#Theresamaygifs: Prime Minister mocked on social media for debate performance
As pundits on the left and right argued over who won Monday night's debate, the verdict seemed clear on social media.
Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn were being questioned separately by studio audiences and interviewed by Jeremy Paxman in a Sky News/Channel 4 "Battle for Number 10" broadcast, after the Prime Minister refused to go head-to-head with other party leaders in a debate.
But while experts talked at length on TV and columnists wrote reams of words on it, there is arguably no political commentary more succinct than a GIF - and it wasn't long before the hashtag #TheresaMayGIFs went viral.
Unfortunately for the prime minister, the reaction was not full of praise for her performance.
Many thought she inflicted damage on herself with a performance that failed to to convey the "strong and stable" message that she has been trying to push throughout the campaign.
#theresamaygifs Strong & Stable. pic.twitter.com/yskJ8Pmo3q
— Dom SP (@DomCMM) May 29, 2017
How Theresa May expected it to go vs how it actually went.#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/uRukcKnhe6
— Stuart Brown (@StuartLeeBrown) May 29, 2017
Theresa May's election campaign so far. #TheresaMayGifspic.twitter.com/vcgL2zZ3qw
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs May delivering her manifesto pic.twitter.com/y97PbhXPU9
— James Donlan (@jamesdonlan) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGifs strong and stable until you ask a question ... pic.twitter.com/pmphjoLiQz
— Abagael (@abssims) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGifs is full of awesomeness. pic.twitter.com/0XwstmgIWZ
— Tom Worth (@tomworthtweets) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs I think I could style this out. #BattleForNumber10pic.twitter.com/6vaRGZP9NO
— Just Ian (@IanWhittleworth) May 29, 2017
"Play it strong and stable Trig, strong and stable" #TheresaMayGifspic.twitter.com/B6YsBnkvcJ
— Mike Payne (@mpaynedev) May 29, 2017
Others tried to imagine the reaction of the Tory spin doctors backstage and at Conservative headquarters.
Conservative press office after #mayvcorbyn#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/tTxVoSLhBG
— Martyn King (@MartynKing5) May 29, 2017
Conservative HQ tonight #theresamaygifspic.twitter.com/FcUoHEtYTX
— Lagamorph (@lagamorph2) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGifs Conservative PR department right now. pic.twitter.com/UnnK5A4ngs
— Emily Crawford (@Crawf28) May 29, 2017
@CCHQPress checking their twitter feed right now #TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/RyQDJ3AfjX
— s T e V i E �������� (@sg0379) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFs Tory HQ after TV debate pic.twitter.com/4F42Q4BfvA
— Steve Callen (@steve_callen) May 29, 2017
The prime minister was accused of dodging questions as she came under fire.
Theresa May when asked any question about policy, cuts, politics in general, or life. #TheresaMayGifspic.twitter.com/Vz9ZSmpfHu
— Doll (@dollfran7) May 29, 2017
Theresa May when answering questions.. #TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/VFpRsdvwJ5
— �������� (@Andy_smith13) May 29, 2017
"What do you say to people who think that cutting 20,000 police officers has made our country less safe?"#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/LbgjwvwiyK
— Aidan forgets why he (@aidno) May 29, 2017
30 minutes for pure waffle #BattleForNumber10#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/iqQ293pL3n
— Sam Stephenson (@SamStephenson_) May 29, 2017
And many guessed she was regretting her decision to call the election.
When Theresa thinks about calling the election. #TheresaMayGifspic.twitter.com/kyz0yxGxcL
— Matt Green (@mattgreencomedy) May 29, 2017
calling the general election like #TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/A5opLTcPN1
— ryan�� (@ryxnf) May 29, 2017
Overall, if the GIFs are anything to go by, it was seen as a car crash performance.
#TheresaMayGIFs#BattleForNumber10pic.twitter.com/ivcPJ5YxTz
— ��Luce�� (@LucyBMarriott) May 29, 2017
#BattleForNumber10#theresamaygifspic.twitter.com/O6ys6aGM8N
— Ross (@Godofguppies) May 29, 2017
#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/RXzqrdRJR4
— Stuart (@stvstheworld) May 29, 2017
@theresa_may leaving the studio the moment this interview ends. #BattleForNumber10#GE2017#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/TwC3y0lNPf
— Anthony Ball (@anthonyball_) May 29, 2017
Watching May crumble on #BattleForNumber10. Reaffirmed everything I knew about her - disaster #TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/AcmSRFaJT9
— Cheryl Diane (@cheryldthomas1) May 29, 2017
@theresa_may#BattleForNumber10#TheresaMayGIFspic.twitter.com/bDtvnArUBw
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) May 29, 2017