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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brexit protest: thousands march in London to 'unite for Europe' - live | Brexit protest: thousands march in London to 'unite for Europe' - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.26pm GMT | |
| 12:26 | |
| Some very British signs from today’s march... | |
| #UniteForEurope a good little selection pic.twitter.com/O2LNzeWG27 | |
| 12.23pm GMT | |
| 12:23 | |
| Helena Smith | |
| The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, who initially signalled that he would not sign the Rome declaration if it failed to acknowledge that European achievements applied to all, has said the EU is far from the place its founders dreamed of. | |
| “It is not the Europe that we dreamed of and wanted,” he said in a television interview. “But there is no doubt that we have to fight within it to change it.” | |
| Greece, the eurozone’s weakest member, had initially refused to sign the declaration because of objections over the wording. | |
| Athens’ leftist-led government had demanded that the declaration be “enriched” with additional mention of European regulations protecting citizens’ labour rights – the major sticking point in stalled negotiations between Greece and the foreign lenders keeping the debt-stricken country afloat. | |
| Tsipras said he had been assured protective rights applied to all “but it has to be seen in practice”. | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.30pm GMT | |
| 12.09pm GMT | |
| 12:09 | |
| And we're off. Crowd starts moving toward Green Park to the strains of "happy birthday to EU" pic.twitter.com/pJ7gnA7w8o | |
| 12.07pm GMT | |
| 12:07 | |
| Carswell quits Ukip | |
| Some breaking news: Ukip’s only member of parliament, Douglas Carswell, has quit the party, announcing on his website that he will become an independent MP. | |
| Carswell, who defected from the Conservative party to Ukip in August 2014, said he was leaving the party “amicably, cheerfully and in the knowledge that we won”. | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.08pm GMT | |
| 12.01pm GMT | |
| 12:01 | |
| My fave so far #UniteForEurope #MarchForEurope2017 pic.twitter.com/ualCNctSFb | |
| 11.57am GMT | 11.57am GMT |
| 11:57 | 11:57 |
| Juncker hails ‘optimistic mood’ | Juncker hails ‘optimistic mood’ |
| The head of the European Commission said the EU’s 60th birthday declaration sets the scene for a growing mood of optimism. | The head of the European Commission said the EU’s 60th birthday declaration sets the scene for a growing mood of optimism. |
| Jean-Claude Juncker said after the leaders of 27 EU nations met that their Rome declaration was a good beginning for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the bloc after Britain’s departure. | Jean-Claude Juncker said after the leaders of 27 EU nations met that their Rome declaration was a good beginning for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the bloc after Britain’s departure. |
| “The atmosphere is now such that we can approach this with confidence,” he said. “What we achieved in the days before Rome, and in the last few hours here in Rome, conveys something of an incipient optimistic mood because, contrary to what was assumed, there was no clash, no big dispute between several conceivable paths.” | “The atmosphere is now such that we can approach this with confidence,” he said. “What we achieved in the days before Rome, and in the last few hours here in Rome, conveys something of an incipient optimistic mood because, contrary to what was assumed, there was no clash, no big dispute between several conceivable paths.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.58am GMT | at 11.58am GMT |
| 11.53am GMT | 11.53am GMT |
| 11:53 | 11:53 |
| More from Rome: EU leaders have signed the Rome declaration that enshrines the principle of a multi-speed bloc, allowing some nations can move ahead while others stay on the sidelines on specific issues. | More from Rome: EU leaders have signed the Rome declaration that enshrines the principle of a multi-speed bloc, allowing some nations can move ahead while others stay on the sidelines on specific issues. |
| The declaration, signed by 27 nations, said that “we will act together, at different paces and intensity where necessary, while moving in the same direction”. | The declaration, signed by 27 nations, said that “we will act together, at different paces and intensity where necessary, while moving in the same direction”. |
| The EU has often done that in practice in the past, with only 19 nations in the eurozone and not all members participating in the Schengen zone of borderless travel. | The EU has often done that in practice in the past, with only 19 nations in the eurozone and not all members participating in the Schengen zone of borderless travel. |
| 11.51am GMT | 11.51am GMT |
| 11:51 | 11:51 |
| Dan Roberts | Dan Roberts |
| It appears that the start of the march has been delayed until noon at police request due to congestion. Buses are still arriving. | It appears that the start of the march has been delayed until noon at police request due to congestion. Buses are still arriving. |
| March steward tells me organisers expecting crowd of 16,000. Hoping for 20,000. Sounds about right to me. Angry heckling from motorists. | March steward tells me organisers expecting crowd of 16,000. Hoping for 20,000. Sounds about right to me. Angry heckling from motorists. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.58am GMT | at 11.58am GMT |
| 11.50am GMT | 11.50am GMT |
| 11:50 | 11:50 |
| Daniel Boffey | Daniel Boffey |
| The leaders of the 27 states that will make up the European Union after Britain’s departure have gathered in Rome to reaffirm their support for the bloc. | The leaders of the 27 states that will make up the European Union after Britain’s departure have gathered in Rome to reaffirm their support for the bloc. |
| Sixty years after the formation of the EU, leaders from across the continent met in the Italian capital to mark the anniversary of the treaty that founded the European Economic Community, creating a common market and customs union. | Sixty years after the formation of the EU, leaders from across the continent met in the Italian capital to mark the anniversary of the treaty that founded the European Economic Community, creating a common market and customs union. |
| The leaders of the 27 member states assembled on Saturday morning in the Orazi and Curiazi Hall of the Capitol, in the Piazza del Campidoglio, and were greeted by the European council president, Donald Tusk, the Italian prime minister, Paolo Gentilini, and Joseph Muscat, the prime minister of Malta, the state that holds the rotating presidency of the council of the EU. | The leaders of the 27 member states assembled on Saturday morning in the Orazi and Curiazi Hall of the Capitol, in the Piazza del Campidoglio, and were greeted by the European council president, Donald Tusk, the Italian prime minister, Paolo Gentilini, and Joseph Muscat, the prime minister of Malta, the state that holds the rotating presidency of the council of the EU. |
| 11.38am GMT | 11.38am GMT |
| 11:38 | 11:38 |
| Meanwhile in Rome, the leaders of European Union members - except Theresa May - have gathered to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. The treaty was the forerunner to what became the EU. | Meanwhile in Rome, the leaders of European Union members - except Theresa May - have gathered to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. The treaty was the forerunner to what became the EU. |
| 11.31am GMT | 11.31am GMT |
| 11:31 | 11:31 |
| Dan Roberts | Dan Roberts |
| Large #UniteForEurope crowd gathered in Park Lane ready to start march. How large hard to tell from here. Not huge but not small either. pic.twitter.com/N8zGKQ1jGY | Large #UniteForEurope crowd gathered in Park Lane ready to start march. How large hard to tell from here. Not huge but not small either. pic.twitter.com/N8zGKQ1jGY |
| A spirited crowd of Brexit protesters gathered at Hyde Park Corner in spring sunshine for the start of the Unite For Europe march on parliament. Many were carrying yellow flowers to lay at the memorial for victims of the Westminster attacks. | A spirited crowd of Brexit protesters gathered at Hyde Park Corner in spring sunshine for the start of the Unite For Europe march on parliament. Many were carrying yellow flowers to lay at the memorial for victims of the Westminster attacks. |
| All were carrying a message that they didn’t want their voices forgotten when Theresa May invokes Article 50 next week. “We want to show we are not alone,” said Rachael Shermaur, 51, who travelled from Devon last night. “We are not naive, but would like to remain optimists. If there is a public protest, then in some way that message might get through.” | All were carrying a message that they didn’t want their voices forgotten when Theresa May invokes Article 50 next week. “We want to show we are not alone,” said Rachael Shermaur, 51, who travelled from Devon last night. “We are not naive, but would like to remain optimists. If there is a public protest, then in some way that message might get through.” |
| 11.22am GMT | 11.22am GMT |
| 11:22 | 11:22 |
| Matt Kamen, who writes for the Observer and Wired among others, is at the Unite for Europe march. | Matt Kamen, who writes for the Observer and Wired among others, is at the Unite for Europe march. |
| Well, quite. #UniteForEurope #StopBrexit #EU4ME pic.twitter.com/xy7ge5dhGB | Well, quite. #UniteForEurope #StopBrexit #EU4ME pic.twitter.com/xy7ge5dhGB |
| 11.19am GMT | 11.19am GMT |
| 11:19 | 11:19 |
| David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham in north London, tweets: | David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham in north London, tweets: |
| Don't mourn, organise. Will be speaking at #UniteForEurope later. See you there. | Don't mourn, organise. Will be speaking at #UniteForEurope later. See you there. |
| 11.17am GMT | 11.17am GMT |
| 11:17 | 11:17 |
| Dan Roberts, our Brexit policy editor, is live tweeting the march: | Dan Roberts, our Brexit policy editor, is live tweeting the march: |
| Crowd beginning the gather in Park Lane for the Unite For Europe march on parliament. Sun shining, positive atmosphere, lots of EU flags pic.twitter.com/EiwVgLCz0n | Crowd beginning the gather in Park Lane for the Unite For Europe march on parliament. Sun shining, positive atmosphere, lots of EU flags pic.twitter.com/EiwVgLCz0n |
| Many of the #uniteforeurope marchers on Brexit rally carrying yellow flowers to lay at the memorial to terrorist victims outside parliament pic.twitter.com/UeBbeOlPD5 | Many of the #uniteforeurope marchers on Brexit rally carrying yellow flowers to lay at the memorial to terrorist victims outside parliament pic.twitter.com/UeBbeOlPD5 |
| Rachael Shermaur from Devon is one of many to have travelled some way for #uniteforeurope march, says she want to show the 48% are not alone pic.twitter.com/5bM20Z6KR0 | Rachael Shermaur from Devon is one of many to have travelled some way for #uniteforeurope march, says she want to show the 48% are not alone pic.twitter.com/5bM20Z6KR0 |
| 10.58am GMT | 10.58am GMT |
| 10:58 | 10:58 |
| Chris Johnston | Chris Johnston |
| Welcome to our live coverage of the Unite for Europe march in central London today. The protest is being held just days before the prime minister is expected to trigger Article 50, which will formally notify Brussels of the UK’s intention to leave the European Union. | Welcome to our live coverage of the Unite for Europe march in central London today. The protest is being held just days before the prime minister is expected to trigger Article 50, which will formally notify Brussels of the UK’s intention to leave the European Union. |
| It is also the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community- the forerunner of the EU. | It is also the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community- the forerunner of the EU. |
| The march will set off from Park Lane outside the Hilton hotel and travel along Piccadilly, Pall Mall and Whitehall before ending at Parliament Square. | The march will set off from Park Lane outside the Hilton hotel and travel along Piccadilly, Pall Mall and Whitehall before ending at Parliament Square. |
| Include the hashtag #UniteforEurope on your tweets and you might see them on the live blog. | Include the hashtag #UniteforEurope on your tweets and you might see them on the live blog. |