#TheresaMayGIFs: hashtag mocks PM's performance on TV
Time will tell if the Sky News/Channel 4 TV debate featuring Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn has any impact on the election result, but on social media it was quite clear that May’s performance sparked the most interest – but not necessarily in a good way.
The programme saw the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties quizzed by Jeremy Paxman and a studio audience and, within moments of it finishing, the hashtag #TheresaMayGIFs had started trending.
People used GIFs to characterise May’s performance as hopeless and self-damaging.
How Theresa May expected it to go vs how it actually went.#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/uRukcKnhe6
— Stuart Brown (@StuartLeeBrown) May 29, 2017
@theresa_may #TheresaMayGifs pic.twitter.com/uet9gRtPka
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) May 29, 2017
Strong and stable. #BattleForNumber10 #TheresaMayGifs pic.twitter.com/iZlkMWqxDJ
— Rebecca Buxton (@RebeccaBuxton) May 29, 2017
As with many political hashtags, well-known and loved images were used in the new context, just by placing them next to the hashtag, with nothing more needing to be said.
#theresamaygifs pic.twitter.com/Y3XxYplKQG
— eleanor may (@_eleanorfoley) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/MBRli4JcSw
— Richard (@travislyndon) May 29, 2017
Some went the extra mile to make a specific point about May’s performance.
Theresa May to elderly voters:#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/YKZbzLNgAU
— Steven Laverty (@StevieLav) May 29, 2017
After 30 minutes of waffling on... #TheresaMayGifs #BattleForNumber10 pic.twitter.com/mN2kIRKGsR
— Peter J Holland (@PeterjHolland) May 29, 2017
GIFs that looped perfectly were used to highlight how May seemed to crash from one bad answer to the next during the 45 minutes she featured on the show.
#theresamaygifs pic.twitter.com/vCF4avv8ms
— M.C.T II Esquire (@DaTelemaque) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs #BattleForNumber10 pic.twitter.com/54qlNV6PbJ
— hollerella (@Hollerella) May 29, 2017
Other users picked video clips to echo their shock and disbelief at the way they felt she had come across.
@theresa_may #TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/NSXelcNiyl
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/kDkHYhHEqq
— Krude One (@KrudeOne) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/l4aIEU7Dz6
— Jamie Hogan (@FCTwenteBenson) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/3qoMxipMPF
— PALLY (@PallyK) May 29, 2017
Some of the GIFs tapped into the perception that May has been hidden away on the campaign trail because she does not come across well when meeting “ordinary people”.
When faced with a member of the actual public #BattleForNumber10 #theresamaygifs pic.twitter.com/NmcPXKFp54
— JocMoran (@JocelynMoran18) May 29, 2017
@OwenJones84 @theresa_may Theresa May when she comes within 5 miles of a real question on her uncosted manifesto #TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/2fERL1yHGp
— Ashley Borges (@aborgestweets) May 29, 2017
More than one person used the hashtag to allude to a clip from the TV audience that had already been widely circulated on social media.
Hahaha that man mouthing bollocks at May speaking on the #NHS. 👌👌 #BattleForNumber10 pic.twitter.com/7W4VgxSGWV
— HannahJane Parkinson (@ladyhaja) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/whgR9723BE
— Victoria Jackson (@vicjax) May 29, 2017
Others expressed some empathy for the social media managers and Conservative spin doctors who were no doubt watching the hashtag catch fire.
#TheresaMayGifs Conservative PR department right now. pic.twitter.com/UnnK5A4ngs
— Emily Crawford (@Crawf28) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs Tory HQ after TV debate pic.twitter.com/4F42Q4BfvA
— Steve Callen (@steve_callen) May 29, 2017
The mood at Conservative HQ tonight #TheresaMayGifs pic.twitter.com/jkQ5BmTHWY
— Jane Waring (@warijan) May 29, 2017
It all added up to some late-night Twitter amusement and a good night on social media for Corbyn supporters.
Corbyn striding home tonight #TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/TnkaTKnSVD
— Ricki Lord (@Ricki2901) May 29, 2017
Nice try but... #TheresaMayGIFs pic.twitter.com/BvGyIpPdRg
— Niall Suibhne (@NiallSuibhne) May 29, 2017
But, then again, there’s always someone there to remind you that jokes on social media do not necessarily win votes.
For all the recent wobbling, TM has simple lines on Brexit that resonate with a big swathe of voters & she knows it. #easilyoverlooked
— John Harris (@johnharris1969) May 29, 2017
Or do they?
Impact of May on the telly in Tory constituencies all over the UK. #TheresaMayGifs pic.twitter.com/QoHNU3FPvv
— Paul de Gregorio (@pauldegregorio) May 29, 2017