THOUSANDS of people gathered in front of their screens on Thursday at the People’s Assembly Against Austerity’s online “The Fight For Our Lives” rally.

Over 14,000 people watched the event live, and thousands more tuned in after it ended. Members of the public took part using the hashtag #HealthBeforeWealth.

Green Party deputy leader Amelia Womack called for an end to benefit sanctions as thousands are “falling through the holes of a safety net that was never designed to protect them.”

GMB union health organiser Helen O’Connor said that Covid-19 had “revealed for all to see the necessity of a functioning NHS.”

She warned that the high death toll was partly because of years of privatisation.

“The Tories will want us to pay for their crisis, but the NHS cannot go back to the way it was before,” she said.

Ms O’Connor called for trade unions to unite to “never again” allow attacks on the NHS

Speaking for the Communist Party of Britain, Alex Gordon called for public investment in the NHS through the dividends of scrapping Trident and leaving the EU.

“Forward to socialism, not backwards to failed neoliberalism,” he said.

Stand Up To Racism Manchester organiser Nahella Ashraf said: “If the far right think that they can use this pandemic to build around, we must be ready. 

“We need to hold the government to account, they are responsible for the decisions that have seen people lose their lives.”

Disabled People Against Cuts’ Ellen Clifford said: “The pandemic has starkly exposed the inequalities that exist in society, whether through the disproportionate impact on BAME communities or with disabled people being told they won't get admitted to hospital, let alone receive treatment should they become ill.

“A premature end to lockdown will be a  return to daily slog surrounded by death.”

Communication Workers’ Union leader Dave Ward said the left needed to “capitalise on the new respect for workers” and called on trade unions to come together to organise on common agendas.

With the easing of lockdown measures expected over the weekend, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that coronavirus “has not gone away” and that restrictions must be stuck to.

The disproportionate impact of the crisis on poor and black people had exposed inequalities in Britain, he said.

Mr Corbyn called for “proper” funding to the NHS, education and local authorities, who he said have been doing “amazingly” despite 10 years of austerity cuts.

“Together, when Covid is done, we will be demanding investment, fairness, justice and no more austerity within our society,” he said.

“That is our cause: social justice for all.”