Pro-European activists in Thame join National Action Day

THAME Activists and supporters from Open Britain, the European Movement and Britain for Europe were in Thame town centre on Saturday, April 14, as part of a day of action throughout the UK.

The ‘Open Britain Thame’ group visited other parts of Thame’s MP. John Howell’s Henley and South Oxfordshire constituency including Chinnor, Henley, Watlington and Kirtlington and, with the support of the ‘Thame For Europe’ a street stall was set up in front of Thame town hall, which included a ‘Brexitometre’ on which people were invited to stick on a plastic letter in either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to whether they ‘Still want Brexit’ and leaflets distributed throughout the town. The leaflets asked local people to ask John Howell MPto support the Customs Union Amendment ‘to avoid a hard, destructive Brexit’.

This, the largest ever pro-European National Action Day, preceded the launch on Sunday, April 15, of a new People’s Vote campaign, calling for the British people to be given a vote on the Brexit deal.

Robin Storey of Open Britain Thame, said: “I’m delighted with the launch of the campaign for a peoples vote on the final Brexit deal in Thame. We signed up over a hundred supporters in two hours and then drove to Henley and launched a group there with similar results. We also visited other areas throughout John Howell MP’s constituency and will be asking John Howell MP for a meeting.

“Volunteers have been delivering 4000 leaflets in the Thame area asking John Howell MP to back the customs union amendment ‘to avoid unnecessary economic damage’. This is a logical and measurable first step for him to take, but the Peoples Vote on the final Brexit deal is the real solution to this mess – as there are so many new facts about the cost of Brexit such as the £40Bn exit bill, broken promises on NHS funding and a likely bad deal.”

Phillipa Tawn, of the Thame For Europe Group explained: “Once we know the terms of the Brexit deal we should have the right to decide if we still want it or not. We campaigned for nine hours on Saturday all around the Henley constituency and in that area it is clear that people are not at all happy about the way Brexit is looking right now.”

There were however, some voices from Thame who are on the opposite side to Saturday’s activists. Tony Rushforth stated on Twitter: “We had a vote; stick by it! You can’t have best of three! We voted and gave our politicians the mandate to deal with the terms of the Brexit. Just let them get on with it and stop crying foul !”

James MacCleary, Campaign Director of European Movement UK, said: “The pro-European movement is gaining in strength and momentum and that progress was reflected this weekend with a huge demonstration of grassroots power in favour of a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal.”

Anne Weyman, Vice Chair of Britain for Europe, said: “We may come from different political parties, different traditions and different groups, but we are united by our desire for the people to have their say on the Brexit deal and we are determined to make sure their voice is heard loud and clear.”