It’s the Incredible Sulk! Twitter mocks Boris Johnson for cancelling EU press conference amid protests
- Boris Johnson left his podium empty after protests on his visit to Luxembourg
- His opponents mocked his comparison of Brexit Britain to the Incredible Hulk
- Luxembourg’s leader took the opportunity to berate Mr Johnson in public
Boris Johnson’s opponents roundly mocked the Prime Minister today after he pulled out of a press conference in Luxembourg because of loud protests nearby.
The PM left his podium empty after he was booed by protesters, before Luxembourg’s leader Xavier Bettel took the opportunity to berate the absent Mr Johnson in public.
The EU’s Brexit critic-in-chief Guy Verhofstadt was one of many to call Mr Johnson ‘the Incredible Sulk’ – mocking the PM’s claims that Britain would escape the EU like the fictional Hulk.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson adopted the same theme, saying: ‘May I introduce you to the Incredible Hulk. Today he is wearing his Harry Potter invisibility cloak…’.
Remainer ex-footballer Gary Lineker made a similar joke, saying: ‘The Incredible Hulk is scared of noise. Who knew?’
Mr Johnson had said Britain would break free of the EU’s ‘manacles’ like Bruce Banner, who transforms into the Hulk when angered.
Absent: Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel gives a press conference next to an empty podium after Boris Johnson pulled out due to protests
Scottish National Party MP Marion Fellows said: ‘Yesterday Boris Johnson compared the UK to the Incredible Hulk.
‘Following discussions with the PM of Luxembourg – a country of 600,000 people – Johnson clearly wasn’t up to speaking to press. Instead, he turned into the Incredible Sulk and ran off with his tail between his legs.’
Others suggested Mr Johnson was a ‘chicken’, a parody of a Conservative attack on Jeremy Corbyn after the Labour leader blocked a snap election.
‘What was I saying about chickens?,’ said Kym Ypres-Smith, posting a mocked-up photo of a chicken on Mr Johnson’s podium.
It was no laughing matter for Mr Johnson as his trip to Luxembourg descended into chaos on Monday.
In an extraordinary diplomatic insult, Mr Bettel went ahead with the press conference by himself and tore into Mr Johnson and what he called the ‘nightmare’ of Brexit.
Mr Johnson’s opponents poked fun at him after the PM abandoned a Luxembourg press conference – many taking the opportunity to mock his ‘Incredible Hulk’ metaphor
Mr Bettel told Mr Johnson to ‘stop speaking and act’ and stop trying to ‘make the EU the bad guy’, accusing him of ‘holding people hostage’ for the sake of his political career.
‘Our people need to know what is going to happen to them in six weeks time. They need clarity, they need certainty and they need stability,’ Mr Bettel said.
Gesturing to the empty space where Mr Johnson should have been, Mr Bettel said: ‘It’s his responsibility. Your people, our people, count on you – but the clock is ticking, use your time wisely.’
Mr Johnson had been confronted by cat-calling British expats and protesters chanting ‘Bog off Boris’ after his lunchtime talks with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.
The PM had met Mr Juncker for the first time since taking office, holding talks at a restaurant with just 45 days left until the October 31 deadline.
The European Commission said Britain had yet to offer any ‘legally operational’ alternatives to the Irish backstop.
Mr Johnson (pictured in Luxembourg today) was heckled by protesters as he travelled to Europe to meet Jean-Claude Juncker