General strike: PCS' Mark Serwotka and Philip Collins

The Public and Commercial Services Union general secretary said a march of one million people through London followed by strike action on a "large scale" would force the government to think again on cuts.

Mark Serwotka said "many people were affected by the gloom and despair" and more people would later support industrial action as 80% of the cuts were yet to come.

But Times columnist Philip Collins, a former speech writer for Tony Blair, said it made no sense for Ed Miliband to back a general strike, it would not get backing from the general public and it would achieve nothing.

The debate followed a Sunday Politics film from Manchester

Watch more Sunday Interviews: Philip Hammond -- Chuka Umunna -- Ed Davey -- Eric Pickles -- Ed Balls -- Harriet Harman -- Nick Clegg -- Grant Shapps -- Andrew Lansley -- Ed Balls -- John Cridland -- Iain Duncan Smith -- Alex Salmond -- Liam Fox -- Michael Moore

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