The idiom ‘when in Rome’ didn’t seem to apply to Boris Johnson when he arrived in Italy for the G20 summit on Saturday.
As the prime minister stood for the usual photocall of all the world leaders, he displayed a smirk and a demeanour which Twitter users have since compared to the late comedian, Benny Hill – the entertainer most known for his “Yakety Sax” theme tune.
The two-day summit concludes on Sunday, the same day that the Cop26 climate conference gets underway in Glasgow.
Mr Johnson has already held private meetings with Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president.
In a joint statement with French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Angela Merkel and US president Joe Biden, the UK prime minister expressed a “grave and growing concern” over Iran’s “escalating nuclear program”.
Yet with social media, it isn’t the diplomacy of international conferences which catches people’s eye, of course, but rather any opportunity to ridicule our politicians – this time around, comparing them to an esteemed performer of slapstick.
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Why does our country have to be represented on the world stage by an embarrassing and malevolent Benny Hill? pic.twitter.com/4vL5QzKWKq
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) October 30, 2021
Don't be fooled by the Benny Hill act. Boris is a cold, calculating narcissist, a sociopath with the moral empathy of bacteria.
— Lloyd🛡️Hardy (@LloydHardy) October 30, 2021
His bumbling awkwardness is practised, like a Music Hall drunk. Don't ever trust him. He'll screw the UK over without breaking into a sweat#ToriesOut pic.twitter.com/ifryxNZCs1
I know lots of voters think Boris Johnson’s Benny Hill act is hilarious but sadly the rest of the world is now laughing at us, not with us. 🤡
— Siobhan Benita (@SiobhanBenita) October 30, 2021
Our PM. Look on his Works, ye Mighty, and despair! pic.twitter.com/nF5BuW9TYn
— James Archer #Walls Come Tumbling Down (@JamesKAArcher) October 30, 2021
— Rutherfords (@RutherfordsNo1) October 30, 2021
I would appreciate it if you would all please cease and desist from comparing our Prime Minister to Benny Hill. I like Benny Hill. pic.twitter.com/VxXc81yA02
— The Sting (@TSting18) October 30, 2021
Benny Hill pic.twitter.com/y10oboT7cO
— ARTIST TAXI DRIVER (@chunkymark) October 30, 2021
On one side, a professional clown, on the other, Benny Hill. pic.twitter.com/HVNZ9joIWO
— Mark Blacklock 💙 #JoinAUnion (@MarxMedia) October 30, 2021
We’d join in with comparing him to a practical joker, but we feel the word ‘practical’ does a lot of heavy lifting.
