Jeremy Hunt’s budget failed to help a public sector at “crisis point”, striking teachers said on Wednesday as they demonstrated in Trafalgar Square.

The National Education Union’s action in England was part of the largest day of stoppages since the wave of strikes began last year, with more than 400,000 workers across sectors striking because of pay disputes.

Teachers joined London Underground staff from the Aslef and RMT unions, junior doctors on day 3 of their action, civil servants from the Public and Commercial Services Union who demonstrated outside Downing Street, BBC journalists protesting about cuts to local radio output and, in the private sector, Amazon staff in Coventry.

Some of those in Trafalgar Square welcomed the chancellor’s £4bn expansion of 30 hours of free childcare to all preschool children aged from nine months from 2025, as well as the increased tax-free pension allowance.

EdCentral Logo