Big London demonstration against Theresa May-terrorist coalition

About the big anti-Theresa May march in London today, from British daily The Independent:

Tens of thousands march in London to demand Theresa May’s resignation

Protesters from across UK march against Tory ‘commitment to austerity, cuts and privatisation’

Tens of thousands of protesters have marched through central London to campaign against the Conservative government as part of a “Not One Day More” protest.

More than 100,000 attended the rally, according to organising body the People’s Assembly. The protest began outside BBC Broadcasting House in Portland Place before moving on towards Parliament Square to hear a number of speakers including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Protesters arrived with banners branding messages of defiance against austerity and the Tory Party such as “Austerity kills” and “Kick the Tories out”, and people could be heard chanting “Not one day more” as the crowd moved through the streets of the capital.

About the big anti-Theresa May march in London today, from British daily The Guardian:

When the march reached Parliament Square, a minute’s silence was held “in memory and respect” to the victims of Grenfell Tower. Tributes were also paid to the emergency services who responded to the fire with a minute’s applause.

From British weekly Socialist Worker today:

Huge demonstration in London says the Tories must go now

A great wave of defiance against Theresa May’s government swept through central London today.

Tens of thousands of people marched who are angry at austerity, racism and pay curbs. The Grenfell Tower fire was seen by many as the symbol of all that is wrong with a society that puts profit before people’s lives.

And there was universal fury at the grubby deal with the bigots of the Democratic Unionist Party that is enabling May to stay in office—and continue to implement her toxic policies.

Several of the speakers at the rally said 100,000 had joined the “Tories Out, Not One Day More” demonstration.

Called by the People’s Assembly and backed by many trade unions and campaigns, it showed the mood to resist the Tories—and also a sense of optimism and confidence after the surge for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party in the general election.

It was a very positive sign of the readiness for a fightback and to push for a different sort of society.

In front of a crowd singing “Oh Jeremy Corbyn” in Parliament Square, the Labour leader said, “When we met in Parliament Square two years ago we had a Tory government in office, hell bent on austerity.

“We said we’d fight that and that’s what we’ve been doing the last two years.

“We were written off by the mainstream, but something happened.

“It was the people registering to vote and the people getting involved in the social media campaign — and it was the tens of thousands who came to rallies saying that the people are united and determined.”

Corbyn added, “The Tories are in retreat, austerity is in retreat, the economic arguments of austerity are in retreat.

“It’s those of social justice, of unity, of people coming together to oppose racism and all those that would divide us, that are the ones that are moving forward.

“This is the age of imagination, this is the age in which we will achieve that decency and social justice that we all crave.”

He added the last election was about the “gross inequality of modern Britain” and the next one would be too.

Len McCluskey, the Unite union general secretary, said, “You have come from all across the land to fight for a people’s government.

“To Theresa May, your party and cruelty have failed the people – let Labour get on with the job. Prime minister, for the good of the nation, go and go now.”

But some of the marchers were clear they expect more from the union leaders.

Theresa, a Doncaster care worker on the march, said, “Everybody’s had enough of year after year of the 1 percent pay cap, and that mood has intensified with Corbyn’s election campaign.

“Unison is the biggest health union but we’re not taking a lead over fighting for health workers’ pay. We should be balloting for action. If you don’t have a go you’ll never win.”

Mark, a Unison rep from Manchester said, “There’s a different mood at work now. People gather to discuss protest and industrial action whenever someone mentions it. I’ve saying to them to join a union and get onto more of these marches.

“I’d like to see the union at a regional level getting branches connected more and start pushing for action, holding big local rallies. They’ve got to give a lead.”

Mona Kamal, a junior doctor, told the rally to loud cheers, “I was one of the 50,000 junior doctors that struck last year.

“If and when my nursing colleagues do the same, they will have 50,000 junior doctors standing behind them in solidarity.

“We are going to keep going until the Tories are out.”

Trade Union Congress (TUC) leader Frances O’ Grady said, “Working people are hungry for change. We want a pay rise. We’re not going to put up with it anymore.” …

But the TUC has just called off a rally planned for 17 July against the pay cap, and shows no sign of trying to coordinate strikes to break it.

PCS union leader Mark Serwotka said that May is weak and Corbyn will be the next prime minister. “We need more demonstrations, more campaigns and one way we can make that happen more quickly is through a public sector strike,” he said.

There is a new sense of hope after the election. But although Conservative MPs could topple May for their own reasons, getting rid of the Tories will require a serious mass mobilisation.

The mood for change needs to fuel action in the streets and the workplaces, not just inside the Labour Party or in elections.

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