Report Back: Demonstration against the Tory Conference, Birmingham

We defied an attempted ban on the protest by the police and the Birmingham’s ConDem City Council, we marched in pouring rain and we demonstrated despite a heavy police presence. The coach left Tower Hamlets at 8:30am, but half way up the motorway the rain began to fall. Our bus included Tower Hamlets Unison, which voted to support the protest, plus members of the NUT, RMT and NUJ unions. 

We arrived at car park in Birmingham. Very quickly the area started to fill up with delegations from around the country. The first coach left Belfast the night before. There were a lot of banners from trade unions and community organisations. 

The mood was very defiant.  It was quite interesting to see how many issues people raised against a government that was only elected 5 months ago. Issues ranged from cuts in public spending, layoffs, privatisation, fox hunting, and attacks on people’s right to council housing.

Around 100 CWU postal union members came to the demo, including the president Jane Loftus, she said, “We will deliver solidarity to all trade unionists and workers in struggle. With solidarity, we can win.”

Post worker Angie Mulcahy, the area processing rep from the threatened Bow Locks mail centre in east London said, “Management are trying to create a climate of fear amongst postal workers. In London they want to close two mail centres. But we are planning a fight back—and it starts with this demo.

“The big turnout from the CWU shows the level of attacks we are facing. The cuts will affect everyone. The CWU should support workers fighting back, and we expect the same solidarity in return.”

Also in the CWU block is Gareth Eales, deputy branch secretary of Northamptonshire Amal CWU. He said, “The privatisation of Royal Mail is a massive threat, but we are also here to stand shoulder to shoulder with other trade unionists facing cuts and privatisation.

Richard Gurney, Bath north east Somerset Unison branch chair, said, "The government White Paper is ending the NHS in all but name. We have built a poll of attraction that cuts are not inevitable. The TUC was a good start, but have to build on the ground."

Cath Collins, a Unison union member working in NHS said “They try and make out that everyone on benefit is on the make – but have they ever lived on £60 a week? I voted for Ed Miliband, I don’t know why he's so scared of being called Red Ed. I liked some of his speech but when he attacked strikes I thought, you were elected with union votes!”

Kelvin a Unite union member said, "If the Tories try to use salami tactics to attack different sections of workers as they did on the 1980s, this time we need a generalised fight back."

Labour MP John McDonnell showed his anger at the cuts, saying, “I’ve got a warning for the Tories—if you come for us, we will come for you, with strikes, occupations, direct action. This is no time to stand on the sidelines.” 

Salma Yaqoob is the leader of the Respect party and a councillor in Birmingham. “We have extremists in our midst...trying to destroy our way of life. They want to take our jobs and our homes. I’m talking about the Tories!"

At that point the crowd errupted with sound, as protesters clapped and cheered and blew whistles and vuvuzelas. 

After noon the march began. An exuberant student delegation added to the great atmosphere despite the weather as 7,000 people headed towards the Tory conference. Delegations from hundreds of workplaces gave the demonstration an electric and angry mood despite the pouring rain. 

As the march moved through Birmingham there were reports of Tory delegates scuttling to get out of the way of the oncoming crowd who are chanting "Tory scum, out of Brum” 

It was great when some students let off smoke flares when they got close to the police cordon protecting the Tories from the general public. 

After the conference hall, near the end of the march, police tried to flex their muscles. They set up a ‘Kettle’ towards the back of the demo but failed to dampen down the spirits of the protesters.  After a while through they herded the kettle into the car park of waiting coaches.   

At the final rally in the car park, Mark Serwotka PCS union general secretary said, "Some at the TUC say no one will come, if demos are called. But if thousands of people will come to Birmingham, on a Sunday, in the rain, how many thousands could the TUC get if it mobilised?”

"The TUC is organising a protest against the cuts in March, and we have to make sure there are hundreds of thousands of people on the streets that day.”

Chris Bambery from the Right to Work campaign said, “We need to go from here and start saying that if in Greece, if in France, if in Spain they can have a general strike against cuts and austerity, then we can have a general strike here in Britain.”

Other speakers at the rally included Dave Nellist, socialist councillor from Coventry, leading activist in Greek general strikes Dina Garane, Portuguese Left Bloc MP, green groups.

Jeremy Corbyn, left wing Labour MP said, “This is the time to mobilise, organise and defend the welfare state—to stand for a society base on the needs of everyone not the needs of a few.”