East End teachers protest at Barclays HQ
A group of East End teachers rallied at banking giant Barclays’ headquarters to protest against the �6.5 million bonus its chief executive has just been handed.
The team, led by teachers from Langdon Park School in Poplar, entered the lobby of the building yesterday afternoon after the huge payouts Bob Diamond and other execs would get were announced.
Chants of “Tower Hamlets gets the axe” and “Barclays, pay your tax” were shouted as employees left work for the day.
The protesters, which are part of the Tower Hamlets branch of the UK uncut network, said they were there to draw attention to the budget cuts to be announced by Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman tonight.
They just happened to be heading to the building when the bonuses were announced.
Paul McGarr, a maths teacher at Langdon Park, said: “They say there’s no money, but look at these bonuses. Is it right that people are not paying tax and getting massive bonuses?
“What a contrast to needy and vulnerable children.”
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The group said Barclays’ bonus pool of �3.5 billion was more than has been spent on education in the borough in the past ten years.
The council is planning �70 million of cuts over the next three years.
After-school clubs, youth services, home care, legal support and domestic violence support are just some of the areas being hit.
Mr Rahman is to announce his revised budget at the town hall in Mulberry Place tonight.
