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Mugwump mania and memes take over Twitter

  • Published
    27 April 2017
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Screen grab of tweet by @jpjansonImage source, Twitter/@jpjanson
Lamia Estatie
BBC News

It's not everyday you get called a mugwump.

But it's a top online search and social media trend in the UK after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson accused Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of being a "mutton-headed, old mugwump".

And social media users are speculating whether the term was an insult or a compliment by sharing all the mugwump memes and references they can think of.

Some are even capitalising, external on the term to garner support for Corbyn in the coming general election, by creating memes of an alien-like species, external called Mugwump from the 1991 film adaptation of the novel Naked Lunch.

Others made reference to Roald Dahl's books, with one user tweeting, external: "There's #mugwump, but there's also #mugglewump, a character from Roald Dahl who wants to turn the Twits upside down. Either could work."

While some cited, external a mention of the word in Dahl's sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.

Screen grab of tweet by @JoeMurphyLondonImage source, Twitter/@JoeMurphyLondon

Despite Johnson's intentions, supporters of Corbyn said that the "mugwump" label was in fact a "compliment".

"FYI: in Harry Potter #mugwump is the head of the International Confederation of Wizards. So makes sense - Jezza is pretty magical :)," one user tweeted, external.

Harry Potter creator, JK Rowling hasn't commented on the matter as yet.

Screen grab of tweet by @BooktrustImage source, Twitter/@Booktrust

Highlighting mugwump's "positive" connotation, some shared the Oxford English Dictionary definition: "A person who remains aloof or independent, especially from party politics".

Screen grab of tweet by @CornwallToryImage source, Twitter/@cornwallTory

While some tweeted, external less contemporary understandings of the word: "Just to say: To call Corbyn a mugwump (a liberal defecting from corrupt Republican Party in 1880s) is a great insult to mugwumps."

BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg added, external: "Technically, a mugwump was someone who left the Republican Party in 1884 to support the Democratic Candidate Grover Cleveland."

Though others criticised, external Johnson: "Mutton-headed mugwump? Who uses language like that? A posh out of touch privileged fool like Boris Johnson, that's who."

Screen grab of tweet by @DrRizwanulHaqImage source, Twitter/@DrRizwanulHaq

"This is what a 'mugwump' looks like, a user said, external about an image of Mr Johnson dangling from a zip-line during the 2012 Olympics.

And there was this, external comparison to Buddy in the 2003 film, Elf.

Screen grab of tweet by @IanCoveyImage source, Twitter/@IanCovey

By the UGC and Social News team

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