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Unions hit Westminster to demand general election

UNELECTED PM Rishi Sunak has no mandate to impose more pay cuts and austerity, TUC leader Frances O’Grady told a mass rally tonight — as she called for a general election. 

It’s time the public had a say in Britain’s future, Ms O’Grady said as she warned that the public will not tolerate the Tories installing their fifth PM in the space of six years without a vote being put to them. 

“It’s time to stop the Tories playing musical chairs with the post of prime minister,” the TUC leader said. “We’ve got a simple message: The Tories have no mandate for more pay cuts and austerity. We demand better. General election now!”

More than 600 trade unionists descended on Westminster toay to lobby their MPs for a general election and to bring in measures to ease the crippling cost-of-living crisis. 

MPs were urged to press for a £15-hour minimum wage, a ban on zero-hours contracts, an uplift on universal credit payments and to fight against Tory moves to introduce more anti-trade union legislation. 

Union leaders have warned against possible moves by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to launch a new round of deep spending cuts in his autumn Budget.

Retail workers’ union Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis said: “We now face the prospect of a Budget that will punish those who are already struggling to make ends meet in a cost-of-living crisis, for the horrendous failings of a Conservative government.

“Usdaw members are rightly outraged by the arrogance of the Conservatives, who think they can change leaders and policies without going to the country. 

“It is clear we can’t go on like this, we need a general election now.”

On the need to press for a vote, Ms O’Grady was expected to say the trade union movement “must never forgive — or forget — what the Conservatives have put us through over the last few months.

“They gambled with people’s livelihoods, homes and pensions.

“And for what? To make the richest in this society even richer and to give tax bungs to the likes of Amazon.

“The decisions they took can’t just be glossed over as ‘mistakes’ — the damage caused by the mini-budget will be with us for years.

“Changing the person at the top of the Tory Party is not good enough. The rot goes much deeper.”

Other speakers at the rally at Westminster Central Hall included RMT leader Mick Lynch and front-line workers taking strike action. 

Speaking to the Morning Star ahead of the event, Labour MP Richard Burgon echoed calls for a general election: “As a democrat I believe it should be put to the people, that the people should decide how we deal with this crisis.

“At the same time we’ve seen the government increase scapegoating of migrants, trying to divide the working class in all of its diversity to try and distract people from the reality that cuts, austerity and the reduction in standards of living in this country is a political choice, not an economic necessity.” 

While former shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald, speaking at an RMT rally outside Parliament earlier on Wednesday, said it was time for people to realise that the Tories are not acting in the interest of working people.

“It’s time for a change, let’s get these buggers out!” he said. 

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