DAVID Cameron, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were all burned in Lewisham this week for a political stunt one politician branded "immature and aggressive".

People Before Profit were amongst the groups who joined the Bonfire of Austerity protest, a national day of action on November 5 which included effigies of MPs being carried through the streets of Lewisham and set alight.

John Hamilton from the group said the aim had been to walk from Catford past all the parts of Lewisham affected by cuts, including the recently saved Lewisham Hospital, highlighting damage caused by austerity.

He said: "I wouldn't normally go around burning pictures of people, it's a bit primitive, but it was Guy Fawkes night.

"It was just a friendly atmosphere actually from all those who took part.

"It wasn't a People Before Profit event but we were very happy to be a part of it."

News Shopper: Burning politicians in Lewisham - Guy Fawkes fun or 'immature and aggressive'?

Alongside the usual suspects, effigies also included Labour politicians Gordon Brown and Ed Balls - seen by protestors as architects of financially-damaging PFI schemes like the one which helped bring about a crisis in the neighbouring South London Healthcare Trust.

Each effigy included a placard, explaining why they had been chosen for the stunt. The event was organised nationally by the People's Assembly group, which held a 2,000-strong protest in Westminster that evening.

But Joe Dromey, a Labour council candidate for New Cross, was highly critical of the stunt.

He said: "Everyone in Lewisham is angry at the devastation the coalition is inflicting on our community. But by burning effigies of politicians this week, People Before Profit went too far.

"This immature and aggressive behaviour should have no place in our local politics."