Jacob Rees-Mogg sparks Yorkshire Tea-style Twitter storm after posing with Walkers and Pringles crisps

Jacob Rees-Mogg sparked a Yorkshire Tea style Twitter storm after posing with Walkers and Pringles crisps
Jacob Rees-Mogg / Twitter
Bonnie Christian27 February 2020
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Jacob Rees-Mogg has sparked a Yorkshire Tea-style Twitter storm after posing with a bag of ready salted crisps.

In an apparent follow up to a picture of fellow Cabinet member Rishi Sunak with a bag of Yorkshire Tea, Mr Rees-Mogg appeared in his study with a bag of Walkers and a tube of Pringles.

He reassured makers of "artisan crisps" that they were in "no danger", adding: “I am a Walker’s crisps man or Pringles when I’m feeling extravagant.”

The Conservative MP included a link to a "step-by-step" article published by The Grocer in the wake of the Yorkshire Tea backlash, titled "how to un-cancel your fmcg brand on Twitter".

Yorkshire Tea received online abuse earlier this week when newly-appointed Chancellor Mr Sunak posted a photo of himself with its tea bags.

The teamaker’s Twitter account appealed for people to “be kind” after they were bombarded with angry messages and calls for people to boycott the brand.

People responded to Mr Rees-Mogg's tweet after he shared it on Wednesday, with one saying: "First Yorkshire Tea, now Walkers crisps and Pringles.

"Are Conservative politicians engaged in cynical product placements instead of addressing the serious needs of the country?"

"Oh no. That's walkers and pringles getting boycotted," another said.

One asked: "Are you trying to destroy their businesses?"

But social media users were also quick to joke about a robe hanging behind Mr Rees-Mogg, which had taken on a spectre-like form.

Football commentator and Walkers Crisps brand ambassador, Gary Lineker, replying to a suggestion that the MP was after his job, said: “He’ll have to be quick, looks like the Grim Reaper is behind him.”

Comedian David Baddiel wrote: “Slightly surprised, given that this is a jolly tweet about crisps, that Jacob hasn’t made more effort to hide his Grim Reaper cloak.”

Walkers Crisps joked that its social media team had tripled in size in order to reply to the comments, saying: “There’s three of us now”.

Curators reassured people that they had not been subject to online similar abuse as Yorkshire Tea.

“Just enjoying a lovely cup of @YorkshireTea and waiting for all this to blow over” the brand tweeted.

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