Something to digest.
From Peter French
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS POST I HAVE EVER HAD TO POST. PLEASE READ AND SHARE !!
Firstly I apologise for the dramatic headline but what I am about to impart has never mattered so much as it does now.
I have just come back from an important meeting at the House of Lords and this time I cannot divulge with whom because of the situation in Parliament tonight. I was shown evidence of hate in an email directed to a Lord that you cannot imagine. I was speechless and horrified as I read it and now understand why I must now respect anonymity here.
In essence everyone is worried, because it is now evident that there is no stopping or delaying Article 50 being invoked. Furthermore it is likely it will happen very soon, by 9th March as already suggested if not sooner. A bill will be introduced on Thursday and it is more than likely that it will be passed. I was given a copy of the full statement issued to all MP's and the Lords today by the government and there is one sentence which, as I said when I read it, is clearly a barbed threat. They see it as a deliberate threat.
"I trust no-one will seek to make it a vehicle for attempts to thwart the will of the people, or to frustrate or delay the process of our exit from the EU"
Some MPs will of course vote against but it is also clear that those MPs who disagree but who don't wish to vote against their party will abstain. The mood in the House of Lords is very sombre tonight.
Theresa May is hellbent on going through with this. The prediction is the country will be destroyed by this.
I have been asked to relay the following back to all of you. To the whole Pro-EU movement and beyond.
They regard the march now as absolutely the most crucial event that can happen. It was agreed as I had suggested in my last news update that it has never mattered as much as it does now. I was told that it must, must be the biggest march the country has ever seen. And yes, Article 50 will have been triggered by then but as was agreed with me tonight, that means the march is even more significant. We need to, we must, show this government the strength of feeling.
So please I beg you all, the one way we can make an impression and show our strength and get support from Pro EU MPs and Lords is to stage the biggest march ever. That was their advice.
I urge you now to share details of the march anywhere and everywhere you can. Many people regardless of how they voted never imagined we would be leaving the single market and those are the people we need to encourage most to join the march. We need your help at Unite for Europe to spread the word. And we need this to be the biggest march ever. We also launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for the march and a national advertising campaign, to run alongside all the efforts we are making to obtain free publicity. I plead with you all to please contribute, please help us make this possible.
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/unite-for-europe-national-marc…
Secondly I was told they will help us. They are at a loss what else to do. So if we have suggestions for them they will help us. I will now be in constant contact with them. An MP is also arranging for me to attend some very influential meetings coming up.
Thirdly they suggest everyone get in touch with your MPs immediately and again voice your concern where you have to and support those MP's who are Pro remain.
It was also said that what is happening here is being reported on very differently in the European press. One European newspaper said "Theresa May doesn't have a clue what she's doing". It was suggested it might be useful to get the European news editorials shared here.
And lastly it was suggested that it would be helpful if I could gain just a percentage of numbers of the Lords replies to members, in favour of remaining.
As I said in my last update,
16 million voted to remain. How many of the 16 million and more can we amass on the streets of London on the 25th March.
Please try all you can to join this march. One united march, in one united purpose, marching upon Parliament to show this Government our will.
Let's make this the biggest march yet, if not the single biggest march the capital and the country has ever seen on the single most important issue facing the future of this country.
Our future depends on it.
The next generation's future depends on it. And beyond.
Join us.
We only get one chance at this, one chance to make an impact like this, and
one chance to make our voices heard in this way.
Brexit is not in my name.
Peter French
Unite For Europe
Saturday 25th March London
11am start.
Park Lane, London
