Thousands of protesters took to the streets of London to demand an immediate general election amid the cost of living crisis. The ‘Britain is Broken’ protest, which took place along the Embankment on Saturday afternoon, was organized by the People’s Assembly with the support of Just Stop Oil. Former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell were among the crowds. Protesters marched in the rain from the Embankment to Trafalgar Square, where a rally was held with speakers including Mick Lynch, the general secretary of the Rail, Shipping and Transport (RMT) Union. Reuters The People’s Assembly said protesters were demanding immediate general elections, action on low wages and the repeal of “anti-union” labor laws.
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General Secretary Laura Pidcock, a former Labor MP, said the march was to “oppose everything this government stands for, in our communities and on the street”. “Coming out of the Covid pandemic, we have seen attacks on workers’ wages and conditions, political collapse, an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis and the emergence of a massive backlash from unionized workers, including a wave of strikes sweeping the country. summer,” he said. PA Former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government would be “forced to listen” to protesters like those at the People’s Assembly calling for better pay and workers’ rights. “Governments are finally listening because of popular movements,” he said. “People out here are very determined…they are not going to see increasing impoverishment in our society.” Michelle Uden brought her seven-year-old twin boys to the rally and said she wanted a change in leadership after struggling with the cost of living. PA The 34-year-old, who cares for her epileptic husband at their home in New Eltham, south-east London, told PA news agency: “Enough is enough. “If we don’t stand up and fight, we will sit and cry. We want to get rid of Rishi Sunak, we want more funding for the NHS, we want it to stop being privatised. “We want the Tories out – it’s the only way to change.” Also at the protest was retired nurse Claire Dawson, 66, who said she is “absolutely sick” of the current government and joined the People’s Assembly protest because she thought it was “important for the whole country to see that there is an opposition”. . Ms Dawson, from Crouch End in north London and holding a placard calling for a general election, said: “I think the poor are suffering so much and I just feel like they can go from one prime minister to another without any sort of democracy . “I think the only way it’s going to happen is if (Rishi) Sunak is pushed back. This government is not going to go away unless it is really pushed.” Police were preparing for mass protests across London over the weekend with extra officers being brought in. On Saturday, he said officers “monitored the activity.” Commander Jon Savell said, before the weekend: “The Met has a long history of dealing with spontaneous protests in London. We have a very experienced policing team as well as strong policing measures. we can respond efficiently and quickly to any emerging public order incidents. “We fully support peaceful protest and will always try to work with the organizers to ensure the protests continue safely. “However, unlike many protest groups, the Million Mask March and Just Stop Oil do not engage with us in advance of their action. Police said that since October 2, officers have arrested 677 Just Stop Oil protesters, 111 of whom have been charged.
