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Joanna Taylor
May 27, 2020
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Pool/ Reuters/TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images
Rishi Sunak has said that Nando's re-opening some of their restaurants is the "good news we've all been waiting for", and absolutely no-one agrees.
Whilst some might be excited by the news that Nando's is reopening many of their restaurants for takeaway and delivery, it's not exactly at the top anyone's current priorities.
The chancellor's attempt at being relatable was met with an immediate backlash.
The good news we've all been waiting for. https://t.co/qi15T4uWeh— Rishi Sunak (@Rishi Sunak) 1590575741
People had questions about Sunak's priorities.
@RishiSunak WTF? We've the second highest death toll in the midst of a global pandemic, the government's in utter c… https://t.co/uRD0zgDsUs— Slough for Europe 🇪🇺💙 (@Slough for Europe 🇪🇺💙) 1590576852
@RishiSunak Disgraceful tweet. 60,000 dead whose loved ones had the worst news possible.— junesim63 💙✋🏽🧡 (@junesim63 💙✋🏽🧡) 1590576777
I mean I love a Nando’s as much as the next person, but this is a revoltingly tone-deaf attempt at distraction from… https://t.co/mTBuhG9gj7— Hannah Rose Woods (@Hannah Rose Woods) 1590577595
This isn't the good news we're hoping to hear from politicians right now.
The Chancellor doing silver linings here, like a total pro. 50,000+ dead. BUT cheeky Nandos. The economy has been s… https://t.co/9jvB8rEAxR— Jay Rayner (@Jay Rayner) 1590584964
New Zealand announces it has had no new cases at all for five days, and now has no covid patients in hospital. Ou… https://t.co/HilwMrbsNI— George Monbiot (@George Monbiot) 1590585222
"Kids, some bad news. Mum is dead. But the GOOD news is - I've got you a Kinder Egg!" https://t.co/of8TKzAQ4I— Caitlin Moran (@Caitlin Moran) 1590584281
Nearly 40,000 dead, no treatment, no trust, no credibility, no money but the Chancellor of the Exchequer tweets abo… https://t.co/CQEvSVfvBk— Adil Ray OBE (@Adil Ray OBE) 1590576409
Actually, I'd rather hear that my freelance friends and colleagues will have some form of financial help whilst the… https://t.co/3VqaEIbWWI— Amy Hart (@Amy Hart) 1590585632
His tweet is being called "patronising" and "offensive".
@RishiSunak This is very offensive. I - along with everyone I know - is indifferent to Nando's being closed. We wan… https://t.co/jdXLpTlbti— Vicki Harris 🇪🇺 #FBCoalition2024 (@Vicki Harris 🇪🇺 #FBCoalition2024) 1590578399
@RishiSunak i mean this completely sincerely: you’re a ghoul of a man— Beth McColl (@Beth McColl) 1590577917
Of course, many people also saw the tweet as an attempt an to distract from Cummings-gate.
If this isn't a vaccine, an efficacious treatment or a principled stand from the cabinet against Dominic Cummings t… https://t.co/qXLJS9xaug— Adam Kay (@Adam Kay) 1590581189
@RishiSunak Hi Rishi, will the Nando’s in Durham be reopening and if it is can I drive to it from my home in London to feed my child— Mollie Goodfellow (@Mollie Goodfellow) 1590577907
@RishiSunak If I have to collect it, can I go for drive to a beauty spot the day before to make sure I'm going to be OK to drive?— Steve Analyst (@Steve Analyst) 1590578330
There were also plenty of jokes about "chickens".
@RishiSunak Bread, circuses and Peri-Peri, eh? Not for me, thanks.— Sue Perkins 💙 (@Sue Perkins 💙) 1590581248
Does reopening Nandos mean we've reached Lemon & Herb on the alert scale? https://t.co/IHPvSjWceF https://t.co/nVj0WjgJue— Max Kashevsky (@Max Kashevsky) 1590579544
People also criticised Sunak's attempt at "working class relatability".
@imteddybless @RishiSunak But he likes spicy chicken! He’s just one of the lads!— BlackPrinceThe (@BlackPrinceThe) 1590578096
"How can we increase approval ratings with the plebs?" asked a Tory. "Talk about Nando's or Primark," said another. https://t.co/vS9gOHZSxA— 🇪🇺Debbie (@🇪🇺Debbie) 1590579086
But most of the backlash related to how the government has handled the coronavirus pandemic.
I haven’t clicked the link but the only good news we’ve been waiting for is that people have stopped dying of Covid… https://t.co/DDY01CKSvM— Stephen Mangan (@Stephen Mangan) 1590583946
60,000 dead. Fuck this. https://t.co/X4hbX3HkgA— Will Jennings (@Will Jennings) 1590579164
@RishiSunak don't listen to the twitter mob Rishi, i think all true brits know that a cheeky nandos is worth it for… https://t.co/kKJqpFmo7i— What the fuck are you lot even on about (@What the fuck are you lot even on about) 1590580172
The UK has the second-highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world. People are not simply angry with the government because the prime minister's senior advisor broke lockdown rules, or because they refused to take action against him. The government's failure to adequately protect us throughout this pandemic is generating palpable anger and could be the subject of a future inquiry.
No attempt at distraction, about Nando's or otherwise, is likely to change that.
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