Minister accused of being drunk at anti-Brexit rally
Tearful speech sparks astonishing claim from Tory MP
CABINET minister Anna Soubry has become embroiled in an extraordinary row with a fellow Tory MP who accused her of being drunk after she almost broke down at an anti-Brexit rally.
The small business minister came close to tears as she addressed Remain supporters on Tuesday night, telling the crowd the UK had made a ‘terrible mistake’ by voting to leave the EU.
Backbencher Nadine Dorries, a Leave campaigner who passed by the rally near Parliament, later took to social media to accuse her colleague of being drunk – which Miss Soubry strongly denies.
The two women, both aged 59, then engaged in a very public spat over Twitter.
Miss Soubry’s voiced had cracked as she told thousands of campaigners gathered in Trafalgar Square: ‘My mother is 84 and she wept on Friday, just like my 24 and 25-yearold daughters shed tears because we made a terrible mistake on Friday by voting to leave the European Union.’
Mrs Dorries, the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, claimed: ‘I saw Anna Soubry leave
‘Inebriated, not emotional’
the bar before she went outside. She was inebriated, not emotional.’
Miss Soubry quickly responded: ‘I suggest you delete this which is defamatory.’ She added: ‘I didn’t drink anything in “the bar”. Was [with] fellow MPs including [Labour MP Paula Sherriff]. Think u owe me an apology.’
Mrs Dorries removed the message but still insisted Miss Soubry had been in one of Westminster’s watering holes before the rally, saying: ‘ Deleted at Anna’s request. Changed to I passed Anna leaving the bar before she went out and spoke to a crowd that was screaming abuse at MPs.’
The backbencher, who was temporarily suspended from the Tory party in 2012 for going on reality TV show I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, said she had walked through the middle of the crowd ‘pulling a suitcase’ and that she had been ‘ terrified’ by the demonstration.
She accused mother-of-two Miss Soubry of ‘egging’ on the protesters, adding: ‘ Dignity in office? MPs caught in the crowd were scared stiff. Tonight I was terrified. Ambulances screeching around while Anna Soubry played to the gallery.’
Miss Soubry had told the mainly young crowd: ‘We are told we have to respect the vote ... I understand, people are angry. Not just the young, people are angry. All across the country, angry.
‘Some of you will think this is pathetic, but write to your MP. Tell them how you feel. They are there to represent you.’
She also linked the Brexit vote to a surge in racist attacks, saying: ‘There are real people in this country being abused because where they have come from, the colour of their skin. This is disgraceful. It is not our country. We are tolerant. We welcome everyone to our shores.’
In the immediate aftermath of the vote, the Broxtowe MP had criticised white working- class Labour voters who wanted to quit the EU, saying they had ‘probably never even seen a migrant’.
On Monday, she struck a more upbeat tone and appealed for calm, saying: ‘Nothing has changed – UK is open for business. It will take years to leave the EU so let’s see the confidence in our great economy return.’
The protest attracted thousands of mainly young people, carrying placards that included ‘f*** Farage’ and ‘down with Boris’.
Others read ‘Reunited Kingdom’, ‘everyone is welcome here’ and ‘let’s hug it out’.
Police said there were no arrests.