EXCL Labour MP appeals to Speaker over Theresa May 'Brexit blame' Facebook ads
3 min read
A prominent Labour MP has written to the Speaker to ask whether it was right for Theresa May to use taxpayers' cash to “blame and incite resentment of MPs” over Brexit.
Angela Eagle said she was “extremely perturbed” after it emerged the Government spent thousands of pounds on Facebook promoting a video in which the Prime Minister blasted MPs for rejecting her Brexit deal.
Mrs May sparked anger and was forced to backtrack after she used last month's Downing Street statement to accuse MPs of doing “everything possible to avoid making a choice” on the UK's departure from the EU.
The Government paid between £12,000 and £30,000 for four Facebook ads pushing the controversial speech made directly to the public at the end of last month.
Ms Eagle told PoliticsHome a set of rules should be put in place if the Government wants to use social media advertising to “slag off another branch of the democratic system”.
In her letter to Speaker John Bercow, seen by this site, she said: “I do not object to Governments using public money to advertise. This has long been the case.
“But I am extremely perturbed that in this instance, public money is being spent by the executive to incite the electorate against the legislature.”
She told PoliticsHome: “It has crossed a line between what reasonable advertising is and incitement…
“If one branch of the Government is going to slag off another branch of the democratic system we ought to have some rules. And if we haven't, then they should be written.”
After Mrs May made the Downing Street statement she was accused of being a “Trump wannabe” and of putting MPs already at risk from pro-Brexit protesters in further danger.
The Facebook ads reached up to 3 million people in the UK, according to data from the social media site.
'I EXPRESSED MY FRUSTRATION'
But the day after she made the comments, Mrs May sought to backtrack and make amends by heaping praise on her colleagues in parliament.
“I know MPs on all sides of the debate have passionate views, and I respect those different positions,” she said.
“Last night I expressed my frustration. I know that MPs are frustrated too. They have difficult jobs to do. I hope we can all agree, we are now at the moment of decision.”
She added: “I am very grateful to those MPs who have supported the deal, to those who have come around to support the deal, and to all those MPs I have been meeting across the House.”
A Government spokesperson said: “Communicating government policy effectively to the public is a core function of the Civil Service.
“Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority and we continue to communicate with the public through our public awareness campaign on how EU exit might impact them."
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