'˜Enemies of the people': UK media reacts to Brexit ruling

SECTIONS of the UK media have reacted furiously to the decision by top judges to force a Parliament vote on Brexit.

Some UK dailies have reacted furiously to the new Brexit ruling. Picture: Twitter.

One national newspaper branded the top judges behind the Brexit ruling “enemies of the people”.

The ruling by three High Court judges on Thursday insisting Parliament must vote on triggering Britain’s exit negotiations with the European Union prompted the Daily Mail to lead with the bold headline.

The paper also called it an “outrageous betrayal of democracy” in an editorial that echoed the sentiments of other papers such as The Sun, The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Express.

Others, including the Guardian, the Independent and The Times, welcomed the ruling and suggested it had simply affirmed the sovereignty of Parliament.

Many front pages carried pictures of the three men who made the decision, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, the Master of the Rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, and Lord Justice Sales.

The Telegraph went with the headline “The judge versus the people”, and called on the Supreme Court, to which the Government will appeal, to reverse the judgment.

Its editorial said: “Herein are the seeds of what could become the biggest constitutional crisis since the Parliament Act battles of 1910/11. Justiciable or not, this is a matter that the courts should have declined to hear.

“It now falls to the Supreme Court to make a sensible ruling and reverse the lower court’s decision. The alternative will be a constitutional mess that might well end in a general election.”

The Daily Express seemed to go further, urging its readers: “Your country needs you more than ever because we must leave the EU. Rise up people of Britain and fight, fight, fight.”

The Sun focused its attention on the leading figure in the court challenge, investment fund manager and philanthropist Gina Miller, and the Government, rather than the judges.

Its headline ran “Who do EU think you are?” and inside, the comment piece said: “Seventeen million Brexit voters have every right today to fear they will be cheated.

“Yet again voters were sold a pup.”

But The Times’ leader said: “The court’s decision should be celebrated in Leave and Remain camps alike.

“The power to make and repeal laws rests, as it has done for centuries, with Parliament alone.”

And the Guardian said: “Brexiters’ cries of foul ignore the facts. Both sides accepted that the case was within the court’s jurisdiction.

“They agreed too that it was a matter only of how, not if, article 50 should be invoked. This was no backdoor attempt to reverse the outcome of the referendum. There was no conspiracy.”