Thousands of people have turned out at a rally to demand Labour throw its support behind a second public vote on the final Brexit deal, as one MP asked: “Are you listening Jeremy Corbyn?”
At a march, organised by the People’s Vote campaign, on the fringes of Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, demonstrators chanted “bollocks to Brexit” and waved EU flags.
Addressing the crowds, the prominent Labour MP, David Lammy, said that a fresh EU vote must include the option to remain inside the bloc on the ballot paper.
“They are saying squarely to leadership of the Labour Party, ‘listen to us, hear us, give us a people’s vote,” he said. “Are you listening Jeremy Corbyn? Are you listening John McDonnell?”
Luciana Berger, the Labour MP for Liverpool Wavetree, was among those who joined the march in support of Labour members who want the conference to debate supporting a second vote – something that will be decided later on Sunday.
The rally came as the Labour leader said he would “act accordingly” if conference called for a fresh referendum and said that while had not called for it now, he had been elected to “empower” members and would not “walk away from it.”
Manuel Cortes, the general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), who was also at the march, said he was a “big supporter” of Mr Corbyn, and referring to any vote on the floor of the conference, added: “The one think I know about Jeremy is that he respects democracy.”
The economist Ann Pettifor, who has previously advised the shadow chancellor on economic policy, said it was a “historic moment” as she addressed those demanding a final say on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
Ms Pettifor, who said she was “proudly” of the left, said she voted against joining the EU in 1975. “But this is 2018,” she added. “And when the facts change, I changed.”
The Independent has launched its Final Say campaign for a People’s Vote on the terms of the Brexit deal, with more than 820,000 people having signed its petition so far.
The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.
Sign our petition here
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