People across the United Kingdom were dismayed, though unsurprised, that Conservative Party members elected former Foreign Secretary and avowed nationalist Boris Johnson to Prime Minister by a wide margin.
Johnson is a staunch supporter of Brexit and promises the United Kingdom will leave the European Union by the end of October. Many Brits find Johnson's policies indicative of a racist and xenophobic character existent long before his rise to PM.
In 1997, he referred to South Africa's fledgling government—and new president Nelson Mandela—as equal to the apartheid that preceded it, citing the "tyranny of black rule."
“Mandela never accepted the Swiss-style constitution [de Klerk]proposed; and last year, fed up with being marginalised, de Klerk quit the government. He must have known that this would happen, that the majority tyranny of apartheid would be followed by the majority tyranny of black rule.”
Many— including President Donald Trump himself —have drawn similarities between Johnson and the President of the United States.
Johnson spoke before Members of Parliament in the House of Commons on his first official day of Prime Minister. Tory MP James Cleverly—a supporter of Johnson—used the moment to illustrate the opposing Labour MPs' faces through emojis.
I’m not allowed to take photos in the chamber, but here is an artist’s impression of the Labour benches. 🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁… https://t.co/vOEsANahAw— James Cleverly (@James Cleverly) 1564052816.0
It didn't go over well.
Labour MP Angela Rayner soon responded with some emojis of her own.
@JamesCleverly Allow me to do the other side 😳☹️😢😭😩☺️🙃 🤪🤥😱🤨😕😟😬 😁😩😐🤥☹️😐😬 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡— Angela Rayner 🌈 (@Angela Rayner 🌈) 1564053612.0
It wasn't long before others followed suit.
@JamesCleverly @JuliaHB1 Here is an artist’s impression of the Tory front bench. 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩— Mark Bartlam 🇬🇧🇪🇺🕷 (@Mark Bartlam 🇬🇧🇪🇺🕷) 1564054269.0
@JamesCleverly ...meanwhile on the Tory benches. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡💩🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡💀🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡💩🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡… https://t.co/y6hLO94WjP— Ian Ibbotson (@Ian Ibbotson) 1564053657.0
@JamesCleverly Funny that, here is an impression of the Tory benches 🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍 💩🐷🤡💩💩🤮🤡🤡💩👹— Withdraw Article 50 🇪🇺 (@Withdraw Article 50 🇪🇺) 1564061116.0
@JamesCleverly And the Tory benches. 🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵🤪🤪🤪💵💵💵💵💵💵💵— Adam #remain #stopbrexit #FBPE 🇪🇺🇬🇧🇵🇹 (@Adam #remain #stopbrexit #FBPE 🇪🇺🇬🇧🇵🇹) 1564068789.0
People didn't only illustrate the Tory side, but the rest of the country's reaction to Johnson's ascension to Prime Minister.
@JamesCleverly Here is an artist's impression of the British people. 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😰😰😰😰😰😨😨😨😨😰😨😨😨😰😰😰😰😰😰😥😥😥😰😰😰🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮… https://t.co/inuD17nMx2— Jonah (@Jonah) 1564065828.0
@JamesCleverly @VillredBill Here's a picture of the electorate: 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱… https://t.co/pXxcZ55ZJW— russjackson (@russjackson) 1564132708.0
@JamesCleverly He is an artist's impression of the people you serve.😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡🤬🤬😡😡😡… https://t.co/RybSykVT1B— Cath #ToriesOutPlease! 🇪🇺🌳 (@Cath #ToriesOutPlease! 🇪🇺🌳) 1564082103.0
@JamesCleverly Here is an artists impression of the nation as the horror unfolds: 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱… https://t.co/jPAEpD9y6c— Duncan Communist Poundcake (@Duncan Communist Poundcake) 1564082254.0
Blimey.