BY now we’re used to information being leaked via exposed documents, thanks to long-focus lenses, but this one seems too good to be true.
In fact, the strategic placing of the document – neatly peering out to expose two lines of fairly large handwriting – and the words contained within it, leads us to conclude that this government secretary is doing his best to troll the British public over Brexit.
Mel Stride, a Tory MP who serves as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, was snapped leaving a Cabinet meeting with the document peering out of a red folder underneath his arm.
On it he has written “No food” and “No Channel Tunnel”.
The picture was captured and posted by the Twitter account PoliticalPics, which claims that the document exposes “some disturbing facts”.
Mel Stride Financial sec to treasury paymaster gen leaving this afternoons brexit cabinet meeting showing some disturbing facts !!!! pic.twitter.com/Mgf3vWPCyi
— PoliticalPics (@PoliticalPics) January 14, 2019
We have to disagree, the only disturbing thing about this is the reality of food shortages, as well as other vital supplies like medicine, if we end up with a no-deal Brexit – a scenario that looks more and more likely by the day.
The picture led some to speculate that it was a stunt to scare Tory rebels and opposition MPs to back Theresa May’s deal in tomorrow’s meaningful vote, with the Prime Minister facing an embarrassing defeat.
That also seems a bit fanciful, as if MPs will be swayed by such obvious rubbish. Thoughts echoed by Nicola Sturgeon, who tweeted: "This looks just a bit too obvious – the last desperate throw of the dice by a government that has lost the argument on Brexit."
This looks just a bit too obvious - the last desperate throw of the dice by a government that has lost the argument on Brexit. The sooner tomorrow’s vote is out the way, the better - then we can get on with finding a better way forward. https://t.co/f010wcFQvE
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 14, 2019
Quite.
Twitter had a field day with the pic. Among the many who saw right through the MP’s trolling were Photoshopped version of the image and quips about song lyrics.
— Paula (@hurryupwerlate) January 14, 2019
FT journalist Henry Mance tweeted “Bob Marley’s first draft”, with his colleague Katie Martin adding: New version of Imagine sounds rubbish.”
Our favourite, however, came from Jennifer Harrison, who said: “No quiet bat people.”
No quiet bat people
— Jennifer Harrison (@GeneticJen) January 14, 2019
Bravo...
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