A MARCH to ‘Defend our Democracy’ will run through Newbury in support of parliamentary democracy and to commemorate a civil war anniversary.

West Berkshire for Europe are organising the march which will take place on Saturday, September 21. 

John Bercow MP, the speaker of the House of Commons, has been invited to the event, as well as historical fiction writer Robert Harris, and local author Sir Max Hastings. 

The event will begin at 11am at the Falkland Memorial at Wash Common with a ceremonial reading of parliament’s charge sheet against King Charles. 

This is because September 20 is the anniversary of the death of Lucius Cary, Lord Falkland, who was King Charles I’s secretary of state. 

According to the march organisers, Lord Falkland was the leading constitutional expert of his day. 

Councillor Tony Vickers (Lib Dem, Newbury Wash Common), who is organising the event, said: “At least one person — MP Jo Cox — has already died because of the strong feelings of the EU referendum unleashed. 

“We are a parliamentary democracy and any abuse of the residual royal prerogative by a government, which has no majority in parliament, can lead to more deaths — albeit not by the sword or musket.” 

The main march will begin at noon and finish in Victoria Park with speeches. 

Cllr Vickers said: “There is no place for referendums in our constitution: they are merely advisory unless the result is a super-majority for change. Where a government has no majority, parliament is sovereign, although its members are accountable in due course to the electorate. 

“But what began with a referendum can probably only be resolved by one.” 

The charge sheet against Charles I said that the king: “For the protecting of himself and his adherents in his and their wicked practices, to the same ends hath traitorously and maliciously levied war against the present parliament.

“The wicked designed, wars and evil practices … are carried on for the advancement and upholding of a personal interest of will, power, and pretended prerogative to himself and his family, against the public interest, common right, liberty, justice, and peace of the people of this nation.”