Politics

Thousands take to the streets to tell Tories they're not welcome in Manchester


Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets to tell the Tories they’re not welcome in Manchester.

Despite heavy rainfall activists filled the streets as they marched through the city centre to protest the Conservative conference.

Earlier in the day the People’s Assembly organised a “Shut down the Tories” event while later there was an anti Brexit demo.

Protesters take part in a large scale demonstration against austerity

The General Secretary of the TUC Frances O’Grady was cheered as she said: “It’s great to be in mighty Manchester the birthplace of the TUC, the place where Peterloo started the fight for the working class right to vote and the place where there was a professor of law, a wonderful woman called Lady Hale.

Protesters turned out despite the rain


“The thing about Lady Hale is she is not intimidated are we intimidated? Are we strong?”

The crowd’s enthusiasm was unbowed by the soggy conditions.

She added: “Now we know the truth, a no-deal Brexit was never about the millions who have to work for a living, it was always about those Tory-supporting hedge funds. They have bet the house on us coming down on 31 October. Are we going to let them profit from our misery? No. Are we going to let that mob boss in the White House slice and dice our NHS? No.”

Angela Rayner joined the march

Laura Smith, who won Crewe and Nantwich in 2017 off the Tories, asked the crowd to help her keep the seat.

“It will be a long and a painful journey, we’re going to have to dig deep and discover just how much fight we’ve got, but every time it gets tough I take one look at my kids, I think the care worker juggling two jobs and visiting the food bank.

Laura Smith gave a rousing speech

“We’re made of tougher stuff and that’s why we’ll win. We’ve got no choice but to.

 

“In 2017 with Jeremy’s positive message and an army of activists we in Crewe and Nantwich were able to unseat a Tory minister by just 48 votes.”

Protesters braved the rain

Samantha Townsend, 32, who works as a carer, had travelled down from Bishop Auckland in Co. Durham.

She told the Mirror: “We want to make the point that it’s disgusting that Boris Johnson wanted to take our democracy away from us.

 

“They’re over there in their nice conference having the time of their life having drinks and food while people are struggling to feed themselves and their children. We just think it’s a disgusting display of privilege.”

Angela Rayner addressed the crowd from the stage

While 17-year-old Belle Lewis from Shrewsbury said: “We want to tell the Tories that they’re not welcome, that they’re propping up this failing economic system, that they’re not acting on the climate crisis and, as Greta Thunberg said, the ‘fairy tales of eternal economic growth’.

“We need to kick them out and get a good socialist alternative.”

Protesters take part in a large scale demonstration against austerity


Demonstrators gathered on Oxford Road at about midday for a Shut Down the Tories event before marching through heavy downpours to Deansgate, where a rally was due to be held.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner was among those heading the march, holding a banner saying “No More Austerity”.

At the rally she warned the government they were on “borrowed time” because ” Jeremy Corbyn and our cabinet are waiting to take over.”

Others held placards saying “Tories Out” and “Defy Tory Rule”.

Frances O’Grady addressing the crowds


Marchers banged drums, blew whistles and chanted “Tories out” and “Boris Johnson, shame on you” as they made their way through the city, pausing as they passed near Manchester Central, where the conference is being held.

Roads through the city were closed by police as the march took place and mounted officers led the demonstrators.

Later at the second protest of the day a giant Boris Johnson blimp was inflated at Castlefield Bowl ahead of the Reject Brexit – Defend Our Democracy event.

The six-metre tall inflatable depicted the Prime Minister dressed in blue shorts with red hearts and the word “Nigel” on, and a T-shirt showing a £350 million bus.





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