The Daily Telegraph has prompted an backlash even among Tories after it dubbed some Conservative MPs “Brexit mutineers” on its front page.
The paper reports at least 15 rebels – including father of the house Ken Clarke, former ministers Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry, ex-Attorney General Dominic Grieve and select committee chairs Tom Tugendhat and Sarah Wollaston – are preparing to vote against a government amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill which would see the UK’s Brexit date enshrined in law.
The move casts fresh doubt on the government’s ability to emerge from bill’s Committee stage unscathed.
Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “The Brexit mutineers” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/QfWNdIHFPW
Ardent Remain campaigner Soubry branded the article – raised by Labour’s Wes Streeting during a debate on the bill on Tuesday evening – “a blatant piece of bullying”.
But the Broxtowe MP said she was not personally bothered and regarded being named as a mutineer as “a badge of honour”.
“We want a good Brexit, not a hard, ideologically driven Brexit,” she tweeted shortly afterwards, claiming some of her colleagues were “outraged” at having been left off the list.
Former education minister Morgan added: “I thought we wanted a culture of respect.”
The bullying begins. We want a good Brexit not a Hard ideologically driven Brexit #standupfordemocracy pic.twitter.com/VVfg8LmCiA
Brexit secretary David Davis announced the amendment, aimed at setting in stone the UK’s March 29, 2019 exit date from the EU, last week.
He claimed it showed the government had “listened to members of the public and Parliament” who were concerned at its ambiguity.
He added: ”[We have] made this change to remove any confusion or concern about what ‘exit day’ means.
“This important step demonstrates our pragmatic approach to this vital piece of legislation. Where MPs can improve the bill, whatever their party, we will work with them.”
But during Tuesday’s debate on the Bill, Tory stalwart and former chancellor Ken Clarke dismissed the amendment as “silly”, which won him applause from the Labour benches.
Brexit minister Steve Baker dismissed the Telegraph story as “media attempts to divide” the Conservative party.
I regret any media attempts to divide our party. My Parliamentary colleagues have sincere suggestions to improve the Bill which we are working through and I respect them for that. https://t.co/t6r4ojKPbd
November 14, 2017
Fabulous collection of some of the best MPs in the country. How small the Telegraph appears in comparison. https://t.co/3bl2Llyc44
The government amendment will not be voted on until Day 7 of the scheduled debates – prompting fears MPs named in the article – and their staff – will have to up their security in the meantime to guard against a potential backlash from angry Brexit supporters.
One senior source told HuffPost UK: “It’s appalling. And people wonder why MPs need protection and security.”
Social media reacted to the Telegraph’s front page with a mixture of outrage and bafflement.
“We want to bring back parliamentary sovereignty!” “No, not like that!” pic.twitter.com/ojM7UPLFzr
For a paper that’s banged the drum for sovereignty this is strange way to show your support for Parliamentary democracy. pic.twitter.com/D75t13scgw
AKA ‘Just some of the very many MPs, who might actually be working on your behalf, to limit the damage that foolhardy gung-ho, lunatics like John Redwood want to wreak…’ #Brexit pic.twitter.com/SFx3qsnRd3
November 14, 2017
I mean the issue with this splash is that the new MPs’ portraits look so friendly that this feels like the start of a new sitcom. pic.twitter.com/oXBH30YL5D
November 14, 2017
An appalling frontcover. Some sections of UK press have totally lost the plot over Brexit… https://t.co/5WjiaBXEBI