A NATIONAL march in 'Defence of the Welfare State and Repeal of all Anti-trade Union Laws' will be coming through St Helens next Wednesday, September 23.

And St Helens TUC has organised a number of events for for the day starting with a rally in Church Square at around 3.30pm. A public meeting will follow at the town hall at 7pm with a host of national and local speakers including Jeremy Corbyn MP; Davey Hopper, secretary of North East Region of National Union of National Union of Mineworkers; Joan Hall, vice-president of National Pensioners' Convention; Kevin Nelson, convenor of North West Region of Unison and Glenn Voris, secretary of St Helens TUC; plus speakers from St Helens Pensioners' Action Group, St Helens Coalition of Disabled People and Pilkington's GMB trade union, which is currently in dispute with the company.

Glenn Voris said: "Unfortunately the Mayor of St Helens declined our offer to provide a civic reception.

"Locally, we intend to use the event as a springboard to launch a campaign to unite people to defend the welfare state such as council services. This is in response to St Helens Council's policy of privatising the local school meal services and council housing."

A spokesman for St Helens Council said: "The march is not recognised by the TUC or the Labour Party nationally, therefore we were not able to offer support requested, which included accommodation for those taking part."

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