UNIONS in Harrow have warned that demonstrations will not stop unless the Government rethinks its budget deficit strategy.

Hundreds of Harrow members from UNISON and UNITE joined around half a million people in a protest against the Government’s spending cuts on Saturday.

Protesters set off from Victoria Embankment to Hyde Park, where the Trade Union Congress general secretary, Brendan Barber, who organised the protest, addressed the demonstrators.

Richard Gates, regional officer for Harrow UNITE, said: “Everyone has been affected by these cuts and that’s where people share the common denominator.

“Without a doubt there will be more marches until the Government has a real re-think. The cuts are too deep and too quick. It’s counteractive. Every person on the dole from job cuts is not paying taxes.

“This Government is certainly more company friendly and until it listens to public opinion there will be support from the area at future demonstrations like this.”

UNISON branch secretary for Harrow, Gary Martin, said: “We knew how disgruntled the public were and that was seen through the crowds of people ready to demonstrate on Saturday.

“This is just the start of the protests. There were some extremists there, but mostly it was peaceful and productive.

“There are alternatives to cuts. The Government needs to stop the avoidance of tax, with money going out of the country. Billions of pounds are going out with threats from entrepreneurs they will invest in other countries.

“In 1947 there was a bigger deficit than this and that is when the NHS started so there are ways to work through a financial crisis.”

Hank Roberts, junior vice president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and Brent NUT secretary protested outside Brent Town Hall earlier this month at a budget meeting on council spending cuts.

He attended the demonstration on Saturday and said he was “not surprised” by the turnout.

He added: “It was a massive demonstration. It seems that very rapidly the Government’s popularity is going out the window.

“The early estimates were there were 250,000, but that was before it had even got to Whitehall, when figures were said to be half a million.

“This is not just a recession but a depression. You can’t have any recovery through cuts. In future demonstations, which will happen, I’m sure there will be even more people.”