
Russell Brand claimed it's his fault the Tories won the election and that he thought he'd 'broken the country' by telling people not to vote as a he spoke at a major anti-austerity march in London.

The comedian addressed crowds in Parliament Square after an estimated 250,000 people marched from the capital's financial district to the Palace of Westminster.

He and singer Charlotte Church, who have a combined wealth of more than £20million, swelled the ranks of families, students and campaigners from all over the country, with Church also taking to the stage to speak. She earlier branded austerity 'unethical, unfair and unnecessary'.

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Comedian Russell Brand address the crowds on stage in Parliament Square. He said he thought he'd 'broken the country' when the Tories won the election after telling people not to vote

Brand wrote prompts for his speech on his hand. He said he felt a 'crushing disappointment on the morning after the election'

Protesters set fire to a pile of placards in Parliament Square. Organisers claimed 250,000 marchers packed out the streets of central London

Earlier in the day Church joined thousands of protesters on the anti-austerity march from London's financial district to Parliament

She branded the government's plans for public spending cuts 'unethical, unfair and unnecessary' and said she was 'proud' to march

Police had to step in to put out the bonfire of placards started by demonstrators in Parliament Square. A spokesman for the People's Assembly Against Austerity, which organised the protest, said: 'It is clear this march has exceeded all expectations'

Brand, 40, who had previously dismissed the idea of voting, told the crowds: 'I think like most of us here I feel inspired to see people in this square in such incredible numbers after the results at the general election.

'Like most of you here I felt crushing disappointment on the morning after the election, unlike many of you I felt personally to blame for it. I thought I'd broken the country.

'My personal feelings about this movement are very, very deep.

'Without a welfare state I wouldn't have been educated, without a welfare state I wouldn't have had anywhere to live, without a welfare state my mum would've died of cancer several times.

'I am personally a product of the welfare state - not least because I signed on for eight years while I learned to be a comedian, so somewhat grateful for it.'

The campaigner, who had the notes for his speech written on his hand, also joked about his decision to back Labour days before the general election.

At one point Brand, with an estimated net worth of £9million, asked the female sign language interpreter on stage with him if he was speaking too quick.

When she carried on using sign language, he said: 'Thank you, what did that mean? That looked very explicitly like "jiggle boobs".'

As he left the stage he was sent off with shouts of 'Legend', with one female protester yelling: 'Take your shirt off Russell.'

Afterwards he posed for selfies with fans backstage but declined to be interviewed, saying: 'I'm not working today.'

Led by a brass band trio, protesters waved placards, blew whistles and chanted their opposition to the Conservative Government and its plans for billions of pounds of cuts.

Brand spoke as the marchers packed out Parliament Square at the end of the procession. Many trade unionists and public sector workers were among the crowd

A protester dances around the bonfire made by the placards. Demonstrators made clear their vigorous opposition to continued spending cuts

Brand, sporting a pair of headphones and wearing a grey hoodie, marched to Parliament along with thousands of other demonstrators

Some protesters donned masks and set off flares as they packed the streets outside the Bank of England. A red flare was set off outside Downing Street, prompting a loud boo from the crowd

A protester with her face covered wields a flare in the shadow of Big Ben. Protesters chanted their opposition to the Conservative Government and its plans for billions of pounds of cuts

Brandishing an End Austerity Now placard Church said she was inspired by the surge of the Scottish National Party she said 'absolutely'

The Welsh singer was heard chanting as she joined families, students and campaigners. She said: 'I'm here today in a show of solidarity with everyone here'

Both Brand and Church both drew loud cheers as they spoke at the rally which concluded the protest - the biggest in Britain for several years. Brand was preceded on stage by left-wing Labour leadership hopeful Jeremy Corbyn.

Church, 29, described the idea that Britain needs austerity as 'the big lie' and said: 'What this country needs is economic stimulation - most economists around the world would say the same. We need to get the blood pumping.'

The Welsh singer called for the country to rally and 'save ourselves from decades of yuppie rule' and brandished an End Austerity Now placard on the march.

Worth an estimated £11million, Church attacked the 'scandalous' sell-off of the bailed-out Royal Bank of Scotland and warned the Government will 'sell off our schools and our hospitals, and once it is done, it will be very difficult to reverse'.

She told the crowd: 'One aspect of this that really gets under my skin is that it's all wrapped up in a proud-to-be-British package. I'm proud to be British because of our National Health Service, the welfare system and David Bowie. Not because of the Union Jack.'

Earlier, she said: 'I'm here today in a show of solidarity with everyone here - it is a massive turnout - everybody who thinks that austerity isn't the only way and thinks it is essentially unethical, unfair and unnecessary.'

When asked whether she was inspired by the surge of the Scottish National Party she said 'absolutely'.

Demonstrators stand on the plinth below Winston Churchill's statue in Parliament Square. One protester waved a model of Margaret Thatcher's head on a stick

Some protesters set off bright blue flares and some covered their mouths with scarves and wore goggles to conceal their identities

Led by a brass band trio, they waved placards, blew whistles and chanted their opposition to the Conservative Government and its plans for billions of pounds of cuts

One protester impersonated Chancellor George Osborne, who has said he wants government departments to make extra cuts

But she added: 'But I think that the Scottish have been able to galvanise themselves against the Westminster elite.

'We are in one of the richest nations in the world and social inequality is unacceptable.

'I'm immensely proud to be here. I think this is a brilliant movement and it is for the common good. We are here to make a stand.'

Organisers had promised a 'festival atmosphere' and the march kicked off to the sounds of drum bands.

But a loud boo erupted through the crowd as it passed Downing Street and a red flare was set off, filling part of Whitehall with thick scarlet smoke.

Protesters, some clad in goggles and with scarves wrapped around their face to conceal their identity, chanted their opposition to Prime Minister David Cameron.

But fears that violence would erupt at the protest, organised by the People's Assembly Against Austerity, appeared to be unfounded.

The Metropolitan Police said they had not made any arrests at the march, which was attended by many trade unionists and public sector workers.

Sian Bloor, 45, a primary school teacher from Trafford, near Manchester, said cuts are having a huge impact on children, with teachers resorting to bringing in food and clothes for their pupils.

She said: 'Children come into school concerned because they are being thrown out of their house and have nowhere to live for the umpteenth time that year because their parents' benefits are being cut.

Singer Charlotte Church, who has an estimated net worth of £11million, brandished an End Austerity Now placard

Hundreds of protesters carried banners through London streets, including this one calling for 'class war' in Britain

One child was seen bearing a placard saying 'toddlers against austerity' while being pushed along. Police estimated there were several hundred thousand marching

Tens of thousands of demonstrators with placards crowded the area around the Bank of England as the marchers began their demonstration in London's financial district

'They are being robbed of their childhood.'

Organisers said an estimated 250,000 people were on the march in London, while demonstrations were also held in Glasgow and Liverpool.

The Met declined to comment on the numbers of protesters, but said five arrests were made. A 35-year-old man was detained on suspicion of criminal damage, a 49-year-old man on suspicion of being wanted on recall to prison and a 45-year-old woman on suspicion of theft.

A 44-year-old man suspected of assaulting police was also arrested, as was a 26-year-old man on suspicion of possessing articles to commit criminal damage.

Brand was seen marching through the streets wearing headphones and a grey jumper.

Holding banners saying 'End Austerity Now' and 'Defy Tory Rule', protesters packed streets outside the Bank of England.

Speakers including Labour London Mayoral hopeful Diane Abbott addressed the crowds before they set off for the Palace of Westminster.

The Conservatives won an outright majority in a national election last month after five years when they had led a coalition focused on cutting public spending to narrow Britain's large budget deficit.

Since winning the election, Chancellor George Osborne has said he wants government departments to make extra cuts this year and to commit future governments to run budget surpluses.

A People's Assembly spokesman said: 'It is clear this march has exceeded all expectations.