UK: Manchester marches against another 5 years of Tory austerity

Thousands of protesters marched through Manchester on Saturday, demanding an end to the Tory government's policy of austerity and cuts to welfare and services for the poorest sections of the country. Protesters from the People's Assembly Manchester gathered at Piccadilly Gardens at 12:00 (11:00 GMT), joined by union members from the area and scores of other campaign groups opposing a further five years of Whitehall cuts to public services. Conservative policies expected to be implemented within the next five years include scrapping the Human Rights Act of 1998, calling for a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, and an estimated £30 billion (€42 billion) worth of cuts to public spending. Austerity measures will include removing housing benefit for under-21s on jobseeker's allowance and an estimated £12 billion (€16,512,600,329) in unspecified welfare cuts, among others.