Construction protest halts central London traffic

Traffic was disrupted in the heart of London by a demonstration against a construction workers’ blacklist.

A group of activists unfurled a huge banner and walked down Oxford Street as part of their campaign against the use of the blacklist by construction companies.

The protest went close to the site of the huge Crossrail project.

A spokesman said the aim was to highlight complaints that firms continued to use the blacklist, which was discovered after a raid on the offices of the Consulting Association.

The association was closed down, but unions said over 3,200 names were on the list, including those of union activists or workers who had raised health and safety issues on building sites.

Legal action is being taken on behalf of some of the workers, who claim they have been denied work because of the blacklist.