Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat chief secretary to the Treasury, on Thursday took the unprecedented step of setting out an alternative fiscal plan to George Osborne’s budget while standing at the Commons dispatch box.
During a boisterous debate in parliament, Labour accused the Liberal Democrats of trying to distance themselves from a budget that they themselves had signed up to.
But it was the subsequent photo opportunity outside the Treasury building with Danny Alexander holding a government box in Lib Dem yellow that really sent social media into meltdown.
Unconvinced parliamentary sketch writers admire Danny's yellow box pic.twitter.com/5tKHSMrvIw
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) March 19, 2015
Blowing off steam after the serious news event that was Wednesday’s budget, some lucky journalists took the opportunity to have themselves photographed with the yellow box – which the party auctioned off to members at the Liberal Democrat spring conference last weekend for £1,500.
But first: @SophyRidgeSky of Sky News. These pictures coming to you live from the demise of parliamentary democracy pic.twitter.com/1cylcAM6lm
— Michael Deacon (@MichaelPDeacon) March 19, 2015
Presenting the third Lib Dem Budget in two days. I call it: "An Even Better Plan" pic.twitter.com/LYgr50exJy
— Michael Deacon (@MichaelPDeacon) March 19, 2015
Others, following the scene from their desks, express their feelings via the means of Photoshop.
It's funny because it's true #Budget2015 pic.twitter.com/IU7nFREKFk
— General Boles (@GeneralBoles) March 19, 2015
Look out Danny.....Putin's going to annex your briefcase pic.twitter.com/QxjC0mhmqw
— General Boles (@GeneralBoles) March 19, 2015
Twitter users speculated wildly about what might be in the yellow box, which was apparently made of wood with stick-on lettering.
All sorts of theories flying around about what's in Danny's yellow box. #Budget2015 pic.twitter.com/GwkUHp9D1f
— Tom Doran (@portraitinflesh) March 19, 2015
A close-up of Danny Alexander's "yellow box"... #budget2015 pic.twitter.com/spXlyVzaqr
— Michael Savage (@michaelsavage) March 19, 2015
For the little Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary To The Treasury in your life. pic.twitter.com/TGVL964iN3
— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) March 19, 2015
Others found other yellow boxes for Danny Alexander to hold.
First day of school pic.twitter.com/iMLI7HeyER
— Sophie Warnes (@SophieWarnes) March 19, 2015
BREAKING: Danny Alexander unveils plan to save money with replacement for ministerial cars pic.twitter.com/EKLnMWpxIU
— Matt Chorley (@MattChorley) March 19, 2015
Yeah, that's better than mine. RT @SophieWarnes: @hugorifkind I already did it, Hugo pic.twitter.com/QOO6QjOpWg
— Hugo Rifkind (@hugorifkind) March 19, 2015
— Jason Sinclair (@jlsinc) March 19, 2015
Looks like the Liberal Democrats might not have thought the whole yellow box thing through.
