I believed it was a work event: Twitter users mock Boris Johnson’s apology

The account for comedy TV channel Dave joked that the Prime Minister will make you ‘down a pint’ if ‘this is a work event’ is said three times.
Users have quipped that Mr Johnson mistook a ‘drinks menu for a spreadsheet’ following his apology made during Prime Minister’s Questions today (PA)
PA Wire
Lily Ford12 January 2022

The Prime Minister has been jokingly accused of mistaking a “drinks menu for a spreadsheet” as Twitter users mocked him for claiming he believed a Downing Street party was a “work event”.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Boris Johnson apologised and acknowledged the public outrage over the “bring your own booze” gathering in the No 10 garden in May 2020, adding: “I believed implicitly that this was a work event.”

Following the statement at Prime Minister’s Questions, #PMQs was the top trend on Twitter and quips about Mr Johnson’s comments quickly garnered thousands of likes and retweets.

British comedy writer Michael Spicer joked: “I think parties and work events can be very similar.

“For instance, I confused a drinks menu for a spreadsheet once.

“And also a seventh mojito for a pen.”

A tweet made by a parody account of Larry, the cat who resides at No 10 as their “chief mouser”, joked that the feline is eyeing an escape from Downing Street.

“Wanted: New housemate for Westminster based feline,” the account tweeted.

“Recently decorated house includes excellent security, lightly used office space and large garden, suitable for hosting parties.”

Irish airline Ryanair shared a popular meme with their half a million followers.

The image shows the Prime Minister photoshopped in the corner of a room, drink in hand, watching partygoers dance as he proclaims: “I don’t know I’m at a party.”

The picture is captioned: “Boris Johnson for 25 minutes on 20 May 2020”.

Following in the same theme, Labour MP and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy shared an image of hundreds at a busy carnival, captioned with Mr Johnson’s comment: “I believed implicitly that this was a work event”.

The account for BBC One’s comedy show Have I Got News For You also joined in, posting: “PM insists he didn’t realise it was a party, and returned to his office shortly after they turned the karaoke machine on.”

Cult internet artist Cold War Steve shared a depiction of the Prime Minister tucked into a fridge in the House of Commons, referencing the moment Mr Johnson appeared to hide in a fridge on Good Morning Britain during the 2019 general election campaign.

The political cartoonist, known for his satirical Photoshop collages, included post-it notes on the fridge door which read “Civil Servants” and “Sue Gray”, a nod to the senior official who is leading an inquiry into a series of alleged parties held during lockdown in No 10 and Whitehall.

The political cartoonist is known for his satirical Photoshop collages that earn thousands of likes on Twitter.

Comedy channel Dave poked fun at Mr Johnson’s statement, tweeting that he will appear and make you “down a pint” by saying “this is a work event” three times in front of a mirror.

“If you stand in front of a mirror and say ‘this is a work event’ 3 times Boris Johnson will appear and make you down a pint,” the account wrote to their 128,000 followers.

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