Marks and Spencer recently announced plans to provide 1400 unpaid 'placements' to the young unemployed. Workfare not only forces people to work up to 37 hours a week for a meagre £56 in benefits, but also harms paid staff by discouraging employers from paying overtime, and the rest of us by removing paid jobs from the market in favour of free labour.

As part of the national workfare week of action there will be a static protest outside M&S in priory Meadow. Here we will engage with the public about the dangers of workfare, as well as offering solidarity and support to their workers, both paid and unpaid.