More than 100 protest outside Liverpool Town Hall over cuts

The protests outside Liverpool Town Hall spilled into the road

More than 100 people held a protest outside Liverpool Town Hall over cuts.

Dave Walsh, president of Liverpool Trades Council, said the council should not be afraid of setting an illegal budget.

He said: "There's an old saying in the Labour movement, 'better to break the law than the poor'. Vulnerable people in this city are going to be left without care."

But Mayor Joe Anderson said the council would set a legal budget.

He said: "This city was set back 30 years ago by people setting an illegal budget. There's two options, either set a legal budget or an illegal budget.

"I'm on the side of setting a legal budget - as tough as that is."

The council has rejected calls for the authority to ignore government spending targets and set an illegal budget.

In the 1980s, Liverpool's Labour-controlled council set an illegal budget which led to the banning of and surcharge of 47 councillors.

The council has to save £156m over the next three years, on top of £173m worth of cuts over the last three years.

The latest financial position shows that Liverpool City Council will have to save £45m in 2014-15, £63m in 2015-16 and £48m in 2016-17.

Traffic near to the Town Hall in Dale Street was blocked by the protest on Wednesday evening and police stepped in to clear the road as a woman was trying to get to hospital.