If you thought a government minister claiming that Boris Johnson was “ambushed with a cake” was going to pass without any sort of response on social media, you were wrong.
Twitter has been having a field day after Tory MP Conor Burns responded to claims that the prime minister reportedly attended a surprise birthday party in No.10′s cabinet room back in June 2020, and was presented with a cake by then-fiancée Carrie Johnson.
After he told Channel 4 News that the PM “was in a sense ambushed with a cake”, social media was awash with jokes and memes – but our favourites have undoubtedly been the ones illustrated by iconic pop and hun culture moments.
The “cake ambushing” has been parodied with clips involving everyone from Coronation Street’s Deirdre Barlow to Celebrity Big Brother’s Lauren Harries, while it also put some in mind of a certain moment from political comedy The Thick Of It.
Footage of Carrie Johnson arriving at number ten every evening pic.twitter.com/V9NhvUQ2Wo
— SHANE REACTION (@imshanereaction) January 25, 2022
Fwiw, this is what being ambushed by a cake looks like pic.twitter.com/k9fm8yZCVo
— Tom Richell (@tomrichell) January 25, 2022
Boris Johnson being ‘ambushed by cake’ pic.twitter.com/KF3CbjthCg
— JustRandomThoughts (@randomstuffxzxz) January 25, 2022
Boris Johnson getting ambushed by cake pic.twitter.com/LrM7KrqwRZ
— David Philip Bates (@DavidPBates) January 25, 2022
POV: you're just about to be ambushed with cake pic.twitter.com/p5tfMTZzfe
— SHANE REACTION (@imshanereaction) January 25, 2022
“Now tell them the PM was ambushed with cake” pic.twitter.com/inHBCE2QoT
— Rachel Love-Howseman (@rachlove31) January 25, 2022
“He was ambushed with cake!” pic.twitter.com/JmIUbJtQ6D
— Alex Fletcher (@alexanderfletch) January 25, 2022
Ambushed by Cake: it just has to be the title of my next book! #AmbushedByCake
— Nigella Lawson (@Nigella_Lawson) January 25, 2022
‘… it was at that moment I was ambushed with a birthday cake and was unable to escape and forced to celebrate against my will…’ pic.twitter.com/FSm3dfLSdj
— Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) January 25, 2022
As the nation awaits the release of Sue Gray’s full report into partygate, the agony and anticipation was also summed up with some classic clips – including ones courtesy of Delia Smith, Mariah Carey and Nikki Grahame.
Entering Day 3 of waiting for Sue Gray’s Downing Street parties report to drop like: pic.twitter.com/uRwsk164bw
— Sophie Morris (@itssophiemorris) January 26, 2022
sue gray writing up her report pic.twitter.com/fnMpZj5bN1
— Sian Thymes ? (@SianThymes) January 26, 2022
Refreshing your Twitter every five seconds on Sue Gray day pic.twitter.com/tdZHahe2xv
— SHANE REACTION (@imshanereaction) January 26, 2022
Sue Gray finally releasing her report this afternoon pic.twitter.com/eMqoT2vgtU
— Jack (@jacksl95) January 26, 2022
The UK asking Sue Gray when the report will be delivered to the Prime Minister… pic.twitter.com/i1tx5jB3zw
— ??TimmyLDN??????️?? (@TimmyLDN) January 25, 2022
sue gray teasing the release of the big report pic.twitter.com/X7DbxQkNPY
— jackson davies (@actualjack) January 25, 2022
Waiting for Sue Gray and her report pic.twitter.com/xrmScGVDyg
— Adam Dalgleish (@AdamDalgleish_) January 26, 2022
Sue Gray when asked why she still hasn’t published her report into #PartyGate: pic.twitter.com/TCiyEPpEnu
— Danny (@hayeslissack) January 20, 2022
And there were also some pretty inspired memes about what could happen when it is finally published...
Boris Johnson: Let’s wait for the Sue Gray report, which will prove I done nothing wrong
Sue Gray [holding pictures of Johnson]: pic.twitter.com/CY5UA1LxkT
— Zak ️️ (@ZG1999_) January 25, 2022
sue gray to the rest of the uk: pic.twitter.com/nxWIHExkPD
— steven ✿ #blm (@androdgyny) January 25, 2022
Sue Gray releasing her report pic.twitter.com/7hXFglbNkq
— Robert Falla-Louvét ??? (@lanerobertlane) January 25, 2022
The Sue Gray report arrives at Downing Street reception pic.twitter.com/Su5s6TJZat
— Jeff Oakley (@jeff_oakley1990) January 25, 2022
This Apprentice interview from a few years ago could almost be footage from the Sue Gray investigation… pic.twitter.com/Bu1Xu9VAJ3
— Josh Soane (@josh_soane) January 21, 2022
The latest allegation of a Downing Street party emerged earlier this week, with claims the PM’s now-wife Carrie arranged a surprise event in the Cabinet Room with up to 30 people present.
Invitees allegedly included interior designer Lulu Lytle, who was not a member of a member of Downing Street staff, but was decorating the prime minister’s flat (the centre of a different No.10 scandal).
No.10 has not denied this gathering took place but claimed it was just Downing Street staff who “gathered briefly”, and Johnson was only present for 10 minutes.
Gray’s inquiry into allegations of numerous parties and gatherings in Whitehall and Downing Street when Covid restrictions were in place is expected to be made public on Wednesday or Thursday.
On Tuesday, Scotland Yard chief Dame Cressida Dick announced a police inquiry was being carried out, based in part on evidence obtained by the Gray investigation.