| Formation | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Type | Pressure group |
| Headquarters | Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, England, SW1P 4QP |
| Location | |
Membership | 50 groups |
Official language | English |
Chair | Tom Brufatto [1] |
| Affiliations | People's Vote |
| Website | www |
| Part of a series of articles on |
| UK membership of the European Union (1973–2020) |
|---|
 |
Britain for Europe is a pressure group and umbrella organisation[2] for pro-Europeanism grassroots campaign groups based in the United Kingdom,[3] with branches around the country,[4] which lobbies in favour of the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union.[5][6][7]
History
editBritain for Europe formed in 2016 shortly after the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. It is an umbrella organisation for anti-Brexit grassroots groups.[8] It aims to secure a vote on the terms of the Brexit deal that would include an option to remain. In December, the Financial Times described the groups as 'diehards' that splintered off from the Open Britain group; saying they seek to reverse Brexit rather look for favourable terms of exit.[9]
Britain for Europe has campaigned against Brexit, and in favour of pro-European causes. In September 2017 it supported Amendment 7, which called for Parliament to have a meaningful vote. It supports 1 Day Without Us, an annual event that demonstrates solidarity with migrants in the UK.[10] and a national march to Parliament [11]
It worked with European Movement UK and Scientists for EU to organise a pro-EU Conference and a lobby of Parliament on 24 October 2017.[12]
In June and October 2017, Britain for Europe groups march to College Green, Bristol.[13][14]
In 2018, the organisation aims to lobby for a Parliamentary and public vote on the deal, a national celebration of Europe Day[15], to work with other national pro-European organisations,[16] and to organise a large national march to Parliament.[11] In January, the Bath affiliated group challenged Jacob Rees-Mogg.[17] In February, Channel 4 questioned the affiliate group's, Camden for Europe's, bus campaign claiming Brexit to cost £2,000 million per week.[18] In March, the Leeds for Europe affiliate group organised a march attended by about two thousand people.[19][20][21] There was a march in Exeter attended by about 2,500 people, organised by affilitate group Devon for Europe.[22] In April , Dorian Lynskey of the Guardian noted that several local anti-Brexit groups had joined Britain for Europe, however some groups had disagreements with each other.[4] In April, the group organised a march in Edinburgh with Open Britain and the European Movement.[23] On Sunday 24 June, roughly two hundred people joined a Perth for Europe march.[24]
People's Vote
editOn 15 April 2018, Britain for Europe and eight other pro-European groups launched a joint initiative called called People's Vote.[25][26][27] It will campaign for a second referendum based on the details of the exit arrangement, including an option to remain in the European Union.[26][27][28]
Organisation
editThe organisation uses a shared People's Vote campaign office based in Millbank Tower, Millbank, central London.[26][27] The tower also houses offices for the Labour Party, Conservative Party, and United Nations. The organisation has roughly fifty local campaign groups.[25][8]
The Chair of Britain for Europe is Tom Brufatto.[29] Britain for Europe is organised from the grassroots membership.[30] It is steered by an elected council not a national executive.[citation needed]
Affiliated groups:[8]
Reception
editChuka Umunna and Mike Galsworthy support the organisation.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Our team - Britain for Europe". Britain for Europe. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Elgot, Jessica; Topping, Alexandra; Morris, Steven; Halliday, Josh (26 January 2018). "'We're not morons': Brexit divisions harden across Britain". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Bristol for Europe". Bristol for Europe. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b Lynskey, Dorian (28 April 2018). "'It's not a done deal': inside the battle to stop Brexit". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- ^ "Britain for Europe". Britain for Europe. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b Harris, John (10 January 2017). "The Brexit resistance: 'It's getting bigger all the time'". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Grice, Andrew (1 February 2018). "Pro-EU campaign groups join forces to fight against hard Brexit". The Independent. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Our groups - Britain for Europe". Britain for Europe. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Chaffin, Joshua (9 December 2016). "Britain's Europhiles splinter into dozens of grassroots movements". Financial Times. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
...the official campaign has split in two: a pragmatic Open Britain that is resigned to Brexit but hoping to soften its terms, and a more radical Britain for Europe, which is still determined to overturn it. List of pro-Europe groups at the end of the article - Britain for Europe: Open Britain splinter group still fighting Brexit. The diehards.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|subscription=ignored (|url-access=suggested) (help) - ^ "Rally for Europe at the Labour Party Conference". Open Britain. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Britain for Europe, march to Parliament Square". Hertford Liberal Democrats. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ "European Movement Supporters Participate in Pro-EU Conference and Mass Lobby of Parliament". European Movement UK. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Ashcroft, Esme (23 June 2017). "Pro-Europe rally on College Green, a year after Brexit referendum". Bristol Post. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ Fackrell, Matthew (15 October 2017). "Bristol for Europe: Indispensable or irresponsible?". Berkeley Squares. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ "Europe Day in The UK". Greenwich for Europe. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ a b Grice, Andrew (1 February 2018). "Pro-EU campaign groups join forces to fight against hard Brexit". The Independent. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ a b Ferguson, Sam (27 January 2018). "Jacob Rees-Mogg heckled by anti-Brexit protesters from Bath for Europe". Bath Chronicle. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ a b Staff writer (21 February 2018). "Is Brexit really going to cost £2 billion a week?". Channel 4 News. FactCheck. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|nopp=ignored (|no-pp=suggested) (help) - ^ Shaw, Martin (24 March 2018). "Great Northern March sees thousands take to the streets of Leeds". Leeds Live. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Oscroft, Katie. "Thousands join one of biggest anti-Brexit rallies in north". ITV News. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Staff writer (24 March 2018). "Thousands march in anti-Brexit protest". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ a b Adams, Charley (4 April 2018). "Pro EU march attracts over 2,500 campaigners". Kingsbridge & Salcombe Gazette. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Staff writer (14 April 2018). "Edinburgh march for vote on final Brexit deal". BBC News. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ Clark, Rachel (26 June 2018). "Hundreds turn out for anti-Brexit march". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ a b Fletcher, Martin (30 May 2018). "Inside the headquarters of Britain's anti-Brexit brigade". New Statesman. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ a b c Porritt, Richard (15 April 2018). "Campaign launched to push for People's Vote". The New European. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ a b c Staff writer (15 April 2018). "Launch of the new national People's Vote campaign". open-britain.co.uk. Open Britain. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ "About Millbank Tower". Altitude London. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
- ^ Hobhouse, Wera (29 January 2018). "Catherine Bearder MEP hosts lecture on Brexit strategy in Bath". Office of Wera Hobhouse. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- ^ Skeet, Tim (23 January 2017). "How I went from soggy Tory to leader of the hard Brexit resistance". The Guardian. Comment is Free. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|nopp=ignored (|no-pp=suggested) (help) - ^ Staff writer (18 December 2017). "Hundreds in Leeds join 'Brexit Resistance' movement". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 5 July 2018.