By Smitha Mundasad

In defence of a state they helped to create, thousands of pensioners gathered in force to fight for protection of the welfare state at the 10410 demonstration.

“The same generation that fought fascism, the same generation that built the welfare state is now calling this demonstration,” said Bob Crow, of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.

Protecting the NHS played a prominent part in the rally, which was organised by the National Pensioners Convention and gained support from a diverse range of public sector workers and trade unions, from the British Medical Association, and National Union of Teachers to Medway Pensioners Forum.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the British Medical Association said: “Never has it been a more important time to speak out in support of the NHS, when public services are facing unprecedented financial strain.”

Commenting that the major political parties in England “seem obsessed with marketed healthcare”, he asked the crowd, “isn’t it ludicrous that while we have nationalised banks, we are privatising the NHS?”

Dr Rob Galloway, an Accident and Emergency doctor of eight years said: “Patients are not commodities, they are people. But despite that, there has been a raft of policies to commercialise the NHS which has led to inefficiencies and decreased productivity”.

This was a unique event, bringing together people from all major public sectors. “We are not in competition with each other. Those who are in competition are the ones who purchase and make a profit out of our services,” said Dot Gibson, an organiser of the event and general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention.