With strikes due plunge the country into chaos tomorrow, Milton Keynes organises official 'Support the Strikers' rally

A ‘Support the Strikers’ rally is to be held in MK towards the end of a day of disruption anticipated tomorrow (Wednesday).

Some schools in the city are having to partially close as teachers join the university workers, civil servants, train and bus drivers all due to walkout during the day.

MK People’s Assembly has organised a demonstration in support of their action. It will take place outside the Conservative Club in Bletchley at 5.30pm.

Speakers will include Emily Darlington, who is a Cabinet member and councillor for Bletchley East Ward as well as Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Milton Keynes South. She will be appearing alongside trade unionists and People's Assembly speakers.

A People’s Assembly spokesperson said: “As well as a country wide teachers strike, called by the National Education Union, the Department for Education (DFE) and schools inspectorate Ofsted are also on strike that day.

“We are calling on the public to give the widest possible support to strikers and to defend the right to strike, defend the NHS and defend the right to protest – all of which they say are at risk.”

Gary Lloyd, a postman from MK said: "It is no accident that the very people taking strike action at the moment are the very same key workers that were lauded as heroes during the recent pandemic. Their reward from this government has been real-terms pay cuts and an assault on their terms and conditions of employment.

"Now they are fighting back in the only way that they can - by taking strike action to force the government back to the negotiating table.”

Meanwhile Downing Street has said mass strike action on Wednesday will cause significant problems..

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "We know that there will be significant disruption, given the scale of the strike action that is taking place tomorrow, and that will be very difficult for the public trying to go about their daily lives.

"We are upfront that this will disrupt people's lives and that's why we think negotiations rather than picket lines are the right approach."