Campaigners will walk from Archway to Angel in protest at Government cuts

A PUBLIC services campaign group has called a march across Islington against Government cuts – after taking inspiration from yesterday’s (Wednesday November 24) student protests.

The Islington Hands Off Our Public Services Coalition (IHOOPS) last night voted to march on January 29, with a route that is likely to go from Archway to Islington Town Hall, in Upper Street.

The march already has the support of the Islington Trades Union Council and the Islington branch of the National Union of Teachers.

Ken Muller, assistant secretary of Islington NUT and an IHOOPS campaigner, said: “We’re calling a demonstration through Islington in defence of our public services.

“We feel inspired by the protests by the students. They have shown us how to fight for the welfare state and the public services that are now threatened.”

Mr Muller added that IHOOPS is hoping to generate a wave of support across the community that could result in a big showing in January.

“We’re trying to emulate the Whittington hospital march,” he said. “We’re hoping to mobilise the whole community.”

The protest will be in response to the sweeping Government cuts announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s spending review in October, which are piling pressure on Islington Council and have raised the prospect of large-scale job losses.

Mr Muller added: “As service providers we feel we have to defend our jobs and the services our members provide. This will be a march against the government spending program, not the council.”

In October, Councillor Catherine West, Islington Council’s Labour leader, said: “The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in Government have hit Islington hard with the most sweeping, unfair cuts that we have seen since the 1920s.

“Many services that the council currently runs will be reduced or closed. No aspect of the council’s work will be untouched.”