Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has demolished a ‘blue wall’ with a small orange hammer to mark his party’s victory against the Tories in Chesham and Amersham.
In the video, Davey asked: “Do you know what happens when a really powerful, strong orange force goes against a blue wall?”
He then warned his team to “stand back” stirring a wave of laughter – and proceeded to break the wall.
Reactions
As usual, Twitter users were merciless…
Jonathan Fisher said: “Use it on my head immediately please.”
And Jason Starman added: “Please please please Edward Davey and Lib Dems, stop this.
“BoJo did it better with a forklift truck, and that was the worst to watch… until now.”
use it on my head immediately please https://t.co/hK1uRwDwmR
— Jonathan Fisher (@fishplums) June 18, 2021
Please please please @EdwardJDavey and @LibDems stop this. BoJo did it better with a forklift truck, and that was the worst to watch… until now. https://t.co/uco7KsR0Xs
— Jason Starman QBE (@starmanuk) June 18, 2021
“Potentially one of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen,” one Twitter user announced.
Sophie Kitching was kinder: “He looks so pleased with himself and I love it.”
Potentially one of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen. ? https://t.co/FQ8QivD0VA
— George (@GDB1993) June 18, 2021
He looks so pleased with himself and I love it https://t.co/gXmqr420Fk
— Sophie Kitching ? (@sophieannak) June 18, 2021
Scott Beasley called for a “total and complete shutdown” of photo opportunities in politics.
He said we need to “figure out what the hell is going on”.
But Benjamin Davies’ verdict read the stunt is “still better” than seasons seven and eight of Game of Thrones.
I am calling for a total & complete shutdown of political photo opportunities until we can figure out what the hell is going on https://t.co/LU1N9kE4C3
— Scott Beasley (@SkyScottBeasley) June 18, 2021
Still better than seasons 7+8 of Game of Thrones tbf https://t.co/NO3h4ZUZSz
— Benjamin Davies (@BenDaviesOhNo) June 18, 2021
One person lamented the moment: “he had to go and ruin it”, whilst another declared: “I hate politics”.
Ugh. He had to go and ruin it. #CheshamAndAmersham https://t.co/jA7jIxbNFX
— Stephen (@StevieDawson) June 18, 2021
I hate politics https://t.co/B7tLfRi9Ju
— nathan (@nathanspears_) June 18, 2021
One of the tweets read: “I will refrain from making a joke about the size of Ed Davey’s hammer.”
Politics should be carried out through „wall-based visual metaphors” from now on, another user concluded.
I will refrain from making a joke about the size of Ed Davey’s hammer https://t.co/bO088QVJtU
— Owain Salter Fitz-Gibbon (@Owain_) June 18, 2021
All future politics should be conducted via wall-based visual metaphors. https://t.co/plbRtTaNx2
— Will Hazell (@whazell) June 18, 2021
Chesham and Amersham election results
The Lib Dem victory in yesterday’s by-election comes after the party gathered a stunning 56.7 per cent of the votes.
This accounts for a majority of 8,028 over the Tories, who had been in power in Chesham and Amersham since 1974.
Sir Davey said the result sent a “shockwave through British politics” by showing that the “Blue Wall” of Tory southern seats could be vulnerable.
He said: “If the Lib Dems can beat the Tories here, we can beat them anywhere”.
Sarah Green, the new Lib Dem MP, said: “This Conservative Party has taken people across the country for granted for far too long.”
She added: “The voice of Chesham and Amersham is unmistakable. Together we have said, ‘Enough is enough, we will be heard and this Government will listen’.
“This campaign has shown that no matter where you live, or how supposedly safe a constituency may appear to be, if you want a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, you can have a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament.”
Defeated candidate Peter Fleet admitted the Tories had to rebuild “trust and understanding” with voters.
The by-election comes after former cabinet minister Dame Cheryl Gillan passed away.
Dame Gillan won in the 2019 general election with 16,233 – around 55 per cent of the vote.
Related: Tories suffer humiliating defeat in Chesham and Amersham by-election
From Cummings to Campbell, politics reacts to Chesham and Amersham