The parliamentary highlight last week was the smoke and mirrors budget in which George Osborne gave a little with one hand and took a lot more with the other while steaming ahead with cuts that are too deep and too fast.
But the big political event was the TUC demonstration in London which was attended by hundreds of thousands - the biggest demo by working people in a generation.
They came from all walks of life and thousands trekked down from the North East. Some were union activists I worked with when I was a member of the TUC General Council but it was heartening to see so many new faces.
There were midwives defending maternity services, sure start workers speaking up for children's centres, small business owners keen to create jobs as well as teachers and students saying that the next generation deserves a break.
The Labour Leader Ed Miliband rightly said that it was the Big Society on the march. The TUC leader Brendan Barber mocked government claims there is no alternative by saying that we should keep people in work and get our economy growing.
He rightly emphasised the need to get tax revenues flowing and tackle the tax cheats plus a Robin Hood Tax on the banks, so they pay us back for the mess they caused.
The marchers and the many millions who sympathise know that it is unfair that while the cost of living goes up for everyone else, the government gives the banks a tax cut.
Demonstrations are part of the process whereby ideas gain traction and people gain confidence that they can change things for the better.
They don't change things overnight but reflect and mobilise a public mood to make sure that ministers get the message that their choice of economic strategy is deeply damaging.
A micro-minority of protesters piggy-backed the peaceful, well-policed and good-humoured march with provocative attacks. But most people rejected their thuggishness and will continue to challenge the government's agenda properly and democratically.
Time will tell but last week's massive demonstration could come to be seen as a turning point when a critical mass of people, unions and community groups put down a marker for a different future based on social justice.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
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