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A few days ago, thousands of British people gathered in dozens of towns in the country to hold a large-scale demonstration to express their anger at the cost of living crisis, which organizers said was the largest wave of synchronous protests in the UK in many years. From Eastbourne to Edinburgh , from Newcastle to Norwich , protests across the UK have been described as "massive demonstrations." The protests coincide with the surge in prices of natural gas and electricity units, which will lead to a surge in bills, which is also related to the current situation in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
This protest took place over the weekend amid the largest railway strike in decades in the UK, coordinated by multiple community organizations and trade union organizations to maximize their influence. Meanwhile, in the Kings Cross station in central London, the wide front yard is packed with protesters. Farzana Khanom, 23, said she had to choose between paying rising energy bills and investing in her own career. Shana Karnom also said, "But if we unite and make our voice, maybe we can make a difference."
Meanwhile, near, under the sea of red smoke of fluttering union banners and signal flares, 66-year-old retiree Paul Mason Mason said he came here because the number of protesters might resonate, "Of course, it depends on how many people are present and how big the momentum is. They may listen in the end, but I don't have hope. Over the past 13 years, they have ruined the country. The working people can no longer afford to live." His friend, Sarah Golden, 52, added, "I feel powerless, like we can't vote. I want to try to make a change, so I decided to come here." Just as a massive demonstration broke out, the number of signatures of a petition recently launched soared to more than 300,000, which called for a general election to "end the chaos in this administration."
Moreover, there have been reports of household owners burning their utility bills in a similar "anarchy" atmosphere, a symbolic move initiated by Don’t Pay UK. "Not Paying UK" is a grassroots movement that has received promises from nearly 200,000 households. If one million British people promise not to pay electricity, they are ready to cancel their direct borrowing.
Initially, anonymous organizers promised that if one million people sign up, they would not pay from Saturday (the date when the price cap for regulator Ofgem will be raised). They believe that this scale will "provide security in quantity" and will not be affected.
From October 1, the salary cap will be increased by 80% to £3549, and then to £5400 in January. Instead, according to energy price guarantees from new British Prime Minister Leeds Trass, the average annual bill will be limited to £2,500 for two years from Saturday.
The sport was launched in June by a small group of friends who have remained anonymous due to concerns about the consequences. It is reported that people participating in the movement seem to belong to two categories: one is the one who cannot pay the bill this winter, and the other is the one who opposes some sectors of the energy industry making huge profits on ideological , who hope to send a message to large enterprises by not paying the bill. A spokesman for the campaign
launched the campaign added, "We will continue to carry out strikes until the threshold of 1 million people is reached - but local groups are also building the facilities we need in local communities to protect ourselves and others from the cold this winter."
analysis said that the reason these people launched the campaign was because there was a big precedent, the riot of the poll tax, which had previously refused to pay counting tax - some of whom faced a mandatory liability order - and the protests led the British government to cancel the poll tax. However, it remains to be seen whether the current movement can reach that scale, but perhaps the cold winter, the prospect of power outages and civil unrest will trigger further action.
