March takes place three days before Boris Johnson is expected to become Tory leader

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Thousands of demonstrators from across the country assembled in central London today to march against Brexit, and Boris Johnson’s likely move into No 10, as well as to push for a second Brexit referendum.

At first sight, the message of the “No to Boris, yes to Europe” march, taking place three days before Johnson is expected to become Tory leader, seemed to be unambiguous.

The mood was cheerful, with people dressed as Johnson, a Nigel Farage on stilts, and EU flags painted on faces. One man played the bagpipes.

Speaking to demonstrators, it was clear there was no consensus on the goal of the People’s Vote campaign – and the march.

Jackie, in her 40s, and daughter Poppy, 12, travelled from Bournemouth to join the crowd. It was their fourth anti-Brexit march.

“This does feel like a remain campaign,” Jackie said, “and we are definitely remainers and want to stop Brexit. But it should probably be a neutral campaign for a second referendum. It’s ridiculous to think anyone still knows what the people want, they need to be asked again.”

Play Video 0:38 Boris Johnson blimp lifts off outside parliament in anti-Brexit march – video

Tania Nolan, 55, a scientist, and Colin Paton, 59, from Suffolk, agreed. “This should be a democratic campaign, people should make a free decision in a second referendum,” Nolan said.

Paton said he wanted “a remainer-led government”, but also felt the People’s Vote leaders should be clamouring for a second vote, not necessarily for remain.

“I’m an idealist, I wish people would make evidence-based decisions again. That’s what this march is about,” Nolan said.

Mick O’Malley, 71, from Gloucester, clad in a cape made from an EU flag, had a different view. “This is an anti-Johnson march, which means it’s anti-Brexit. There might be a bit of ‘for a second ref only’ in this, this is a broad church, but I know why I’m here today,” he said.

John Arnold, 49, a volunteer and street campaigner for People’s Vote from Cheshire, said: “Look at the crowd, this is a remain march, anyone who pretends otherwise is simply disingenuous.

“I’ve got lots of leave voters to sign up to the second referendum petition in Cheshire, but I’d be very surprised to see them here.”

Anti-Brexit campaigner Shola Mos-Shogbamimu acknowledged the confusion as she opened the stage at Parliament Square: “I want to make sure you know why you are here, I’m not sure you do! When I say ‘Boris’, you say ‘No!’”, she chanted.

“We are staying in, we are staying in, so what!”

The remain campaigner Mike Galsworthy addressed people next, seemingly aiming to do away with any ambiguity about the nature of this march. “Why ‘No to Boris’? He’s infantile, these people are not fit to lead,” he said.

“Bigger than Boris is Europe, and that’s our future. Put Brexit in the bin, set the bin alight!”

Remain-campaigner Femi Oluwole also made an appearance. “If I hadn’t studied EU law, if I’d grown up in one of those towns that politics have forgotten, if the only person who told me to vote remain had been David bloody Cameron, I’d have voted leave, and I wouldn’t have done it out of racism or stupidity, I’d have done it because I needed change,” Oluwole said.

“We will get rid of first past the post so that votes actually count,” he said, to loud applause, adding: “Let’s make the UK great, full stop.”

Ed Davey MP 🔶 (@EdwardJDavey) Want to #StopBrexit?

Join us now on the #MarchForChange with @LibDems MPs and @LibDemMEPs leading the calls to hold to account the lies and deceit from #Johnson and #Farage.



🔶Time to #LeadNotLeave!

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The biggest cheers were earned by activist and whistleblower Shahmir Sanni with his speech, in which he blasted the Brexit referendum as a “perversion of democracy” and described Boris Johnson as “inherently oppressive”.

“He lied to the public, he lied to us all,” Sanni said, adding that the British had been suffering at the hands of “a corrupt political class”, “coordinated misinformation campaigns run by lobby groups”, and “millionaire donors”, who had incited a race war and spread fear.

The Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful Ed Davey was among those attending, alongside new Lib Dem recruit Chuka Umunna.

Before the march, a Boris Johnson toddler blimp, wearing mismatched running gear and a Brexit-bus T-shirt, was launched in Parliament Square.

The singer Billy Bragg and presenter Sandi Toksvig were also at the protest, with Bragg performing on stage at Parliament Square.

Speaking before the march, Toksvig said she was taking part because she believed “passionately” in the European project. “Some of the enormous political issues we face today – the climate emergency, cybercrime, violence against women and girls – are truly global; we cannot fight them alone, and we cannot fight them outside of Europe.”