Government Appoints Commissioners to Take Over ‘Bankrupt’ Birmingham Council

Mr. Gove tells House of Commons a local inquiry will be launched in ‘due course’ to understand how city got to this position and discuss options moving forward.

Michael Gove speaks on the second day of the Scottish Conservative party conference at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, Scotland, on April 29, 2023. Andrew Milligan/PA Media

UK levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has announced he will appoint commissioners to take over the Birmingham city council after the local authority declared itself in effect bankrupt.

A local inquiry will be launched in “due course” to understand how Birmingham got to this position and the options moving forward, Mr. Gove added, as he addressed the House of Commons on Tuesday.