As hundreds of thousands marched on Westminster to demand a second Brexit vote, a dramatically smaller demo of leave-supporting protesters is being led by Nigel Farage.
The ex-Ukip leader described Theresa May’s Brexit policy as “one of the saddest chapters in the history of our nation” as he re-joined the marchers in a Nottinghamshire car park, who are heading to London from their starting point in Sunderland.
The march, which began a week ago, is scheduled to reach the capital on March 29 – the original Brexit date.
Side-by-side pictures illustrate the marked difference in scale, with the March to Leave sticking to the pavement, while the People’s Vote crowd packs out central London’s busiest streets.
Farage told the Press Association: “What has happened this week is not only a national humiliation but it is an outright betrayal because Mrs May now tells us we’re not leaving next Friday despite telling us over a hundred times that we would be, despite putting a piece of law in place supported by 500 MPs.
“So there is something going on here that I believe to be one of the saddest chapters in the history of our nation and we will not take this lying down.”
Asked about the March to Leave supporters being outnumbered on Saturday by the Peoples Vote March in London, he pointed to the cheering marchers gathered in a pub car park and said: “There are 17.4 million here, can’t you see them?”
Farage took to the top of a double-decker open-top bus to address the crowds before leading them off on their trek to Beeston, Nottinghamshire.
He told the marchers: “What a week it’s been. I was hoping to spend more time with you on the march this week but I’ve been in Brussels watching a British Prime Minister reducing our nation in the eyes of the world to the state of humiliation.
“Worse than that, the gap that’s now opened up between the people and the politicians is such that, despite everything we were told in the referendum, everything we were told in general election manifestos, every promise that was made when 498 MPs voted for article 50 which said we leave on March 29 with or without a deal, the Prime Minister signalled that we will not be leaving this Friday.
“And that means this March to Leave could not be better timed.”
Farage was cheered as he said: “Our message is very clear. If they think they can walk all over us, we’re going to march back and tell them, no you can’t, we will not give in, we will not roll over, we will fight and we know that we will get Brexit whether it’s this Friday or at a later date.
