The Week on Twitter | General Election, James Comey, & The Babadook
This week, Jeremy Corbyn was the absolute boy, Theresa May went into talks with the DUP, and the Tories lost a load of seats. Ariana Grande also held a benefit concert in Manchester, former FBI director James Comey gave a testimony, & the Babadook became an LGBT icon.
Surge in young #Labour voters, and massive loses for #Tories in #GE2017
On Thursday night at 10pm, the exit poll for the UK general election was released. It suggested that the Conservatives had secured more seats, but that Labour’s surge in support would leave Britain with a hung parliament. Many Tories denied the poll’s accuracy, saying that everyone should wait until the vote counting actually began before jumping to conclusions.
Once the counting did begin however, it became clearer and clearer that the Tories were not going to achieve the majority necessary to lead alone. By 5am it was looking fairly likely that the UK was going to have a hung parliament propped up by the DUP, the unionist party who don’t believe in climate change, LGBT rights, abortion under any circumstances, and lots of other awful and questionable things.
Despite Theresa May’s claim that if the Tories lost just six seats, Jeremy Corbyn would be sitting down with the EU to discuss Brexit negotiations, the prime minister is still refusing to step down. Instead she’s relying on the democratic unionists to let her lead for a little while longer, already having reportedly considered a vote on limiting abortion access for the rest of the UK.
Tory minister on #r4today says they will have a vote on reducing time limits on abortion in exchange for DUP support.
— CarolineJMolloy (@carolinejmolloy) June 10, 2017
Some other things also happened during #GE2017 that weren’t so grim, maybe. Labour managed to win over 40% of the vote despite constant smear campaigns by the press amidst claims that Corbyn didn’t know how to run a party. UKIP leader Paul Nuttall stepped down after his party won zero seats. He said that UKIP had become a victim of its own success, and blamed the snap election for their loss in support. The Britain Elects Twitter page sent a tweet saying ‘Holy shit’ once the exit poll was released. It was good.
Oh, and Kev from IT finally got his chance at leadership.
Wow this election really was a shock ….turned out kev from IT nabbed it last second #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/lbmNBJqA0T
— Mark Conroy (@smark993) June 9, 2017
Theresa May: "We are bringing the country together through strong and stable leadership" pic.twitter.com/mc1RoRpb94
— Rónán Comaskey (@Chaka1987) June 8, 2017
Corbyn vs the media pic.twitter.com/pXpr1Xw62R
— Bhean (@BheanyArLa) June 4, 2017
English journalists desperately swotting up on the DUP like pic.twitter.com/E4v4IvNnrK
— Stephanie Boland (@stephanieboland) June 9, 2017
When you've spent 2 years calling Jeremy Corbyn a terrorist sympathiser but now you're wanting the DUP to prop your government up. pic.twitter.com/UpnGXcXWYh
— Dale (@DaleRobertsDR) June 9, 2017
Jeremy will don anything for the youth vote #GE2017 https://t.co/ZB8r47X700
— Mark Conroy (@smark993) June 9, 2017
A quick look at the electoral map right now #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/vRcETACw2w
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) June 9, 2017
Have you had an accident at work that was your fault? pic.twitter.com/JYRwhkr3qc
— Ern Malley (@GeoffShadbold) June 9, 2017
#Comey testimony gets underway
This week, former FBI director James Comey gave his testimony regarding his dismissal by Trump. Comey says that he was fired in May because he leaked information concerning the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s potential involvement in the US election campaign. Trump had previously claimed that he fired the FBI director to “ease” the investigation against him.
Comey spoke publicly for the first time about his dismissal to the senate intelligence committee on Thursday. He stated (three times) that Trump was a liar, that he had documented multiple conversations that he had had with Trump, and that he hopes tapes of these conversations do exist.
Comey also claimed that Trump had told him to stop looking into the actions of former national security advisor Michael Flynn. “I was so stunned by the conversation that I just took in,” he said. “I remember saying, ‘I agree he is a good guy,’ as a way of saying, ‘I’m not agreeing with what you asked me to do.'”
Despite so many false statements and lies, total and complete vindication…and WOW, Comey is a leaker!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2017
Damn, some juicy stuff came out of this hearing pic.twitter.com/3AlD83fk74
— ⭐ amy o'connor ⭐ (@amyohconnor) June 8, 2017
Me rooting for Comey while knowing the corruption of the FBI pic.twitter.com/nzbyc3st9V
— Lawrence of Suburbia (@iamtjones) June 8, 2017
What idiot decided to call it the #ComeyTestimony instead of James and the Giant Impeach?
— Ciara (@Ciara_Knight) June 8, 2017
#ArianaGrande holds benefit concert for #ManchesterAttack victims
On Sunday, just 13 days after the terrorist attack that tragically killed 22 people in the MEN arena, Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester concert came to Old Trafford. Performances from Robbie Williams, Coldplay, (some of) Oasis, Imogen Heap, Little Mix, Miley Cyrus, and Ariana herself lit up the stage for the thousands of people who had attended the original concert less than two weeks before, and all of those who didn’t make it home that night.
Ariana joined the Black Eyed Peas for Where Is The Love?, she and Miley sang a rendition of Don’t Dream It’s Over, and Justin Bieber performed a few of his hits for the 50,000 or so people who turned out to support the cause.
Over £2.5 million was raised during the course of the evening, which was then added to the £12 million that had already been raised in support of the bombing victims. Ariana ended the show singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The song has now been released as a charity single.
— lewf (@lewisd_f) June 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/WillTooley/status/871460454840905728
very funny how Oasis have that song "Don't Look Back In Anger" when all the Gallaghers do is is look back in anger
— Frog (@dgahk) June 6, 2017
Ariana Grande has behaved like such a class act in past couple of weeks
— shon faye (@shonfaye) June 4, 2017
Liam gallagher and chris martin performing tonight looked rather familiar.. pic.twitter.com/TOLJ67Avfj
— jack (@Jackbill98) June 4, 2017
Whatever the terrorists were aiming for in Manchester I'm pretty sure a policeman dancing with three little girls to Justin Bieber wasn't it
— Nick Hassey (@nickhassey) June 4, 2017
Me ma's genuinely just gone 'Parallel Williams was good' I was gobsmacked
— Liam (@Millxr) June 4, 2017
#TheBabadook becomes LGBT icon
The B in LGBT stands for Babadook. At least that’s according to lots of people on Twitter, who have decided that the monster from the 2014 film of the same name has been a key figure in the fight for gay rights for years. The Babadook has been on RuPaul’s Drag Race. He’s made viewers Badashook with his looks. He was even around for the Stonewall riots.
The Babadook’s affirmation as an LGBT icon came after the film showed up in Netflix’s LGBT section. Someone made the joke that the B in LGBT stood for Babadook. The memes began. They have yet to stop.
https://twitter.com/Maccadaynu/status/872495700034158592
Babadook slander will NOT be tolerated in this house. Cinematic masterpiece AND gay icon. Not the ally we wanted but the ally we deserved. pic.twitter.com/iRHyzDT067
— ケビンちゃん (@kehhbean) June 7, 2017
the floor is the heterosexuality of the babadook pic.twitter.com/YNU5lHAnYp
— hunk hogan (@wokesweetie) June 8, 2017
normies: this is the birth of the babadook is gay meme
me: this is the tragic death of the longstanding babadook is gay meme— j a c k s o n (@headfallsoff) June 8, 2017
good night to everyone except the person who called the babadook's ass his "babussy"
— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) June 8, 2017