As the UK remained gripped by Brexit chaos, American model and author Chrissy Teigen conveyed the thoughts of many Brits as she admitted that, try as she might, she doesn’t understand it all.
Shortly after a no-confidence vote was announced on Theresa May’s leadership of the Conservative Party, Teigen took to Twitter to say: “One of my goals for 2019 is to understand UK politics. I read and read and try and learn but my brain cannot grasp it.”
okay one of my goals for 2019 is to understand UK politics. I read and read and try and learn but my brain cannot grasp it
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 12, 2018
Brits on social media clearly understood where she was coming from, with celebrities and political reporters confessing they were in the same boat.
Singer Myleene Klass replied to the original tweet, saying: “No-one gets it here either.”
No ones gets it here either
— Myleene Klass (@KlassMyleene) December 12, 2018
Comedian Sue Perkins had a similar response, telling Teigen: “Don’t worry, we can’t grasp it either…”
Don't worry, we can't grasp it either…
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) December 12, 2018
Perhaps worryingly, political reporters also seemed to agree with Teigen, arguing that politicians themselves may not even fully understand Brexit.
Alan White, news editor at Buzzfeed UK, said: “Congratulations, you’re eligible for a select committee role just for trying.”
Congratulations, you’re eligible for a select committee role just for trying https://t.co/TOPf1i8FKz
— Alan White (@aljwhite) December 12, 2018
Vijay Mistry, drummer of Kaiser Chiefs, took a slightly more cynical view, saying: “It’s easy. No one understands it because even the people who are paid to understand it don’t understand it.”
It’s easy. No one understands it because even the people who are paid to understand it don’t understand it. #UnderstandIt
— Vijay Mistry (@vjthedrummer) December 12, 2018
Writer Lexi Rose responded with reference to an incident on Monday when MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle grabbed the parliamentary mace in protest at Brexit,
“Have a read about how you can grab the mace (a big gold stick) mid-debate and really upset everyone by doing so. It’s so British, it hurts,” she wrote.
“Oh wow you weren’t lying it really is quite big,” Teigen said.
what’s the point of being able to take the giant gold thing if the lady with the sword can just stop you and make you put it back? https://t.co/iRTj4BlLjy
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 12, 2018
And when another Twitter user responded jokingly that Brits cast their votes by “going to the nearest woods, finding the tallest oak tree and burying our ballots in holes beneath them”, Teigen replied appreciatively, saying: “This is all very good to know.”
this is all very good to know https://t.co/K5OBOxcF1J
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 12, 2018
Theresa May is awaiting the verdict of Conservative MPs after the threshold of 48 letters of no confidence was passed, triggering a ballot on the leadership.
Mrs May needs the votes of 158 MPs to remain as Conservative leader, the position she has vowed to fight for “with everything I’ve got”.
The UK is scheduled to leave the European Union at 11pm on March 29.
In spite of all the help from Twitter, Teigen appeared none the wiser, tweeting: “This is harder to understand than super smash bros!!! LOL LOL THATS CALLED A CALLBACK IN SHOWBIZ GUYS lol lol lol.”
this is harder to understand than super smash bros!!! LOL LOL THATS CALLED A CALLBACK IN SHOWBIZ GUYS lol lol lol
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 12, 2018