FAKE NEWS!
You’ve probably seen some rumblings on social media this morning and if not, you’re bound to hear it being blasted on the airwaves for the rest of the day.
In a piece for The Times entitled “Britain is the authentic nation in this battle”, Melanie Phillips has said that Ireland has a “tenuous claim to nationhood”.
Phillips said: “The claim to unite Ireland is tenuous since Ireland itself has a tenuous claim to nationhood, having seceded from Britain as the Irish Free State only in 1922.”
She went on to state that Britian is an authentic, unitary nation by comparison.
The type of thinking it requires to draw that conclusion is simply astounding.
Melanie Phillips herself has a tenuous claim to existence, having been born only in 1951. @MelanieLatest @thetimes pic.twitter.com/4aHNayKPRJ
— Michael O'Mahony (@momahony_) March 7, 2017
Obviously there was a strong reaction to her article online…
Ireland, you're not a proper country. Melanie Phillips says so pic.twitter.com/2GgVqmObHJ
— Ian Prior (@ianprior) March 7, 2017
"Melanie Phillips" and #DavidIcke should get together for that exploratory trip to Mars
— charlieturner100 (@garside66) March 7, 2017
I wonder what upsets Melanie Phillips most: Other people's happiness or the realisation she was just prototype Hopkins?
— Jon Foster (@JonLFoster) March 7, 2017
Is there a contest where politicians & commentators compete to make the most idiotic statement without losing their jobs? Melanie Phillips.
— Mermayden ? (@mermayden) March 7, 2017
Best response to Melanie Phillips. We know it's nonsense. #ShakeItOff pic.twitter.com/060Icc9SA8
— David McCann (@dmcbfs) March 7, 2017
Melanie Phillips has written something spurious about Irish nationhood. I'm shocked. If only her previous writing had given us some clues.
— Gavan Titley (@GavanTitley) March 7, 2017
Melanie Phillips can always be relied upon to be more offensive than she needs to be……..
— Jos Bell (@Jos21Bell) March 7, 2017
Melanie Phillips helpfully proves why it is vital to continue teaching History in schools https://t.co/Mv6ufVKXmX
— Annie West (@anniewestdotcom) March 7, 2017
Are Katie Hopkins and Melanie Phillips in some kind of extreme-right-poisonous-bile Battle of the Bastards?
— Helen (@helenmallam) March 7, 2017
All the Irish people I follow on Twitter are staggered and furious about Melanie Phillips preposterousness this morning. Strangely soothing.
— Orla (@OrlaDoherty) March 7, 2017
Melanie Phillips doing her absolute best to endear everyone to the English. #MajorFacePalm
— Dean (@DeanFaccini) March 7, 2017
Although not everyone felt the same way… or were being controversial for the sake of it, rather like the original article.
Melanie Phillips is right. I like Ireland & have Irish friends but just look at them pooping their pants over Brexit. Bit of a joke country.
— So Angry (@MisterSoAngry) March 7, 2017
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Conor Sketches | Tiger Woods loves Ger Loughnane and cosplaying as Charles LeClerc