Westminster came to a standstill this weekend as hundreds of anti-austerity protesters put two fingers up to the new Tory government. UK Uncut campaigners marched over Westminster Bridge on Saturday, blocking the road as they painted a banner reading: “£12bn more cuts, £120bn tax dodged, austerity is a lie.”

The 20m banner was then draped from the bridge to face Parliament as protesters cheered.

UK Uncut spokeswoman Beth Cunningham said: “With the new government being sworn in on Wednesday we just wanted to send a clear message that we are going to be fighting the cuts.