Brexit BLOCKERS: Cardboard cutouts of Remainer 'superheroes' placed outside Parliament
AN ANTI-BREXIT group installed cardboard cutouts of the 15 pro-EU Tory rebels outside Parliament on Wednesday, just hours before a vital vote on the EU Withdrawal Bill.
Tory MP: Meaningful vote could result in NEW government
Each statue is wearing a superhero costume, sporting the Union Jack’s colours and the words “Brexit Hero” written on it.
Standing in Parliament Square, just feet away from the House of Commons where MPs are to vote on the Bill today, the cardboards also present smiling faces of the Tory rebels who have asked for a "meaningful vote" should the UK leave the EU without a deal.
Among them is also leading pro-European backbencher Dominic Grieve, who has been dubbed the ringleader of the Tory rebels.
The cutouts are part of a campaign organised by Avaaz, an online activist network, aiming at pressuring MPs to back the “meaningful vote amendment” voted by the Lords.
A victory for the rebels would give MPs the chance to have the last say before Britain leaves the EU in a no-deal scenario.
Avaaz campaigners also posed with the statues, putting comic bubbles reading “Meaningful vote now!”, “Parliament: take back control” and "Don’t gag Parliament!” near the MPs’ faces.
This campaign follows last week’s attempt to pressure the MPs with an advertisement placed in an issue of the Financial Times newspaper.
The ad showed pictures of the 15 Tory rebels and read: “The Brexit Heroes?
“Most Britons want Parliament to have a final say on Brexit.
“Vote with the people. Support the meaningful vote.
“History will remember your courage.
“61 percent of Brits believe MPs should have a meaningful vote on a final Brexit deal.”
And on the organisation’s Facebook page, campaigners stated: “Our democracy, and our future, are at stake, and this afternoon's Commons vote is too close to call.”
The campaign comes hours after a draft of conclusions for next week’s EU summit was leaked.
In the document, EU leaders warned state members and organisations Brexit talks could collapse over the Irish border issue.
Calling for “member states and all stakeholders to step up their work on preparedness at all levels for all outcomes”, the leaders argued the UK could leave the EU without a deal.
The possibility of a no-deal Brexit scares pro-EU Tory MPs, who have asked in the past to strengthen the hand of parliament if that happens and will today battle Theresa May to have the last say on it.