Suella Braverman has decided to take her election campaign to TikTok – and the internet has quite a lot of thoughts.
The former home secretary started posting videos to the platform at the start of this month under the handle @suellab.
She has uploaded five TikToks already – but it’s the most recent one which has caused the largest stir among her critics.
In a nutshell, Braverman has tried to capitalise on a new TikTok trend which came from a video of a woman asking her baby, “who wants to go to Four Seasons Orlando?”
In the original clip, the baby excitedly raises its hand – a moment which many TikTokers were delighted about.
One person then decided to remix the baby clip with Ida Corr’s 2006 song, Let Me Think About It, creating a viral trend which people copied across the platform.
So Braverman actually does not speak in the 15-second clip at all, as that remix plays in the background instead.
She acts out a parallel scene where she asks voters who is supporting her, while the remixed song plays in the background.
She also mimes along to the words from the original TikTok trend.
The former minister – known for championing the divisive Rwanda bill and for sparking outrage with her comments on migrants – starts the clip by holding her campaign sign with her name on it.
She then walks along in a style which can only be described as a swagger, while others hold up the signs behind her.
In another scene, the sign-holding aides part dramatically to let walk directly between them.
Here’s the full clip…
Suella Braverman launches her TikTok campaign (2024) pic.twitter.com/saP7sMizbI
— insane moments in british politics (@PoliticsMoments) June 15, 2024
As you can imagine, the response from users on X (formerly Twitter) was strong, to say the least.
Every time I land back in England to some cretinous horror show. Morning.
— Brendan May (@bmay) June 16, 2024
I don't want this. @DawnButlerBrent this is your fault. https://t.co/SPw6IBeDYa
— Sentinel (@BwoyLdn) June 16, 2024
I’m gonna laugh myself into lung failure if she loses her seat https://t.co/xKjy6Iz1dc
— Emma (@scousepie) June 16, 2024
Dear Politicians.
Yes TikTok is a platform the "young people" are using, but this does not mean that you should get Barbara from your local association to create 'banging content' for your campaign because she's "seen how her granddaughter TikToks"
Mr Mayor. https://t.co/IDFyMaFlLR
— Trumpton (@Trump_ton) June 16, 2024
I’ve really seen it all now https://t.co/AcHzhp0PSO
— Nick Lowles (@lowles_nick) June 16, 2024
Heaven help us https://t.co/8l6IvrqZPg
— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) June 16, 2024
This is beyond cringe. https://t.co/mxNAD4HbTL
— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) June 16, 2024
A boundary review means Braverman’s old constituency – Fareham, where she had a very comfortable majority of 26,086 – has been split into two other parliamentary seats; Fareham and Waterlooville, and Hamble Valley.
But, her seat could be at at risk in the election, according to Lib Dem analysis conducted after the local elections in May.
A poll from last month, produced by the More in Common think-tank, also found the former home secretary is the least popular potential candidate to replace Rishi Sunak with both voters and the general public.