control. This critical situation has serious consequences for residents.
In the United Kingdom, Birmingham boasts a flamboyant city center, with futuristic buildings. The country's second largest city, it previously embodied the revival of an industrial city. But for the past year, those illusions have been shattered. Birmingham is bankrupt, unable to pay its bills.
Robert, the brother of a resident, Jean, spends his days in a city-run center for the disabled. The facility is set to close permanently. "It's a disaster for everyone. To get to the nearest alternative, Robert will have to spend two hours on a bus; he's epileptic," Jean laments. The closure was imposed by the Labour council because the coffers are empty. The city has let its spending spiral out of control, spending hundreds of millions of euros.
Brum Rise Up Collective
Max Caller, senior civil servant, head of the Birmingham Financial Recovery Commission
“In bankrupt Birmingham, resistance against budget cuts is being organized” , Cécile Ducourtieux, Le Monde , October 29, 2024 (paid access).
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