Leading Remainer Dominic Grieve MP spoke in St Albans last Thursday on the “absolute mayhem” of Boris Johnson’s government, the disaster of a No Deal Brexit and the fast-growing campaign for a People’s Vote on any deal.
Over 200 people attended the talk and Q&A session, organised by local cross-party, pro-European campaign group St Albans for Europe at Marlborough Road Methodist Church.
Independent Mr Grieve, who lost the Conservative whip last month, said: "The right exists in every democracy for people to say they have changed their mind and they want to do something different."
He said that the Brexit promised in 2016 was undeliverable and backed a second referendum as the only way to resolve the "chaos caused by Brexit and Boris Johnson's government".
He blamed the narrow vote to leave the EU on unchecked growth of popular opinion that does not have a rational foundation.
"The idea that the EU is some unique monster that is gobbling us up could not be further removed from reality. It is not a superpower, it is an international treaty organisation that we signed up to."
As a consequence, he said, the UK has plunged itself into crisis.
Adding: "All my colleagues at Westminster, bar a few, knew that Boris Johnson was not a fit person to hold high office. He has taken a sledgehammer to every principle under which UK government is carried out ? proroguing Parliament, turning No 10 into what I can only describe as a propaganda machine."
Mr Grieve said a General Election will not resolve Brexit and a second referendum appeared the only way forward for the country to solve the problem it faces.
Chair of St Albans for Europe Fiona McAndrew said afterwards: "St Albans for Europe was delighted to host Dominic Grieve, one of the most important and knowledgeable politicians of our time. He is in high demand as a source of calm, measured and informed wisdom on Brexit and what is happening in Westminster."
St Albans for Europe will join thousands of protesters on Saturday, October 19, marching in Central London in support of the campaign for a new referendum on any deal. The group will meet at St Albans City Station at 10am.
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