Generations of British school children knew it as the pink areas of the map, covering a quarter of the world’s land area, a vast dominion on which the sun perhaps only finally set when Hong Kong was handed to China in 1997.
For one Conservative MP however, the British empire appears to be no distant memory but a living reality that still even includes the Thirteen Colonies of what was to become the eastern states of the US.
“Now that’s what I call winning!!!” tweeted the MP for South Derbyshire, Heather Wheeler, on Monday evening, along with a map of former imperial territories and the words: “Empire Goes for Gold.”
The map, which appears to be the same as one used to illustrate the Wikipedia entry for the British empire and highlights not just the American colonies but also Ireland, Iraq and India, was graphically superimposed with Olympic medal tallies showing how the “empire” had thrashed not just the “rest of the world” but also the post-Brexit European Union.
Wheeler, a committed Brexiter who was appointed in July to serve in Theresa May’s new government as an assistant whip, appears to have been trying to link feelgood factor around Britain’s Olympic success to the UK’s looming exit from the EU.
She added in the same tweet: “Well done Team GB & all our Commonwealth friends, now for the Trade Agreements....”
Now that's what I call winning!!! Well done Team GB & all our Commonwealth friends, now for the Trade Agreements.... pic.twitter.com/Qg9qkYxWHp
— Heather Wheeler MP (@HeatherWheeler) August 22, 2016
Wheeler’s tweet appears to have been not without some support. In addition to comments, it had been favourited more than 200 times.
For many on Twitter however, the tweet was fair game for ridicule, and more.
@HeatherWheeler thanks for re-subjugating over a billion people whilst simultaneously claiming friendship.
— Josh R (@technicalfault) August 22, 2016
@HeatherWheeler have you been hacked or transported back 60 years?
— Lee Davies (@LJD1977) August 22, 2016
@Sathnam @HeatherWheeler Do you have any figures for the Roman Empire? Or the Spanish Empire?
— Philip Downer (@frontofstore) August 22, 2016
@HeatherWheeler The British Empire? Are you tweeting from the 19th century?
— Crispin (@SirMustard) August 22, 2016
