Liberal Democrat Mayoral Candidate Siobhan Benita has warned it "beggars belief" that the Conservatives have a pro-Brexit Mayoral candidate given 1.2 million people in London have signed the petition to revoke Article 50, more than the number of votes Sadiq Khan received in the 2016 mayoral election.
The claim comes as the House of Commons debated the petition to Revoke Article 50 on April 1st, which has the highest number of signatures of any parliamentary e-petition in history.
The Liberal Democrats, who are campaigning for the people to have the final say on Brexit, said the support for petition sends a clear signal to Brexiteer politicians that they are "out of touch with the capital."
Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London, Siobhan Benita, said:
“Londoners are open-minded, open-hearted, and proud Europeans. The sheer number of Londoners who have signed the Revoke and Remain petition sends a clear signal to Brexiteer politicians that they are out of touch with the capital.
“It beggars belief that, once again, the Tories have chosen a mayoral candidate who thinks we should leave the EU.
“The Liberal Democrats are clear that with the mess the Conservative Government have made of Brexit, the only route out of this chaos is a people’s vote with the option to revoke Article 50 and stay in the EU.
“The best deal for London is the deal that we already have as members of the EU, yet the Conservatives insist on trying to force a Brexit deal through that would be disastrous for our city.”
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Poplar & Limehouse, Elaine Bagshaw, said:
“What is even more incredible is that Jim Fitzpatrick - a Labour MP - is supporting this damaging Tory Brexit that will hurt the people and economy of Tower Hamlets. Despite being a remain voter in a remain voting constituency, Jim has consistently supported Theresa May’s deal and shown that the Labour party cannot be trusted on Brexit. More than 21,000 people in Poplar & Limehouse signed the petition to revoke Article 50 but he voted against holding a confirmatory referendum. He has betrayed his constituents and it is time local people had a voice that listens to them. The Liberal Democrats demand better for Poplar and Limehouse.”
Councillor Rabina Khan said:
“Even the Council has finally realised how much damage Brexit would do to Tower Hamlets, after months Liberal Democrat campaigning for action. We need to prevent the damaging Brexit that the Conservative government and their supporters are trying to cause. Tower Hamlets would be better off inside the EU.”
ENDS
For more information contact:
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Councillor Rabina Khan, 07944 790383, rabina@rabinakhan.com
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Elaine Bagshaw, 07910 230662, esbagshaw@gmail.com
Notes to editors:
The link to the petition can be found here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/241584. A breakdown of signatures by constituency, as of 1 April, can be found below.
London Constituency Article 50 signatures
Poplar & Limehouse 21,304
Bethnal Green & Bow 24,485
Twickenham 24,653
Richmond Park 27,623
Kingston & Surbiton 18,396
Wimbledon 21,121
Putney 20,398
Tooting 22,852
Battersea 24,525
Vauxhall 25,109
Streatham 24,728
Sutton and Cheam 12,303
Carshalton & Wallington 8,703
Croydon North 12,274
Croydon South 12,303
Mitcham & Morden 10,223
Croydon Central 9,972
Beckenham 12,037
Bromley & Chislehurst 10,971
Orpington 8,000
Old Bexley & Sidcup 6,085
Bexleyheath & Crayford 5,219
Erith & Thamesmead 5,580
Eltham 10,028
Greenwich & Woolwich 19,311
Lewisham East 13,556
Lewisham, Deptford 24,598
Dulwich & North Norwood 26,343
Lewisham West & Penge 18,858
Camberwell & Peckham 22,380
Bermondsey & Old Southwark 25,142
Dagenham & Rainham 3,794
Hornchurch & Upminster 5,680
Romford 5,285
Ilford South 6,588
Barking 5,574
East Ham 7,673
Ilford North 7,931
West Ham 14,614
Leyton & Wanstead 15,114
Chingford & Woodford Green 9,484
Walthamstow 17,596
Tottenham 16,811
Hornsey & Wood Green 31,939
Finchley & Golders Green 20,043
Chipping Barnet 16,502
Enfield, Southgate 13,672
Edmonton 5,228
Enfield North 7,479
Hendon 11,693
Harrow East 7,379
Brent North 8,449
Harrow West 9,656
Ruslip, Northwood & Pinner 11,037
Uxbridge & South Ruislip 8,133
Hayes & Harlington 5,347
Feltham & Heston 6,498
Brentford & Isleworth 19,625
Ealing, Southall 8,539
Ealing North 10,353
Brent Central 12,183
Ealing Central & Acton 23,693
Hammersmith 22,319
Kensington 21,519
Chelsea & Fulham 20,611
Westminster North 18,523
Hampstead & Kilburn 28,879
Holborn & St Pancras 28,093
Islington North 26,937
Hackney North & Stoke Newington 27,818
Islington South & Finsbury 23,565
Hackney South & Shoreditch 26,669
Westminster North 18,523
Cities of London & Westminster 24,859
London 1,170,987