Newspaper headlines: Boris Johnson's Brexit letter makes headlines By BBC News

Staff Published duration 20 October 2019

Many papers adopt a scornful tone when reporting events in Parliament, where a special weekend sitting resulted in Boris Johnson's Brexit plan being frustrated by MPs.

"Super Saturday? Make that Superfluous Saturday," says Sunday Telegraph sketchwriter Michael Deacon . He argues the outcome represented "the entire Brexit process in microcosm".

"Hysterical build-up. Media frenzy. Promises to the public that this was the moment of truth. And then, at the last minute, MPs once again agree to put off the big decision for another day," he writes.

"The House of Fools", reads the Mail on Sunday's front-page headline , above photographs of four of the "posturing MPs" who it says "subjected us to yet more agonising delay". They are Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Oliver Letwin who tabled the amendment to "withhold approval" for the prime minister's Brexit deal, Commons Speaker John Bercow and former Chancellor Philip Hammond.

"Why won't they let us leave?" asks the front page of the Sunday Express, which voices its "outrage" that Parliament voted "to obstruct Boris's breakthrough Brexit deal". Its editorial claims "we're in a new period of chaos", after the "House of Cowards" again showed it "prefers irresponsible procrastination to decisive action".

'Oliver Twits'

image copyright Reuters

Sir Oliver comes in for some of the most virulent criticism. The Mail quotes a senior Tory labelling Sir Oliver a "useful idiot" for the "organ grinder", Lord Pannick QC. It claims the lawyer - who also "masterminded" Boris Johnson's "Supreme Court humiliation" - helped draft Sir Oliver's "wrecking amendment".

"Oliver Twits," reads the Sun on Sunday's headline. The paper calls Mr Letwin A "buffoon" who came up with the poll tax, and has now "persuaded zombie MPs to block Brexit". The Sun also attacks the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party, which backed the Letwin amendment, saying their "stubborn refusal to compromise is beyond all reason".

"We had the deal nailed down, and we blew it," laments Caroline Flint, one of the six Labour MPs who voted with the government. She writes in the Sunday Times how she'd "worked in good faith" to improve Mr Johnson's deal, with guarantees on workers' rights, environmental standards and animal welfare all secured and ready to be embodied into legislation.

The Independent website , on the other hand, pictures the scene outside The Commons, where campaigners for another referendum amassed in Parliament Square. It claims a million people joined the march for a "Final Say on Brexit", on what is says was "the day you made Johnson listen".

Likewise, the Observer pictures the massed demonstrators, next to a headline reading: "A million take to the streets for public vote. In a comment piece, Will Hutton writes : "We marched with hope but few expectations. Yet history will side with us."

The Sunday Times dismisses them as "A vast throng, too posh to putsh."

Away from Parliament, the Observer reports British officials have taken the first steps to repatriate the children of Islamic State fighters stranded in Syria.

Among the first cases they have identified are three orphans - now in Kurdish-controlled Raqqa - who are believed to have travelled to the country with their parents five years ago.

Whitehall sources have reportedly confirmed they're working with various agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to start the process to get them back to the UK.

The charity Save the Children estimates there are a further 30 British children, separated from their parents, in refugee camps in north-east Syria.

World Cup wonder

Many of the back pages celebrate England's Rugby World Cup victory against Australia.

They "walloped the Wallabies", says the Express, and now it's time to "Bring on the All Blacks" in the semi-final.

The Mail on Sunday goes with "Kyle High Club", with a photo of England's "Runaway Rhino" Kyle Sinckler as he dives to score a try and help clinch their 40-16 win.

As the Telegraph sees it, England caught the Aussies: "Hook, like and Sinckler."