Front pages mostly say PM has failed ‘to heal party splits’ with a deal that is ‘dead as a dodo’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

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”.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) EXPRESS: Now just let her get on with it #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/jBhPRSqbAc

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”.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) DAILY MAIL: Now let her get on with the job! #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/oaEihTtsOv

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”.

The Sun (@TheSun) 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 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”.

Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) Tomorrow's front page: It's lame duck for Christmas#tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/fFIeHwiekz pic.twitter.com/xL0ijW0Qzv

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 Telegraph (@Telegraph) The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'A vote to Remain, but when will she leave?' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/t5XG22nstC

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.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) FINANCIAL TIMES: May survives Brexiter challenge but margin fails to quash revolt #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/p48ZZRZqSD

i newspaper (@theipaper) 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

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”.

Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) THE TIMES: May scrapes home #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/A58v5ABXls

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 (@guardian) The Guardian front page, Thursday 13 December 2018: Tory coup fails. But scale of rebellion damages May pic.twitter.com/ZPOVCnTkbR