Thousands of people descended on the North East for the Durham Miners' Gala.
More than 200,000 people were expected to attend Durham Miners’ Gala on Saturday to watch the proud display of miners' banners, processions and stomping brass band music.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner, North of the Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll, and General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Paul Nowak were among those to step out on the balcony of County Hotel.
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Speaking to ChronicleLive, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said it was important people came together to show solidarity.
He said: "I think it is absolutely fantastic. Hundreds of thousands of working class people are coming together from across the North East, in fact now, from across the whole country celebrating the Labour and Trade Union movement.
"All the advances that have come about because of the Labour and Trade Union movement because at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are taking strike action to try and get a decent pay rise, I think it is really important to come together to show solidarity and support.
"And, also to enjoy ourselves and show what is great about the Labour movement.
"My key messages is that Britain really needs a pay rise. As I say, hundreds of thousands of workers have been taking strike action for a pay rise. In the private sector our unions have won some really important victories.
"In the public sector, we have a Government that has had to be dragged and kicking and screaming to the table but after 10 years of real term wage cuts it is clear working people and their families desperately need a pay rise.
"The cost of living crisis, in a large part is a wages crisis, so the message to Government will be do right by public sector workers, give them a decent pay rise, work with unions to boost the pay right across the economy and stop attacking trade unions because instead of working with unions we have a Government who is intent on removing the right to strike for one in five workers in this country.
"I want to send that message that we are going to stand together and fight together for a decent pay rise.
"It has been absolutely fantastic and you see the bands marching down the hill, it is incredibly moving and one of the bands played Abide with Me and I was a little tearful as I got a sense of community and spirit, a real fighting spirit."
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has attended the gala on numerous occasions, said the atmosphere was fantastic.
He added: "Wonderful, fantastic music, atmosphere, history, so many different groups and communities, and it has that sense of togetherness and hope.
"It comes from the strengths of the mining communities but also comes from all the other struggles of communities here and all the other unions. [There was a] big cheer for the rail workers, big cheer for the teachers as well as the wonderful bands."
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has been attending the gala since she was a young trade unionist.
She said: "I love it here, it is encouraging to see our communities, especially in the north coming together, and celebrating our heritage, what we are about, looking out for each other and our neighbours. It is a really lovely day.
"There is a serious message behind it as well about the class struggle and how we have had to fight for workers' rights and I will continue to do that as a member of parliament with our new deal for working people to improve working peoples' lives.
"I did the walk for an hour and half and have been on the platform and seen lots of people shouting and saying hi, and lots of people I have known for decades through the movement. I am part of them, they are part of me, and we are all part of a bigger thing."
Mayor of North of the Tyne Jamie Driscoll said the Trade Union movement has never been stronger.
He said: "You know what is most encouraging? The amount of young people in these bands. The Trade Union movement is stronger than it has been for a long time. It is needed, sadly, after these years of cuts, austerity and spiralling mortgage rates and people struggling to pay their bills.
"Trade Unions were built out of solidarity. They are practical looking after the people next to you, we get that in the North East, that is what solidarity is about. It is not an abstract concept for us, it is practical and I think we are strong and I think we are soon going to see a better Government and we have got to make sure the Government actually delivers for its people."
