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	London Unites to Save Jobs and Services an article by Jo Lofgren On Saturday 26 March 2011, more than 250,000 people converged on the north riverbank in central London to march through the city towards Hyde Park to oppose the British Government's policy of stringent cuts to services and jobs. The march was organised by the trade unions and a number of civil society organisations and brought together teachers, firefighters, social workers, civil servants, families, young people and pensioners. A scene from the London demo click on photo to enlarge A multiplicity of views and arguments were heard for how the situation could be addressed without cutting vital frontline services, including proposals to scrap the Trident missile programme and to adopt a staggered approach to reducing government spending instead of the current shock therapy. Many people found themselves marching on Saturday because they felt that other options for expressing their opinion had not been heard. There has been a media storm in the United Kingdom in recent months connected to major healthcare, education and social care reforms. The country is deep in debt and the government is cutting far and deep across almost all aspects of services in an attempt to reduce that deficit. An interesting thing to note is that very few people disagree that spending has to be reduced. However, opinions diverge along political lines as to how this should be done. Yesterday's demonstration was a popular expression of the very strong belief held in this country about the welfare state and about the government's role in looking after its own people - making sure that everyone can live a life with dignity, that nobody goes hungry, and that everyone has access to excellent health care, education and the help they need when they get old. At this stage in human development in one of the most 'developed' countries in the world, is that such a strange thing to be marching for, to believe in?		DISCUSSION Question(s) related to this article: How effective are mass protest marches? Thematic forum(s) in which this article is being discussed: MARCHES AND PROTESTS - MARCHES ET PROTESTATIONS Latest reader comment: Readers' comments are invited on this question which relates to three articles on marches and demonstrations: Marching Past the Republican Convention;  The World Starts the New Year with a Call for Peace; and London Unites to Save Jobs and Services.
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