People can’t get their heads round why MPs are obsessing over Big Ben’s bongs
A bunch of MPs will mark Big Ben’s last bongs for four years today by standing outside Parliament with their heads bowed thinking sad thoughts.
BONG! MPs will gather outside Parliament to witness final Big Ben bongs before it falls silent "with our heads bowed but hope in our hearts"
— Arj Singh (@singharj) August 20, 2017
To which the nation replied …
1.
Siri, show me an obvious sign that a country has lost its fucking mind https://t.co/g8XTIVIPmE
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) August 20, 2017
2.
Couldn't they just switch Big Ben to vibrate?
— James Martin (@Pundamentalism) August 21, 2017
3.
Fucking hell. We have people using foodbanks and a referendum imposed by morons increased hatecrimes and division BUT pic.twitter.com/dPdkr9E6cI
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) August 20, 2017
4.
"MPs plan vigil to mourn final Big Ben bongs 'with heads bowed and hope in our hearts'" pic.twitter.com/gMuUbMHphb
— John Rain (@MrKenShabby) August 20, 2017
5.
I for one am shocked that MPs demonstrably give more of a fuck about a tradition of Westminster than they do about actual human beings.
— David Lewis (@davidclewis) August 21, 2017
6.
To be fair, the Tories are being consistent here – Big Ben isn't able to perform a task, but they're still insisting it's fit for work
— Simon HB (@norock) August 21, 2017
7.
Thoughts are with Big Ben at these difficulty silent times.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 21, 2017
8.
IT'S A FUCKING CLOCK. How come you didn't go do that outside Grenfell? https://t.co/xPLQ6QQak4
— Katharine (@KatharineBenj) August 20, 2017
9.
I must remember, next time I send watch off to be repaired, to stand solemnly with my head bowed like the end of the world is nigh. #bellend
— Emma Kennedy (@EmmaKennedy) August 21, 2017
10.
MPs "have the sense of perspective you'd expect of a fucking biscuit" it was revealed today. pic.twitter.com/A143Cthfku
— AlexWattsEsq (@AlexWattsEsq) August 20, 2017
11.
It's. A. Clock. Being. Repaired. https://t.co/3KPGoIOcX6
— Jamie McKelvie (@McKelvie) August 20, 2017
12.
Bell ends. https://t.co/RDeL1hoLvy
— Paul Haine (@paul_haine) August 20, 2017
13.
… I guess you could say this Big Ben story has a chimeless quality
[enters witness protection]
— Esther Webber (@estwebber) August 21, 2017
14.
The Big Ben dongs will return. Wish those MPs who are causing such a fuss were equally vocal about food banks, the GP crisis and harsh cuts
— Luke Pollard MP (@LukePollard) August 21, 2017
But our favourite response came from Tory MP Conor Burns, who had a message for MPs and lived up to his surname in some style.
“There has been the most enormous amount of nonsense talked about this … Colleagues saying the House of Commons commission is achieving something that even the Luftwaffe couldn’t achieve, stopping Big Ben.
“Big Ben was silenced for maintenance in 2007, it was refurbished between ’83 and ’85, it blew up in 1976 and was offline for a little while … I think when you see the footage tomorrow of our colleagues who gather at the foot of Big Ben you will not see too many colleagues who have careers ahead of them.”
Don’t forget to gather round your TV/computer/phone at midday folks. Last bongs for four years and all that!
I'm live-tweeting the last chimes of Big Ben. Sombre atmos. People here bravely going about their business like somehow it doesn't matter.
— Michael Spicer (@MrMichaelSpicer) August 21, 2017
Government reveals replacement for Big Ben. pic.twitter.com/lzBOcjWz1h
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) August 21, 2017
ONLY KIDDING… BONG
— Big Ben (@big_ben_clock) August 21, 2017
