Steerpike Steerpike

Is Best for Britain the worst of Remain?

(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Oh dear. It seems that the Hiroo Onodas of Remainia have done it again. Best for Britain, the former Stop Brexit crusade now recast as a self-styled ‘civil style campaign’, is up to their old tricks on Twitter. In their haste to score points off anyone remotely associated with the Leave campaign, BfB has seized on a viral tweet sneering at Andrew Pierce, the longtime Daily Mail columnist.

The original tweet, amplified to the group’s 150,000 followers, was from an account which claimed to ‘Detest Tories, Brexit and inequality. Love Lefty Lawyers.’ It claimed that ‘I’ve been blocked by Tory Boy Pierce for letting slip his real name is Patrick Donnelly which entitles him to an EU passport. Oops I did it again.’ BfB then added ‘At some point it might be fun to compile all the “leading Brexit lights” who have availed themselves of an EU passport or residency.’

Unfortunately, as others like Rob Colvile of the CPS think tank subsequently pointed out, Andrew Pierce’s name changed because he spent the first two years of his life at an orphanage in Cheltenham. Having been abandoned by his birth parents, Pierce has ‘availed himself’ of nothing except being adopted, as a basic check of his Wikipedia page would have made clear.

Taking issue with Pierce’s views is one thing but mocking him about his adoption is quite another. After 22 hours, the post still remained up on BfB’s page, despite complaints. All those donors and so little class. Perhaps they should rename themselves ‘Bitter for Britain’ instead?

Update: Best for Britain have now deleted the post.

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