PROTESTERS demanded the chancellor end his “Eton Mess” at once and put a stop to plummetting living standards and hardship as the new Budget was announced.

Austerity pressure group Swindon People’s Assembly took to the town centre yesterday to demonstrate against what they saw as years of hardship enforced by Chancellor George Osborne.

Members also invited the public to submit their own requests to the Secretary Of State in a red Budget Box in the Parade.

Kate Linnegar, of SPA, who is a self-employed businesswoman, said: “Ordinary people have had four years of falling living standards, job cuts and declining public services. We would like an end to George Osborne’s Eton Mess.

“Our priorities would be to spend public funds wisely on measures to help hard working families and the vulnerable in society.

“We would implement measures such as raising the National Insurance threshold for those on low income and introducing a proper living wage. “This will take people out of benefits, give them increased spending power and the money will be in circulation, benefiting the economy.”

She highlighted the need to clamp down on tax evasion to assist the country’s recovery and she said: “Affordable housing to buy or rent is another priority. So much money is wasted paying private landlords vast amounts in housing benefits. This is costing the country millions.

“Our measures would be paid for by reducing military spending. “We would also close loopholes and tax breaks on the country’s top five per cent earners. “We would also ensure that companies such as Amazon, Starbucks, Barclays and Vodafone pay the proper amount in corporation tax instead of routing profits to offshore tax havens.”

The protest followed the group’s demonstration outside the Job Centre last month against the government’s use of controversial ATOS Healthcare to assess work-related sickness benefits.

SPA can be contacted at peoplesassemblyswindon@gmx.co.

uk or on 01793 522824 or visit www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/ swindon_group.