BUILDINGS across Whitehall are to be “lit up” in the hour ahead of Britain’s formal departure from the European Union with a light display in Downing St and a clock projected onto its brickwork, counting down to Brexit at 11pm on January 31.
Union flags will, “in response to public calls,” be flown on all the flag-poles in Parliament Square outside the House of Commons but it looks like Big Ben will not, as some had hoped, chime to mark the moment of Britain’s departure after 47 years as a member of the EU.
Boris Johnson will make a special address to the nation in the evening as Downing St described January 31 as a “significant moment in our history as the United Kingdom leaves the EU and regains its independence”.
It added: “The Government intends to use this as a moment to heal divisions, re-unite communities and look forward to the country that we want to build over the next decade.”
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Earlier in the day, a special Cabinet will be held outside of London at an as yet undisclosed location in northern England. It would discuss, said No 10, the “Prime Minister’s levelling-up agenda and how this Government plans to spread prosperity and opportunity across our great Union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”.
It was also announced that a commemorative Brexit coin would also come into circulation on the day Britain left the EU.
The PM is expected to be one of the first to receive the new coin on Brexit Day. It reads: “peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations”.
Earlier, Nigel Farage accused the Government of being "embarrassed" by Brexit over its failure to back the bid for Big Ben to chime at 11pm on January 31.
The Brexit Party leader claimed Mr Johnson had "misled" the public when he suggested people could "bung a bob" to support the campaign.
More than £220,000 has been donated by more than 11,000 people since the StandUp4Brexit fundraiser was launched on the GoFundMe crowdfunding website on Wednesday.
Mr Farage said he would attend a Leave Means Leave celebration to mark Britain's exit in Parliament Square on January 31 and the campaign group would "organise some bongs of some kind" if the campaign for Big Ben to sound did not succeed.
On Tuesday, the PM said the Government was "working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong" after Commons authorities ruled out the proposal because it could cost £500,000.
But Downing Street has since sought to distance itself from the campaign with a No 10 spokesman insisting the matter was for MPs and Mr Johnson’s focus was on the Government's plan to mark exit day.
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During a Westminster briefing on Friday morning, a Downing St spokesman was asked if the Government would table legislation compelling the Commons authorities to bong Big Ben.
He replied: "This is a matter for the House, who have indicated they will not accept the money from the public to fundraise for this,” adding: “The PM's focus is on the Government's plans to mark Brexit on January 31."
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