MPs opposing the Brussels Brexit deal joined campaigners converging on east London for today’s rally at the Excel centre calling for a People’s Vote on the controversial agreement being debated in Parliament on Tuesday.
Among today’s rally speakers was Labour’s Shadow Sports Secretary Rosena Chantelle Allin-Khan warning of broken promises by Brexiteers.
“The promises made in 2016 cannot be delivered by any type of Brexit deal,” she said.
“It’s our young people who have the most to lose from Brexit. Hundreds of thousands of today’s voters who are now 18, 19 and 20 could not take part in the referendum, but are now demanding to have their say.
“Their future is at stake—we reject this Brexit deal.”
The ExCel rally at Canning Town was called to put pressure on MPs to reject Theresa May’s arrangement with Brussels to quit the EU on March 29, when the deal debated in the Commons in two days’ time.
It follows two years of protests by the 48 per cent Remainers following the 2016 Referendum which voted ‘yes’ by a narrow four per cent margin.
The government suffered three defeats in the Commons last week when Remainers successfully tabled an amendment with an option for a second referendum if the Brexit deal is rejected on Tuesday.
National Society of Apprentices organiser Poppy Wolfarth said: “The only deal available put forward by the government is worse than that we already have inside the European Union.”
Economic forecasts by the Bank of England last week put Britain worse off with any Brexit deal than if the UK remained in the EU.
The 2016 referendum has already led to the start of banks and insurance companies in the Canary Wharf financial district moving funds and staff to the Continent. Canary Wharf is also losing two major EU agencies.
Today’s rally centred on the European Court of Human Rights declaration that the UK has the legal right to cancel Article 50 which triggered the Brexit process—if it wants to—without having to ask the other 27 countries.
Allis Moss at the rally writes:
‘Game of Thrones’ star Charles Dance and Harry Potters’ Jason Isaacs joined MPs in the call for a People’s Vote.
They joined actor Eddie Marsan and comedian Matt Forde on stage with MPs from across the political spectrum at Excel.
Four Labour MPs were on stage with Conservative former minister Phillip Lee, Lib Dem party leader Sir Vince Cable and leaders from the Greens and Plaid Cymru.
Charles Dance told the rally: “Everything is impossible until we make it happen—people of all ages especially the younger generation want our future back.”
Tory Phillip Lee said that asking the People for their informed consent in a further vote on the genuine choices was “the best way to heal the UK”.
The Greens’ Caroline Lucas argued that the will of the people “can change and has changed”.
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