Anti-Brexit demonstration seen in Manchester as UK Conservatives begin conference

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Britain’s governing Conservative Party descended on the northwestern city of Manchester on Sunday for its annual conference -- but was met with a far from friendly welcome.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets calling for Britain to remain in the European Union, as well as demonstrating against austerity policies and Prime Minister Theresa May.

A demonstrator walks a dog wearing a European Union flag during a protest at the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester, Britain, on October 1, 2017. /Reuters Photo

At the front of the anti-Brexit demonstration, a lorry carried a multi-headed giant body with the faces of May and leading Brexit campaigners. "Brexit is a monstrosity," it said on the chest. "Let’s Stop It!"

Helicopters hovered overhead amid a heavy police presence.

A placard lies on the ground during a protest at the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester, Britain, on October 1, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond was greeted on his arrival with shouts of "Tory, Tory, Tory, Out, Out, Out" (the Conservatives are also known as the Tories).

Meanwhile, a banner on a footbridge close to the Conservative party conference in Manchester was condemned by figures from across the political spectrum. The 10-meter-wide banner, which was later removed by the police, read: "Hang the Tories."

May fights on

Theresa May insisted in television interviews on Sunday that she had the right strategy to lead Britain and win a Brexit deal, despite mounting questions about her leadership and talk of a bid to topple her.

In an interview with the BBC, she dismissed talk of rifts among top ministers, saying they were united on their program and Brexit. That came a day after Johnson, perhaps May's biggest rival, set out four personal red lines in the complex talks with the EU.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May at the Conservative Party Conference, in Manchester, Britain, on October 1, 2017. /Reuters Photo

She told Brexit supporters she would walk away if she could not get a good deal saying the government was working on plans for a "no deal", but also tried to keep pro-EU campaigners onside by saying she wanted an agreement.

On her 61st birthday, she also unveiled new policies to extend a program to help people buy their own homes and to freeze student tuition fees to try to win back younger people, who have flocked to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Britain's opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers his keynote speech at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, Britain, on September 27, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Following a bullish Labour conference last week, May hopes to fire up thousands of Conservative members who feel let down by a disastrous election campaign, when their leader was dubbed by critics as "the Maybot" for her repetition of slogans.

May is now dependent on a small Northern Irish party for a majority in parliament, and opinion polls indicate Labour is a growing threat, persuading rivals in the party not to try to topple her quite yet.

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Source(s): Reuters