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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
Bronwen Weatherby

Pro-Brexit protesters march in London to mark day UK was due to leave EU

Pro-Brexit demonstrators gathered in London today to mark the day Britain was due to leave the European Union.

The protesters marched on Downing Street and outside the Houses of Parliament to express their dissatisfaction and anger at having remained in the EU past October 31.

Activists attended the day's march wearing a mixture of British flag colours, dressed in Halloween costumes and Union Jacks.

Banners and placards brought to the event show discontent in remaining in the EU three years after the referendum in 2016.

Pro-Brexit activist is arrested on Whitehall on what would have been the day that the United Kingdom left the European Union (REUTERS)

Signs described people's desire to leave expediently and some expressed wanting to leave without a deal.

Halloween was promised by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to be the date the UK would exit the union.

Commons Speaker John Bercow and the BBC were the inspiration for some protester costumes (Getty Images)

However, after failing to get his Brexit deal approved in Parliament, the UK was granted a further extension by the EU. Mr Johnson had previously stated he would rather "die in a ditch" than ask for more time.

A snap election has now been arranged for December 12 in a bid to break the political deadlock.

Demonstrator shouts in front of the Winston Churchill statue (AP)

Mr Johnson hopes the election will re-establish him as the country's premier with a majority in the House of Commons and today saw the current PM soar into a 17-point opinion poll lead ahead of Jeremy Corbyn, Labour leader.

More than 50 MPs have already announced they will not be standing in the general election and today also marked Commons Speaker John Bercow's last day in his post.

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