AROUND 700,000 people have attended a huge rally through central London calling for a People’s Vote on Brexit.
Organisers say the march was the biggest of its kind, with thousands of people from Scotland joining the crowds which moved through the streets from Park Lane to Parliament Square.
MPs from the SNP, Labour, Conservatives, and LibDems all joined calls for a People’s Vote at the march, which was led off by Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Theresa May has ruled out a referendum on the terms of leaving the EU.
Organisers from the People’s Vote campaign said stewards along the route estimated 700,000 were taking part. Police said they were not able to estimate the size of the crowd.
A video message from Nicola Sturgeon received a huge cheer when it was played to the crowd, with the First Minister saying: “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.”
Student representative Jamie Grant, 23, from Fife, was one of four young people from around the UK chosen to speak on stage to the hundreds of thousands of people, and he introduced the video message from the First Minister to the crowd.
He told the Sunday National: “It was absolutely electric, the crowd stretched on as far as the eye could see. The four of us, each representing a nation, stood together to speak for young people.
“When I spoke to the crowd I spoke about my background and a bit about Fife and I felt really privileged to be able to stand up and speak for young people.
“It was great to be able to get the youth voice out there. Nicola’s message really did hit home with the crowd, it was about putting aside differences and working together to do what’s best for all of us in the UK, and I thought that was quite a refreshing message.”
Joanna Cherry QC MP, who spoke on stage, added that the atmosphere yesterday was “really quite astonishing, it was a huge crowd. It was very good natured and there was really quite a positive atmosphere.
“There was so much cross party support with people from different parties all talking together about how important it is to have a People’s Vote. People were delighted with the FM’s message. There was very much a feeling that there has to be a cross party effort to stop this madness.
“I do feel more positive after today that a People’s Vote might happen. There’s a groundswell of support now.”
Hundreds of people arrived in London by coach, including contingents from Orkney, Oban, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Many marchers held signs with slogans like ‘Ask Me Again’, ‘The wrexiteers’, ‘Brexit stole my future’ and ‘Even Baldrick had a plan’, with thousands of EU flags flying alongside Saltires and Baner Cymru.
Celebrities who marched in the massive crowd included Delia Smith, Armando Iannucci, Andy Serkis, Natascha McElhone, Steve Coogan and Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden.
Campaign supporter Alastair Campbell, former Downing Street director of communications, commented on the march: “The Brexit that was promised, and the Brexit that was campaigned successfully for, doesn’t exist.”
He added: “I don’t think you can re-run the referendum. I think we have to accept that we lost that debate. I think the question has to be on the nature of the deal.”
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