A hastily deleted tweet which saw the wrong Conservative MP named as the party’s new chairman has been mocked on social media.
For a few minutes it looked as though Transport Secretary Chris Grayling was to become the party’s chairman in Theresa May’s January reshuffle.
Brandon Lewis confirmed as Conservative Party chairman after Chris Grayling was incorrectly announced by the party’s official Twitter account and a couple of MPs.
— Arj Singh (@singharj) January 8, 2018
The gaffe proved an amusing sideshow as the media was watching and waiting for answers on who was in and out in the reshuffle.
CHRIS GRAYLING IS NOT PARTY CHAIRMAN THERE HAS BEEN A MISTAKE pic.twitter.com/z99JT1XeZu
— Loes (@loespl) January 8, 2018
Grayling’s Wikipedia entry was updated to say he served in the chairman role for between “10 and 37 seconds”, although the edit was later removed as vandalism.
Chris Grayling’s 2 minute tenure as Party Chairman recognised on wikipedia pic.twitter.com/3lsci9svmY
— Alex Hacillo (@AlexHatsila) January 8, 2018
Good to know that Chris Grayling’s tenure as chairman is being recognised on Wikipedia pic.twitter.com/rWKCFVb8bV
— Siraj Datoo (@dats) January 8, 2018
In spite of its brevity, people spoke longingly of Grayling’s chairmanship.
People are already looking back, misty eyed, on Chris Grayling’s tenure as @Conservatives chairman.
— Thom Dinsdale (@thomdinsdale) January 8, 2018
Congratulations to Brandon Lewis on outlasting his predecessor after four minutes in his role as Conservative Party Chairman.
— Ned Donovan (@Ned_Donovan) January 8, 2018
Brandon Lewis has been Tory party chairman for 3 minutes. Showing the stamina and dedication sadly lacking in the previous incumbent…
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) January 8, 2018
Among those getting in on the joke was MP Ed Vaizey, the Conservative member for Didcot and Wantage, who recalled a mix-up between him and Liberal Democrat Ed Davey.
Sharing a tweet by Guardian journalist Gaby Hinsliff about a reshuffle which went wrong during the Blair years, he said: “That happened with me and Ed Davey. I was trade minister for 30 minutes.”
Even Lewis’s official announcement, on the Number 10 Twitter account, was marred by a spelling error although it was swiftly adjusted.
Brandon Lewis MP becomes Minister without Portfolio (and Conservative Party Chair) #CabinetReshuffle pic.twitter.com/Q0uNuKsThl
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) January 8, 2018
The original tweet named Lewis as the minister without “porfolio”.
Looks like the reshuffle is going well… pic.twitter.com/bu7l97fglv
— Justin Madders MP (@justinmadders) January 8, 2018
