Boris Johnson vs Jeremy Corbyn: ‘I’d rather vote for a mugwump than a smugc…’
Boris Johnson called Jeremy Corbyn a “mutton-headed old mugwump” and it’s been trending on Twitter ever since.
Here’s the so-called foreign secretary being asked about the phrase, which he first used in a column in the Sun, on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.
#Mugwump – You've been hearing it all morning…but what exactly does it mean? #r4today pic.twitter.com/0KlrTB49BB
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) April 27, 2017
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a mugwump as someone who remains aloof or independent, especially politically.
But it’s not it’s only meaning. Here’s what Twitter made of it today.
1.
After Boris Johnson’s speech, here’s a handy guide to what we should discuss in the election campaign. pic.twitter.com/wVD3MVr77P
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) April 27, 2017
2.
So Boris Johnson just called Corbyn a #mugwump as some kind of insult. Origin of the word – Great Chief
Boris Johnson – Moron.
— Darius (@CaldwelJames) April 27, 2017
3.
Mugwump: an old and mocking Massachusetts term for a bigwig who, particularly in politics, is non-committal, aloof, or fickle. #r4today
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) April 27, 2017
4.
"You are a big posh sod with plums in your mouth, and the plums have mutated and they've got beaks."#mugwump pic.twitter.com/tXB1Vsm8WN
— Political Partridge (@PoliticalAP) April 27, 2017
5.
Is Boris saying nonsensical words again like 'Mugwump' 'Floozle Flumpkins' & 'an extra £350m a week for the NHS'
— tom jamieson (@jamiesont) April 27, 2017
6.
I did the googling so you don't have to #mugwump https://t.co/zvkLyveNFT pic.twitter.com/RvQI6lDGEF
— Claire Phipps (@Claire_Phipps) April 27, 2017
7.
Boris Johnson's "I've found a funny word in the thesaurus" routine is wearing a bit thin now he's the foreign secretary.
— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) April 27, 2017
8.
There are lots of different mugs available for #GE2017 #mugwump @ThePoke pic.twitter.com/w81Xf83QVk
— Hopeless Surfer (@HopelessSurfer) April 27, 2017
9.
Nothing makes me want to vote for Corbyn more than Boris Johnson using – and thinking it's adorable – his stupid Billy Bunter language. pic.twitter.com/5hu6qeGPQz
— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) April 27, 2017
10.
Why has @BBCr4today led it's bulletin with Boris Johnson's childish insult of Corbyn? Is that REALLY the most important story in UK today?
— John Prescott (@johnprescott) April 27, 2017
11.
As a fan of William Burroughs, I'm exceptionally pleased to see Naked Lunch trending… #Mugwump pic.twitter.com/25foU1uwgW
— Richard Littler (@richard_littler) April 27, 2017
12.
#mugwump is a hippy/moochy shop in Durham it's has several floors and sells all kinds of things… pic.twitter.com/MhLuCArM0K
— lain (@Keroffin) April 27, 2017
13.
I'd rather vote for a mugwump than a smugcunt.
— Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) April 27, 2017
14.
Lest we forget "You're a nasty piece of work"
Eddie Mair exposes Boris Johnson in 2013 pic.twitter.com/bNenTdwkeq #r4today— Nick Hopkinson (@COPDdoc) April 27, 2017
