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Anti-Brexit march to draw tens of thousands to London

As Boris Johnson heaps pressure on Theresa May for ‘full British Brexit’, Westminster protest aims to force second referendum

Dan Sabbagh Sat 23 Jun 2018 00.06 EDT
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jun/22/peoples-vote-march-against-brexit-london-thousands-expected

Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on Westminster for an anti-Brexit demonstration on Saturday that organisers say is the start of a “strategic pivot” away from opposing it in parliament towards mobilising public opinion in favour of a referendum on the final deal.

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The People’s Vote protest, due to start at 12pm and go from Pall Mall to Parliament Square, has been organised by increasingly well-funded anti-Brexit groups based at Millbank Tower and led by Open Britain, the successor to the remain campaign. https://www.open-britain.co.uk/

A People’s Vote spokesperson said the two years since the referendum had been characterised by “arcane parliamentary manoeuvres about this amendment or that amendment” and it was time to take the issue “beyond Westminster and back to the people”.

It comes as pro-Brexit cabinet ministers attempted to pressurise Theresa May to deliver a hard Brexit and not to hesitate from abandoning talks with Brussels.

Writing in the Sun, Boris Johnson said the prime minister must ensure a “full British Brexit”, while Liam Fox said the UK was not “bluffing” about being prepared to walk away from talks with Brussels. David Davis told the Express that there is “lots going on” to make sure the government was ready in case negotiations collapsed.

Their party colleague, Anna Soubry, will be among the speakers at the London march along with the Labour MP David Lammy and the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable, while the campaignerGina Miller and the actor Sir Tony Robinson will also address those present from 2pm.

Their protest will be opposed by a far-right UK Unity and Freedom march, which will start in Victoria at 2pm and head to College Green, near Parliament Square. It is expected to be smaller, with a few thousand people attending. Promoters say it will “focus on freedom from the EU, freedom from terror, freedom of speech, freedom from sharia law and unity of all people irrespective of race or creed”. Gerard Batten, the Ukip leader, is expected to be present, but not the former leader Nigel Farage.

Police also expect members of the far-right English Defence League and the anti-Islam group Pegida to show up at a march that will conclude a few hundred metres away from where the People’s Vote event will end, and near an Eid celebration in Trafalgar Square.

Anti-Brexit campaigners are focused on trying to create popular support for a referendum on in negotiations with the EU. Polling and focus group work led Open Britain to use the phrase People’s Vote in calling for a final referendum, in which remaining in the EU would be an option on the ballot paper.

A poll on Friday, conducted by Survation for Good Morning Britain, found 48% of respondents supported a referendum on the final deal, while 25% were opposed. A majority of those asked also said they would support remaining in the EU by 53% to 47% if a referendum were held today.

The People’s Vote campaign is also highlighting the role of ordinary citizens, with Ciaran Donovan, a delivery driver from Romford, east London, expected to appear on stage to sign a petition demanding a referendum on the final deal. The roughly £100,000 cost of the protest was raised over seven days by a crowdfunding campaign.

The George Soros-backed group Best for Britain has been separately campaigning for a second referendum, focusing on newspaper and outdoor advertising, and local campaigning in parliamentary seats where they hope to persuade the sitting MP to support an amendment for another vote. It is encouraging supporters to attend the People’s Vote march.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jun/22/peoples-vote-march-against-brexit-london-thousands-expected