Thousands protests across the country against Con-Dem cuts

Thousands of people across the UK joined protests today against the budget cuts announced by George Osborne earlier this week. Rallies against the strikes were held in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Norwich and Cambridge where ATV Today reporter Doug Lambert and new political columnist Rubie Simpson were dispatched there.

Thousands of people across the UK joined protests today against the budget cuts announced by George Osborne earlier this week. The chancellor announced cuts of over £81 billion which will see savage cuts to public services and the loss of hundreds of thousands of job. It is estimated that over 500,000 public sector jobs could go with teachers, police officers and fire-fighters all amongst those who face redundancy. In London today fire-fighters went on strike against planned cuts to the service with 5000 fire-fighters going on an eight-hour strike in London today.

Demonstrations against the cuts announced by the Con-Dem coalition have been held across the country with thousands marching to protect public sector jobs and the announced cut backs. Amongst the cities where protests took place were Edinburgh, Bristol, Norwich and Cambridge where ATV Today reporter Doug Lambert and new political columnist Rubie Simpson were present.

The protest in Cambridge consist of a march through the city centre attended by many different unions such as Unite, Unison and also a the Fire-fighters union. While there was a police presence for the march through the city it passed without incident with protestors marching through the city streets – with much support from locals – shouting a wide range of different slogans. The most popular slogan was “they say cut backs we say fight backs” as well as different variations on opposition to job losses.

The march through Cambridge lasted an hour with people travelling from as far afield as Ipswich, Huntington, Peterborough and Leicester to attend with several hundred people participated in the protest. The protest and rally in Cambridge passed peacefully and without incident although two protestors in Bristol were arrested by the police. In Cambridge as the march began many motorists showed their support for the protest by tooting their horns. Many people joined the march as it progressed through the streets of Cambridge. After the march concluded there was a rally at Cambridge Guildhall with ten guest speakers. The guest-speakers were mainly Union representatives – such as Unite and the Teaching Unions – as well as local councillors.

Throughout the rally there we calls for the TUC to announce a UK General Strike and a show of solidarity with protestors in France and also Belgium who have also been vocal in their opposition to the cut backs in their respective countries. Before the march through Cambridge began there were speeches from organisers, a representative from the Fire-Brigade as well as someone who had travelled from France in a demonstration of support for the UK protests.

Later this week Rubie Simpson will write about the march and protest in Cambridge as part of her first column for ATV Today.

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