Thousands attend London rally calling for action on UK’s cost of living crisis

Thousands have gathered in central London on Saturday to demand action on Britain’s cost of living crisis and call for an immediate general election.

The protest, called Britain is Broken, has been organised by the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, and is supported by groups including CND, Unite, Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.

Thousands of people marched in the rain from Embankment to Trafalgar Square in central London.

The march took attendees over the Embankment area, Westminster bridge, along Lambeth Palace road, through Parliament Square, to the rally at Trafalgar Square.

Speakers at the rally included Mick Lynch, the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, whose members had planned to strike on Saturday in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions – until the action was suspended on Friday.

The People’s Assembly said the protesters were demanding an immediate general election, action on low pay and the repeal of “anti-union” employment laws.

The Conservative party maintains it has a mandate to form the government because of its Commons majority and is under no statutory obligation to call a general election until 2024.

But some have suggested two changes of leadership since the 2019 general election – decided upon by the party alone, as well as internal debates over whether to continue to honour the manifesto on which the party was elected three years ago – mean that mandate is severely outdated and undermined.

Anti-racism groups also joined the march, demanding the removal of Suella Braverman as home secretary. She has been heavily criticised recently for her rhetoric towards people who have tried to come to live in the UK from abroad and her handling of the crisis at the asylum processing centre at Manston in Kent.

Guardian

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