Pro-EU campaigners plot 'biggest ever' Brexit march on Westminster
3 min read
Thousands of anti-Brexit campaigners are expected to descend on Westminster today to press for a fresh referendum on Britain’s impending exit from the EU.
The People’s Vote campaign - which is pushing for the country to get a final vote on the deal Theresa May strikes with Brussels - says it hopes more than 100,000 people will turn out.
"There is real anger and frustration in the country about the way politicians have made such a mess of Brexit and, while it is difficult to predict exact numbers, we’re confident this will be the biggest Brexit protest yet," a spokesperson for the group said.
The march, which coincides with the two-year anniversary of the country’s vote for Brexit, kicks off in Pall Mall at noon before winding its way to Parliament Square.
Fifty coaches of protesters are being bussed in, and a string of pro-EU MPs including Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable and Tory Brexit rebel Anna Soubry are set to take part.
Sir Vince will tell the EU faithful: "Brexit is not a done deal. Brexit is not inevitable. Brexit can be stopped."
The Lib Dem leader is also expected to accuse MPs of "fiddling at the margins while the country slowly burns", and hit out at “logic-chopping arguments over parliamentary procedure” which have dominated the past few weeks.
"Brexit is going to damage the country," he will argue. "Slowly and painfully. Theresa May admits there will be damage. Her policy is damage limitation.
"Better to stop the damage. To return the issue to the people – to vote on the deal (or no deal). With the option of staying in the EU and working to improve it rather than walk away."
Today's march comes after a poll by Survation and Good Morning Britain found that 48% of the public would back a fresh vote on the final Brexit deal. Those backing a new referendum included more than a third (35%) of 2016 Leave voters.
However, a quarter (25%) of all those surveyed said they were against such a plan.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna, who is backing the People’s Vote push, seized on the figures as evidence that “momentum is building” for a second referendum.
"This Saturday will see tens of thousands from all over the UK marching for a People’s Vote in London and support is growing across the country," he said.
"With the negotiations in chaos, with the Government making a total mess of Brexit and with parliament paralysed, now is the time for people to take back control of the process."
Both Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have repeatedly rebuffed calls for a second vote on Brexit, with Mr Corbyn sacking frontbencher Owen Smith earlier this year after he broke ranks to back a fresh poll.
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