Pictures from a demonstration

A cold wet Saturday afternoon in March was perhaps not the best sort of day to launch a nationwide protest against the introduction of  the loathed Bedroom Tax. Around 250 turned up nevertheless at this rally in Queens Gardens. They were part of nearly 60 such meetings across the country involving about 13000 people. Not earth shattering numbers I agree but it's a start. If I'm honest I don't think rallies like this and bigger marches planned for later on will have much effect on this Government which seems to have beans in its ears. I hope it does but I'm not holding my breath.

A quick note on media response. The Sunday People had printed out hundreds of placards for these meetings. They, along with the Daily Mirror, strongly back this protest so there's a bias alert on anything they say. The reporting in the press and on TV varied from outright ignoral through  under reporting (shame on you Hull Daily Mail for saying there were "more than 60" attending this rally); the local TV stations had short and reasonably accurate reports. But then I've read newspaper reports of football matches I've attended and they even got the score wrong so any report is a  bonus I guess.

There were a couple of people wearing similar masks, I would have thought to point of the demonstration was to show your face and be counted but maybe I'm old fashioned.

Here's local Labour MP Karl Turner having his say before one of the local TV stations. He's a barrister; does it show?

And when the speakers begin to drag, as they do, you can always admire the hellebores as opposed to the other bores.

And where there's a crowd it obviously needs policing. I have to say this is as close as the police got. The sergeant in the car was probably the driest and warmest person in Hull city centre yesterday and that's why he's a sergeant.