Why I will be marching today

There are some 'professional' demonstrators - they're out on the streets at the drop of a hat - opposing anything and everything. I've never been one of them. So why will I be giving up a Saturday to go on today's March for Europe - along with a lot of people who have never demonstrated before?

Britain took a momentous decision at last June's referendum. The question was "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?". Out of an electorate of 46,500,001 [The current population is 65.1 million] - a majority of 1.2 million backed leave.

Many factors caused that result - but fake "facts" and claims that £350 million a week would be available to fund the NHS made a significant contribution.

Nine months on - the Prime Minister is about to trigger Article 50, which begins the process of that withdrawal. But not just withdrawal from the European Union, but Euratom, the single market, and the free trade area. So called "Hard Brexit". This would cause tremendous damage to my country.

Senior Conservative MP, and Chair of the Education Select Committee, Neil Carmichael has said a "harsh Brexit" must be avoided at all costs suggesting it could "damage our economy, damage our capacity as a nation to perform capably in the future and actually damage Europe.”

Kathleen Brooks, director of research at City Index, said a ‘hard Brexit’, is likely to come “at the cost” of a period of economic disruption, which is “likely to be negative for the pound". 
Experts warn that London’s position as a financial hub will be dealt a severe blow if the UK left the single market.

Even Leave voters want to retain some benefits! This table comes from the Economist.

I'm marching because 

• leaving the EU would be disastrous for the UK: 
• EU membership is key to Britain's future prosperity (which is why, despite initial          reluctance to join the ECSC & EEC - we decided it was the only viable option - we found that EFTA which we founded, didn't deliver; that a North American Free Trade Area was a non-starter):
• there is no mandate for a hard Brexit:
• The government have refused to secure the rights of EU citizens who have lived, paid taxes, brought up families here:
• The Leave campaign was dominated and financed by followers of a fundamentalist ideology who denies that the State has any role in protecting the rights of citizens, consumers and workers from "vulture" capitalism. (Which is why Trump & Bannon are such fans):
• Co-operation between people is to be preferred to creating divisions:
• a hard Brexit threatens the continued existence of a United Kingdom
• Leaving would have repercussions that would limit opportunities for people who will long outlive the minority in our country who voted to leave.

.... I could go on. I grew up in a country that was considered to be declining in wealth and influence - the sick man of Europe. Since we joined in 1973 - that has ceased to be true. I don't want to return to the 1960s - I want a future for my children and my country. 

Perhaps I'll see YOU on the march today?

Organisations that will be represented at the March include

Open Britain
Labour  Movement for Europe
New Europeans

The cross-party, multi-organisation Unite for Europe has coordinated plans - and many, many Facebook Groups exist - such as 'The 48%", "Join Hands for Europe", "Labour Against Brexit".