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Protesters in anti-austerity rally Protesters in anti-austerity rally
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of people are attending a rally in Glasgow to protest against austerity. Thousands of people have attended a rally in Glasgow to protest against austerity.
The Scotland United Against Austerity event in George Square is taking place as a demonstration is staged in London. The Scotland United Against Austerity event in George Square took place as a demonstration was staged in London.
Organisers of the London event said the protests would be the biggest for years.Organisers of the London event said the protests would be the biggest for years.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) is joining forces with the Peoples' Assembly, which is organising the protests. The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) joined forces with the Peoples' Assembly, which organised the protests.
STUC general secretary Grahame Smith told the Glasgow rally: "Today we send out a clear message to the governments in Westminster and Edinburgh - we refuse to accept that there is no alternative to austerity. Speaking at the rally, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith told BBC Scotland: "We know austerity does not work.
"We know that austerity makes no economic sense. We know that its primary purpose is ideological. It is intended to entrench the economic and political power of a self-interested, privileged elite. "It is not a sensible economic policy.
"To be anti-austerity is to be pro-trade union and to build a successful anti-austerity movement is to build an effective and successful trade union movement. "It is entirely about ideology and it is about protecting the position of the already privileged in society."
"Our campaign will be political and industrial. We will campaign to change government policy - however long that takes. And at the workplace, unions will take whatever action their members believe will be most effective in defending their jobs; their conditions and their communities." The trade union leader added: "We have seen over the past few years the impact of austerity: growing queues at food banks; people being thrown out of their house because of the bedroom tax; and the unprecedented decline in real wages.
Other speakers at the rally will include Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, and Pat Rafferty, Scottish secretary of Unite. "But at the same time we have seen the rich getting richer. That's the impact of austerity and that's why we oppose it."
Mr Smith said the vast majority of the people in Scotland and across the UK did not vote for the Tory government and he questioned the legitimacy of its cuts.
Other speakers at the rally included Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, and Pat Rafferty, Scottish secretary of Unite.