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Lowenna Waters
Mar 26, 2019
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Getty Images / Twitter
A group of hard-core Brexiteers are reportedly calling themselves the 'Grand Wizards' as a nickname, and people are completely outraged.
On Sunday, a group of Brexit supporting MPs travelled to the prime minister's country residence, Chequers, amid rumours that she was desperately trying to persuade them to back her deal.
Those present included Iain Duncan Smith, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, David Davis, and Michael Gove among others.
According to the BBC's chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg, the group of *cough* predominantly middle-aged white men, have decided to give themselves a very catchy and 'right on' nickname.
These arch Brexiteers have decided to refer to themselves as the 'Grand Wizards'. The term was what the racist leaders of the Ku Klux Klan called themselves during the Reconstruction era between 1865 and 1869.
Yes, you couldn't make this stuff up.
In a tweet, she wrote:
2. The 'Grand Wizards' (the new name for the Chequer's daytrippers apparently) also had another meeting this morning, were they discussed again whether they could get on board to back PM's deal and there was no firm conclusion
2. The 'Grand Wizards' (the new name for the Chequer's daytrippers apparently) also had another meeting this mornin… https://t.co/84biL0pvEx— Laura Kuenssberg (@Laura Kuenssberg) 1553542196
Needless to say, many Twitter users were quick to point out the damaging connotations of the name, and to express their shock that the Brexiteers weren't aware of its racist meaning.
Hi I'm Jacob Rees Mogg. Calling brexiteers racist is offensive, as I was telling the other grand wizards the other… https://t.co/nE7vv3IhYH— James Felton (@James Felton) 1553549341
What a choice of name. Grand Wizard was the title given to the head of the Ku Klux Klan. https://t.co/7OFZvhEk4o— Aditya Chakrabortty (@Aditya Chakrabortty) 1553544715
Latest on 'Grand Wizards'. A bit like, "we're informally called the blackshirts... er, no intended connection to an… https://t.co/eSMjZEfRxV— John Harris (@John Harris) 1553547146
No hang on I been in a dark room for 2 and bit hours. You mean to tell me they were calling themselves Grand Wizards?— 🇬🇠Carl Anka 🇬🇠(@🇬🇠Carl Anka 🇬ðŸ‡) 1553552012
I'm high. I must be. The hard Brexiteers have not actually called themselves the Grand Wizards aka the KKK. Clearly… https://t.co/lHawIASfL8— Femi (@Femi) 1553550287
Tell me @DrDavidDuke, do you know these other 'Grand Wizards'? @Jacob_Rees_Mogg @BorisJohnson @DavidDavisMP… https://t.co/hH0hOwqv0o— Carole Cadwalladr (@Carole Cadwalladr) 1553544726
In case you missed it - the ERG have rebranded themselves "The Grand wizards" which is also a term used by the KKK.… https://t.co/zRewyT2vnT— Otto English (@Otto English) 1553553192
‘Grand Wizard: title given to the head of Ku Klux Klan. The highest-ranking leader was the Imperial Wizard.’ So is… https://t.co/YeN2ThThAA— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew Adonis) 1553549285
“So we are a bunch of senior, white, right-wing men. Can anyone think of any possible unfortunate connotations with… https://t.co/UC5zW7nlyM— Stig Abell (@Stig Abell) 1553544136
the grand wizards, really OK... ...KK https://t.co/dKfkqhZoyM— dan hett (@dan hett) 1553542933
Not convinced that calling themselves 'grand wizards' is coincidence. The hostile environment's ripples run ever w… https://t.co/cLjsfxsRol— Malorie Blackman is away. (@Malorie Blackman is away.) 1553588236
It's also pretty unbelievable that the group simply didn't know the connotations of the term. In 2016, Michael Gove sparked outcry after reportedly making a joke about Black Lives Matter and the Ku Klux Klan during a speech at a dinner for The Society of Legal Scholars in Oxford.
According to The Mirror, he said:
I feel rather like the grand wizard of the KKK giving an address to the AGM of Black Lives Matter.
Gove strongly denied the allegations and distanced himself from the claims.
In response to the 'Grand Wizard' claims, Labour MP Jess Phillips said:
This is unbelievable yet so very believable. The group think of this proves exactly why we criticised the fact they were all white men. I'm astonished but no longer am I surprised. These people are disgraceful.
In a follow-up tweet, Laura Kuenssberg said:
Just catching up on timeline, for avoidance of doubt, couple of insiders told me using the nickname informally, no intended connection to anything else.
just catching up on timeline, for avoidance of doubt, couple of insiders told me using the nickname informally, no… https://t.co/RzabUIy5Of— Laura Kuenssberg (@Laura Kuenssberg) 1553546995
HT The Poke
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