THOUSANDS of people yesterday gathered in Glasgow as part of the first major UK-wide protests against austerity since the election.

Organisers said an estimated 5,000 assembled in the city's George Square, bearing banners with messages such as "Cut the cuts" and "Westminster takes from the poor to give to the rich".

While the protest was peaceful, the mood was one of anger as a series of speakers took to the stage to rail against welfare reform, inequality and attacks on the rights of unions.

The Scotland United Against Austerity rally was organised by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and organisations involved in the People's Assembly, which also held a mass protest in London.

Graham Smith, general secretary of the STUC, told the crowd in Glasgow the vast majority of people had not voted for a Tory government or Tory austerity.

He added: "We know that austerity makes no economic sense, we know that its primary purpose is ideological.

"It is intended to entrench the economic and political power of a self-interested privileged elite."

Smith attacked plans by the UK Government to introduce a 50% threshold for strike ballots and allow union members to opt out of donating to political parties.

He said: "The Tories talk about outlawing undemocratic strike action. This has nothing to do with democracy or participation.

"No one should be in any doubt about our determination to resist.

"Across the world, civil and human rights have been won and protected only because people have united to break bad laws, and if that's what it takes to ensure unions can continue to represent their members then so be it."

Pat Rafferty, Scottish secretary of Unite the Union, echoed his view, saying: "Let's get on the front foot and send a loud and clear message to (David) Cameron and his cronies today.

"When you come after us we will fight back. When you create laws to curb our democracy we will break them, and when you oppress us we will organise.

"Comrades, we will show them that there is power in a union - you, me, us, our union - and we will win."

Rafferty also said it was time for the SNP and Scottish Government to "turn rhetoric into reality".

He added: "And to the Scottish Labour party, stop the finger-pointing and the navel gazing, wake up and smell the coffee, listen to the people."

Jeane Freeman, of Women for Independence, told the rally that women had been hit hardest by austerity in the last five years.

She said: "Austerity isn't just about welfare cuts and tax changes, it's also about zero hour contracts, a minimum wage so low it is risible. Cuts in employment and attacks on trade unions.

"Austerity is a comprehensive, systematic attack on the rights of working men, women and children across this country and it is time we stood together against that ideology."

Freeman said the human cost of austerity was people worrying about bills and feeling alone and ashamed.

But she said: "It is not your fault, it is the fault of an ideology of a Tory government that chooses to make the rich richer and the rest of us poorer.

"We need to say loud and clear- you are lying Westminster, austerity is your fault.

"Poverty is not reality television: poverty is the reality for hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters, those in work and those without, and we will stand with them."

Among those attending the rally was Lisa Farmer, a full-time carer who had travelled from Carlisle to attend the event. She said: "I am a carer for my daughter who has autism and learning difficulties and I am really concerned about the cuts and the impact on her.

"We feel a lot of solidarity with those north of the border - Carlisle being a border city - and we want to join with our friends in Scotland and make our voices heard."

She added: "None of these austerity measures are necessary, not a single one of them and the UK government is misleading the country into believing they are necessary. They are targeting immigrants, they are targeting people on benefits, so we don't turn round and point the finger at them."

Erin Farley, 26, a freelance oral historian from Edinburgh, said: "I am here because it is important to show our concern, make it known we are not happy and that we are paying attention to what the government is doing.

"I think benefit sanctions are really one of the scariest things that is going on at the moment."

Kenny Mcphee, 55, from Greenock, said he was not convinced that David Cameron would listen to the demonstrations.

But he added: "He is going to have to listen the more people keep turning out to protest."