The newspapers navigate the no-confidence motion, then the PM’s open door, then Jeremy Corbyn’s rejection

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The front pages all lead with Brexit news, and while all agree there is political chaos, they disagree about who is to blame: is it Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn or MPs in general?

The Guardian says: “May survives vote, but Britain remains in Brexit deadlock”, adding that despite surviving as PM and “weathering a dramatic no-confidence vote”, May “was left scrambling to strike a Brexit compromise” and Tory MPs remain “deeply divided about how May should adapt her deal”.

The Guardian (@guardian) The Guardian front page, Thursday 17 January 2019: May survives vote, but Britain remains in Brexit deadlock pic.twitter.com/QdHwq7RNQC

The Financial Times: “May starts search for Brexit ideas after narrow confidence vote win”, which might be subtly suggesting it’s a bit late in the day to begin that search.

Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Thursday 17 January https://t.co/Le9axugXNP pic.twitter.com/wLl5CJM4b9

The Telegraph skips the main events of the night to focus on the issue of a no-deal, working its business contacts to give readers the headline: “Hammond tells business chiefs MPs will stop no-deal Brexit”.

The Telegraph (@Telegraph) Thursday's Daily Telegraph front page: Hammond tells business chiefs MPs will stop no-deal Brexit #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/1vxKFkCxkJ

The Sun focuses on May’s invitation to Corbyn to discuss next steps, with the headline: “Come on over to May place”. it raises the question, if May were replaced with a prime minister whose name lent itself less well to puns, would the Sun explode? The paper blames Corbyn for the current impasse, saying: “Theresa May dramatically invited Jeremy Corbyn to Downing Street last night for emergency Brexit talks” but “the EU exit deadlock crisis deepened when the hard left Labour boss ducked the invitation”.

The Sun (@TheSun) Tomorrow's front page: Theresa May dramatically invites Jeremy Corbyn to Downing Street for emergency Brexit talks after surviving vote of no confidence https://t.co/ipJDWvIp1u pic.twitter.com/uLF57rF0Vt

The Mirror gives top billing to Corbyn’s response to May’s offer: “Ditch No Deal .. and then we’ll talk Brexit”. The Mirror paints a picture of the Labour leader in control, saying “Jeremy Corbyn last night snubbed Theresa May’s plea to help save her Brexit” after “the PM begged rival party leaders to join her for talks”.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) MIRROR: Ditch no deal...and then we’ll talk Brexit #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/AtaRd4eMOy

The Daily Mail paints things quite differently, saying “May wins confidence vote, invites Labour leader for Brexit talks at No 10, then .. wrecker Corbyn slams door on Theresa”. It accuses him of “playing party politics” after rejecting talks to break the deadlock.

The Times also lays the blame for the lack of progress at the Labour leader’s feet with “Corbyn snubs Brexit talks”. Rather than saying the PM had “begged” the Labour leader to join in talks, as the Mirror does, the Times says “She appealed to opposition MPs to work with her on a revised deal ... The Labour leader resisted the overture, however, insisting that Mrs May abandon a no-deal exit before the start of any ‘positive talks’.”

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) TIMES: Corbyn snubs Brexit talks #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/e5N6buMpDL

The i scoops up a variety of potential outcomes from this week’s failed Brexit vote, including a “Softer Brexit”, which is its headline, as well as cabinet resignations, a split Conservative party, and a new Scottish independence referendum.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) I: Softer Brexit #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/bxcIo6DQ3c

The Daily Express is angry at politicians from both sides, saying: “You’ve lost respect of the nation”, citing a poll that shows 72% of those asked want a complete overhaul of the UK political system in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) EXPRESS: You’ve lost the respect of the nation #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/wxeReNlIhL

The Scottish papers are deeply unimpressed with the week’s events. The National says “the day after this useless government suffers a historic defeat, Corbyn can’t even lay a glove on a prime minister with no Brexit plan.” The paper says another referendum could be the answer: “Independence is only way out of this mess”.