Birmingham was once a powerhouse industrial city but now the UK's second city is a shell of its former self as rubbish lines the streets, the lights stay out and children grow up below the poverty line.
  • In short: The second-largest city in the United Kingdom is in heavy debt with childhood poverty near 50 per cent
  • The city is turning out lights at night and making garbage collection fortnightly to save money
  • What’s next? The UK heads to the polls on July 4 as Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party faces a challenge from Sir Keir Starmer and Labour

The cuts will also see 25 of the city’s libraries close, money for children’s services slashed and a 100 per cent funding cut to the arts and culture sector by 2026.