This weekend the Liberal Democrats hold their spring conference in York.

A year away from an expected general election the coalition parties will be rehearsing arguments to justify their savage spending cuts - the bulk of which are still to take place.

The soundbites will be polished, the raw reality of the casualties will be overlooked and the pretence that there is no other way will be perpetuated.

But there will be another coalition in York on Saturday. One that is calling for alternatives to austerity.

The Yorkshire and the Humber TUC has called a demonstration for A Better Way to put forward alternative ideas, values and principles.

Our coalition of trades unionists, environmentalists, health campaigners, students, public-sector workers and others right across civil society have responded and are working together to show how austerity is still not the answer.

The march and rally is going to be positive about the alternatives - primarily because there are so many of them.

They're as relevant now as they were in May 2010. The difference now is that we can see with our own eyes the social and economic damage the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have inflicted alongside ideologically opportunistic privatisations regardless of warnings.

Saturday's demonstrators are being encouraged to wear and adopt different colours on the day to signify the alternative policies and principles we are calling for, whether it's clothing, placards or banners.

We want to create a rainbow of colours across the city to show the many different reasons why we need a better way.

Those marching for jobs and fair pay will be adopting blue, those calling for tax justice will be donning green, people highlighting the need for greater investment and economic growth will be choosing black, those alarmed with what is happening to our public services and social security will be wearing red and everyone wanting investment in young people and who is outraged at their political betrayal by the Liberal Democrats will be reclaiming yellow.

It is entirely appropriate that we are demonstrating against the coalition's austerity policies on Saturday March 8, which is also International Women's Day.

Women have been hit disproportionately hard by the government's cuts. Work by the Women's Budget Group shows that whether it's among pensioners, lone parents or families with young children, women have been hit hardest.

It found that of every 100 jobs being created in the private sector, 63 are going to men and 37 to women.

Meanwhile around two in three public-sector jobs are undertaken by women. We see this in Yorkshire. Over the last 12 months of so-called "recovery" female unemployment in our region has in fact increased by 9,000.

If ministers wanted to widen gender inequality then they'd not need to change course.

We have nine amazing speakers at Saturday's demonstration, all of whom are women. Liberal Democrat delegates might be wise to leave the Barbican for an hour and listen to them.

TUC assistant general secretary Kay Carberry will be outlining the better way our society, economy and country needs.

As well as highlighting why Britain needs a pay rise, she will speak of the importance of publicly owned services and for a real recovery across all parts of the country.

Disability campaigner and blogger Sue Marsh will be outlining the scale of attacks on disabled people and the demonisation of people in need of social security.

She will be joined by PCS DWP group president Fran Heathcote who will be outlining the urgency and importance of tax justice. Liz Kitching from Leeds will be speaking of the impact of the bedroom tax on her and thousands of others around the country.

Campaigning student Megan Ollerhead is studying at the University of York and will be giving the perspective of young people in the face of Conservative and Liberal Democrat attacks.

Barnsley NHS worker Liz Mawson will be speaking of the government's attacks on the health service, undertaken without public consent.

Environmental author and campaigner Kate Lock will be highlighting the missed opportunities for green growth.

Sheffield councillor Nikki Sharpe will address the government's deep cuts to northern councils and York City Council deputy leader Tracey Simpson-Laing will speak of the importance of a living wage which Labour councillors have introduced locally for council employees in the city. Poet and comedian Kate Fox will be reciting a new poem about the coalition government at the rally.

The testimonials of all speakers and every single person demonstrating on Saturday will show why we need a better way. I hope you can join us.

nNeil Foster is policy and campaigns officer for the Yorkshire and the Humber TUC. To join the rally assemble at 11am at Clifford's Tower, Tower Street, York, with a collection for food for local food banks - the rally for A Better Way will start there at 12.45pm. More information can be found at www.abetterwaydemo.org.