The ex-cabinet minister behind the Conservative backbench push to reshape Theresa May’s Brexit plans has revealed he received a string of death threats since starting to question the Government’s approach to EU withdrawal.
Dominic Grieve told The Independent he had been left with no choice but to report several messages he had received to the police.
The senior Tory who played a key role in the Commons vote lost by the Prime Minister on Wednesday, said all of his colleagues who had spoken out about the bill had been subject to a “torrent” of abuse, with others also receiving threats of physical violence.
It comes after a second Brexit-backing newspaper provocatively listed Conservative MPs who disagreed with parts of the EU Withdrawal Bill on its front page.
He said: “You only have to look at the vitriol, the death threats - I don’t do social media, but even so I’ve had to report certain things off to the police.
“It is a torrent - and it is all ‘you are stopping Brexit’.”
He went on: “Yes, I have had death threats. All my colleagues have had threats, mine were a voicemail message and a couple of emails.”
Mr Grieve brought forward the amendment that Conservative rebels and Labour MPs rallied around to inflict an embarrassing defeat on Ms May, which he said was necessary to prevent a “gross abuse of executive power”.
“The vitriol is a symptom of the real problem, because everything is seen in the binary terms of either pushing Brexit or sabotaging it, stopping it.
“I and the other participants, whatever our views on the undesirability of Brexit are not trying to do that.
“We are trying to ensure that the Brexit which takes place is carried out in an orderly way.”
Ex-Education Secretary Nicky Morgan also confirmed she had to refer one message to parliament security authorities.
Asked about the threats against Mr Grieve, a senior Government official said: “Of course no politician should face intimidation or threats, full stop.
“The Prime Minister commissioned the Committee on Standards in Public Life to report on harassment faced by MPs and candidates in recent months.”
The threats came after a night of extraordinary drama in the Commons, when the Prime Minister suffered her first defeat on Brexit legislation.
Mr Grieve led 11 Conservative backbenchers who, with the Opposition parties, ensured parliament must approve any withdrawal agreement before it can be enacted by ministers.
In emotional scenes in the Commons, the result was greeted with cheers of “we’re taking back control” as Labour MPs mocked angry Tory Brexiteers.
The defeat was described as a blunder by Government whips, amid claims that Julian Smith, the chief whip, threatened legal action against MPs who complained about alleged bullying.
Meanwhile, one member of the Tory whips office had spent the hours in the run up to the crucial vote wandering round parliament in a Santa Claus outfit.
One potential rebel - Vicky Ford - was seen being steered to vote with the Government by Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, as she wavered over her decision.
Other Tories also backed down from rebelling under pressure from Tory MPs, including George Freeman, a former party chairman.
Stephen Hammond, one of the 11 rebels, was sacked by Theresa May as vice-chairman of the Conservative Party immediately after the vote.
The anger provoked was laid bare by one Tory MP, Nadine Dorries, demanding that the rebels be “deselected and never allowed to stand as a Tory MP, ever again”.
She also accused Mr Grieve of “treachery” after he was made chairman of the intelligence and security committee.
But Sarah Wollaston, another of the rebels, hit back at her fellow Tory, saying: “Get over yourself Nadine.”
