THOUSANDS of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Derby today in a bid to overturn the government's decision to award the £1.4 billion Thameslink rolling stock contract to Siemens, which has put up to 20,000 jobs at risk in Britain, it is claimed.

Speakers at today's rally included MP Margaret Beckett, RMT leader Bob Crow and the UK chief of Bombardier, Colin Walton.

Mr Walton, who was the first speaker, surprised his audience by his firm stance, telling them that he and his management team would do all it could to have the decision looked at again.

In an interview for Railnews, he declined to commit Bombardier to a formal challenge, but said that "all options were being considered".

Mrs Beckett, who is the MP for Derby South, said the decision was wrong. She told the rally: "We are not giving up; we are not going away; we know we are right."

She told Railnews: "All that stands in the way is the political will. I was not surprised at the original decision, but I was very angry."

The transport secretary Philip Hammond has continued to maintain that he had no choice, but although Parliament has now gone into summer recess his critics are warning that the issue will not go away.

The status of Siemens is now that of preferred bidder: it is due to sign the contract by the end of this year.

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