Bedroom tax: Manchester joins national day of action

Manchester had a vibrant protest against the bedroom tax on Saturday, hot on the heels of the city's last protest on the issue, as part of a nationwide day of action.

Demonstrators from a wide range of backgrounds, including many people directly hit by the policy, gathered to show our opposition.

The Unite community branch led the protest. Among the hundreds of local people were the Unite council workers branch, Labour councillors, UK Uncut, Green Party members, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts and Coalition of Resistance supporters. A broad coalition has been built in a short time to mobilise the disgust felt at a vicious and unfair attack on benefits.  

A pop-up library appeared at the rally point where more supporters joined marchers. Speeches outlined the injustice of this Tory attack on the poor, set to be introduced on Monday, and the misery and disruption it will cause. There will be further protests in the weeks and months ahead, in Manchester as elsewhere, until we get the bedroom tax scrapped or make it unworkable.