As seen in the New World
When that More In Common poll dropped this week showing Andy Burnham comfortably ahead of Reform, SW1 was flabbergasted. But as an avid follower of social media trends, a millennial journalist who began digital first, I was only surprised that the bounce hadn’t been bigger.
All weekend my WhatsApp groups have been buzzing with the latest Andy Burnham online viral memes. In ‘Babe.net class of 14’, a video from X was shared of Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, having a Brat summer. In another called ‘Soho Reading Society’ someone posted a clip of Sue Gray doing the Cinnamon Challenge and Douglas Alexander hitting a perfect whip and nae nae on College Green.
Thanks to thousands of hours spent doomscrolling on their phones, your average Brit doesn’t want policy
And this is just the start. I can already see what comes next. The man from the Chocolate Rain viral video dancing the Harlem Shake with the entire PLP. John Healey and Yvette Cooper re-enacting ‘Charlie bit my fin-ger’. At the start of PMQs Burnham could refuse to respond to questions and just perform the Cup Song to throw Kemi Badenoch off. The vibe’s the limit. And look, this isn’t necessarily my application for a job with the social team in No. 10, but email clairh@ucl.co.uk for my full CV.
