They say cuts will kill

Demonstrators condemning the government cuts to social security besieged the office of Labour MP Ian Murray on the afternoon of 21 March.    

Protestors encircled the office with a giant banner proclaiming “If you exploit us we will shut you down.”

The office remained closed throughout.

The demonstration, organised by Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty and the Austerity Resistance Front, is part of the No More Growing Up Poor – End Child Poverty Britain-wide campaign initiated by Food and Solidarity, and is in solidarity with the Disabled People Against Cuts Day of Action on 26 March.

Campaigners waved placards portraying a DWP Grim Reaper with the wording “Cutting disability benefits kills with passing vehicles showing support.  

Leaflets read “End the DWP’s institutionalised cruelty towards claimants, and kill the new threats to reduce eligibility and lower the level of sickness and disability benefits.”

“No to the two child benefit limit” and “Scrap  the benefit cap” were prominent demands while demonstrators  urged solidarity with migrants and the abolition of the discriminatory “No recourse to public funds” law. 

The demonstrators demanded the scrapping of the “anti fraud” bill currently going through the UK Parliament which would allow the DWP to spy on claimants’ bank accounts.  

One of the organisers, Esther McDonald, said: “Today’s protest is only the start.  A wave of mass direct action is being planned Britain-wide. 

“We will not tolerate the government robbing the poor to enrich the rich!”