CAMPAIGNERS against the Government’s bedroom tax collected hundreds of signatures on a petition calling for the measure to be scrapped.

Southend Against the Cuts set up a stall outside Southend’s Odeon and chairman Tim Sneller said there was a good response from the public.

He said: “We had about 30 supporters leafleting, petitioning and speaking to people on a microphone.

“We collected hundreds of signatures on a petition about the bedroom tax and found it’s an issue even when people aren’t directly affected.

“We also met a lot of people who had been affected by the various benefits changes.

“It showed us there are a lot of real problems in Southend being caused by the bedroom tax, including a rise in the use of food banks, and people see it as being unfair.”

The group also collected signatures against a proposal to transfer staff from South Essex’s blood test services to French company Integrated Pathology Partnerships.