Attempts to inject some lightness into the Conservative leadership contest on social media fell on Wednesday when a tweeted 1922 Committee photo provoked criticism that was sexist and obsolete.
With the announcement of the two remaining candidates for the post of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom about to be announced (at 16:00 this Wednesday) or at “tea time”, as described, the photograph showed committee members representing conservative banquets posing with tea cups in hand. and a teapot.
But some observers were quick to condemn the optician, noting that of the six members of the committee who presented the only woman present was the one who poured the tea.
The five men, including the chairman of the 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady, smiled broadly as the joint vice-chairman, Nusrat Ghani, was forced to fill the cups.
One response to the image commented: “There are five men and a woman in this image and the woman is the one pouring the tea. It doesn’t look good …”
Another wrote, “A little revealing, the only woman in the photo is serving tea to all the men.”
“Why does the woman hold the teapot? Can’t one of the men hold it? Or is that too degrading for conservative men?” commented another.
One replied, “So your vice president, the only (colored) woman in the photo, is the one you chose to serve tea to the men. Well done.”
Someone said, “Oh, I get it now! It’s called a 1922 committee because they act like it’s still 1922!” While another suggested, “Don’t forget to post another photo later that shows it washing.” .
The tweet followed another photo posted this week of puns on the heat wave and the warming up of the voting process, which showed the committee room full of fans.