The TUC and the UK’s trade unions can be rightly proud of yesterday’s marches and demonstrations in London, Glasgow and Belfast.
150,000 marchers in London is a concensus figure – much higher than some activists were predicting in the week running up to event in London. This can be put down to the hard work of unions and community groups who were prepared to take to the streets to demonstrate against austerity and the Coalition’s disasterous (and “clueless” – Ed Miliband) handling of the economy and to the anger building up against this “one law for them – one for us” Government.
The Unite contingent was impressive. Unite flags and banners were in every part of the demo in London. Great fighting speech too from Frances O’Grady. (Awaiting YouTube clip!)
The next key issue is how will the TUC now build up and implement the Congress decision to consider the feasabiliity of calling for a General Strike. Watch the above video and see the response Len McCluskey got from a show of hands. I am sure there will be lots of advice!
In the meantime, it was interesting to note that the marches were the lead item on the BBC News last night. That news item was interesting in itself. The Tories, are now clearly worried about Ed Miliband, so they put up Michael “Stonewall” Fallon to run the “Ed in the union’s pockets line” – not very convincingly either, with the news item featuring Ed Miliband being booed by a small group near the stage. Grant “Michael Green” Shapps Tory chairman is also damaged goods because of the expose of his “get rich quick” web guru schemes another story that will run and run.
Of course the BBC had to find some masked anarchists being nicked! And where did they find them? Down on Oxford Street, away from Hyde Park and away from the march route.
A good day for the trade union movement – the fight back continues.
