Thousands of Brits march on Parliament to protest Brexit
LONDON — Thousands marched to Parliament in central London yesterday to protest Britain’s plan to withdraw from the European Union.
Organizers of the “People’s March for Europe” said the goal was to “unite, rethink and reject” the Conservative government’s plan to implement Brexit by 2019. Some protesters carried the EU flag while others carried an “Exit from Brexit” banner.
Ed Davey, a Liberal Democrat legislator, told the crowd he is “embarrassed” by Britain’s negotiating stance.
“I’ve gone from anger to distress, from fury to despair. But since the Brexit negotiations began there’s a third emotion I’ve been feeling: embarrassment. Embarrassment at our country’s leaders. Embarrassment for Great Britain,” he said.
Other speakers demanded that Britons be given a chance to vote on the Brexit decisions once negotiations are concluded.
Britain voted in June 2016 to withdraw from the 28-nation EU bloc but negotiations with the EU are moving extremely slowly. The talks have been stalled because of disputes over how much Britain will have to pay the EU because of their joint obligations. The two sides have not yet started to discuss future trade relations.
Parliament is expected to vote tomorrow on a repeal bill designed to eventually incorporate many EU laws into British law once the separation becomes final.