Fury as Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies suggests Brexiteers should not wear POPPIES because the EU brought an end to ‘centuries of conflict’
A Lib Dem MEP sparked fury today after suggesting Brexiteers should not wear poppies because the EU is essential for peace.
Chris Davies tweeted that people wore the red poppies for ‘remembrance and hope for a peaceful future’.
He said the EU was ‘created to ensure’ that ‘centuries of conflict’ came to an end, and added: ‘Am I wrong to be cynical about Brexiteers wearing poppies?’
The comment drew an angry response from Eurosceptics, who accused the North West England MEP of ‘pathetic’ behaviour and trying to ‘politicise’ Remembrance Day.
Boris Johnson kicked off this year’s poppy appeal in Downing Street yesterday with the traditional photograph of him buying a symbol for his buttonhole
Mr Davies, who chairs the fisheries committee in the European Parliament, originally posted the message on Sunday night, but retweeted himself last night
Boris Johnson kicked off this year’s poppy appeal in Downing Street yesterday with the traditional photograph of him buying a symbol for his buttonhole.
Mr Davies, who chairs the fisheries committee in the European Parliament, originally posted the message on Sunday night, but retweeted himself last night.
‘We wear red poppies for remembrance and hope for a peaceful future (Royal British Legion),’ he wrote.
‘But the EU provides more than hope, after centuries of conflict it was created to ensure that it must never happen again. Am I wrong to be cynical about Brexiteers wearing poppies?’
It was widely condemned on social media.
Ukip’s leader in Wales, Neil Hamilton said: ‘You don’t get much lower than trying to politicise Remembrance. How low will the #LibDems sink?’
Tory MP Marcus Fysh said the post was ‘pathetically wrong’.
‘It is pathetically wrong and really quite disgraceful for the Lib Dems to try to politicise Remembrance,’ he told MailOnline.
The Lib Dems did not immediately respond to request for comment this morning.
Mr Davies tweeted that people wore the red poppies for ‘remembrance and hope for a peaceful future’