Thousands take to the streets in support of a new Euro-referendum

AT LEAST 670,000 people – many from Wales – turned out for the People’s Vote march, organisers say, making it the biggest anti-Brexit demonstration since the referendum in 2016.

Protesters told of virtual gridlock on the streets of London as they called for a final say on Brexit, joking that it had turned into more of a shuffle than a march.

Geraint Talfan Davies, Chair of Wales for Europe said: “This march was an astonishing statement of public intent. With six times the number that turned out at last June’s march this is an unmistakable sign that opinion is hardening against Brexit.

“And that certainly goes for Wales that sent 11 coaches of people to the march from north and south, with hundreds more arriving by train.

“It is clear the public is seeing through the Government’s underhand plan to try to slide through a blind Brexit, if, indeed it can secure a deal at all. A new referendum, with Remain as an option, is the only honourable course left”, he added.

The demonstration set off from Park Lane and finished in Parliament Square where celebrities and politicians including Conservative MP Anna Soubry, Labour’s Chuka Umunna and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable gave speeches.

Ms Soubry said: “It is clear we are the many.”

Addressing the cheering crowds, she said: “We are winning the argument, most importantly against those who voted leave.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also addressed the crowd, while dozens of celebrities posted snaps of themselves on the protest on social media.

In a video message of support, Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, said: “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.”

She added: “The Tory government’s handling of these negotiations has been chaotic, incompetent and shambolic.

“Having spent two years telling us that no deal was better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister is now preparing to pile pressure on MPs to vote for a bad or blindfold deal on the grounds that ‘no deal’ would be catastrophic.

“She is trying to scare the UK into the frying pan out of fear of the fire. It is a scandal and it should not be accepted.”

There were plenty of Welsh voices calling for a second referendum, with some Welsh Labour figures making it very clear where they stand.

Among those tweeting from the march were MPs Owen Smith, Madeleine Moon, Anna McMorrin and Stephen Doughty.

Welsh Labour leadership candidates Vaughan Gething and Eluned Morgan both supported a second referendum. “Europe has made Wales stronger and Europe has helped us clean our rivers and seas and guaranteed new markets for our food,” Ms Morgan said, while Mr Gething accused the Tories of a “disastrous” handling of the Brexit negotiations.

And fellow leadership candidate Mark Drakeford said that he supported a further referendum “if all else fails”.

“The Brexit vote was about Britain regaining sovereignty, so let Parliament do its job first,” he said. “If it can’t settle on a way forward there should be a General Election or, if that is denied by the Tories, a fresh referendum.”

The newly-elected Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price had this message in support of a new referendum: “In just a few weeks, we’ll know the real Brexit, finally, that’s on offer – not the fantasy Brexit that was promised. We’ll have a real, clear choice. We’ll have the actual facts. We know now that the people were lied to and in those circumstances it’s the people, not the politicians, that should lead.

“We need a People’s Vote now, so we can rebuild our faith in the future of our democracy.”

But Monmouth MP David Davies was not impressed by the spectacle of yesterday’s march. He warned that “nobody will ever, ever accept the result of another referendum”. Mr Davies fears the UK could be looking at “referendums every couple of years for ever” and described the push for a “people’s vote” as a “pointless exercise”.

Claiming there is a lack of respect for people who voted to quit the EU, he said: “People are saying, ‘Oh well, we mustn’t listen to those who voted to leave because they are working class... they are racist, they are stupid, they didn’t go to university.’ I think the way in which Leave voters have been viewed is just disgusting.

“It’s been the most disgusting spectacle of people looking down their noses at those who they consider to be their social inferiors.”