Opponents of Britain’s departure from the European Union began gathering in Hyde Park from 12pm before converging on Westminster and organisers claim a million people turned up to voice their concerns over the decision to leave the EU.

If true, today’s demonstration would be the biggest since 2003 when an estimated one million people protested against the Iraq War in the streets of London.

Speakers who addressed a rally outside Parliament included Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and opposition Labour deputy leader Tom Watson. ADVERTISING

Other speakers included former Conservative cabinet minister Justine Greening and ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve, former Tory turned independent MP Anna Soubry, Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford.

Organisers claimed that one million protesters came to the protest, after previously saying they were confident that the size of the crowd would exceed a similar rally held in October, where 700,000 people turned up. 

The Metropolitan Police refused to comment on the size of the march.

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Thousands of people gathered in Hyde Park from 12pm before converging on Westminster to take part in the Put It To The People march

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The exact number of people at the march has yet to be determined but photos show large crowds and organisers are confident the final number will be more than 700,000 Video playing bottom right…Click here to expand to full page

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A demonstrator sits on one of the lions in Trafalgar Square during the march. The young man holds an ‘I love Europe’ sign

Addressing the crowd in Parliament Square, Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson said: ‘We are one million strong.’

He said he was there on behalf of his 10-year-old daughter.

‘She has told me to thank you for campaigning for her future,’ he said.

Mr Watson said the Prime Minister’s deal ‘pleases no-one’.

‘If you voted remain it’s a rubbish deal, if you voted leave it’s a lousy deal. There are no winners, only losers,’ he said.

He added: ‘Brexit is stuck in the parliamentary pipeworks and it’s not going to find a way out.’

Addressing his comments to Theresa May, he said: ‘I can only vote for a deal if you let the people vote on it too.

‘Prime Minister, you’ve lost control of this process, you’re plunging the country into chaos, let the people take control.’

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Trains, coaches and buses were chartered to bring as many people as possible, from all around the country to today’s anti-Brexit march in London

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A demonstrator paste an anti-Brexit sticker by the entrance of the UK government’s Cabinet Office during today’s protest

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Anti-Brexit placards are placed outside the entrance to the Cabinet Office on Whitehall during march. The march was organised to go from Park Lane to Parliament Square

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EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal or reverse Brexit entirely, descend on the capital to protest

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An anti-Brexit protester carries his child on his back during today’s protest, while she holds up a sign saying ‘May I have my future back please’

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One protester holds a placard which says ‘IKEA has better cabinets’ and another reads ‘too young to vote… not too young to remember’

‘Brexit is a complete and utter mess,’ Khan said on the eve of the event.

‘I’ll be marching on Saturday with people from every part of our country – from every walk of life – to demand that the British people get the final say.’  

Labour’s Jess Phillips also attended the march with her son.

Following the event, the Birmingham Yardley MP tweeted: ‘I was worried about taking my kid to #PutItToThePeople I have to consider his safety and our security but there was not even the tiniest sign of trouble.

‘The nicest march I ever attended.’   

Earlier, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage joined the counter March to Leave in Linby, Nottinghamshire, telling around 200 Brexit supporters that Theresa May had reduced the nation ‘to a state of humiliation’. 

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Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the hardline Tory European Research Group, said Mrs May should ignore any Commons vote to block no deal. 

His deputy Steve Baker warned even if AG Geoffrey Cox can resolve the backstop it is only the ‘worst problem in this terrible Brexit deal’.

In a signal Mrs May’s DUP allies are not softening their position, Sammy Wilson insisted today the EU would be to blame for a no deal in 23 days times.

Mrs May pleaded with MPs to back her deal at PMQs today ahead of a showdown vote on her deal on Tuesday. If MPs refuse to back it, they will vote on no deal on Wednesday and to delay Brexit on Thursday.

Mr Cox returned from Brussels this morning admitting last night’s talks with the EU’s negotiator Michel Barnier had been ‘robust’ – code for a furious row.

Downing Street admitted talks on re-writing the border backstop had been ‘difficult’. 

The EU said today there was currently ‘no solution’ to the impasse, which has left the deal deadlocked since it was first defeated by MPs by 230 votes on January 15. 

The Government must be able to show Parliament a new version of the deal by Monday morning to hold a vote on Tuesday evening – meaning Sunday night or the early hour of Monday are a hard deadline for securing concessions.  

If there is an agreement on new guarantees about the backstop, Mrs May could travel to Brussels on Sunday to sign off on the plans.

Northern Ireland faces harsh no deal impact, official warns  

A no-deal Brexit could cause a sharp rise in unemployment in Northern Ireland, the head of the civil service said.

Inability to prepare, EU tariffs and significant changes to exports could cause business distress, failure or the relocation of some companies to the Republic, a report from David Sterling said.

The UK will leave the EU without a deal later this month unless MPs support the Prime Minister’s deal or Britain secures an extension from the EU.

Mr Sterling said: ‘The consequences of material business failure as a result of a ‘no-deal’ exit, combined with changes to everyday life and potential border frictions could well have a profound and long-lasting impact on society.

‘The planning assumptions include the possibility that, in some scenarios, a no-deal exit could result in additional challenges for the police if the approach appeared to be unfair or unreasonable for some of those most affected.’

Writing in the Sun, Mr Rees-Mogg said: ‘Eurosceptics must similarly be guided by the electorate — it is our duty and obligation to those who trusted that the vote in 2016 would be decisive and would be implemented.

‘This makes it necessary to vote against the current deal as well as efforts to move the date beyond March 29.

‘The people have spoken. The case ought to be concluded. Let’s have lift-off.’

Mr Wilson told the Commons Northern Ireland Committee today: ‘If we finish up with a No Deal it will be as a result of the intransigence of the EU.’ 

Mr Baker told the Sun: ‘The backstop is only the worst problem in this terrible Brexit deal.’

Mrs May responded to a joke about Easter at PMQs to plead for MPs support, telling Tory Simon Hoare: ‘Of course across this House, we would all be able to give up being a member of the European Union on the 29th March (if we vote for the deal.’ 

As he boarded a train home today, Mr Cox told Sky News they were ‘very sensitive discussions’.

He said: ‘We are into the meat of the matter now. We have put forward some proposals, very reasonable proposals, and we are into the detail of discussions.’

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