The press must be free to criticise: Theresa May backs newspapers after attacks on judges who ruled EU deal must go through Parliament

The Prime Minister said she valued the independence of the judiciary
But Theresa May insisted the freedom of the press was important
She made the comments before arriving in India for bilateral trade talks

By Daniel Martin and James Slack for the Daily Mail

Published: 18:08 GMT, 6 November 2016 | Updated: 01:50 GMT, 7 November 2016

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Theresa May last night defended the free Press's right to criticise the judiciary – saying it 'underpins our democracy'.

The Prime Minister intervened amid protests from lawyers and Remain-supporting MPs over the reporting of last week's hugely controversial High Court ruling that Parliament must be given a vote on Brexit.

The Government is appealing against the decision, saying it was made clear when the referendum was called that the people were being given the final say on whether to remain in the EU.

The Prime Minister said she valued the independence of the judiciary but insisted the freedom of the press was important (stock image)

Theresa May and Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox, are welcomed by officials as they arrive with a delegation in India

Ex-Armed Forces chiefs warned the ruling could make it harder for Britain to launch urgent military action by undermining the Royal Prerogative.

Yesterday Cabinet ministers said groups such as the Bar Council were in danger of 'exaggerating' the row over Press headlines. They suggested the judges criticised by the Mail and other newspapers were not going to 'lose sleep over a disobliging headline'.

On a trade mission to India, Mrs May – who herself described the court's verdict as disappointing – twice defended the freedom of the Press. She decided to speak out after ferocious criticism on social media and the BBC of both newspapers and Justice Secretary Liz Truss.

Mrs Truss was savaged by Remain-backing MPs and lawyers for not attacking the Press over its comments. The legal profession said she had a duty to protect the independence of the judiciary.

Mrs May said yesterday: 'I believe in the value of the independence of our judiciary. I also value the freedom of our Press. I think those both underpin our democracy and they are important.

'Of course the judges will look at the legal arguments – I believe as a Government we have got strong legal arguments. The Supreme Court will now decide.

'I also reiterate that Parliament gave this decision to the British people in the referendum, and I think for MPs and peers they should remember that the British people gave their view. The majority said we should leave the EU.'

Baron Thomas of Cwmgiedd was one of three judges behind the Brexit ruling, which found Theresa May does not have the power to trigger the process of leaving the EU

He was aided by 'Master of the Rolls' Sir Terence Etherton (left) and Lord Justice Sales (right)

PM MUST CONDEMN EDITORS, SAYS EX-BBC CHAIRMAN

Former European commissioner Chris Patten last night demanded Theresa May chastise newspapers that dared question last week's High Court ruling on Brexit.

The former chairman of the BBC Trust, who is now chancellor of Oxford University, called on the PM to display 'leadership' by publicly attacking the Press.

Tory peer Lord Patten, who opposed Brexit, also called for Sajid Javid to be sacked over comments on the ruling. The Communities Secretary said the judges had been seeking to 'frustrate the will of the British people'. He praised former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who said the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph's coverage was like 'living in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe'.

Speaking on the ITV Peston on Sunday programme, Lord Patten said: 'Here we are with a debate in this country that is starting to make us look mean and a bit nasty.

'Theresa May should make it clear that she doesn't like the way that tabloid editors have been pushing this debate, that we need to be, to behave more decently to one another with a great deal more respect.'

The ex-Tory party chairman helped introduce the poll tax. He later served as the last governor of Hong Kong and was appointed by Tony Blair as one of the UK's European commissioners.

The PM added: 'It is important that we have the independence of the judiciary. It is also important that we have a free Press.'

And Jeremy Hunt said he would 'defend to the hilt' the right of newspapers to write what they like as it was an important aspect of democracy.

The Health Secretary referenced the Mail's front page from Friday, which called the judges 'enemies of the people', telling the BBC's Andrew Marr show that the 'democratic right of newspapers to disagree whenever they want with what judges decide' was important because 'we're an open society'. The sentiments were echoed by Commons Leader David Lidington, who told ITV's Peston on Sunday that judges were 'tough old birds' who could survive a disobliging front page.

He accused the Bar Council, which represents barristers, of exaggerating the harm newspaper headlines can do to the principle of judicial independence.

But Gina Miller, the businesswoman who funded the High Court case, said the Press had 'behaved disgracefully'. The former model said: 'The papers – the Mail in particular – have been shameful. It's brought out a side of society – the dark clouds are definitely gathering.'