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| Daily Telegraph 'Brexit mutineers' front page has backfired, say MPs | Daily Telegraph 'Brexit mutineers' front page has backfired, say MPs |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Daily Telegraph front page vilifying 15 Conservative MPs as a band of “Brexit mutineers” appeared to backfire on Wednesday as the newspaper was accused of bullying and the rebels claimed the description as a badge of honour. | A Daily Telegraph front page vilifying 15 Conservative MPs as a band of “Brexit mutineers” appeared to backfire on Wednesday as the newspaper was accused of bullying and the rebels claimed the description as a badge of honour. |
| The MPs were pictured smiling on the front of the Telegraph after they indicated they would vote against Theresa May’s efforts to fix the date of Brexit on 29 March 2019. | The MPs were pictured smiling on the front of the Telegraph after they indicated they would vote against Theresa May’s efforts to fix the date of Brexit on 29 March 2019. |
| However, government ministers were quick to disavow the front page, insisting that they did not want their party to be divided by the media and that they were working constructively with those Tories seeking improvements to the EU withdrawal bill. | However, government ministers were quick to disavow the front page, insisting that they did not want their party to be divided by the media and that they were working constructively with those Tories seeking improvements to the EU withdrawal bill. |
| Anna Soubry, one of the leading rebels, initially hit out at the “blatant bullying” by the newspaper of those who intend to defy the government. | Anna Soubry, one of the leading rebels, initially hit out at the “blatant bullying” by the newspaper of those who intend to defy the government. |
| But she later told the House of Commons that she regarded the description as something to be proud of, while several other MPs pictured on the front page suggested the stunt had backfired. | But she later told the House of Commons that she regarded the description as something to be proud of, while several other MPs pictured on the front page suggested the stunt had backfired. |
| Alistair Burt, another Tory rebel, tweeted: | Alistair Burt, another Tory rebel, tweeted: |
| Fabulous collection of some of the best MPs in the country. How small the Telegraph appears in comparison. https://t.co/3bl2Llyc44 | Fabulous collection of some of the best MPs in the country. How small the Telegraph appears in comparison. https://t.co/3bl2Llyc44 |
| A third Tory MP, Heidi Allen, said: | A third Tory MP, Heidi Allen, said: |
| If fighting for the best possible future for our country and our government is considered mutiny - then bring it on. pic.twitter.com/fTvOXqwhF5 | If fighting for the best possible future for our country and our government is considered mutiny - then bring it on. pic.twitter.com/fTvOXqwhF5 |
| The MPs later won support from Labour colleagues fighting against a hard Brexit with Chuka Umuna, the former shadow cabinet minister, saying the front page was “an ideological witch-hunt to bully Tory MPs to go against their instincts to do what they think best for our country”. | |
| “Its no different from the Mail’s ‘crush the saboteurs’ nonsense. It will fail. You cannot muzzle democracy,” he said. | “Its no different from the Mail’s ‘crush the saboteurs’ nonsense. It will fail. You cannot muzzle democracy,” he said. |
| The article was also viewed as unhelpful by leading Brexiters. Steve Baker, a minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, said: “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.” | The article was also viewed as unhelpful by leading Brexiters. Steve Baker, a minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, said: “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.” |