Thousands of people opposed to Britain delaying its departure from the EU have marched through central London as MPs in parliament strongly rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal for a third time.
On the day that Britain was originally meant to be leaving the EU, large groups gathered in bright sunshine outside parliament waving Union Jack flags.
They chanted "out means out" as the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody was played on a loudspeaker with its famous lyric "Mama Mia, let me go".
As the result of the vote in parliament filtered through to the crowds on Parliament Square on Friday, scattered cheers went up.
The mood of protesters ranged from satisfaction to despair.
"Excellent. We're now on track for a 'no deal," 52-year-old saleswoman Louise Hemple said.
"And that will mean we'll have complete control which is what we Brexiteers voted for."
British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after a media conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. Source: AAP
Nigel Farage - the politician widely thought to have done more than anyone else to spook Britain's then government into agreeing to hold the referendum - was due to address the crowd.
"What should have been a celebration is in fact a day of betrayal," Farage told Reuters.
"There will be a lot of anger. I certainly have never known a time in my life when people have said such rude things about the political class, about the government."
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