Budget Day protests

On a bitterly cold November day Unite Community branches across the country held stalls yesterday as part of a national day of action on 26 November against benefit cuts.

Unite activists ran stalls under the banner “Cut Sanctions Not Benefits” in towns and cities across the UK as well as holding a rally outside Parliament to coincide with the Autumn Budget statement.

On the south coast members of Unite Community Southampton held a lunchtime demonstration outside the entrance to Westquay.

Helen Field, chair of the Southampton Unite Community Branch, spoke to the Southern Daily Echo saying: “This was part of a national day of action up and down the country today. We want to see a complete redistribution of wealth in this country from today’s budget.

“All the energy companies made £30 bn last year in pre-tax profits. As a household in this country we pay £500 each towards that and it just is not right.

“We need to see a budget for the people that has the lives of the everyday citizen at the forefront of its agenda – we need to see an end to people choosing between heating and eating.”

Meanwhile in Chesterfield members of Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Unite Community Branch held a banner drop over Markham Road.

Andy King, branch secretary, told the Derbyshire Times that: “This is not just about people who are out of work. Personal Independence Payment is a lifeline for our disabled citizens, helping them to maintain dignity and a degree of independence.

“To have it ripped away is unacceptable. Balancing the books should not be done on the backs of the vulnerable.”

In Yorkshire Unite Community Bradford Branch members held their weekly stall in the market and took the opportunity to talk to the public about what they wanted to see from the budget. 

On social media the branch said, “A wealth tax was almost universally popular and the suggestion was met with cheers! 

“People hung baubles on our Christmas tree with their wishes about what they would do with £25 billion that could be raised by just a 1% increase in taxes for people with over 4 million pounds.”

Nicholas Parnell, Unite National Community Coordinator, said, “Unite Community branches have turned out to demonstrate in our regions and nations. 1 in 6 workers claim some form of benefit. 

“The ongoing attacks on welfare are simply pushing more people into poverty. Unite Community is the vanguard of the fight back with members everywhere standing together showing solidarity against these pernicious cuts”. 

Find out more about Unite Community here. 

Photos from Unite Community stalls and protests from across the country are below.

Wrexham

Edinburgh

Leicester

Bradford

Peterborough

Bradford Market Stall

Chesterfield Banner Drop

Cardiff

Norfolk

Barnsley

Truro Christmas Market

Huddersfield

Birmingham City Centre

By Keith Hatch

Photos by Unite Community Branches across the UK