As it happened: Anti-spending cuts protests

Key Points

• Thousands of people have taken part in protests in central London, Glasgow and Belfast against the government's spending cuts
• Labour leader Ed Miliband addressed a rally in Hyde Park where some union leaders called for a general strike
• The government says austerity measures are vital to cutting the deficit, a stance backed by the Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group which reckons the protests will have no effect on policy