The Labour party’s biggest affiliate trade union, Unite, has suspended Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, as a dispute over a strike gripping the city of Birmingham deepens.

Unite has voted to suspend Angela Rayner from the union – even though she gave up her membership months ago. Members decided to take the extraordinary step in protest at the deputy prime minister’s stance on the long-running strike by bin collectors in Birmingham.

Angela Rayner has been suspended by Unite over her stance on the Birmingham bin strike after members accused her of backing a council that had “peddled lies” and smeared its workers.