Thousands to participate in march for second Brexit referendum

Tens of thousands of people including London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan and politicians from across the political spectrum are expected to attend a march calling for a second referendum on Brexit in central London on Saturday.

They will be joined by student groups, unions, and community groups and others amid growing calls for a public vote on the terms of the final Brexit deal being negotiated by the British government with the EU. Over the past year a number of rallies have taken place in London and other parts of the UK but the latest is seen as significant, coming at a time of growing concern about Britain’s ability to reach a deal with EU negotiators, amid a rift over plans for a backstop to prevent the creation of a hard border in Northern Ireland — the creation of which campaigners believe would be a huge set back to the peace process on the island once riven by conflict.

‘Final say’

Over 800,000 people have signed an online petition backing the “final say” campaign. “In 2016, the people were given their say on the principle of whether to stay in the EU or leave. Now the facts are becoming clearer, it’s time for the people to have the final say on the real deal — before it’s too late,” reads the petition.

“The government is failing in its Brexit negotiations. We face the real risk of a bad deal, or no deal. Both will cause huge damage to London and the UK,” said Khan on Friday.

Divided opinion

Coaches are set to bring participants to the march from across the country on Saturday — a number of public figures such as actor Patrick Stewart, author Ian McEwan and cook-book author Delia Smith are contributing to the costs of the coach travel.

“Leave voters and businesses…were promised a deal on trade not after we have left the European Union, but at the time that we leave the European Union,” said Conservative MP and People’s Vote campaigner Anna Soubry during a Parliamentary debate earlier this week. “They were told that it would be the easiest deal in the history of trade deals. They were told that it would convey the “exact same benefits” as our membership of the single market and the customs union. What we now see is complete chaos and a total mess.” Opinion is divided on the impact of the public campaign for a people’s vote — and the practicality of holding it before March 29, the date the UK is set to leave the EU.

“Positions are so polarised on Brexit that I am not sure they are going to be shifted,” says Anand Menon, a professor of politics at Kings College London and the director of the UK in a Changing World Initiative.

‘Messy path’

“The key issue is whether or not Parliament can approve a Brexit deal. If they do, the march becomes irrelevant if they don’t it certainly becomes an option,” he said, adding, however that it would be far from guaranteed. “It would be a messy path that would essentially involve Parliament saying ‘we can’t do this,’ and however you dress it up that is not a good look for Parliament.” In September the People’s Vote campaign published a paper based on six scenarios in which such a vote could take place following consultations with legal and constitutional experts.

Growing concern about the terms of the deal being agreed — and Britain’s ability to reach one rather than leave without a deal (and on WTO terms) has led to business groups, unions and others publicly backing a second vote.

Among those to support a second referendum is the Community Union, which represents Tata Steel’s workers, and which pointed to the negative economic impact, and financial impact on living costs that the direction of the current Brexit negotiations appeared to be set to have.