May Day trade union march "unexpectedly" closes Leeds city centre streets

A May Day trade union march "unexpectedly" closed Leeds city centre streets.
Leeds TUC May Day march and rally to celebrate May Day - International Workers' Day. Saturday, May 4 2019. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.Leeds TUC May Day march and rally to celebrate May Day - International Workers' Day. Saturday, May 4 2019. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Leeds TUC May Day march and rally to celebrate May Day - International Workers' Day. Saturday, May 4 2019. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.

The Leeds TUC, the trade union movement in Leeds, organised the rally and march on Saturday, May 4.

It closed The Headrow, Park Row and Boar lane between 12pm and 1pm.

Leeds TUC May Day march and rally to celebrate May Day - International Workers' Day. Saturday, May 4 2019. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.Leeds TUC May Day march and rally to celebrate May Day - International Workers' Day. Saturday, May 4 2019. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Leeds TUC May Day march and rally to celebrate May Day - International Workers' Day. Saturday, May 4 2019. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe.
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This caused delays for bus services for most city centre bus services as they could not serve the major roads.

These delays continued even when the roads were cleared, according to Metro Travel News who tweeted: "All roads in Leeds city centre have reopened gain after being unexpectedly closed in both directions to accommodate the TUC May Day March.

"Services are resuming normal routes again, although residual delays remain. Thank you for your patience."

First Bus also tweeted to inform users that delays would remain for those "caught in the closures."

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The Leeds TUC were celebrating May Day as the International Workers' Day.

In a flyer posted on the Leeds TUC website, the group said it was a "working class fightback."

It also read: "We continue to come together each year as the fight to improve conditions for working class people isn't over."

There was a steel drum band and pre-march speakers at Victoria Gardens in Headrow at 11am.

The march set off in the Leeds city centre streets at 12pm.

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There was then a keynote speaker rally at 12.45pm including a speech from Richard Burgon, Labour, Leeds East MP.

On the flyer, the group said they wanted to "reverse the cuts", have a "£10 an hour minimum wage", "scrap universal credit" and say "no to racism and fascism."

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