Daily Mail

Campaigner­s in £1m bid for new Brexit vote

- By Claire Ellicott Political Correspond­ent

A PRO-Remain group has launched a £1million drive to stop Brexit with a campaign for a second referendum.

Nine organisati­ons have joined forces to launch the cross-party movement, called The People’s Vote.

It is fronted by Tory MP Anna Soubry and Labour’s Chuka Umunna.

The campaign will call on Parliament to give the public a vote on the terms of the final deal, with the chance to stay in the EU if they vote against it.

But critics accused the group of defying the referendum result. Former Labour MP Gisela Stuart, the chairman of pro-Brexit group Change Britain, said: ‘17.4million people voted to leave the EU, and politician­s on both sides of the debate agreed to implement the democratic decision of the British public.

‘For MPs now to call for a second referendum is not only duplicitou­s, but also undermines the UK’s negotiatin­g position.’

Arch-Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘They are completely defying the British people who made a decision which was given to them by Parliament itself. The latest polling says 65 per cent of the British people do not want a second referendum; they are living in a parallel universe.’

The People’s Vote campaign is being led by Open Britain, the group backed by Lord Mandelson. Tony Blair and Nick Clegg have also worked closely with the group.

Its unveiling comes after it was revealed that six of the major pro-Remain groups had moved into Millbank Tower in Westminste­r to better coordinate their efforts to block Brexit. It is understood that £1million has been raised by nine proRemain groups to fund the campaign, which will be launched on Sunday. Over 300 grassroots events will take place on Saturday before Sunday’s main event.

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