Thousands take part in TUC anti-cuts rally

Yesterday's TUC rally in Westminster

FDA representatives joined thousands at the TUC rally in Westminster yesterday, to protest against spending cuts. The event, which brought together campaign groups, users of public services and both union leaders and members, was followed by a lobby of MPs inside parliament.

Speakers included Unison general secretary Dave Prentis; Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group; Richard Murphy from Tax Research UK and TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.

Barber said the government's cuts programme will make Britain "a more unequal, more squalid and nastier country".

"[In the Comprehensive Spending Review] the government will announce unprecedented cuts in public spending - deeper than any of us can remember. They will bite deep into our social fabric - and hit some of the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society.

"They want us to believe that they have no choice and that this is economic necessity. Yet economic experts across the spectrum warn us that the cuts are too deep and too rapid.

"At worst the cuts will plunge us back into recession, and at best they will condemn us to lost years of high unemployment, and growth so weak that the deficit may well stay high."