Iain Duncan Smith’s election opponent divides the internet with furious response to his Knighthood

Iain Duncan Smith –​ that’s right, the architect of Universal Credit who once​led the Tories to election defeat as party leader –​ has been rewarded in the Queen’s New Year Honours list with a Knighthood.

Naturally, given Smith’s polarising status in UK politics, not everyone is happy about him being given this honour.

Many, many people think a man who’s responsible for Universal Credit –​ a welfare policy which has devastated peoples’ lives –​ shouldn’t be given a Knighthood.

One person who’s particularly angry about the announcement is Smith’s 2019 general election opponent Faiza Shaheen, who challenged him for his Chingford and Woodford Green seat. Shaheen, a local resident and campaigner who is a fierce opponent of austerity, mounted a spirited campaign against Smith, coming within 1000 votes of defeating him on a backdrop of Tory gains elsewhere.

She tweeted to say that Smith’s honour is an example of the​ "morally bankrupt" syste​m.

Lots of people agreed with her response.

But others, including LBC radio host Iain Dale, said that Shaheen wasn’t being gracious. Others accused her of being a “sore loser”.

Shaheen responded…

And lots of other people weighed in too. Most of which were supportive of Shaheen.

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