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.
It didn't go over well.
Labour MP Angela Rayner soon responded with some emojis of her own.
It wasn't long before others followed suit.
People didn't only illustrate the Tory side, but the rest of the country's reaction to Johnson's ascension to Prime Minister.
Blimey.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social