Save Our Services‏

Around 200 people gathered in Newcastle this afternoon to protest against the harshest budget in recent times. A protest including UNISON, UNITE, GMB, PCS, FBU, CWU, UCU and community groups set out an alternative agenda, and a plan of united action against these austerity measures.

They were joined by workers in  towns and cities across the country including Edinburgh (right), Glasgow and Manchester.

A budget which is being presented as fair but which in reality is an attack on public services, the unemployed, the lowest paid, and most vulnerable in society. There is no way that public services can not be decimated when you are looking at 25% cuts. Services will be cut, jobs will be lost and the economic recovery will be put at risk. Cutting public sector jobs, putting thousands on the dole will not get us out of recession, but in fact significantly increases the risk of a double dip recession. The scandalous rise in VAT will impact most on the lowest paid. Attacking disability and housing benefits is a blatent attack on the poor, and is not fair.

This is a Right Wing budget which is actually about declaring war on public services, attacking the poor, and protecting the rich. There were many other ways to tackle the deficit which would have been fair. Ways such as reducing the tax loop and evasion; such as a windfall tax on banker's bonuses; scrapping Trident as a starter.

The Lib Dems should be ashamed of themselves. Listening to Danny Alexander justify their complete U-Turn by saying VAT increase was fair was one of the most disingenous comments in history. People who voted Lib Dem for a progressive alternative must be shocked by this outright betrayal.

The fight to save public services, and defend the vulnerable has started. Today is just the start of that fight. Unions coming together as they did today in Newcastle is start. We need to build from today working hard in the coming months to ensure that the ETUC day of action on 29 September is massive, and that we have mobilsed in readiness for the Spending Review in October.

The Coalition Government do not have a democractic mandate for their slash and burn policies. We must mobilse and lead the way for working class people who are being made to pay the price for an economic crisis not of their making. We have the arguments, we have the strength - let's use it to challenge this undemocratic, unfair budget and stand up for ordinary working people.

Clare Williams