Some 100 people came to a Lancashire Against the Cuts meeting on Saturday
afternoon in Preston - not bad on a sunny day and with lots of people in
Blackburn to protest against the EDL.

The line up was impressive too - John McDonnell MP, former MP for Halifax,
Alice Mahon, the former Preston City Council leader Valerie Wise,Lynne
Wallace, secretary of Preston and South Ribble Trades Council, Lancaster
Green councillor Chris Coates, the education officer of the Central
Lancashire Students Union, Sam Sandilands, the leader the Labour group on
Blackpool city council, Simon Blacburn, the general secretary of the CWU,
Billy Hayes and my good self.

It sounds like a lot of speeches but actually it worked well. Some of the
stories about the impact the cuts are having were heart rendering. Alice
Mahon made an impassioned call for the TUC to follow up 26 March with a
general strike. there was a great deal of unanamity about the need for
strike action, co-ordinated or a general strike, and in for direct action.

For a report in the lancashire evening post access
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/government_cuts_top_agenda_at_meeting_1_3250995