Labour MP Liam Byrne has been lambasted for "swanning off" to Japan amid Birmingham's ongoing bin crisis, with commentator Carole Malone branding the decision "astonishing".
The MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North - who is also chair of the business and trade committee - flew 6,000 miles to Tokyo for a "fact-finding mission" with seven other MPs at the end of last month.
