Rally For Rich Folks

At the end of last month, around half a million attended the March For The Alternative in London. And, despite the attempt by the “Black Bloc” to turn parts of the capital violent, that march passed off peacefully and showed that there are many out there who are concerned about the nature and scale of upcoming spending cuts.

This appetite for marches and rallies has now spread to the so-called Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA) and those of like mind in and around the blogosphere: a Rally Against Debt will be held on May 14, and the TPA are publicising it, telling that this will be a chance for the “silent majority” to speak up.

Well, nobody likes debt hanging round their necks, so the naming of the rally at first sounds appealing. However – and there is invariably a however whenever the TPA get involved – this rally is not just “against debt”. It has a positive side, too: it is for something. And that something is more spending cuts.

So the TPA, none of whom make any useful contribution to the country’s economic activity, and their motley band of followers are demonstrating to demand that lots more people lose their jobs. Who on earth is going to march in support of that proposition?

Apart from the TPA, who I’m sure have all volunteered to take part (because these are folks who don’t do compulsion, oh no), there may be a few similarly minded MPs and the odd MEP (guess who) from the Tory fringe. Some from the blogosphere have indicated their possible attendance.

And that may be that, unless the TPA really does have the grassroots it claims. All those overmonied City types will have to overcome the natural desire to properly sleep off the previous night’s demonstration of their “work hard and play hard” ethic. Those who back lobby groups like the TPA will be keeping well out of the limelight. And there is at least one competing rally on the same day.

I’m seriously considering checking what odds I can get on the Rally Against Debt failing to muster 10,000 supporters. With a side bet on it not even garnering 5,000. Even in the North West, the entrepreneurial spirit burns brightly, and I’m sure the TPA will approve.