Liverpool in march against government spending cuts

Liverpool's Lord Mayor has led a march through Liverpool city centre in a protest at government spending cuts.

Politicians from all parties, community and voluntary groups and public sector workers joined the march from the Anglican Cathedral.

Protesters set off at 1300 GMT to a rally at St George's Plateau.

Council leader Joe Anderson urged people to stage the protest after he delivered details of how the council would make £91m of savings this year.

He said he wanted to show how the city intended to fight the cuts together.

'Deeply unfair'

The savings to be made in the coming year represent 22% of the council's annual £400m budget.

A further £50m will need to be saved in 2012-13.

Mr Anderson said: "The government has given Liverpool a deeply unfair cut to its funding which will hit people in every corner of this city.

"That's why I'm calling on residents to join together, and to march as one city, with one voice, and to demand a fair deal for Liverpool.

"The cuts threaten the very services that our young, the elderly and vulnerable rely on."

Hundreds of people joined the march, which snaked along Berry Street, Renshaw Street and Lime Street before ending at St George's Plateau.