Tens of thousands of people marched through London on Saturday in protest against government spending cuts, with some activists demanding Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation over his family's offshore finances.
Protesters with signs that read "Cameron Must Go" demonstrate outside
the gates to Downing Street in central London on Apr 16, 2016. (Photo:
AFP/Justin Tallis)
Protesters demonstrating on a variety of domestic issues including a
call for British Prime Minister David Cameron to stand down, in
Trafalgar Square on Apr 16, 2016. (Photo: AFP/Justin Tallis)
A protester holds a sign that reads "Dodgy Dave" outside the gates of
Downing Street during a demonstration in central London on Apr 16, 2016.
(Photo: AFP/Justin Tallis)
LONDON: Tens of thousands of people marched through London
on Saturday (Apr 16) in protest against government spending cuts, with
some activists demanding Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation over
his family's offshore finances.
Demonstrators converged on Trafalgar Square calling for
increased investment in the health service, housing, education and
public sector pay, as well as action to stop the loss of thousands of
steel workers' jobs in Wales.
"No ifs, no buts, no public sector cuts," they chanted.
Some protesters also demanded Cameron quit following revelations that
he had shares in an offshore fund set up by his late father, holding up
banners saying "Ditch Dodgy Dave" and "Cameron Must Go - Tories Out!"."For somebody in that position, you have a duty of care to the people of the country to be very open, very transparent. Just because something is legal doesn't always make it right," protester Sarah Henney told AFP.
The march was planned before Cameron's family finances were
revealed in the so-called Panama Papers, but organising group The
People's Assembly said it "proves that this is a government for the
privileged few".
Trade union leaders and politicians addressed the crowd
gathered in a rainy Trafalgar Square, with the opposition Labour party
promising to end years of austerity imposed following the global
financial crisis.
In a video message, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The
austerity we are in is a political choice, not an economic necessity."
Cameron said he sold his offshore holdings before taking
office in 2010 and denied allegations that his father had set up his
fund to avoid paying tax.
But the row has put the premier under pressure at a
difficult time, as he seeks to manage an increasingly bitter fight
within his Conservative party over the upcoming referendum on EU
membership.
Some 128 of the 330 Conservative lawmakers in parliament and
several of Cameron's own ministers are campaigning against him in
favour of leaving the EU ahead of the June 23 vote.
Veteran Tory MP Ken Clarke warned Saturday that if Cameron loses the vote, he will be forced out of office.
- AFP/ec
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