Labour politicians join marchers to demand People’s Vote on Brexit deal

Updated

Labour politicians joined thousands of people who marched through Liverpool to urge the party to back a so-called People's Vote on the Brexit deal.

A crowd waving EU and other flags chanted "bollocks to Brexit" and "it's not a done deal" as they walked from St George's Hall to a rally at Pier Head, close to where the conference is taking place.

Some sections of the crowd also chanted directly at party leader Jeremy Corbyn, saying: "Hey Jeremy, take a note, for the many, People's Vote."

Tottenham MP David Lammy and peer Lord Adonis were among the speakers while MP Luciana Berger led the march. There was also a short speech by former Everton and England footballer Peter Reid.

It came after Mr Corbyn said he would be "bound" by the decision of Labour's conference on the question of whether the party will back a second Brexit referendum.

Labour Party annual conference 2018
Labour Party annual conference 2018

Mr Lammy greeted the crowd outside the iconic Royal Liver Building on the bank of the Mersey by asking: "Are you listening Jeremy Corbyn?"

To cheers he highlighted that people from across the UK were present, saying: "They are saying squarely to the leadership of the Labour Party 'listen to us, hear us, give us a People's Vote'.

Labour Party annual conference 2018
Labour Party annual conference 2018

He described the country as being at a tipping point and faced with a resurgence in the "radical right", adding: "This cannot be a Labour Party that allows others to wreck our country and stand with the far right."

Mr Corbyn, appearing earlier on Sunday on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, has been asked whether he would feel obliged to respect a vote by delegates to support a second referendum.

He replied: "Let's see what comes out of conference. Obviously I'm bound by the democracy of our party."

The Labour leader said there would be a vote on Brexit at the Liverpool conference, but said it was not yet known exactly what question would be put to delegates.

"There will be a clear vote in the conference. I don't know what's going to come out of all the compositing meetings that are going on," he said.

Mr Corbyn declined to say which way he would vote in any new in-or-out poll, while pointing out that he backed Remain in the 2016 referendum.

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA union, told the crowd that he supported Mr Corbyn, and said: "If there is one thing I know about Jeremy Corbyn it's that he respects democracy.

"
When conference votes to say Labour should campaign for a People's Vote on the terms of Brexit he will go along with it."

Andrew Adonis introduced at People's Vote rally as "the politician who went from Bambi to Rambo". pic.twitter.com/2pr4UEj1cB

— David Wilcock (@DavidWilcockPA) September 23, 2018

Lord Adonis told the crowd: "The only good Brexit is a dead Brexit.

"There is no such thing as a good Brexit because Brexit means trashing jobs, trashing Ireland, trashing the young ... and our socialist values."

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