Brighton city centre protest to oppose spending cuts

Hundreds of people have taken part in a march through Brighton city centre against planned government spending cuts.

The Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition organised the protest to highlight opposition to the cuts and the impact on public services and benefits.

People joined in a rally and then marched through the city.

Organisers said speakers included politicians, union organisers and workers who faced losing their jobs.

Protesters marched through Trafalgar Street, Queens Road, North Street and into Victoria Gardens.

'Fair choices'

A spokesman for the Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition said: "We oppose all cuts to services and aim to explain that the cuts are not necessary; in fact they are likely to make the deficit situation worse."

He said the Brighton Stop the Cuts Coalition had been initiated by the local Trade Union Council (TUC) which aimed to bring together workers and the public to protect jobs and the public sector.

The government's Spending Review has been criticised by shadow chancellor Alan Johnson who said the cuts were "unfair as well as unwise".

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the cuts would hit the poorest families harder than the better off.

Chancellor George Osborne has denied that the poor will be most affected, saying he had made "fair choices".

He told the BBC that the Spending Review "involved some hard choices, but I think they are fair choices" and he also said the richest 10% were hit hardest.

Marches against cuts have also been taking place elsewhere in England. About 150 protesters gathered in Plymouth, while more than 100 took to the streets in Portsmouth.