Many EACA supporters travelled to London on Saturday to take part in the TUC-organised, March for the Alternative. A significant group from Edinburgh was at the front of the march – given that they needed to catch the specially-chartered train back home at a reasonable hour, having set out so early. Others were dispersed along its length, supporting various unions and groups. (Thanks to Des for the photos from – what I think – is near the march’s front).

Speaking personally, a few things about the march stand out. Firstly, the scale of it! I’d gone down to London under my own steam, and met up with former colleagues who formed part of the PCS bloc – my former union before I was made redundant earlier this year. We were only the 6^th bloc back from the front, but were easily a good half mile or more from the start. Behind us were people stretching back along the Embankment as far as the eye could see, with thousands more queuing on the South Bank and Waterloo Bridge to take their place. I know even the police agree with the official TUC estimate of around half a million people, but I would be surprised if it wasn’t more, possibly many more. I understand the end of the march didn’t reach Hyde Park until hours after the speeches at the rally there had actually finished, that’s how big an event it was.