No 10 will not be happy with today’s front pages, which are all about Theresa May’s survival in the no-confidence vote, but paint the win as less of a triumph for May than a pyrrhic victory.
Let’s start with the good news for the prime minister. Two papers have come out in support of the her, with the Express featuring a picture of a smiling May and the headline: “Now just let her get on with it”.
EXPRESS: Now just let her get on with it #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/jBhPRSqbAc
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 12, 2018
The Mail is similarly supportive: “Now let her get on with the job!”, saying that “despite two months of sabre-rattling by her hardline opponents, and deadlock over Brexit, almost two-thirds of Tory MPs backed her”.
DAILY MAIL: Now let her get on with the job! #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/oaEihTtsOv
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 12, 2018
Others were less sympathetic. “Time to call it a May”, says the Sun, never one to miss the chance of putting a pun in a headline. The Sun says the prime minister was “left wounded last night after a battering by Tory Brexit rebels”.
Tomorrow's front page: Theresa May was left wounded after a battering by Tory Brexit rebels in a make-or-break confidence vote https://t.co/SZTSNZoCZq pic.twitter.com/3OO11Qrm85
— The Sun (@TheSun) December 12, 2018
The Mirror has: “It’s lame duck for Christmas”, saying May’s “goose is cooked”. The paper describes her as “wounded” and “battered” and says she only managed to survive the no-confidence vote “by promising not to fight the next election”.
Tomorrow's front page: It's lame duck for Christmas#tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/fFIeHwiekz pic.twitter.com/xL0ijW0Qzv
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) December 12, 2018
The Daily Telegraph says “A vote to Remain, but when will she Leave?”. It focuses on the fact that while she might have won nearly two-thirds of the vote, that number was boosted by support from her cabinet, and “over half of party’s backbenchers demand new leader”. The paper also has a front page comment piece by Nick Timothy, May’s former joint chief of staff, who says May “lives to fight another day, but her deal is dead as a dodo”.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'A vote to Remain, but when will she leave?' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/t5XG22nstC
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) December 12, 2018
The FT’s headline is “May survives Brexiter challenge but margin fails to quash revolt” and highlights the prime minister’s “vow to step aside before election”. The i says Wednesday was a “Stay of execution” for May.
FINANCIAL TIMES: May survives Brexiter challenge but margin fails to quash revolt #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/p48ZZRZqSD
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 12, 2018
Thursday's front page: Stay of execution - Theresa May unable to pass her deal, and Tories unable to oust Theresa May #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/iLWDQtagdo
— i newspaper (@theipaper) December 12, 2018
The Times declares “May scrapes home”, writing: “A wounded Theresa May limped home from a vote of no confidence yesterday”, saying “the margin was far less than No. 10 had hoped for and will fail to heal the party’s splits over Brexit”.
THE TIMES: May scrapes home #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/A58v5ABXls
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 12, 2018
The Guardian has “Tory coup fails. But scale of rebellion damages May”, saying teh PM faced an “uphill battle” to get her Brexit deal through parliament.
The Guardian front page, Thursday 13 December 2018: Tory coup fails. But scale of rebellion damages May pic.twitter.com/ZPOVCnTkbR
— The Guardian (@guardian) December 12, 2018
