Thousands marched across London today demanding a ‘People’s Vote’ on the final Brexit deal. 670,000 people took to the streets in protest, with the aim of achieving a ‘referendum’ on any deal which is put through parliament – with many seeking the ‘option to remain’ as part of the vote.
Organisers aimed for the march to be the biggest and most important anti-Brexit protest since the referendum. Saturday’s march is estimated to be six-times the size of June’s protest, where 100,000 took to the streets.
Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable addressed crowds at the protest, where he said it was “a tragedy this country is being divided by generation”.Cable said that it was the “majority” of his generation that voted to leave, “taking the freedom” away from young voters. “There is no deal better than the one we have now: it is better for Britain and better for Europe,”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon sent an unexpected message of support to protesters in London, where a video message of Sturgeon was broadcast to the crowds. Sturgeon told crowds: “Let me say this loudly and clearly, if the issue comes before the House of Commons, SNP MPs will support a people’s vote which includes the option to remain in the EU. The leave campaign has already gone down in history as one of most disingenuous, dishonourable and downright dishonest electoral contests of modern times. Those responsible should be utterly ashamed of themselves.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan was also in attendance, where he posed with protesters, before taking to twitter to demand that the “the British people get the final say on Brexit”:\
Incredible atmosphere on today’s @peoplesvote_uk march – with people from every corner of our country, every age, faith, race gender and background coming together to demand the British people get the final say on Brexit #PeoplesVote pic.twitter.com/z1x4PhEZBF
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) October 20, 2018
David Lammy, a Labour MP who has always been a strong supporter of the People’s Vote campaign, also showed his support on Twitter:
Can you hear the will of the people now, @theresa_may? https://t.co/uhQiwl2749
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) October 20, 2018
Earlier this year, a People’s Vote march also took place in London. The protest, which also aimed to raise awareness and support for a referendum on the final deal, saw over 100,000 people marching.
The Brexit plans put forward by Theresa May’s government have come under intense scrutiny in the last few weeks, as the prime minister has signalled the possibility of extending the Brexit transition period. This, in particular, has angered many of her own cabinet and Tory backbenchers.
Politics update: May under fire over longer Brexit transition period, backbenchers revolt
