The weekend’s march in London was a resounding success. Over 100,000 people participated, more than in any other event in Europe, on the anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.
Excellent speeches were made by people from across the political spectrum, and the age spectrum too, criticising the Prime Minister’s policies and attitudes, as well as her shocking disregard for anybody and anything she doesn’t agree with.
The march demonstrated the incompatibility of the Prime Minister’s hard Brexit objective with the views, opinions and values of those the 100,000+ present, as well as the many others they represented who couldn’t be there in person (some placards listed the names of absent supporters).
It is increasingly apparent that the PM only cares about the will of “her” people as she struggles to impose her will on those who do not agree.
An example is her insistence that the UK only has two choices: leave with a deal or leave without one. Many disagree with her “Deal/No Deal” strategy, and for good reason.
The People’s Challenge commissioned the most authoritative legal opinion on the subject of article 50 and British Parliamentary Sovereignty, the “Three Knights Opinion”. This authoritative document, the product of some of the finest legal minds in the country, has given us the tools to uphold our system of representative democracy and our Parliament’s Sovereignty.
Notification of withdrawal will shortly be given to the EU and they will respond in June, thereafter negotiations will take place. At the conclusion of these negotiations we will be able to see whether the Brexiters assertions have been realised, the deal will be put before Parliament for approval.
Despite all Theresa May’s assertions, Parliament will do what it will with the deal: accept it, send the PM back to the negotiating table, reject it and fall out of the EU, or alternatively, withdraw notification for want of an acceptable deal. Parliament will decide what is in the best interest of the UK and all its peoples and nations.
If necessary, the People’s Challenge will take legal action, as it has already done. The Government will be held to account and MPs will be encouraged and supported in the process of deciding what is in the best interests of ALL the nations and citizens of the UK.
Many MPs are already stepping forward to take a stand against the rhetoric and abuse directed at them – abuse that is aided and abetted even by some senior Government figures.
What we must do to ensure the continued functioning of our democracy is threefold:
First, we must help support our MPs in the face of vitriolic abuse and threats by hardcore Brexiters and others who are prepared to cut a deal with the devil and destroy our democracy in order to get what they want.
Secondly, we must help to uphold the rule of law, a fundamental cog in the wheel which moves all democratic and safe societies, going to the UK courts if necessary.
Thirdly, we must protect EU citizenship rights. Lives and futures have been planned and built based on these rights: therefore any modification of them must be very carefully thought through and executed if we are to live in a just and humane society.