In what might be one of the largest protests ever staged in the pouring rain in Glasgow, a crowd of more than 15,000 people gathered to march across the city to protest government cuts in benefits and services. These cuts have hit the neediest people hardest and the People First rally included average laypersons, politicians, people of faith and trade unions.
Of interest was the participation of the participation of Tony Benn, one of the true remaining political activists who also played a role in government at one time or another. His efforts are always on a grass roots level and he is famed for being at the forefront of political rallies and protests. For years Benn refused to get involved with politics but when he was finally persuaded to hold office, he is and will be remembered as one of the UK’s favoured politicians.
The thousands of Scots who gathered in the rain to hear Benn, guest speaker, were not put off by the inclement weather and then went on to march from Glasgow Green to Kelvingrove Park. Not only was Benn honoured as being the keynote speaker at the protest but he was likewise honoured at the 40th anniversary of the work-in at the Glasgow Mitchell Theatre.
According to Benn who was a part of demonstrations and protests for more than 40 years, he doesn’t ever remember so much anger directed at the government before. Social cuts are threatening Scots across the board from the middle class to the poorest of the poor.
The general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, Grahame Smith, states that this demonstration was intended to send a clear and indelible message to the coalition government. It is time of a plan B in order to avoid another recession, poverty and cuts that will surely damage Scots across the board.
