Brexit march: Former Conservative deputy prime minister calls Theresa May’s No 10 speech an ‘affront to parliamentary democracy’

Theresa May’s address to the nation from Downing Street will rank in history as an “affront to parliamentary democracy”, the former Conservative deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine has said.

In a scathing assessment of the prime minister’s decision to blame MPs for the current political crisis over Brexit, Lord Heseltine said he was “appalled” by her speech on Wednesday.

Addressing thousands of activists gathered in Parliament Square for the Put It To The People march, he said Ms May “bears a heavy responsibility for our present crisis” as the deadlock over the UK’s exit from the EU shows no sign of abating.

Organised by the People’s Vote in collaboration with The Independent, the demonstration demanded Brexit be put back to the British people in a fresh referendum.

Defending parliament ahead of a crucial vote on Ms May’s deal next week – and after EU leaders agreed a short extension to Article 50 – Lord Heseltine said: “Never forget that this place is the custodian of our freedoms. Never forget the intolerance and worse that comes from other forms of government.

“Any deal that parliament can now agree will inevitably be the lowest common denominator of reluctant compromise. This is no way to chart a nations future. One way or another the people must decide; they must be free to vote to remain.”

He said: “I was appalled by her speech from Downing Street on Wednesday evening. It will rank in history as an affront to parliamentary democracy.

“Generals who lose wars blame the troops. Managers who break their companies blame the workers. Now we can add prime ministers who lose elections blame their MPs. I may be naive. But if something is wrong, I look first for the person in charge.”

Concluding his speech in central London, Lord Heseltine added: “We are here today on the right side of history. In a shrinking world of global terrorism, international tax avoidance, millisecond communication, giant corporations, superpowers, mass migration, climate change and a host of other global threats our duty is to build on our achievements, to maintain our access to the corridors of world power, to keep our place on the stages of the world.

“We can debate the motives and obligations of those in public life. What cannot be in doubt is our responsibility to our young generations to pass on to them a country richer, more powerful, safer than that we ourselves inherited. Our partnership with Europe is that destiny.

“Walk tall. Keep the faith. Go back to your villages, your towns and your cities. Tell them you were here. Here, In parliament square. Outside the buildings that inspire parliamentary democracy. Fighting for our tomorrow. In peace. Secure. The bitterness and bloodshed of Europe’s past buried with its history.”