Hundreds of thousands expected for anti-austerity march

Organisers of an anti-austerity protest are predicting that hundreds of thousands of people will join the demonstration.

The People’s Assembly said 70,000 had already pledged support for the event in London on June 20.

Unions, politicians, campaign groups and celebrities are taking part in a march from the City of London to Parliament.

Welsh singer Charlotte Church (pictured) joined a news conference in London to publicise the protest, saying: “Staying at home and doom-mongering doesn’t do anyone any good.”

Steve Turner, assistant general secretary of Unite, predicted it would be the biggest protest for years.

Further demonstrations will be held on the day of the Budget next month and outside the Conservative Party annual conference in October.

“We will see a broad coalition against the vicious attacks from this vindictive Government.

“It hasn’t taken the Conservative Government very long to attack unions by planning ballot thresholds, when it only had the support of 24% of the electorate.”

Church accused the Government of telling lies about the economy and of “misleading” the public.

Mr Turner called for “civil disobedience” against austerity, adding he hoped Labour’s leadership candidates would attend the protest.

He said he was pleased Jeremy Corbyn was joining the leadership contest, believing it would open up a “different debate”.

Church said she did not have to suffer personally from austerity measures to have empathy with the campaign.

She said her wealth had always been over-estimated and she would be happy to pay a higher rate of tax if it helped stop spending cuts.

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