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Tim Farron: Liberal Democrats will not 'roll over' following 'calamity of Brexit'

Tim Farron: Liberal Democrats will not 'roll over' following 'calamity of Brexit'

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron told Theresa May that his party will not “roll over” following the “calamity" of Brexit.

Mr Farron was speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday after the Prime Minister triggered Article 50 to set into motion Britain’s exit from the EU.

He told Mrs May that she was not carrying out the will of people, adding “our grandchildren and children will judge us for our actions during these times”.

The MP has previously called for a second referendum on the terms of Brexit.

He said: “Today the Prime Minister is not enacting the will of the people, she is at best interpreting that will, choosing a hard Brexit outside the single market which was never on the ballot paper.

“This day, of all days, the Liberal Democrats will not roll over as the official opposition have done.

“Our children and our grandchildren will judge all of us for our actions during these times.

“I am determined that I will look my children in the eye and be able to say that I did everything to prevent this calamity that the Prime Minister has today chosen.”

He added: “We now face an unknown deal that will shape our country for generations, the deal will be signed off by someone and the only question is who: will it be the politicians or should it be the people?

“Surely the Prime Minister will agree with me that the people will have the final say.”

Mr Farron was one of tens of thousands of protestors to take part in Saturday’s anti-Brexit march in central London.

Speaking to the Evening Standard earlier this week, he said: “As Tony Blair says, people should carry on campaigning — anyone who slams that doesn’t understand democracy.

“But people also need a vehicle to change their mind.”

He added that if Britain have left the EU by April 2019, the Lib Dems will call for the UK to rejoin “on our terms”.

“In Brussels they love the idea — in theory — of Britain rejoining,” he said, adding: “[Theresa May] says the EU won’t move on freedom of movement so we can’t be in the single market.

"That’s rubbish. There’s plenty of potential pragmatism from Europe.”