Protesters take to the streets against cost of living crisis

Mass demonstrations are taking place across the country today (Saturday, February 12) in protest at rising costs and inflation.

Organised by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the People's Assembly, protesters are taking to the streets to demand action from the government on the cost of living crisis.

The demonstrations come one week after Ofgem announced a 54% increase in the energy price cap in April.

It's compounded by a 1.25% rise in National Insurance and a 7% increase in inflation.

In response, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has promised all households a £200 discount on energy bills in October, that will have to be repaid over five years.

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: "While the Prime Minister's party hangover continues, the Chancellor is picking our pockets in plain sight.

"His proposed action on energy is beyond woeful and his proposals to fund care from the pockets of low paid workers is a disgrace. Meanwhile he is starving the public sector of funds and has cut benefits.

"This Saturday marks the start of a united approach by workers and communities who have been ravaged by the health and economic effects of COVID. We are building an alliance that the politicians will be unable to ignore to demand that the bosses pay their share.”

"Eye-watering" profits for energy companies

In the wake of Ofgem's energy cap announcement, oil and gas companies have announced billions in profits as the cost of fuel increases.

Campaigners have called for a windfall tax that would mitigate the impact of soaring costs on households, however this has so far been rejected.

Chairperson of the People's Assembly Scotland Phil McGarry spoke to Clyde News ahead of the rally in George Square.

He said: "We're mobilising opposition to the draconian policies that have been inflicted upon working people and those who are not in work and living on benefits.

"We are arguing that a windfall tax on utility companies should be the norm. Universal Credit should be reinstated, and the massive profits of BP and Shell should be distributed to the needy.

"The profits are eye-watering. I think that the question of the levy that they should be putting on, the government should seriously think about that.

"Boris Johnson and his cabinet have got some strange ideas, but the ideas are not looking after its citizens, it's looking after the capitalist society that they so relishly favour."

Representatives of trade union and workers' rights groups have attended rallies across Scotland.

Jack Lewis from the Revolutionary Communist Group said: "We're here today to fight against the rising living costs that the working class are going to face. £700 extra is a lot of money for a lot of people, and there needs to be a fight back against that.

"At the end of the day these corporations are making massive profits while the working class die and suffer."

Stagnant wages

But as costs of housing, energy and household essentials soar, wages are not keeping up with inflation.

Despite almost half of parents already struggling to pay their bills, Bank of England boss Andrew Bailey has advised workers to refrain from asking for a salary increase.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “Yet again workers are being asked to pay the price, this time for inflation and the energy crisis. Inflation has not been caused by workers.

"Why should they be expected to pay for the failures of the energy market and the total shambles of Government policy?

“Workers don’t need lectures from the Governor of the Bank of England on exercising pay restraint. Why is it that every time there is a crisis, rich men ask ordinary people to pay for it?

“Enough is enough, we will be demanding that employers who can pay, do pay. Let's be clear, pay restraint is nothing more than a call for a national pay cut.”

Glasgow cost of living crisis protest in pictures

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