Grant Shapps and the Mystery of the Vanishing Boris Johnson – 14 favourite reactions
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Grant Shapps, was very proud to support the UK’s efforts to launch satellites into space, before it was sadly thwarted by a ‘technical anomaly’.
Here’s what he tweeted ahead of the attempt.
There’s only one problem with that, and it’s that the photo is of a 2022 visit by Shapps and Boris Johnson to the space complex in Cornwall from which the bid was overseen.
We’re happy to report we’ll have the @NatReconOfc onboard a joint mission between the UK and the US later this year in a historic flight out of @SpaceCornwall! This will be the first-ever orbital launch from British soil.🚀 More: https://t.co/EWX5IPXBdy pic.twitter.com/sHVKpOKJAm
— Virgin Orbit (@VirginOrbit) June 29, 2022
It isn’t the trickiest Spot the Difference we’ve ever seen. There’s even a bit of Johnson’s elbow still there – although Shapps may argue that it’s his arse.
Grant Shapps appears to have now deleted a tweet that had deleted the former PM Boris Johnson from a photograph of the two of them… https://t.co/HPEUjnFc3D pic.twitter.com/04iSLRGZu0
— Ione Wells (@ionewells) January 10, 2023
This was the semi-official line.
A source close to Grant Shapps said: "Grant wasn’t aware anyone had edited the picture. He removed it as soon as it was pointed out. Obviously he wouldn’t endorse anyone rewriting history by removing the former PM from a picture."
— Ione Wells (@ionewells) January 10, 2023
Presumably, they asked Michael Green.
Tweeters weren’t buying it.
1.
Spot the difference, @GrantShapps-style!
(thanks to @garius for spotting this one, and made extra special by the fact that the launch completely failed) pic.twitter.com/rbVj36v0rR
— Gareth Dennis (@GarethDennis) January 10, 2023
2.
It looks as though Grant Shapps doctored this photo of himself with Boris Johnson to ensure that there were fewer negative connotations. pic.twitter.com/W5cnbytG2Z
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) January 10, 2023
3.
Who knew it was this easy to make Boris Johnson disappear?https://t.co/51zAfVKKub
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) January 10, 2023
4.
One down, 355 to go https://t.co/ddn7uK1aKM
— Nihilists For Independence (@Nihilists4Indy) January 10, 2023
5.
empty void replaces empty void https://t.co/BNx6K0wTc4
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) January 10, 2023
6.
If you're flying into space, the first thing you do is get rid of useless excess weight. Tory MPs know this. pic.twitter.com/QXxiXqT1m5
— Bob Roberts (@BobRobPolitico) January 10, 2023
7.
Mr Shapps denied knowledge that the image had been (rather shoddily) doctored. But as old-school @B3ta members would say: "Seamless".https://t.co/xYzGR5Rwbs
— Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman) January 10, 2023
8.
The Telegraph are going to lose the plot if they find out public funds have just been used to rewrite history.
‘Obviously he wouldn't endorse anyone rewriting history by removing the former PM from a picture.’https://t.co/mntKvim9ae
— THE SECRET TORY 🇬🇧 (@secrettory12) January 10, 2023
9.
Grant Shapps discovers what it's like to be one of Boris Johnson’s kids. pic.twitter.com/93R7Jl1xhy
— THE SECRET TORY 🇬🇧 (@secrettory12) January 10, 2023
10.
Best thing about this is how Grant has tried to make it look like he is the one telling a funny story and being popular, when really he was being a sycophantic arse kisser to the pox ridden haystack (now not) beside him. pic.twitter.com/aUwFFUqVdo
— HappyToast★ (@IamHappyToast) January 10, 2023
11.
well this is mistifying
(via @isntdave) pic.twitter.com/MOjZi3gEw0
— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) January 10, 2023
12.
Oh this is fucking genius. Grant Shapps-level genius. And the launch failed.
Genius. pic.twitter.com/04oe7d3NZP
— The Dark Knight (@CityJohn) January 10, 2023
13.
could whoever airbrushed Boris Johnson out of this photo please also airbrush him out of my memory thanks pic.twitter.com/l41f295fNc
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) January 10, 2023
14.
Someone really needs to brush up on their Photoshop skills https://t.co/hqI15lb6bi pic.twitter.com/j4PQZCfqc5
— Steven Sheil (@SSheil) January 10, 2023
Jon Sopel of The News Agents podcast couldn’t resist.
Please listen to @TheNewsAgents with @lewis_goodall and me. Great conversation. Have we got this right @grantshapps ?
The #airhead @maitlis #airbrushed pic.twitter.com/8ut2gfYSE4— Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) January 10, 2023
READ MORE
The new Home Secretary is Grant Shapps, or whatever he’s called this week – 23 great responses
Source Ione Wells Image Ione Wells
