Petition to cancel Brexit closes in on 5m signatures

The petition to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit is closing in on five million signatures, a day after a reported million people marched through London to demand a new referendum. 

The online movement is now the most popular petition on record as the revolt against Brexit gains momentum amid the chaos of Theresa May’s EU negotiations.   

By Sunday morning it had more than 4.8million signatures, surpassing a 2016 petition calling for a second vote, and the website has already crashed repeatedly.  

Mrs May has already rejected the petition, which warns that a second referendum or People’s Vote may never happen and calls on Remainers to ‘prove the strength of public support’ for cancelling Brexit.  

Climbing: By Sunday morning some 4.8million people have 

A general view of Anti-Brexit campaigners as they take part in the People's Vote March in London and wave pro-EU banners

A general view of Anti-Brexit campaigners as they take part in the People’s Vote March in London and wave pro-EU banners

There were a sea of flags and banners at yesterday's march, with organisers claiming a million people turned out - though police have yet to confirm

There were a sea of flags and banners at yesterday’s march, with organisers claiming a million people turned out – though police have yet to confirm

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

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

An unnamed protester was pictured wearing a European Union flag on her top and waving a flag during the march

An unnamed protester was pictured wearing a European Union flag on her top and waving a flag during the march

Demands for a referendum have grown as supporters of a People’s Vote claim it is the only way out of the current deadlock in Parliament. 

Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn has long been cautious of backing a second vote, demanding a general election instead, and last week ordered his MPs to abstain on a Commons motion calling for a referendum.

Yesterday organisers of the Put it to the People march claimed one million people joined the peaceful procession through the capital. 

The reported crowd size, which has not been confirmed by police, would be the largest demonstration since protests against the Iraq War in 2003. 

Marchers waving EU flags and carrying their placards emblazoned with political messages weaved their way from Hyde Park Corner to Parliament Square on Saturday as AC/DC’s Highway to Hell blared out.

Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson accused the Prime Minister of having ‘lost control’ of the Brexit process and said he could only back her deal if ‘you let the people vote on it too’. 

Prime Minister Theresa May was unsurprisingly the target of many of the protests, with some coming up with some creative ways to show their anger

Prime Minister Theresa May was unsurprisingly the target of many of the protests, with some coming up with some creative ways to show their anger

Organisers of the march claim a million people joined in on the 'People's Vote' demonstration through the streets of London

Organisers of the march claim a million people joined in on the ‘People’s Vote’ demonstration through the streets of London

Three protesters on the march wear blue and yellow-coloured clothing to show their support for the European Union in the face of Brexit

Three protesters on the march wear blue and yellow-coloured clothing to show their support for the European Union in the face of Brexit

A placard has an image of Jacob Rees Mogg, Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson made up as clowns on it and has surrounded them with EU flags

A placard has an image of Jacob Rees Mogg, Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson made up as clowns on it and has surrounded them with EU flags

Independent Group MPs Chuka Umunna and Anna Soubry have a selfie taken with actress Tracey Ullman as they join anti-Brexit campaigners taking part in the People's Vote March

Independent Group MPs Chuka Umunna and Anna Soubry have a selfie taken with actress Tracey Ullman as they join anti-Brexit campaigners taking part in the People’s Vote March

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

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

As well as campaigning against Brexit, this protester took the time out to express his dissatisfaction with the leaders of both of the UK's main parties

As well as campaigning against Brexit, this protester took the time out to express his dissatisfaction with the leaders of both of the UK’s main parties

Former Conservative, now Independent, MP Anna Soubry urged her parliamentary colleagues to ‘put your country first, get into the lobbies and vote for a People’s vote’.

Also addressing the crowds, Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, called for Article 50 to be withdrawn.  

Large screens positioned along Whitehall told people how to text and tweet support for a People’s Vote and a series of supportive video messages were played from celebrities including Stephen Fry and Gary Lineker.

In Parliament Square, a giant banner was unfurled above the crowd carrying a quote by leading Brexiteer David Davis: ‘If a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy.’  

Campaigners arrived in the capital from across the country, with one taking on a 715-mile journey on ferries, trains and buses from Orkney in Scotland.  

Meanwhile by Sunday morning the Remainer petition had beaten the record for the most-signed petition since the online system began in 2006. 

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

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

There was a huge turnout at the march and campaigners arrived in the capital from across the country, with one taking on a 715-mile journey on ferries, trains and buses from Orkney in Scotland

There was a huge turnout at the march and campaigners arrived in the capital from across the country, with one taking on a 715-mile journey on ferries, trains and buses from Orkney in Scotland

This seven-year-old boy joined in with Saturday's protests and was one of many young people to take part and march towards Parliament

This seven-year-old boy joined in with Saturday’s protests and was one of many young people to take part and march towards Parliament

People attended the march in London carrying signs we read 'we are European' and  'this doesn't seem very well thought through' while other carried a sign with the poo emoji

People attended the march in London carrying signs we read ‘we are European’ and  ‘this doesn’t seem very well thought through’ while other carried a sign with the poo emoji

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

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

One protester waved a placard bearing Edvard Munch's iconic painting of The Scream with the word Brexit! emblazoned above it while another had a picture of Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg saying 'Mogg off'

One protester waved a placard bearing Edvard Munch’s iconic painting of The Scream with the word Brexit! emblazoned above it while another had a picture of Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg saying ‘Mogg off’

It surpassed a 2016 effort to call a new referendum if there was not a sufficiently large majority for Remain or Leave in the first one. That petition received 4.2million signatures. 

Another 2016 petition, urging ministers not to invite Donald Trump for a state visit to the UK, is the third-most signed on record with 1.9million. 

A similar petition in 2015 mockingly called for Trump to be barred from the UK after he suggested Muslims would be banned from the United States.  

Parliament’s petitions committee said nearly 2,000 signatures on the Revoke Article 50 page were being completed every minute over Thursday lunchtime. 

Data from the petition website shows some users have signed it from abroad but the committee said UK citizens living abroad were entitled to join it.  

Saturday’s demonstrations follow EU leaders agreeing to delay Brexit to give Prime Minister Theresa May a final chance to get her deal through Parliament.

Leaders agreed to extend Brexit to May 22 if Mrs May can get MPs to back her deal in the Commons at the third time of asking.

If the vote is not passed, the UK will have to set out an alternative way forward by April 12, which could mean a much longer delay – with the UK required to hold elections to the European Parliament – or leaving with no deal.   

Thousands of people pictured taking part in the march while waving pro-EU slogans, EU flags and anti-Brexit placards

Thousands of people pictured taking part in the march while waving pro-EU slogans, EU flags and anti-Brexit placards

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

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

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

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

Organisers have arranged hundreds of coaches and even chartered a train to bring protesters from all corners of the country to the capital

Organisers have arranged hundreds of coaches and even chartered a train to bring protesters from all corners of the country to the capital

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

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

This protester is calling for the nation to be 'given a final say'. Using the famous catchphrase of the famous Star Trek character Spock, he believes that Britain should 'remain and prosper'

This protester is calling for the nation to be ‘given a final say’. Using the famous catchphrase of the famous Star Trek character Spock, he believes that Britain should ‘remain and prosper’

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

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

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