Anna Soubry MP reports threats to police after Daily Telegraph headline
The Conservative backbencher has reported tweets after she was branded a "Brexit mutineer" by the newspaper.
Wednesday 15 November 2017 19:09, UK
A Tory MP has revealed threats against her have been reported to police after she was branded among "Brexit mutineers" on a newspaper's front page.
Anna Soubry is one of 15 Conservative backbenchers highlighted as rebels by the Daily Telegraph, as the Government attempts to steer its key Brexit legislation through Parliament.
Under the headline "The Brexit mutineers", the newspaper's controversial front page also featured photographs of the MPs.
Ms Soubry immediately hit back at "bullying" while Brexit minister Steve Baker expressed his "regret" at "media attempts to divide our party".
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Ms Soubry raised a point of order with Speaker John Bercow as she told of the threats.
The Broxtowe MP said: "According to my office, they have just reported about five, if not more, tweets to the police issuing threats against myself following the front page article on today's Daily Telegraph.
"Would you therefore, Mr Speaker, make it very clear to everybody, in whatever capacity, that they have an absolute duty to report responsibly and make sure they use language that brings our country together and makes sure that we have a democracy that welcomes free speech and an attitude of tolerance."
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In response, Mr Bercow told Ms Soubry he was "extremely concerned" by her remarks, adding: "Members will not be intimidated and they never should be."
The Daily Telegraph's front page followed the return of the EU Withdrawal Bill to the House of Commons on Wednesday, in which Remain-supporting Conservative MPs voiced their anger at a proposed Government amendment to write an exit date of 11pm on 29 March, 2019 into the legislation.
It has raised the possibility of the Government having to withdraw the amendment in order to avoid a humiliating defeat, as a number of Tory MPs signalled they would vote against it.
Antoinette Sandbach, another of the Tory MPs included on the Daily Telegraph's front page, branded the newspaper's headline "silly", telling Sky News: "We are doing our job, which is looking at how we can improve this bill."
Earlier, during Prime Minister's Questions, fellow Conservative backbencher Michael Tomlinson appeared to allude to the Daily Telegraph front page when he asked Theresa May whether she would agree it is the "duty" of MPs to "scrutinise" and "debate" the EU Withdrawal Bill.
The Prime Minister replied: "There is of course a lively debate going on in this place - that is right and proper, and that is important - and strong views are held on different sides of the argument about the EU on both sides of this House.
"What we are doing as a Government is listening to the contributions that are being made and listening carefully to those who wish to improve the bill, and I hope that we can all come together to deliver on the decision that the country took that we should leave the EU."
Remain-supporting Tories have also signalled they could support a number of their own amendments to the Government legislation, which is being debated and voted on at committee stage over the next few weeks.
A total of 464 amendments have been tabled to the bill.