Justice secretary Michael Gove, one of the main campaigners to take Britain out of the European Union, said yesterday he would run to become prime minister, shaking up the contest and hurting the chances of his Brexit ally, ex-London mayor Boris Johnson.
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Nine days following the referendum, a large number of protesters gathered in Hyde Park in Central London on Saturday morning and marched through London to Parliament Square.
Along the way to Parliament, where some demonstrators planned to hand a petition at the prime minister’s office at nearby 10 Downing Street, the crowd chanted: “I don’t want to leave EU!” The demonstrators were often accompanied by music, with two songs in particular playing on repeat: Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley and Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You.
While it goes without saying that not all Leave voters are bigots – many were simply expressing anti-establishment sentiment – the fivefold increase in hate crimes in the United Kingdom since the vote took place indicates precisely how risky such rhetoric can be. Look at this, Boris Johnson!
There are placards, signs and banners aplenty expressing anger and resentment at the way the Leave campaign was conducted but also frustration at what’s seen as a lack of clear leadership in the aftermath of the vote.
Some 52 percent of Britons in the June 23 referendum voted for the country to leave the EU.
“There must be a second referendum. Everybody knows that if there is. we’ll vote to stay”, said former television producer Nicholas Light, 82, on Saturday’s march.
To make matters worse the opposition Labour Party is also descending into chaos, with leader Jeremy Corbyn facing a revolt over his half-hearted support for the “Remain” campaign, which may have been the main reason for Brexit’s narrow victory.
The Debrief: We asked people attending why they were marching, what they hoped to achieve and what message they had for people who had voted to leave the EU.
Both justice minister Michael Gove and interior minister Theresa May have said they would not notify the European Union this year, hoping to take informal soundings first about what terms may be on offer for future ties.
European Union leaders have urged a swift divorce, fearful of the impact of Britain’s uncertain future on economic growth and a potential domino effect in eurosceptic member states.
The shock vote plunged financial markets into crisis and the pound fell to its lowest point against the dollar since 1985.
Britain has yet to formally declare its intention to break with the EU.
“I think the Leave campaign misled people, we are (making) a wrong decision because of the lies”, protestor Casey, 37, told media.
The results last week showed voters in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the capital London backed remaining, while those that chose to leave were largely from less affluent areas in England and Wales.
The Scottish vote has re-ignited the debate over independence there.
“One hallmark of leadership in such a fast-moving world is allowing sufficient room for quiet thinking and contemplation, which can enable deeper, cooler consideration of how challenges and opportunities can be best addressed”, she said.
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Queen Elizabeth urged calm in an “increasingly challenging world”, in what some commentators suggested could refer to the situation after the Brexit vote.
