'We will be back!" Doncaster pro-Europe group in 'joyful' party to mark Brexit

Members of Best For Doncaster gathered in the town centre for Friday’s party to say thank you to the EU and celebrate 47 years of membership.

Group chairman Frederika Roberts said: “It might seem odd for us to be having a party on the night that the event we have worked so hard to prevent is actually happening.

“We have campaigned tirelessly together to stop Brexit, yet here we are. We come from all political affiliations and none, we come from different backgrounds, different nationalities, different reasons for wanting the UK to remain in the EU, but we had one common goal.

“Amongst all the talk of trade deals, and the disturbing anti-immigration rhetoric and talk of being ‘liberated’ from EU tyranny, let’s not forget what really matters: After World War II, European countries decided that what Europe had just lived through should never happen again.

“EU membership has brought so much to this country and to Doncaster, from economic prosperity and regeneration to an international outlook and a rich cultural and linguistic diversity. It saddens me that the victory of Brexiteers is so hollow that they have to hang on to empty trophies such as blue passports, Brexit coins and the ringing – or not – of church bells.

Meanwhile we, the ‘losers’, have chosen to mark the occasion by celebrating joyfully all that has been great about nearly five decades of EU membership. Because, let’s face it, we’re all losers in this. We are losing rights, market access, cooperation on fighting crime and so much more.

“Over the next few years, we have work to do – to hold the politicians who made so many bold promises to account, to continue to campaign for what is best for Doncaster.

Tonight is merely the ending of a chapter. In the words of Guy Verhofstadt, it is not ‘adieu’, it is ‘au revoir’, ‘Auf Wiedersehen’, ‘Arrivederci’, ‘Hasta luego’– until we meet again, thank EU…we will be back, we are still European and will remain ForeverEuropean.”