Students and Trade Unionists March Against Government Cuts

Today, on the day that George Osbourne announced the Tory/Liberal Coalition government spending cuts to the UK’s welfare system, over 2500 people led by students and trade unionists, took to the streets in protest through London, 20/10/2010

A rally was held first at Lincoln Inn’s Fields where speakers from various unions addressed the crowd while they waited for the protest column from the University of London to arrive.

Once the two groups met, they set off together, making their way to Downing Street in Whitehall to voice their anger at what one protester defined as “The betrayal of the welfare state”, adding, “So many frontline jobs will be lost”.

But it’s not just the welfare state which is affected; the cuts will leave middle-class families around £10,000 worse off over the next four years.

As they marched they chanted, “They say, cut back, we say, fight back”
They also called for a general strike with, "Unite and fight, General Strike!"

When the march reached its destination in Whitehall, it joined another large rally comprising the Coalition of Resistance which was already outside Downing Street. The overall numbers now swelled to over 3000.

There were many speakers here including:
Tony Benn MP, Rev Jesse Jackson, Caroline Lucas MP, George Binette, Camden trades council, Jeremy Corbyn MP, John McDonnell MP, Mark Serwotka Gen Secretary PCS Union and George Binette, Camden trades council, Imran Khan, civil rights lawyer, Zita Holbourne, Chair of the black workers committee in the TUC

All relayed their dismay and disapproval of the government financial plans for the country demanding that everyone must resist them.

“If David Cameron wants to see the big society we are here now, the big society will be knocking on his doorstep everyday” said Caroline Lucas MP

Photographs by Mario Mitsis