“Are you pro-EU?” asked Magdalena Williams, a demonstrator with the group SODEM, the Stand of Defiance European Movement, “Because there are EDL people over there. We have been infiltrated. They are trying push us away.”
Across the street from the entrance to The Houses of Parliament, battle lines were drawn on Monday in the debate surrounding the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. On one side were those who want another referendum, or ideally, for the UK to cancel Brexit altogether; in opposition were those who want the Brexit they believe they were promised and refuse the deal offered by Theresa May and the Conservative government.
Protestors on both sides of the Brexit debate took their places outside Parliament on Monday.
Together the 2 groups formed a vocal crowd, a mix of Union Jacks and EU flags, with people having come from across the UK to express their opinion while those in power discuss the arrangements of the UK’s exit before they vote on the proposed deal on the 11th of December.
“The MPs are very grateful that we are here” said Ms Williams, “at least the ones who are pro-EU. They say it is nice to hear us when they are in the halls.”
Their goal extends further than the politicians, though. The aim of SODEM is to stop Brexit and demonstrate that others support this goal. “Inspiring people, that’s the main thing” said Ms Williams, “Activating people. And then we’ve got the petitions, we’ve got the legal cases. Vote leave broke the law. We have just been told by the Attorney General at the EU that we can revoke article 50.”
SODEM was a very vocal group, and kept up a chorus of “No Brexit!” throughout the day. This was in the tradition of their founder, Steven Bray, a man who abandoned his everyday life last September to protest against Brexit, taking up an almost permanent position in front of the Houses of Parliament. “He’s here from 10 in the morning to 6 in the evening every day” said Ms Williams.
She gestured at the other group across the road only a few metres away, accusing them trying to push SODEM away. “They are saying leave means leave, leave now.”
The group in question is Leave Means Leave. They were set up by the road-side, waving their banners at passing motorists. From black cabs to white vans, many seemed willing to show their support, or, at the very least, honked their horns as a form of solidarity. “It’s been hugely positive,” said Martin Dew, a protester with Leave Means Leave, “It seems to me that more passers-by are batting for us rather than not.” When asked about the supposed conflict between his group and those further up the street he seems unconcerned, “That’s nothing new. I don’t agree with what they’re supporting, which is in most cases a 2nd vote, or what they call a people’s vote, but we believe we had the people’s vote in 2016.”
Leave Means Leave take an uncompromising approach to Brexit. Their current complaint is that they disagree with many of the core points of the EU Withdrawal Agreement proposed by Theresa May last month. “We want a clean Brexit” said Martin, “as we were promised by Theresa May’s Lancaster House speech and Mansion House speech and was determined in the manifestos of both the Labour and Conservative parties and at the 2017 general election.” Although Leave Means Leave have been critical of the current government’s handling of Brexit, Martin isn’t without hope that this form of Brexit is still possible, “I don’t think anybody knows which direction it’s going to go in at the moment and whichever way it goes I still believe we have to fight for our democracy and our freedom.”
Behind the doors of the parliament, MPs will debate the withdrawal agreement throughout the week, culminating with a “meaningful vote” on the deal on Tuesday 11th December. Whatever happens, it seems likely to be a test of the increasingly divided and fragile ecosystem of UK politics. In the meantime, there will be a series of events hosted by various organisations, including the ongoing protests outside Parliament, but also the Brexit Betrayal Rally, organised by UKIP and former leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson.