Thousands march in central London to protest austerity

[Lite Beer]

Thousands march in central London to protest austerity
DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Thousands marched in central London Saturday to protest against British government austerity programs and spending cuts in a massive show of force meant to win attention to the plight of the poor.

The march began with a festive mood. Red flares exploded as the rally got underway at the Bank of England, sending plumes of scarlet smoke through the financial district's narrow and winding streets. Brass musicians offered a tune as demonstrators waved placards, balloons and banners on the way to Parliament Square

The event is intended to vent outrage, albeit peacefully, over the Conservative government's plan to slash millions of pounds in public spending to address the deficit, which ballooned after the nation rescued its troubled banks during the 2008 financial crisis.

Social activists, union leaders and campaign groups joined forces to protest cuts in public services, welfare and education that are expected when the government unveils its budget next month. Demonstrators argue the public is being punished for a crisis it did not cause.

"I am fed up with all the main parties saying they are going to promote austerity," Lindsey German, a senior official of the Stop The War Coalition. "They have made the rich richer and the poor poorer and they're going to continue."

Singer Charlotte Church brandished an "End Austerity Now" placard and said she wanted to take part in solidarity with others who believed cuts had gone too far. Comedian Russell Brand was also among the thousands taking part.

"It will be the start of a campaign of protest, strikes, direct action and civil disobedience up and down the country," said Sam Fairbairn of the People's Assembly, which is organizing the protests. "We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-06-21

[Usernames]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

[trogers]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

Want to be like Greece? Lots of wants, but no money...

[NeverSure]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first." - Greeks Londoners, 2015.

[MaxYakov]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority parasites are put first."

[JetsetBkk]

"What do we want?" - MONEY!!

"When do we want it?" - NOW!!

So get a bloody job.

[Jai Dee]

One off-topic post and subsequent reply have been removed from this thread.

[Steely Dan]

I've just received a photo from the frontline.

[Soutpeel]

looks like he could do with an austerity program of his own, and cut down on the big mac's and kebabs

send him to greece, he could the feed the natives for a month at least

[jacky54]

The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples money to spend- The great Margaret Thatcher

[Suradit69]

Take the Nanny out of Nanny State and the bawling starts.

[KhaoNiaw]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

Probably just part of the 65% who didn't vote for the government.

[Manbing]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

Not massively or decisively. In fact the coilition partners SDP, part of the current government, they did loose 95% of their seats.

Sure Labour lost but Tories got only 1/3 of the total vote.

Meaning 2 out of 3 people didn't vote for them.

Rich self serving entitled private school cronyist a&@/@& need to be changed.

[little mary sunshine]

Cut all welfare by 30% to start...

[simple1]

Cut all welfare by 30% to start...

When all austerity measures are taken into account, including cuts to public services and changes to taxes and welfare, the poorest tenth of the population are by far the hardest hit, seeing a 38 per cent decrease in their net income over the period 2010 - 15.

https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/cs-true-cost-austerity-inequality-uk-120913-en.pdf

Pensions are welfare benefits, so are you recommending pensioners have their payments cut by 30%? Three per cent of expenditure is accounted for by Jobseeker’s Allowance, while over 50 per cent is spent on pensioners.

http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/2013/01/fact-and-fiction-on-welfare-spending

Edited June 21, 2015 by simple1

[SheungWan]

I guess they could all move to Scotland.

[little mary sunshine]

What do you mean, pensions are "welfare"? You mean

When you work you don't pay into your pension? If you

Pay for the benefit it is not welfare.

In The States every working person pays 7.5% of their

Salaey into Social Security . The Employer must match

This and pay 7.5% also. Not at all a Welfare Program

If UK pensions are not paid by the employee and employer,

Than it's welfare and cut it too by 30%... To start.

[NeverSure]

Cut all welfare by 30% to start...

When all austerity measures are taken into account, including cuts to public services and changes to taxes and welfare, the poorest tenth of the population are by far the hardest hit, seeing a 38 per cent decrease in their net income over the period 2010 - 15.

https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/cs-true-cost-austerity-inequality-uk-120913-en.pdf

Pensions are welfare benefits, so are you recommending pensioners have their payments cut by 30%? Three per cent of expenditure is accounted for by Jobseeker’s Allowance, while over 50 per cent is spent on pensioners.

http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/2013/01/fact-and-fiction-on-welfare-spending

I can't see a single mature adult among the protesters on the news, much less a pensioner. They look like demanding college students who think the world owes them a living. Eventually reality has to catch up with them.

Look at the news. They are punks.

[SABloke]

looks like he could do with an austerity program of his own, and cut down on the big mac's and kebabs

send him to greece, he could the feed the natives for a month at least

Go easy on him Sout...he's ''physically challenged''. Obesity is a disease remember-overactive glands and all He probably eats only carrots and lettuce

[Soutpeel]

They look like demanding college students who think the world owes them a living. Eventually reality has to catch up with them.

Look at the news. They are punks.

Demanding farangs, who think Thailand owes them a citizenship/permanent residency

Well at least now we know where some of the farangs here picked their concept of of self entitlement, its all making sense now

[elgordo38]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

Want to be like Greece? Lots of wants, but no money...

Its not a case of want to be like Greece they all are. The people only have themselves to blame as they handed their executioner the axe in the last election with a working majority. Its amazing how politicians spin a web of BS/deceit to sucker voters into voting for them. Yes these austerity programs are because the governments bailed out the banks that were playing fast and loose with depositors money. Nobody was ever charged, fined or spent time in jail. Years ago these shenanigans by politicians were done discreetly now none of them care as long as you re-elect them. God help us no one else will.

[elgordo38]

Take the Nanny out of Nanny State and the bawling starts.

And what do we call all those crooked bankers worldwide who in 2008 got us into this mess from which we are still suffering. Oh yeah leaches.Guess where they got their bailout money from hmm the taxpayer maybe. Guess what said banks have not learned a thing except to keep up and increase their greedy ways and are setting us for yet another big fall and their government buddies are looking the other way. They seem able to live off of the taxpayers teet just fine. None went to jail. They only got richer.The Iron lady only helped the rich as did her dancing partner Romping Ronnie. I understand the Iron Lady towards the end looked in the mirror and saw only a shadow of her former self. Maybe this was Gods punishment for helping to destroy honest hard working men and women. You will never run out of other peoples money as the rich just keep on getting richer by stealing from the rest of us so lets do a Robin Hood. You have just about worn out the Nanny State phrase. You sound like a lonely rich man who cares diddly squat about his fellow man. Get a new speech writer. Put the other one out to pasture.

[simple1]

What do you mean, pensions are "welfare"? You mean When you work you don't pay into your pension? If you

Pay for the benefit it is not welfare.

In The States every working person pays 7.5% of their Salaey into Social Security . The Employer must match

This and pay 7.5% also. Not at all a Welfare Program

If UK pensions are not paid by the employee and employer, Than it's welfare and cut it too by 30%... To start.

Non private sector pensions payment are funded by contributions to the National Insurance Fund. National Insurance contributions also fund bereavement benefits, Jobseekers' allowance and maternity allowance. If you have been unable to work due to disability, unemployment and so on you still qualify for a basic state pension. So yes it's fair to say those those receiving government pensions payment comes out of the government welfare budget. To gain some insight into the UK government pension scheme, I'll make it easy for you...

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/what-youll-get

The poorer segment of the UK population have experienced a decrease of 38% of their income in the past five years, yet your carrying on with your right wing propaganda.

Edited June 21, 2015 by simple1

[SheungWan]

What do you mean, pensions are "welfare"? You mean

When you work you don't pay into your pension? If you

Pay for the benefit it is not welfare.

In The States every working person pays 7.5% of their

Salaey into Social Security . The Employer must match

This and pay 7.5% also. Not at all a Welfare Program

If UK pensions are not paid by the employee and employer,

Than it's welfare and cut it too by 30%... To start.

State pensions are not individually accumulated pots.

[simple1]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

Want to be like Greece? Lots of wants, but no money...

Its not a case of want to be like Greece they all are. The people only have themselves to blame as they handed their executioner the axe in the last election with a working majority. Its amazing how politicians spin a web of BS/deceit to sucker voters into voting for them. Yes these austerity programs are because the governments bailed out the banks that were playing fast and loose with depositors money. Nobody was ever charged, fined or spent time in jail. Years ago these shenanigans by politicians were done discreetly now none of them care as long as you re-elect them. God help us no one else will.

Why have so few bankers gone to jail?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/05/economist-explains-why-few-bankers-gone-to-jail

[delgarcon]

What do you mean, pensions are "welfare"? You mean

When you work you don't pay into your pension? If you

Pay for the benefit it is not welfare.

In The States every working person pays 7.5% of their

Salaey into Social Security . The Employer must match

This and pay 7.5% also. Not at all a Welfare Program

If UK pensions are not paid by the employee and employer,

Than it's welfare and cut it too by 30%... To start.

When I worked in England the government took around 20% of salaries in social security charges, the company paying 55/60%. Pensions are certainly not welfare payments.

[simple1]

Cut all welfare by 30% to start...

When all austerity measures are taken into account, including cuts to public services and changes to taxes and welfare, the poorest tenth of the population are by far the hardest hit, seeing a 38 per cent decrease in their net income over the period 2010 - 15.

https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/cs-true-cost-austerity-inequality-uk-120913-en.pdf

Pensions are welfare benefits, so are you recommending pensioners have their payments cut by 30%? Three per cent of expenditure is accounted for by Jobseeker’s Allowance, while over 50 per cent is spent on pensioners.

http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/2013/01/fact-and-fiction-on-welfare-spending

I can't see a single mature adult among the protesters on the news, much less a pensioner. They look like demanding college students who think the world owes them a living. Eventually reality has to catch up with them.

Look at the news. They are punks.

You're looking at different media shots to me...have a look at URL below.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/20/tens-thousands-rally-uk-protest-against-austerity

There have been major cuts to public servant staffing who are also protesting, are they 'punks'?

Over the next five years, around 500,000 more jobs have to go, according to the basic arithmetic of austerity: the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted a total of a million lost jobs over the decade from 2010.

Edited June 21, 2015 by simple1

[little mary sunshine]

Amazing to me being from The States how liberal

UK benefits are to people that don't contribute at

Least 15% of their earnings to a retirement plan.

In the US employee contributes 7.5% and employer

Contributes 7.5% to fund Social Security, our Federal

Retirement Program. Your benefits are paid to you

Based on # of years worked and amt you paid into

The system. Not welfare like the U K where you

Don't contribute...again, amazing. To collect SS

Benefits you have to work a minimum of 4 years and

Become totally disabled (accident,stroke). Minimum

Monthly benefit, or Full Retirement benefits at age 67,

And have worked at least 15 years prior to retirement.

[ginjag]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

You think 35 % or so is a majority

No over 60% did not vote TORY

[quandow]

"We will not rest until austerity is history, our services are back in public hands and the needs of the majority are put first."

--Didn't these people just lose an election? Massively. So, how are they now the majority?

Want to be like Greece? Lots of wants, but no money...

No, the money is getting siphoned up to the wealthy. No one disputes this, stock markets don't lie.