Community activists in Darlington will be sending the message that “enough is enough” to the Conservative Party with a demonstration in the town centre.

Darlington People’s Assembly (DPA) is to co-host a rally in the town centre on Saturday, October 1, the day before the Tories’ annual conference in Birmingham.

DPA will join Darlington TUC and Darlington Against Cuts to highlight how ordinary, hard-working people are fearing the winter as the soaring cost of living and Government policies pose a threat to livelihoods and even lives.

DPA coordinator Ashley Blakey said: “Energy prices are through the roof, leaving families to make the hardest decisions - do they eat or heat?

"We want to make a stand to say enough is enough.

Read more: Pensioners 'break down' in tears and are 'ready to give up on life' over energy bills

“Stop the real-terms wage cuts, stop the food bill increases, stop the energy price increases and the producers’ profiteering, don’t make the elderly pay prescription charges, don’t unfreeze rich bankers’ bonuses.

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“Instead, take a decision to govern for ordinary people and small, local businesses and traders, not millionaires, giant multi-nationals and banks that gamble away billions then have to be bailed-out by taxpayers.”

The demonstration will begin at 1pm on High Row and the DPA asks all who are concerned about the cost-of-living crisis to go along.

The People’s Assembly is not affiliated to any political party though it was set up in 2013 to oppose the Government’s austerity programme.

As well as trade unionists, among supporters are people concerned about the effects of poverty, low pay, unemployment, disability or prejudice, as well as members of other civil organisations.

Ms Blakey said: “We have a number of different speakers from all backgrounds lined up and the final list will be confirmed nearer the day.

“Come and stand with us and have your voice heard. We are stronger if we act together than if we sit and worry alone.”

But responding to the expected demo, Darlington's Conservative MP Peter Gibson said: "I don’t know who the Darlington Peoples Assembly are or indeed which people of Darlington they are assembling."

He added that the group seems "opposed to lots of things which is all very admirable, but meaningless."

"The country faces challenges at this time as a result of the world energy markets and the last Labour government’s failure to invest in Nuclear energy.

"Thankfully this government is standing up to Putin in supporting Ukraine, Providing support, grants, reductions advances caps to British people to meet energy costs AND is developing an energy strategy to ensure our future energy security."

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