CAMPAIGNERS protested against public spending cuts in Huddersfield.

Kirklees Save Our Services demonstrated yesterday lunchtime as chancellor George Osborne began his Budget speech in Parliament.

Members of the Socialist Workers Party, the Socialist Party and the trade unions Unite and Unison joined the protest outside Huddersfield Town Hall.

Ed Doveton, secretary of Kirklees Save Our Services, called on the Government to tax the rich to deal with the £155bn public deficit.

“The economic crisis is being off-loaded on to ordinary people,” he said. “They are being asked to pay for it while the multinationals continue to take advantage of tax loopholes.”

The group was also protesting against Kirklees Council’s plan to reduce its budget by up to £400m and its workforce by 1,500.

Mr Doveton said: “The staff aren’t sitting on their backsides doing nothing, they’re providing services for the community. The council has the chance to fight these cuts from Government by mobilising the people of Kirklees.”