A parish council meeting that quickly descended into chaos, shouting and insults being traded has quickly become one of the most talked-about things on the internet, inspiring hundreds of memes.
The Zoom call between the members of Handforth Parish Council, which reportedly took place on 10 December, has recently emerged on social media after the original footage was posted on the Cheshire council website.
The meeting that took place that evening got off to a rocky start (with someone mumbling "f*** off") and only became more bizarre from there. Within a few minutes, complete anarchy had broken loose in the meeting as several members were ejected prompting shock and laughter.
The dispute seemed to revolve around chairman Brian Tolver's question as to whether the meeting was legitimate. However, he protested this by telling the person who had called the meeting, Jackie Weaver, from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, to "stop talking" and telling her that she had "no authority."
After he was removed from the call, councillor Aled Brewerton and another man on his camera became quite irate when Weaver attempted to elect a new chairman. The other man, claiming to be the vice-chairman, shouted "I take charge" adding "read the standing orders. read them and understand them."
Brewerton was eventually ejected as was another man called Barry Burkhill, who also seemed to oppose Weaver's intervention.
Liam Thorp, political editor for the Liverpool Echo has since reported that Tolver had been refusing to hold meetings but was offered to be the chairman for the meeting but objected to its existence.
So for clarity, the meeting was called because the chair refused to hold meetings But he turned up to it so was i… https://t.co/XNBMOMYu8I— Liam Thorp (@Liam Thorp) 1612481450
Other highlights of the meeting, which has been edited down to an 18-minute highlight reel on YouTube, included Weaver referring to herself as 'Britney Spears' in protest to Tolver labelling himself on Zoom as 'Handforth PC Clerk,' one member taking a phone call, a man named John Smith laughing throughout and a member of the public called Alan Murdoch accidentally being booted from the call despite not being disruptive at all.
A short 30-second clip of the meeting has already been viewed more than 2 million times on Twitter, cementing its place in internet infamy and proving to be a prime source for jokes and memes.
It’s like if Scorsese had directed the Vicar or Dibley. 👌👌 https://t.co/dEFQnOleEB— Jack Whitehall (@Jack Whitehall) 1612514965
im.... obsessed with all of these characters https://t.co/IGfxobw0pV— Matt Bellassai (@Matt Bellassai) 1612492518
This is really white excellence. Giving me Real Housewives of Handforth Parish. We need a show. ASAP. https://t.co/iu6ZPKlGKl— CEO of Yelling (@CEO of Yelling) 1612479100
Can I please get: READ THE STANDING ORDERS, READ THEM AND UNDERSTAND THEM! on a mug please? https://t.co/fVZlDCDH2O— Sophie Morris (@Sophie Morris) 1612470952
Handforth Parish Council latest. https://t.co/wRzYz1IyfO— David Schneider (@David Schneider) 1612482534
"I was once booted off a Parish Council Zoom meeting by Jackie Weaver, for telling her she had no authority". https://t.co/WpIAPNcxIG— Stewart Armitage (@Stewart Armitage) 1612469771
made this instead of sleeping jackie weaver and all of handforth parish council live rent free in my head https://t.co/rzWlIwrpj7— stephen (@stephen) 1612486336
Even Piers Morgan and politicians couldn't get enough of it.
This is fabulous 👇👇 https://t.co/oLd4RveNIU— Piers Morgan (@Piers Morgan) 1612461849
Well between this week’s @dragraceukbbc and #JackieWeaver that was the entertainment and high drama I needed at the end of a long day!— Wes Streeting MP (@Wes Streeting MP) 1612480247
Tag yourself, I'm Sue https://t.co/6OCSre1mSd— Louise Haigh (@Louise Haigh) 1612475661
Seriously, this should win awards.
I’ve now watched all of the Handforth Parish Council Committee meeting, and am now furious that both it AND I MAy D… https://t.co/IvRu9D3Xka— Sue Perkins 💙 (@Sue Perkins 💙) 1612483023
You better believe that there are already television intros for it.
Handforth Parish Council as the inevitable upcoming ITV soap https://t.co/UODXpGZYKa— Tom Hourigan (@Tom Hourigan) 1612511829
Parish the Thought with the cast of Handforth Parish Council. Will Jackie Weaver return in next weeks episode? https://t.co/fgPedM8UKv— Alex Groves (@Alex Groves) 1612474723
Undoubtedly the star of the show was Jackie Weaver (not to be confused with the actor of the same name), whose name was trending on Twitter, along with her alter-ego of Britney Spears.
https://t.co/PDY5FRONav— Alan White (@Alan White) 1612476814
YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY HERE JACKIE WEAVER, NO AUTHORITY AT ALL https://t.co/uQcTxT6jeA— Richard Brooks (@Richard Brooks) 1612474635
when you realise that Jackie Weaver did in fact have the authority https://t.co/vG6xDfNmzd— Hannah (@Hannah) 1612472989
Jackie Weaver is the british AOC— stephen (@stephen) 1612464346
Dear Lisa, as I write this, I am very sad. Our chairman has been overthrown and replaced by THE BENEVOLENT JACKIE W… https://t.co/uclgswZwyv— Michael Fry (@Michael Fry) 1612487991
Jackie Weaver really has had some memorable performances https://t.co/dZswdJuJV7— Jay Motty (@Jay Motty) 1612512638
The best part of this saga is Jackie Weaver’s face after she kicks him out. Our queen is absolutely unbothered, she… https://t.co/Okk7V50jg8— abi supports the strikes! (@abi supports the strikes!) 1612481132
Can’t wait for ITV to make No Authority: The Jackie Weaver story in two years time starring Alison Steadman as Jack… https://t.co/3ZW18gMWwg— Rachel Parris (@Rachel Parris) 1612486577
Jackie Weaver arriving at the next Handforth Parish Council meeting https://t.co/Gslt9KmHVq— Parker (@Parker) 1612515813
✨Announcement✨ I have a new job everyone. I put it on a badge so it's official. Glad to be working alongside Britn… https://t.co/ngE7fMaQYh— Ameena Hamid (@Ameena Hamid) 1612481940
And yes, there is a parody account.
Will the internet ever recover from such a glorious moment? Surely, only Jackie Weaver has the authority to tell us the answer to that question.
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