Commons leader Penny Mordaunt’s latest post on social media has gone viral over its poor optics.
In a post promoting her meeting with the Bank of England today, Mordaunt said she was able to “view the first banknotes with HM The King’s portrait”.
“The new notes will be introduced gradually to replace those that are worn.”
The accompanied image shows Mordaunt with two giant bank notes for £10 and £20.
The notes are so large actually, her entire torso is covered.
Met with @bankofengland today to view the first banknotes with HM The King’s portrait. The new notes will be introduced gradually to replace those that are worn. pic.twitter.com/DyEDzFftCk
— Penny Mordaunt (@PennyMordaunt) May 22, 2024
In just over two hours, it had accumulated 450,000 views on X (formerly Twitter).
The photo was definitely a curious choice considering inflation actually fell to a three-year low today, dropping back to 2.3% – pretty close to the Bank of England’s actual target.
The government has been promoting this decline all day, saying it is proof the Conservatives’ “plan is working”.
Understandably, plenty of people started pointing out this pretty obvious flaw with Mordaunt’s image on social media – and Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael even joked, “so much for stopping inflation”.
So much for stopping inflation. https://t.co/Pvivi82XHM
— Alistair Carmichael MP (@amcarmichaelMP) May 22, 2024
Inflation has risen drastically therefore the notes have to become bigger cos they’re worth more ???? https://t.co/lk49hp5LXk
— Hollie-Anne Brooks ????✨????????⚽️ (@HollieAnneB) May 22, 2024
And of course, there were the inevitable jokes that the minister herself had shrunk.
Is anyone else alarmed by how much Penny has shrunk? https://t.co/eAm21PJ30s
— Unnamed Insider (@Unnamedinsider) May 22, 2024
A lot of people are saying that “They’re too big, they won’t fit in my wallet”. However, they forget that Ms Mordaunt is far away. https://t.co/7676JfsFky
— Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman) May 22, 2024
How am I supposed to fit these bad boys in my purse?! https://t.co/5b2ho4pblH
— Alice Gribbin ???? (@AliceGribbinSop) May 22, 2024
Bigger than expected. https://t.co/A3z4wq8dGb
— PARLY (@PARLYapp) May 22, 2024
Sorry these notes are clearly too big? Who has a wallet this size? Can this government do anything right? https://t.co/wsi14zmvZV
— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) May 22, 2024
I'm sorry they are not going to fit in my wallet.
— Adam Knight (@BigAdamKnight) May 22, 2024
This is not Mordaunt’s first viral gaffe. During October Conservative Party conference, she made a speech where she repeatedly said, “Stand up and fight.”
Unfortunately, it was not clear who or what the Tory members were supposed to be fighting.
She also got in a bizarre spat with Keir Starmer last September, after she said he had “zero balls” and compared him to Beach Ken from 2023′s hit film Barbie.
